The Passive Dad » Entertainment

8 Ways to Cut Entertainment Expenses

Traci K. — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 15:00:07 +0000

Entertainment expenses can take up a large portion of a family’s budget and time. How often have we picked up that new release from Blockbuster only to be a week late returning it – and paying the resultant late fee. Sometimes entertainment includes eating out (or snacking out), movie theater trips, shopping (without purpose), and sports and concert events. If your family is a devoted fan of your local semi-pro hockey team and you go to almost every game without fail, I certainly don’t advocate tossing your season passes to cut your expenses as long as you can comfortably afford them. However, there are some ways to cut down on entertainment costs, no matter what form of entertainment is your poison of choice.

Unlimited Movie Rentals without the Late Fee: Try subscribing to either Netflix or Blockbuster unlimited monthly rentals with no late fees. You can get anywhere from 1-3 DVD’s out at a time depending on the subscription package you buy. Of course, you could also try your library…as long as you take it back on time!
Stream Movies at Home: You can also stream movies to your computer at home, or through select devices depending on who you’re streaming through. If you have at least a DSL connection, you can typically stream without too much of an issue although you will see delays and even poor streaming from time to time. You can get all kinds of TV shows and movies free through sites like Hulu.com
Go Outside: Try getting out of the house! Go to a park, hike, picnic, play basketball, or take a walk. None of it requires money and it’s healthy for the whole family to get outside and play. Don’t forget to bring water!
Go to Afternoon Movies: If you are going to go out to the movies, go in the afternoon because the matinée prices are about half the price of the evening showings. Be sure to eat before you go so that you save on snacks and drinks because you feel full! Check your local movie theater listings as sometimes there are “$1.50” movie theaters that play movies that are on re-run instead of new releases at a very low cost.
Play Games: Traditional board games are still an option, although they seem to have fallen out of favor lately. There are lots of new games out in additional to other things like puzzles, drawing games, word games, and card games.
Volunteer: A great way to spend time together as a family is to volunteer. You can go to a local food bank, animal shelter, soup kitchen, or any other local charity organization that might need a few hours of help. It’s a great way to meet people and help others. For kids, it’s a great way to teach them about helping others.
Read a Book: Reading books are still a time honored tradition. You can read a book out loud to the family or curl up with a good book by yourself. Local libraries have tons of books for free, and there are tons of books to be found online for free as well.
Listen to Music: You can listen to music at home or go out to concerts. You can usually find discount tickets online. Save money by sitting further back. For many classical performance halls, the best acoustics are in the balcony or top levels and often are also the cheapest seats. Checking your local County and City web pages may also show a number of completely free live concerts available as well!

Please Share With A Friend:

5 Alternatives to Cable T.V.

Traci K. — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 15:00:50 +0000

Cable and satellite T.V. Prices have become astronomical in the last 2-3 years. I think my parents have changed Satellite T.V. providers multiple times during this time span to try and take advantage of special pricing and yet still can’t get their T.V. bill below $75 a month in order to get local channels included. Granted, they are in a very rural area where cable isn’t available and neither is any version of high speed Internet. For most of us in a more urban and suburban environment with DSL and Broadband cable there are a few better alternatives to shelling out for expensive T.V. Services that can reduce our monthly costs to anywhere from free to about $20 a month, depending on your viewing needs.

Purchase a subscription to Netflix (or a similar service): My husband and I have the lowest Netflix at about $8.98 per month. This allows us unlimited streaming of whatever is available to stream, and one DVD out at a time. We stream almost everything, and cycle through the DVD’s at our own pace without worrying about late fees. We hook our T.V. Up to the desktop computer for family viewing, but we also use our computers individually if we want to watch different things.
Switch to using an Antenna with a Digital Converter Box (if needed): If you can get signal with an antenna, you can get your local channels and news, a few basic channels (like ABC and CW) and PBS, plus a few more depending on your locality. I am amazed at how many shows I like are on the free channels, and how much I don’t notice that I don’t have more channels available.
Use online free streaming T.V. : You can stream T.V. shows and some movies through sites like Hulu.com, CBS.com, cwtv.com and more. You can catch up on shows you miss and other shows you don’t get with an antenna. Best of all, it’s sort of like DVR. It doesn’t matter if I miss my regular show, I can stream it whenever I have time to watch! Who needs cable T.V. with the advent of decent (if sometimes stuttering) streaming T.V.? This is a great alternative to cable T.V.. Between Hulu and Netflix I have all the T.V. goodness I can stand.
If you don’t spend much time watching T.V. to begin with or you want to see a New Release, Rent from a Redbox: Redbox can be a great and cheap alternative for the occasional movie urge as long as you return it on time. Although generally Netflix has the same new releases as Redbox available within 1-2 days, with a few exceptions.
Visit your Public Library: Not only are libraries great places to get a book, read a magazine, and surf the web, but many libraries have a collection of DVD’s available also. It may not be the most up to date collection, but it’s free to borrow! It really doesn’t get much better than free.

Please Share With A Friend:

“Press play to get ‘really good at life’”

Jessie — Mon, 05 Jul 2010 12:52:25 +0000

I’ve always been a DIY kind of girl, so naturally I’m very excited to share with you a (not so) secret doorway to getting really good at life and enjoying the significant economical benefits that ensue- not just by saving money on an overpriced education from an archaic institution but through learning do-it-yourself skills that we so often pay others to do for us.

Recently, I’ve been caught up in the cold weather blues and have found myself, mid-twenties, with the sudden urge to learn how to knit. A not-so bizarre and evidently achievable feat, you may presume, but I quickly became shattered by the realization that

1. I don’t really know how to knit

2. My mother is on the other side of the world and

3. I’m not really in a position to enter a nursing home just yet.

In my quest to surmount the stitches, I spent hours scouring the Internet one afternoon struggling to grasp the basic concepts but found myself throwing the needles in dismay after countless failed attempts at recreating the obscure diagrams and details in front of me. After finally almost accepting that I should let it go, I found my eyes glaze over a video tutorial offered on youtube. Intrigued by it, I watched and in minutes had perfected the ostensibly tricky cast-on. This was four months ago.

Since then, I have found myself inadvertently advocating Youtube and Videojug [videojug.com] to anybody who will listen and have found myself quickly conquering seemingly difficult tasks on a regular basis. I have begged my friends to ask me about an odd job that needs doing around the home before ringing up that local tradesman.

I am now receiving weekly ukulele lessons, with my teacher from the States posting new songs and chords weekly with clear instructions- fuelling my poor musical abilities but reviving my aspirations. I am passing this knowledge on to my equally unmusical neighbour, who chooses to frequently cook dinner as payment. My niece has also learnt how to get good at fake crying (for a school play) and taken a series of wonderful confidence-boosting drama classes. I’ve learnt from one of the top Indian chefs how to make a beautiful mango chutney. My brother ripped up his carpet and sanded, painted and polished his floorboards in two days on his own. My dad has perfected his golf swing with the help from international golfing greats. Sick of my regular gym visits that convince me chocolate buns are better than tight ones, I now ‘Zumba’ regularly at home, fattening up the piggy bank by feeding it, instead of parting with my pennies all in the name of a hefty gym membership.

It’s so hard to fathom the amount of money I have saved in this month alone. Complimentary guitar lessons, cooking lessons, have done unthinkable maintenance on my new bike and have made my own bookcase – all of this taking place in the comfort of my own apartment. And did I mention free? Ridiculously cool. Ridiculously smart. Never again will I flick through a phonebook and hire the skills of another person before consulting Youtube. Ever.

Youtube is a wonderful source for endless learning, yet a lot of the videos don’t aim to be instructive at all. Videojug is an alternative video community that has recently emerged dedicated at providing instructional videos solely on the premise of helping the world ‘get better at life’. The search bar on the website asks – ‘what do you want to get good at today?’ and provides instant and free education on everything from learning a language, to servicing your own car, to kitchen appliance maintenance, to learning how to decorate your home, learning how to coach your son’s baseball team, and even lessons on what to do if you’re at the scene of a crime.

I’ve never been very good at learning through words. Maybe it’s my inability to sit still for long periods of time, or my constantly wondering mind- but I’ve always absolutely deplored study. Even reminiscing on my school days, I was often bored and disillusioned by un-engaging and disinterested teachers. Learning via video is so effective and it is even easier than ever with these emerging websites designed to instruct you to quickly become the good kind of know-it-all.

It is such a satisfying concept to know that millions of people from all around the world are imparting their help and wisdom to the world, sharing a wealth of knowledge, at no cost. Viva le Revolution – Free and informed education is not an ideal – it’s now just a click away!

Please Share With A Friend:

Circuit City to close 567 stores? Time to get a discount on a Wii?

Scott — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 21:18:35 +0000

photo credit: qnr

I have fond memories of going with my dad to Circuit City as a kid and looking at all the stereos and latest gadgets. In fact, I’ve probably spent a good amount of money on electronics at Circuit City over the last 20 years. My first big stereo system, dvd player, Sony computer, car stereos, cell phones, and more. Well, now Circuit City is a victim of the credit crunch and poor holiday sales. Is it time to go to Circuit City one last time and look for a deal before they go out of business? Can I find a discount on a Wii? Do I even need a Wii?

Let’s say a Wii was in our family budget and I was going to use if for daily exercise using the Wii fit. Alright, you’re probably laughing at my justification right now, but let’s say I could get it for a steep discount. I think I saw the Wii for $250 at Best Buy or Target over the holidays and the Wii fit for another $100. Total cost would be $350 for a fun family toy. I don’t know if the price of the Wii would ever be justified if it wasn’t in our budget, but let’s say it is. If I could get a Wii for 25% or 30% off, would that be a deal? Let’s see.

Circuit City will be liquidating inventory and may not restock store shelves with new inventory. Since the Wii is sold out at many other stores, Circuit City may not even have them in stock. What if they do? Will Circuity City change the return policy since they are going out of business? Would it be worth a 25% discount if they offered no return policy or limited warranty? This could be a risky venture. I’m sure the Wii probably comes with a standard manufacturer warranty from Nintendo, but will Circuit City be able to help if something breaks? I might venture out this weekend and see what our local Circuity City has in stock. If it’s in your family budget, are you planning a trip to Circuit City to check for bargains?

Also, if you have any Circuit City gift cards that you received for the holidays…Use them quickly. You don’t want to be holding Circuit City gift cards when the stores are empty and worthless.

Please Share With A Friend:

Madoff Investor Now Calls Herself A Bag lady

Scott — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 13:00:19 +0000

I came across an interesting article written by Alexandra Penney, who was an investor with Bernie Madoff. She has lost her life’s savings and is documenting her journey towards getting back to a “normal” life through the “Baglady’s Papers”. You might find this article interesting as she certainly doesn’t fit the mold of a typical investor. Penney was a successful writer and artist and now is in the process of selling some real estate to cover her living expenses. You do get a sense of betrayal and anger as you follow her journey from New York to Florida to sell her belongings. Also, she seems to have coined a new term called “Madoff-ed”.

Penney doesn’t disclose how much she lost from Madoff, but you can only imagine that it would be several million dollars as she wrote the best seller “How to make love to a man” and was an editor for Self magazine. She looked to Madoff since he was averaging about 10% a year in returns and she could comfortably work on her passion of artwork. What this reminds me of is the investment advice to not have all your investments in one fund. Whether it’s your 401k or your bank account. Make sure you are diversified and not have all your eggs in one basket. I’m still wondering where all the Madoff money went. It couldn’t have just disappeared, could it?

Have you reallocated your 401k recently?

Please Share With A Friend:

Are You A Child Care Worker, Taxi Driver or Software Engineer? Best And Worst Jobs Report Ranks Over 200 Occupations.

Scott — Sat, 10 Jan 2009 13:00:01 +0000

photo credit: The Elwoods

New study ranks 200 jobs from best to worst, but work at home writer wasn’t one of the top jobs. Was your job on the top 10? Before you read below, take a guess at what you think a top job would be based on safety, desirable location, pay and benefits. Maybe a technology job or a scientist, or web developer? The Wall Street Journal article gives the background on the 200 job rankings and the criteria for the study.

The 20 Top Jobs

1. Mathematician
2. Actuary
3. Statistician
4. Biologist
5. Software Engineer
6. Computer Systems Analyst
7. Historian
8. Sociologist
9. Industrial Designer
10. Accountant
11. Economist
12. Philosopher
13. Physicist
14. Parole Officer
15. Meteorologist
16. Medical Laboratory Technician
17. Paralegal Assistant
18. Computer Programmer
19. Motion Picture Editor
20. Astronomer

A parole officer made the top 20 list. Maybe this job description has changed, but I thought they work with felons and criminals and sounds a little dangerous.

Motion picture editor sounds like a fascinating job if it’s working with movies, soundtracks and special effects.

A Meteorologist for a weather station in California would be an ideal job as the weather person and reminds me of the Steve Martin movie L.A. Story.

Now for the 20 Worst Jobs according to the study

200. Lumberjack
199. Dairy Farmer
198. Taxi Driver
197. Seaman
196. EMT
195. Roofer
194. Garbage Collector
193. Welder
192. Roustabout
191. Ironworker
190. Construction Worker
189. Mail Carrier
188. Sheet Metal Worker
187. Auto Mechanic
186. Butcher
185. Nuclear Decontamination Tech
184. Nurse (LN)
183. Painter
182. Child Care Worker
181. Firefighter

I was surprised to see child care worker was ranked higher than firefighter as worst jobs. I think of day care providers or after school workers and can only think of coming in contact with colds or germs as the only negative work environment. Compare that to a firefighter where they risk falling through roofs or ladders and getting burned on a daily basis. I’m sure someone has an interesting daycare story that can justify the low ranking here.

I would agree with ironworker if that includes those guys working on bridges or high rise buildings. That is amazing work and looks dangerous.

An auto mechanic must be on this list due to working with so many hazardous materials. I enjoy working on my car and know of some mechanics who make very good money. In fact I have a classic car I’m researching restoring and some guys make well over $100 an hour. Makes me want to work on the car myself and save some big bucks.

Was your job on this list? Any surprises for top jobs or worst jobs?

Please Share With A Friend:

Check Your Shoeboxes Again. Red Stocking Card Worth Over $100,000

Scott — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 13:00:54 +0000

photo credit: Orin Optiglot

Next time your at a yard sale or estate sale, look for those old baseball cards. An 1869 Red Stocking B.B. Club of Cincinnati baseball card could fetch over $100,000 at auction. Amazing story of riches found in a box of baseball cards found by Bernice Gallego of Fresno, California. The Fresno Bee has an article about Gallego and how she found the card. This card is so rare that it’s thought to be one of the first baseball cards ever produced and will bring collectors from around the world to bid on this piece of history. I was shocked when I read that she first listed the Red Stocking card on ebay for $10. Can you believe it? She didn’t realize the value until some collectors started emailing with detailed questions about the card. If your thinking this is one lucky lady, she actually won $250,000 on slot machines in Lake Tahoe as well.

What would you do with such a card? Would you try and sell it to the baseball hall of fame or another public institution, or would you sell to the highest bidder? While baseball cards can be an investment, I have yet to hold anything that is worth over a few dollars. It would be great if you could turn baseball cards or any collectible into passive residual income. Any guesses what it will sell for? I’ll keep track of the listing when it goes on ebay.

Please Share With A Friend:

Personal Finance Motivation Through TV: The Jeub Family

Scott — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 13:00:33 +0000

Inspiration to save money doesn’t happen often, let alone through television. I found watching the TLC show Kids by the dozen about the Jeub family to be extremely motivating. The Jeubs live extremely frugal lives and have fun while raising 14 children. I especially found myself amazed watching the family shopping trip where they would buy a shopping cart full of groceries and still spend less than $150 a week with a total household income of less than $40,000. I would hope that the TLC show increased the families income as well as some sponsorships or a possible book endorsement. Wendy Jeub has written a cookbook called Love in the kitchen and sells for $15.96 on the families website here.

Some other frugal tips from the Jeubs show featured a birthday celebration day where they celebrated all of the Jeub children together. This allowed for one giant party where all the children received gifts and had family and friends over for a huge celebration.

The Jeubs also had a family business where they write and distribute a speech and debate curriculum. I was fascinated that one of the daughter’s was interested in working in the family office and learning about business at such a young age. Writing books can be a wonderful source of passive income or residual income. The Jeubs also have a book that I’ll be ordering called Love In The House that explain how they spend less than $600 a month on groceries, frugal ideas like the birthday bash and more.

Are you able to support your family on $40,000 a year? How about if you had a family of 14? What inspires me about the Jeub’s is not just limited to the salary supporting the entire family for all the basic needs, but for much more including:

1. Strong family bond. They Jeub family has struggled through some difficult times and continues to have faith and a strong belief in family.

2. Hard work. Television always has a way of making something seem glamorous, including working on a farm. The Jeubs raise chickens for eggs and mend clothes to make them last for future generations. I can’t even imagine washing clothes for 14 children, as that would drive me crazy. This take more than hard work, but tenacity.

3. Team building. Watching the children work together, whether through home schooling, chores, or working in the family business was priceless. The lessons learned here will last throughout a lifetime and allow them to teach future generations. I really enjoy watching the buddy system where they pair up a younger child with an older mentor.

4. Frugality. How they can shop for 14 children for under $600 a month is remarkable. Is your household grocery budget under $600 a month? I know a few friends that spend more and they don’t have any children. Eating out several times a week would do it for most families.

Did you watch any inspirational television programs in 2008 that helped shape your personal finance journey?

Please Share With A Friend:

Man or Woman, Win The 2008 US Open Tennis Tournament and Walk Home with $1.5 Million

Scott — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 13:00:12 +0000

photo credit: toga

I’m a big tennis fan and love the sport for many reasons, including the fact that I enjoy the workout it provides and that it’s cheap to play. More on the cheap part later, as I have an entire post dedicated to tennis as a frugal or cheap sport. If you’re watching the 2008 US Open Tennis tournament you’re already enjoying some of the best hard court tennis players in the world, men and women.
The best part about the tournament, is watching men and women battle it out in the New York humidity and trying to stay calm and focused. Seeing Andy Roddick blast a 140 mph serve is amazing, and as impressive is watching Venus William serve one up at 125 mph. I’ve never clocked my serve, but I imagine it’s probably in the 65mph range.
Serena and Venus Williams will have to face one another in the quarter finals in this years Open and cause a family member to lose out on the chance for $1.5 million. If they had met in the final, the runner up would have received $750,000. Now the loser of the quarterfinal match will walk away with $150,000. Not bad for a few days work! Amazing that one family has two top tennis players and are worth millions of dollars. The only family I recall both playing tennis were John and Patrick McEnroe. John obviously won many tournaments and Grand Slam titles, but Patrick’s tennis career was not as stellar.
Aside from the fact that I get to watch the best hard court tennis action of the year, watching players compete for $1.5 million dollars is really fun. Did you know that men and women have received the same prize money at the US Open for the last 36 years? This year the prize has increased 7%. Did you receive a 7% pay raise this year? Equal pay, for equal work. Wow $1.5 million dollars for two weeks worth of work. Just think what this could do for an unseeded players career. What did the players receive if they lost in the first round of the tournament? How about a cool $18,500 just for showing up. Not bad at all for a days work. If you want to see more about the prize money for all players, visit the US Open website here.

Please Share With A Friend:

P Diddy Asks For Free Oil To Fuel Private Jet. Now He Must Fly Coach.

Scott — Sat, 30 Aug 2008 13:00:45 +0000

I couldn’t resist posting this article about Diddy and how he’s asking the oil producing nations to give him “free oil” for his private jet. (warning: video from P Diddy does contain several F Bombs) Diddy has posted a YouTube Video and talks about how high gas prices have impacted his private jet costs. He states that two round-trips to LA a month cost him $250,000. Imagine how many tickets you could purchase for $250,000. Let’s just say that they cost $800 for a round-trip ticket from NYC to LAX. I know you can find cheaper airline tickets, but for this calculation we’ll say $800. Diddy could purchase 312.5 round-trip tickets or fly himself and 311 friends. Now I realize that Diddy is not a frugal person or someone that is going to change every part of his lifestyle because of the price of oil. Do you think he’s going to start riding his bike and taking the train in NYC?

Now Diddy, or P Diddy, or Sean Combs, or Puff Daddy, claims he has to fly coach until the price of jet fuel is reduced. What has the high price of fuel cost him? Diddy and his entourage will be impacted by lines, TSA, baggage claim, and weight restrictions and even the crying baby that can’t sleep. Diddy will now be among the ordinary travelers like you and me that are not part of the Lear jet elite. Diddy could even purchase a fractional ownership in a company like Netjets or Flexjet and still fly a Boeing business jet, Cessna or Gulfstream. This option would have to be cheaper than owning your own private jet, where you have a pilot, crew, and maintenance costs. I’m sure Diddy is trying to make a statement about the high price of fuel, but does anyone feel his pain? Do you think other celebrities will change lifestyle decisions based on this decision? Does Diddy feel the same impact as the rest of the world? What are your thoughts? Do you think his plea to oil producing countries will be heard?

Please Share With A Friend:

The Passive Dad » Entertainment

8 Ways to Cut Entertainment Expenses

Similar Posts

5 Alternatives to Cable T.V.

Similar Posts

“Press play to get ‘really good at life’”

Similar Posts

Circuit City to close 567 stores? Time to get a discount on a Wii?

Similar Posts

Madoff Investor Now Calls Herself A Bag lady

Similar Posts

Are You A Child Care Worker, Taxi Driver or Software Engineer? Best And Worst Jobs Report Ranks Over 200 Occupations.

Similar Posts

Check Your Shoeboxes Again. Red Stocking Card Worth Over $100,000

Similar Posts

Personal Finance Motivation Through TV: The Jeub Family

Similar Posts

Man or Woman, Win The 2008 US Open Tennis Tournament and Walk Home with $1.5 Million

Similar Posts

P Diddy Asks For Free Oil To Fuel Private Jet. Now He Must Fly Coach.

Similar Posts