It isn’t fun when people have to scale back because they need to save money. It makes life much less interesting. Consumers don’t have to make their lives less fun in order to keep more of their money in the bank, and they don’t have to have fewer things in their lives to save money. It takes conscious planning to conserve money without struggling, but it is possible to do.
People always have the option of comparing insurance quotes when they want to spend less money every month. They can receive the cheapest insurance quotes for all of their policies including auto, home and health insurance. Receiving the cheapest insurance quotes is a simple matter of seeking quotes on a comparison website that specializes in returning several insurance quotes to their customers.
Changing the purchases consumers make can’t necessarily be considered a sacrifice. The store brand products are just as good as the well-known brand names that cost much more money. By buying the store brand products, consumers will notice a significant decrease in the amount of money they are spending on everything they need. Purchasing in bulk is another way to save money on the necessities without having to cut back on what is purchased. Consumers who buy the very large jars of peanut butter, for example, will save money and they won’t have to go to the store as often to buy it.
Going to the movies has become highly expensive, but entertainment doesn’t have to cost a lot of money. People have several options for free or low-cost things to do with their families. For example, they can take their bicycles out for a ride along a bike trail. They can have a picnic in the park. If they are near a beach, they can spend a leisurely day on the sand or engage in water sports. Every town has events that the community organizes, so there is a fun, inexpensive option for everyone.
By becoming more conscious of how they are spending their money, people can find several ways that they can spend less. With the money they save, they can begin putting it away in a savings account, and saving money offers several advantages for people. They will have money set aside that can be used for expenses that are unforeseen. Unexpected expenses are often what cause people to slip into debt. They weren’t able to plan for the expenses they didn’t know they would have, so they didn’t have money to pay for them when they came up. This may have resulted in maxed out credit cards or insufficient funds fees. With a savings account, people avoid these unfortunate events.
Savings can also be used for future pleasures. As people cut back on the money they spend on expensive ventures such going to amusement parks, they will have money that they can use for even larger pleasures such as vacations. For some people, taking a trip to Paris is more beneficial to their lives than taking several trips to the amusement parks.
Featured at:
I think cutting back is also about balancing things out for yourself. Assuming you are not facing something severe like a lay off – if you are just looking for ways to cut back, I’ve found that instead of cutting back on everything (which gives me very little enjoyment), I cut back in areas that don’t mean as much to me so I can afford the other things I do want. For example, I don’t care much about t.v. so I have netflix for $7.99 a month. But exercising is important to me so I am able to use that difference that I would pay for cable to go towards paying a personal trainer each month. It works out better for me and I don’t feel like I’m depriving myself!
I just stream Netflix on my TV too, it’s the best. No need for cable
Ahh.. I can’t live without my sports! I have a basic directv package and recently cancelled netflix
I completely agree. We all have things that would be considered splurges by others but are important to us. I find that the key is being balanced. If I spend $5.00 on starbucks, then I bring my lunch to work to balance it out.
Reassessing what is important can be useful for saving money. Often we let little things creep in and they just turn out to be a waste. Memberships and subscriptions can go unused. Examining our spending on a periodic basis is a good habit.
I totally agree! I started buying group movie discount tickets several years ago. The cost ($6) is much lower than the adult price ($12). There are lots of choices for entertainment that do not cost a lot.
Now, this is where some real savings can be had. No one should ever pay full price for movie tickets.
We used to go to the theatre more but now it is rare. We have such a good system at home that it just seems silly. Plus, I can make the popcorn healthier at home too. Most of all I love how I can stretch out on my couch in my pj’s if I want. This wouldn’t be possible in the public theatre.
Alkl tries and tested, Aaron. And it works – we changed our insurance(s) (and shop for these every year except for life insurance which generally is not worth it); we bu food as a combination of bulk inexpensive stuff and high quality local produce etc. But there is one thing that made big difference: our breadmaker. Nice bread contributes so much to quality of life and when home made it costs one third of the price in shops – and has only five ingredients as apposed to about 15 (yes, I am that sad; I counted them).
There are many small expenses that we have cut over the last several years. The newspaper is one, I get all my news online now.
I did cut my newspaper too… but I miss holding it in my hands.
Nicely said! You can also save a lot by cutting back in driving habits as well as car purchase habits. Some people buy a new car every 5 years or so. If you push this out beyond 10 years, then you can save even lot.
As I grow older, I realized there’s no need to buy a new car every two year or so just so I can show off. But as long as I’m saving up and keeping up with everything else, it’s okay to reward myself with a new car:D
It’s all about what is more important to people, like your amusement park and Paris example. Saving money doesn’t have to be hard work. Great post!!! 🙂
I think finding the balance is the important part. Spend money on the things that mean something to you and make you happy, but be diligent about making up for it in other ways at the same time.
Note to self: Check out Netflix and see about eliminating cable. For our Birthdays and anniversary s we ask our kinds for movie gift cards and gift cards to our favorite restaurants. We try to use the gift cards with other specials too.
If you don’t have an Xbox or PS3 to stream Netflix, just go to Walmart and buy one of those blue-ray players that can stream Netflix. They’re pretty cheap now
You’re so right that there are still plenty of ways to enjoy your life without sacrificing the quality of entertainment. Just be creative finding ways to get discounts. Also, as you say, it is easier to give up some things you don’t enjoy that much so you can afford other things you really enjoy.