frugal underground

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I’m a reader.  In fact, I’m a voracious reader.

I’m also more than a little of a gadget fiend.  I love technology, but I can’t always justify spending the money on a new gadget.   As regular readers may know, last week I went and bought a new Sony Reader at Borders.  I got a good deal on it, I had a coupon so it was $199 rather than $299, but that’s still a lot of money.

So, why was it worth it?

I could go on about the experience of reading on the Sony Reader:  it uses the same technology as the Kindle so it’s much more like reading a book than staring at a screen.  I could talk about the convenience of having 99 books in a device that fits in a cargo pocket on my shorts.

But this being the Frugal Underground I think I’ll focus on the financial justification for buying the device.

Read the rest of this entry »

Photo by NURR

You should always have a plan when you are going to spend money. Consider just three areas where we regularly save by planning.

Groceries. Planning the meals to cover a week or two weeks will help you stick to a budget. Instead of buying food on impulse, you can plan each meal ahead and get the necessary ingredients. You should also make sure that you check the levels of household cleaners and toiletries. Avoiding an extra trip to the store will bring down the chances of an impulse purchase.

Entertainment. Everyone likes to get out and have fun. If you really need to get out once in a while, plan an inexpensive night out. Set the amount you will spend and stick to it. If you use cash only, you will be more inclined to stick to budget.

Major purchases. You can save a fortune if you explore your options. When looking for a car, furniture or major appliances, there is much room for error. Think about quality. It might not be the best choice to buy the cheapest thing out there, because it may not last as long. Check the consumer ratings on the brands you are considering. You don’t have to pay top dollar, but cheap isn’t the way to go with certain things.

Quality time with family is so important. When money is tight, it is sometimes difficult to figure out how to make a worthwhile vacation on a budget. Here’s how you can get the most out of a family vacation without spending all of your savings.

Photo by elephantsgerald

Take short trips. You can visit amusement parks, local carnivals, local fairs, museums, aquariums and zoos for very little money. Small children will appreciate getting out of the house, and are easily entertained with animals and rides. Site seeing is also a nice change of pace, and you can have a family picnic.

If you want a real get away, drive. Saving money on flight costs will allow some flex in the budget for admissions and food. Also, if you have your own car, you won’t have to rent one. You may also want to find out how much the public transportation in the area is between the hotel and the attraction.

A three night stay in a hotel is just long enough to relax and enjoy a break. If you plan a shorter trip, always budget for the cost of an extra night, just in case. Shortening the stay will save some money, and if you save enough for a longer stay, you can use the extra money for special dinners or souvenirs.

Instead of spending money on games that other people have created, you can create your own. Here’s how.

First, choose a theme or subject. If your family has watched a lot of movies together, for example, you can make a game about movies, or about a single movie.

Photo by Camille Panzera

Second, decide what the object of the game should be. For example, in the movie game, the object can be naming the movie a certain line is from or naming as many movies as you can with a certain letter of the alphabet.

Next, decide on the rules. For the movie game, the rules could be that only the team captain can speak, television films don’t count, or points off for talking out of turn. Write the rules down so that you can address them later if there is a conflict.

Now decide how you will keep score. You can use points, candy, or pennies to tally up who is winning. Will you be playing by teams, or individually?

You can also choose a reward for the winning person, or team, but that’s optional. Be creative! You might find that you have as much fun creating your game as you do playing it!

Orville Redenbacher is bribing you to sign up for their new newsletter: sign up and get a “rent one, get one free” coupon at Blockbuster. Not that great of a deal, but handy if you’re already in the habit of renting movies at Blockbuster.

Do note, though, that this is very ambiguously labeled “And for a limited time, if you are one of the first to sign up…” If you try it and don’t get your coupon at the end of the process, leave a comment here and I’ll update the post.