Most homes have an entertainment center where the family gathers for most of their electronic entertainment, such as television viewing, listening to music, etc. But that entertainment center and all that is in it can put a drain on your money. Knowing how your entertainment center can cost you will allow you to make some changes.
In part one of this series, I covered a few of the ways your entertainment center can drain your money, and I included some tips to slow or stop those drains. These were:
1) The cost of the electronics themselves.
2) The cost of the electricity to run the electronics.
3) The cost of electricity when you are not using the electronics.
Now, on to the rest of our list.
4) Buying the latest movies and music.
Do you rush out to buy the latest DVD as soon as it comes out? If you buy just 10 DVDs a year, you could be spending $150 to $250 dollars without blinking. Why not consider some less expensive options for buying those movies. Wait a few months or even a year and buy them at the thrift store or at yard sales. I’ve seen DVDs as low as $1 a movie. And, if you don’t mind VHS tapes, you can get them even cheaper. Or, buy the previously viewed versions at movie rental stores.
5)Cost of the storage for all of those movies and music.
You are paying for each little bit of square footage in your home through your mortgage or your rent. If all of the DVDs, VHS tapes, CDs, etc., are taking over your home, then you have less living space and it is costing you to store all of that entertainment. Why not rent your movies instead from an online rental or better yet, from library, where they are free.
6)The cost of cable.
Cable television can be incredibly expensive, especially if your package comes with premium channels. It is not all that unusual to spend $150 a month for cable television. But you can get basic cable for only about $5 or $10 a month. Or, combine your cable services with your phone and internet if you can’t live without certain channels.
7) Pay-per-view/on demand.
Despite paying all of that money for cable and having a gazillion viewing options, you still have to pay extra for pay-per-view or some “on demand” selections. And average movie or sports event costs close to $4, which can be more than renting a movie elsewhere. And the convenience factor really makes it easy to spend money when you are bored and there is nothing to watch.
Next up: I’ve saved the best for last. Find out the most serious of all of the money drains.
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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