4 Things I Used to Think I Need…
I’ve been on a path to better finances for about 9 months now. It’s definitely a math thing AND a mental game. I wanted to share some of the ways I save money, by cutting out things I used to think I need, but now I know I don’t.
1. Hair color.
If you had asked me 5 years ago if I would ever cut getting my hair dyed out of my budget, I would have told you that you were insane. Hair color is a need, sisters. … fast forward to now when instead of SPENDING my student loan money, I’m paying BACK my student loan money… and I’m about 12 months free of hair color. I’ve noticed a major perk that my hair is healthier. Also, my hair stylist calls it a “natural ombre” so I feel OK about it now :).
My cousin and I at my birthday
Of note, I had been dying my hair closer and closer to my natural color, so that made going cold turkey a lot easier.
2. Cable TV.
If you follow me on twitter you’ve probably heard of my NBC Olympics woes. My new apartment doesn’t pick up NBC well. But before this I went 9 months without a TV at all, and now for the last few months I’ve had an antenna (obvi I couldn’t live without TV for football season). I think it’s magical.
I paid a one time cost of $20 for the antenna, and $50 for the converter box to hook the antenna up to my $10 TV I found on craigslist, and bam. I have TV on my TV. It’s bizarre and it’s FREE. Those one time expenses were less than what I used to pay per month to have cable. Adios!
3. A full pound of meat in my dinners.
I started doing this on accident, because I was sick of having a ton of leftovers and being forced to eat the same thing all night. I started splitting my pounds of ground beef into 1/2 pound for pasta and 1/2 pound for tacos. Then I found Budget Bytes and was assured that Americans put WAY more meat in our meals than we need to.
When I get home from the grocery store (or a day or two after, if I’m feeling lazy or busy), I break up all of my meats into meal sized portions and put most of it in the freezer. It’s awesome and saves me a TON of money – especially if I buy it in bulk.
4. Coffee.
HAHA. Let’s not get crazy around here. Yea right. Coffee is a need.
5. Real books.
I signed up for a library card last year and it has been amazing. I check out books at the library in person, but I also check them out on my kindle. This saves me a lot of money because I’m a chronic book buyer, and also has me reading more because I’m also a chronic book shelver. I buy books and never read them because of the giant stack of already-bought-books staring me in the face. The library takes back e-books automatically when they’re due, or charges me money each day when they’re physical copies. So I’m motivated to finish and return!
My church book store. I come and stand here probably 3/4 weekends a month. I took this photo because the pastor of my church in Nevada’s book is for sale at my church in WA! It made me feel a little less homesick.
My library also has audiobooks that I’ve been downloading for my commute and road trips, and free museum passes to the awesome local museums downtown. It’s fantastic!
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