Bankaholic lists eight ways to save money. I've covered several of the tips previously, but there are a few new ones listed. Here they are -- along with my comments:
2. Stop Tanning -- There is a growing fad for people of all ages and cultures to look bronzed. If you are seeking the warmth of a tanning bed in order to look a certain way, then it is time you stopped. Quitting now will decrease your chances of developing malignant melanoma.
Really? Is this a growing fad? Anyone out there do this on a regular basis? What sort of costs are we talking anyway? (As you can tell, this idea is foreign to me.)
5. Wear Sensible Shoes -- This is a hard message to get across to many women, as they seem to think they are better off in stylish, expensive shoes. Not so, as many high-end shoes are terrible for your back and posture. This can, in turn, lead to other problems. Opt for sensibly priced, comfortable shoes – both your wallet and your back will thank you for it.
This is an easy one for me to recommend since I'm a guy. ;-)
Seriously, I can sympathize with women since they need a variety of shoes to match various outfits. But do they need so many? And why is it necessary to pay some of the outrageous prices for name-brand styles that are here today and gone tomorrow?
My wife probably has five to ten pairs of shoes at most including tennis shoes and sandals, so I don't have anything to complain about when it comes to this issue. But we have friends where the wife has almost a closet full of shoes. Who really needs to go to this sort of extreme?
8. Relax at Home -- Rather than going out on the town when you have some free time, save your money and have a relaxing night in. Believe it or not, your stress level will be reduced when you can relax in a calm atmosphere. This, in turn, improves your overall health.
I actually prefer to relax at home versus going out. A DVD and popcorn in my living room is usually way better than a night out on the town. Much, much more relaxing (and way cheaper too!).
Great list, but I would love to hear your own stuff. Not someone else list re written in a different way by you. I want to see your creativity and who you are as a person please :)
Posted by: Ryan @ Smarter Wealth | July 21, 2008 at 09:25 AM
I have never understood the whole tanning thing. Maybe it's because I have fair skin but to me it's like smoking - you know you're hurting yourself but you keep doing it anyway. Tanning beds are even more ridiculous. Hey, I'm too lazy to actually go outside and be in the sun, so I'll lay in a disgusting bed for a few minutes and bar-b-q myself!
Sometimes our home, with 2 dogs running around, isn't that relaxing, so we go out. Yeah, we probably need to walk them more but sometimes you just gotta get out of the house.
Posted by: Kevin | July 21, 2008 at 09:31 AM
I agree - I hate going "out" and would much rather just stay at home.
I think a woman definitely doesn't need more than 10 pairs of shoes. I have 2 for work (black and brown), 2 sneakers (one nice and one old pair), and a pair of dress sandals for weddings/church. That's 5, but I'm not really fashion conscious, so I doubled it to 10 for the "average" woman.
Also never understood tanning/smoking. It's paying extra to do something that you know will kill you earlier and has no real benefit. What happened to the days where it was a status symbol to be pale white?
Posted by: Laura | July 21, 2008 at 09:39 AM
The last item on the list is the only one that I can relate to. I don't understand how going out on the town is relaxing. You have the traffic, crowds, ets... How can that be relaxing?
Posted by: "Mo" Money | July 21, 2008 at 09:40 AM
Ryan --
Then why don't you check out some of my other 5,000 or so posts. There's plenty of "me" in them.
Posted by: FMF | July 21, 2008 at 09:45 AM
Just my opinion, but I actually like the posts with lists and your take on them.
Posted by: Mark | July 21, 2008 at 10:17 AM
Going out and getting lost in a crowd is relaxing for me, but I can see how it can be maddening for others. I like just going out and spending time browsing at a bookstore. I have gotten to the point where I can go there, enjoy some time and NOT buy anything. If you are a bad impusle shopper, I can definitely see where going out can be a bad thing.
Posted by: justin | July 21, 2008 at 11:19 AM
These are three suggestions that I think can help many people save a lot of money. At the same time, though, I don't tan and I don't buy shoes. I think the basic concepts here can be applied to other activities, though.
Maybe I should cut back on my purchases at the smoothie store. Smoothies might be a fantastic, healthy (?) snack, but the receipts add up incredibly quickly.
Rather than shoes, maybe I can restrict my addiction to fancy electronics. Who needs to be first in line to upgrade their iPhone when, really, we know there will be a new one in the market next year. Why not just save the few hundred $$s and wait for the next model?
Going out on the town, though, is an easy habit to change in favor of saving money. I already pay for cable, so why not just watch one of the free movies available there instead of going out and paying $9 for a ticket, $5 for a soda, and $5 for a "large" popcorn when I have all of that in my house to begin with?
Posted by: Eric | July 21, 2008 at 11:23 AM
That's funny. We recently organized our closet and realized my wife had 43 pairs of shoes. I was able to convince her to get rid of 3...baby steps I guess. :)
Posted by: Eden | July 21, 2008 at 11:55 AM
I like shoes a lot, and although I don't buy expensive shoes, I do buy impractical ones. High-heels, platforms, strappy sandals, love em all. They make me more confident, which helps me immensely at work. There is more to clothing/shoes than just the cash investment. For some people they provide a great return.
Wearing "sensible" shoes makes me feel frumpy and unattractive (unless I'm doing yardwork or running!).
Posted by: Amanda | July 21, 2008 at 12:00 PM
I admit that I own alot of shoes, but I buy most of mine at Target or Payless. The only "high-end" shoes I have are three pairs of athletic shoes that I use for exercise and when I need to wear good-support shoes for sports, heavy work, etc. I'm lucky that I don't have strict dress code at work so I can get away with wearing cheaper shoes (including flip-flops).
Tanning was huge when I was in high school, girls were always tanning to get ready for prom and homecoming. I never got into it, becuase I have always thought it was bad for you. I had a dermatologist tell me a few years ago that the effects of the UV light was probably less that dangerous than the communical diseases and other junk you can get from unclean beds and that you have no guarantee that the spray cleaner is getting everything. I thought with the better quality fake tanners and spray tans that using tanning beds was decreasing. But I do know that many businesses and athletic clubs still have them and people obviously still use them.
Posted by: Jo | July 21, 2008 at 12:02 PM
Here's my take on the eight.
1-3: Smoking, tanning and the paid television are taken care of. Cigarette smoke makes my eyes water and makes me start coughing so there really was never any incentive to start. I am blessed with easily tannable skin, so I just need to get out in the sun for a little while. As for the TV, I think I'm just cheap. There are some days I wish I had cable.
4: I can't shift to water only. Coffee is essential in the mornings, I like OJ, and a descent dinner demands a good glass of wine. I am pleased to announce that I waste no money on soft drinks.
5: I'm a guy, this means I usually wear shoes way past when I should have replaced them.
6: If a restaurant has a drive through, the food is probably so bad its not worth eating at.
7: Guilty. I do eat too fast.
8: Going out on the town, or just anywhere out of your home can be relaxing. Most of my time is spent either at work or at home. Even many of my hobbies are things I can do at home (e.g. reading). This can lead to me going a bit stir crazy. When winter is upon us its especially bad. At least one day a week I like to get out of my rut and do something.
Posted by: A | July 21, 2008 at 12:19 PM
I can defintely relate to the shoe point. My girlfriend buys at least 1-2 pairs of shoes every month, I don't get it! haha. I own a pair of sandals and casual shoes and that's it.
Posted by: Tom | July 21, 2008 at 09:12 PM
The tanning one is quite popular in the college scene...or was a few years ago when I was in college. Lots of laying out, but a number of girls went to beds in the winter. I felt like one of the few girls with really white skin. But I don't look great tan anyway, my skin is already sallow.
As for shoes, heels are certainly a bad choice for having happy feet. But it can be hard to find shoes that are professional and flexible. I don't wear skirts to work, which makes this a lot easier for me.
Posted by: Mrs. Micah | July 23, 2008 at 09:33 PM