frugal Archives — Page 2 of 19

4 Ways TV Watching is Hurting Your Finances

February 3, 2020 By MelissaB Leave a Comment

There’s nothing better after a long, hard day of work than to kick back and watch your favorite television show. However, what you consider to be a harmless way to unwind may be affecting your wallet in ways that you hadn’t even considered. In fact, there are 4 ways TV watching is hurting your finances.

Expense of Cable

At the most obvious level, you’re paying money to have the television set, pay for the cable, and use the electricity. If you still have cable, you’re likely paying $60 or more for the privilege of watching a wide variety of channels. That is at least $720 a year. If you’ve broken up with cable, congratulations, you’re saving yourself some serious money.

4 Ways TV Viewing Is Hurting Your Finances — Photo by freestocks.org on Unsplash

However, you likely pay for Netflix or other similar programs. You might be spending as little as $11 a month on this, so you’re looking at approximately $130 a year, much better than paying for cable. While you can pat yourself on the back for this smart move, know that watching shows is still costing you money, but in different ways.

Unrealistic Expectations

Watching television shows and movies can fill you with unrealistic expectations. While you may make a modest salary and be in the market for a modest house, thanks to shows like House Hunters, you expect a large master suite, a perfectly manicured lawn, and a three car garage. Your expectations have been elevated outside the realm of your own budget thanks to television.

Likewise, you may see characters like Rachel on Friends struggling to make it working as a coffee shop waitress, yet she wears glamorous clothes and has a nice New York City apartment. This is not reality, but television isn’t about being real. It’s about selling a dream, and most of the audience accepts the dream at the cost of their own finances.

Takes Time Away from Other Pursuits

The average American aged 35 to 49 watches five hours of television a day! (NY Daily News). That is 35 hours a week. Imagine all of the other things you could do with that time. You could invest your time in growing your income, whether that means a side hustle, going back to school to increase your future income, taking online classes, or reading a book. Your time could be used in so many other productive ways. Plus, advertisers would not be able to reach you as they reach those passively watching television, which means you’d likely keep more money in your pocket.

Health Issues

Finally, those 35 hours of passive television watching can take quite a toll on your health. Not only are you likely to indulge in unhealthy snack foods while watching television, you’re also not exercising. Years of excessive TV watching can lead to an increase in weight and health issues. In fact, according to CNN, researchers discovered that “for every additional two hours people spend glued to the tube on a typical day, their risk of developing type 2 diabetes increases by 20% and their risk of heart disease increases by 15%.”

While watching television may seem like a harmless pastime, keep in mind how much it’s really costing you. If you want to relax, consider grabbing a book instead or hanging out with friends.

How much television do you watch? Do you agree that T.V. viewing is affecting your finances, or do you not feel it has an effect?

This December Save Money with No Spend Days

November 11, 2019 By MelissaB Leave a Comment

While the holiday season often means seeing family and taking time off work, it is also typically a time of high expenses. In fact, you may spend more in December than you do any other month of the year. All of this spending can lead to a holiday hangover in January as you look at your empty bank account and credit card balance. But it doesn’t have to be this way. This December save money with no spend days. You’ll be so glad you did when January rolls around.

This December Save Money with No Spend Days

How to Implement No Spend Days

No spend days can be a great way to save money. December is a challenging financial month, so it’s best to start having one or two no spend days a week in November. By December, you’ll have accrued extra money to use in the most expensive month of the year.

What Is a No Spend Day

Save Money by Not Spending — Photo by Clay Banks on Unsplash

On a no spend day, you don’t buy anything. No morning coffee at the local shop; no online purchases, no matter how great the sale; no lunch out with coworkers; no stopping by the grocery store for a few items—you simply do not spend money on that day. If you want to stretch yourself, try it for two or three days in a row.

Why Have No Spend Days in December

There are several reasons to have a few no spend days in December.

Learn to Rein in Your Spending Impulses

Money gets away from us easily in December. We feel bad that we may not have spent as much on presents as we perceive others have spent, so we add on a few gifts. We may want to give the hostess of a party a nice bottle of wine. We may want to tip the hairdresser more generously. On and on throughout the month of December, there are little and not so little expenses that chip away at our money.

A no spend day or two allows you a chance to take a break from spending. When you take a break from spending, you reset your mind. After a no spend day or two, it’s a little bit easier to not spend as much money. It’s a little bit easier to ask yourself, “Do I really have to (or want to) buy this, or can I do without or wait?” You may find waiting leads to never buying it. When you check your buying impulse, it’s not so strong, and you can experience more self-control. If you do still want to buy the item, you may be more inclined to look for ways to buy it for less.

Start the New Year without A Holiday Debt Hangover

Wouldn’t it be great if, come January, you open your credit card bill and are not faced with charges you can’t pay off? Wouldn’t it be great if your bank account balance was still healthy come January? Wouldn’t it be great if you bought gifts in a disciplined, conscious way so when the holidays are over, you just feel good about the holiday season rather than suffering from a holiday hangover?

It is possible to have a controlled spending holiday season. One way to jump start this process is this December save money with no spend days. Try to have one or two per week this month.

How do you keep your budget in check during the holiday season? What strategies do you implement? Do you have no spend days throughout the month?

8 Fun, Frugal Family Activities to Enjoy This Fall

August 28, 2019 By MelissaB 1 Comment

Ah, fall. The weather becomes more comfortable, the kids are back in school, and there are plenty of activities to enjoy before the cold weather blows in. Make the most of your family time with some of these fun, frugal family activities.

Pick a Pumpkin & Carve It

This seems so simple, but kids love picking their own pumpkin and carving it (with help if they’re young, of course). Sure, there are some pricey pumpkin patches out there that charge an exorbitant fee, but there are also mom and pop pumpkin patches that don’t charge as much. These are the ones you’ll want to choose.

For younger kids, stop by the store and pick up the safe carving knives and consider buying a stencil to make the design element easier. Don’t forget to wash off the seeds and roast them for a yummy treat!

Enjoy a Corn Maze

Let the kids try to find their way out. Depending on the complexity of the maze and your kids’ sense of direction, you may be wandering through for a while.

Pick Apples & Make an Apple Dessert

apple picking and pie making for frugal, fall fun

Nothing tastes better than fresh apples that you just picked in the morning. While picking apples from the orchard costs about as much as buying them at the grocery store, you’ll get the experience of picking them as well as a much better taste.

Take your apples home and make some yummy homemade apple pie or apple butter to enjoy later in the year.

Enjoy the Fall Foliage

Take a drive out to the country, preferably to a hilly or mountainous area, and just soak in Nature’s beauty. There is nothing that beats the beautiful reds, yellows, and golds of the leaves changing color.

Go on a Hike

Now that the fall temps are here, it’s a perfect time to take a hike with the family. This is a great way to get exercise and take in more of the beautiful fall leaves changing.

Go to a High School Homecoming Football Game

The local high school football game only costs a few bucks to attend, and you can cheer on the local high schoolers. Make this more fun for your kids by attending the homecoming football game. The homecoming court will be dressed in their fanciest dresses and suits, adding another element of fun to the night.

Decorate the House

Pull out your fall decorations and decorate the house. Or, stop by your local craft store and buy small gourds and other items to make your own wreath for the front door or table arrangement.

Attend a Fall Festival

Most towns host at least one festival in the fall, if not more, which can offer a fun, frugal way to entertain the family. Travel and Leisure has created a list of the best fall festival in each state. Is there one near you?

Fall is one of the best times of the year to get out and enjoy yourself without spending a lot of money. Enjoy one or more of these low-cost fall activities with your family.

What other frugal, fall activities would you add to this list?