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Feb 24, 2010

Unnecessary Expenses: Part 1 (Merrick)

During a vacation to visit my parents a few weeks ago, my mom and I got talking about frugal living – this blog has taken over our brains and allowed us to think of nothing else! As we discussed this topic, she mentioned hearing on the news a story about a young woman who had recently been offered a job at Las Vegas’ new City Center, and how this job had been a godsend since “she just didn’t know where the money for next month’s cable bill was going to come from." *

Do we, as spoiled people of the twenty-first century, have this same mentality? Are we stressing and stretching our financial limits in order to have luxuries that we’ve been brainwashed to think are necessities?

I think we’re all guilty of this at one time or another, thinking that we just can't live with out [insert item here], even though we don't really need it or can’t afford it. This mentality results in credit card debt, living above our means, and having no savings or emergency funds.

Over the next few posts I’ll be talking about some of these unnecessary expenses, how you can overcome the “I need it now!” mentality, and how (in many cases), there are much cheaper options that are just as good.


*not an exact quotation

3 comments:

Pamela Early Settoon said...

I agree. My husband and I decided to down grade our internet to save just a little extra a month. The cost is slower internet. The only big problem is I take a lot of pictures so it takes a long time to download. The solution is download pictures right before I go to bed or before I'm leaving the house. The savings is an extra $15 a month. A year=$225 This can all go to savings now. It was a simple decision

Packrat said...

Years ago, we had the cable (TV) turned off. The only thing I really missed was PBS. We also had the house phone disconnected, since we had a business land line into the house. We tried to do without cell phones, but with my husband's business and the mindset of customers wanting instant answers, that didn't work.

The Petersons said...

I feel like I need to be a guest author on this blog. I always think of good ideas when I'm reading. I have REALLY been increasing my frugality skills since moving here! I love reading what ya'll do!