Do you have an entertainment center? You know, and area where you keep your television, DVD, VCR and maybe even music system? Electronic entertainment is a wonderful way to relax, to entertain, to enjoy some nice family time. However, there are ten ways that all of this electronic entertainment can drain your money right away from you.
While I’m not saying that you have to ditch your television (a recent study said that most folks wouldn’t take less than one million dollars to give up TV for life), being forewarned is being forearmed. In other words, if you are aware of the ways that your entertainment center is costing you money, you can choose to makes some changes.
Some of these costs are pretty obvious, although most of them are surprises.
1) The cost of the electronics themselves. Televisions can cost thousands of dollars, easily. Are you looking to upgrade your system, or are you content with what you have? Do you really need a huge television and the latest technology, or can you downgrade your expectations a little bit? Just going down one notch from the current “hot” features can save you hundreds of dollars.
2) The cost of the electricity to run the electronics. I estimate that in a normal, healthy household, this cost is at least $10 a month, or $120 a year. While you can argue that this amount is still a bargain, it is far from the perception of it being “free” entertainment.
3) The cost of electricity when you are not using the electronics. Yes, they still take energy, even if you aren’t actively using them. Everything from the clock on the VCR, to the settings on your cable box are draining money from you. We have all of the electronics in our family room attached to an outlet that is operated by a light switch. So, when we aren’t actively using anything in the system, it can be shut off. Remember that every little bit adds up.
Was this article helpful? Check back later for part 2 of 10 Ways Your Entertainment Center Can Drain Your Money.
Mary Ann Romans writes about everything related to saving money in the Frugal Blog, technology in the Computing Blog, and creating a home in the Home Blog. You can read more of her articles by clicking here.
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