We are in a recession. Don’t you think it’s time that we get wise about our money?
Consider these tips and keep some change in your pockets, please!
Buy a reusable water bottle and fill it with filtered water. Hell. Buy five reusable water bottles, fill them with filtered water and grab one each morning when you head to the office. While you’re at it, brew your own coffee and steep your own tea. You can use a travel mug. And you shouldn’t even be drinking carbonated soft drinks, so that takes care of the beverages.
Entertain yourself for free with your library card and the Internet. There are web sites that offer films, documentaries and television shows for free (get it while it lasts). There’s SnagFilms, Hulu, Joost (to name a few), and many of your favorite network shows will have full episodes on their web sites of all the shows that you missed while you were wasting your money on that latte. And since we’re heading into summer, look for (free) theater or concerts in the park.
Re-gift with pride. You can always give a book without ever feeling guilty that it's used, because it's new to the recipient. Just make sure that the pages are not filled with highlighting, that every other word isn’t underlined and that the margins are not decorated with your thoughts.
Skip the valet. Not only will you save money by actually parking your car yourself, you will also get some exercise.
Cook. Buy real food at a store or farmers market, bring it home and cook it. If you’re feeling really ambitious, plant some food.
What are your money-saving tips? Share them here.
Great post, I completely agree! My work has FREE (Starbucks and Pete's) coffee and people still buy their $3 cups because they say it tastes better. Even if you're not inclined to grow food, you'd be amazed at how much buying a loaf of bread and some lunch meat can save you throughout the week.
ReplyDeleteHmmm. I'm not so sure it's that simple. One of the reasons that recessions get worse is that people stop spending, demand for goods and services falls, production follows suit, people lose their jobs, then they have to stop spending, demand for goods and services falls further, etc. It's a spiral.
ReplyDeleteNot the I'm FOR conspicuous consumption. Personally, i'm simplifying my life. I just don't think it's as simple as you suggest. Reducing spending too much can be more harmful than helpful I think.