Category: Entertainment

Save money on entertainment and find free or low-cost things to do

Entertainment, More, Personal Finance, Shopping

15 Money Movies That Make Great Last Minute Gifts

As we are rounding third and heading for home (excuse the baseball reference please, but I’m so deprived at this time of the year!), I thought what’s more of a holiday treat than to get a DVD of a classic movie that you love and other family members may not have seen? Classic DVD’s are usually a bargain and can even be purchased used online to save even more. (If you order from Amazon today, there’s still time to get it by Christmas with standard shipping.) Then I thought why not tie it all in and pick money movies that can entertain and teach you some great financial lessons!

15 Money Movies That Make Great Last Minute Gifts

While I haven’t gotten to see The Big Short yet (it’s not playing near me until next week), here’s my list of some of the best money movies of the past 40 years. So why not take a stroll down memory lane and give one of these to a loved one or friend? It’s a great evening at home with popcorn and an entertaining money lesson without any of the pain.Continue reading“15 Money Movies That Make Great Last Minute Gifts”

Entertainment, Food, Home

How to Save Money Hosting a Fantastic Holiday Party!

It’s getting close to the end of the year, and that usually means it’s party time again! Whether it’s a Christmas, Chanukah, Yule, or Kwanzaa celebration, or the big New Year’s bash, we’ll all probably be attending or planning some kind of special activity at work or at home with family, friends, and colleagues during the next few weeks. If hosting a party is in your plans, you may be concerned about your budget. But you can save money hosting a holiday party! Here are some really great ideas to use that will make your party a hit, without breaking the bank!

How to Save Money Hosting a Fantastic Holiday Party!Continue reading“How to Save Money Hosting a Fantastic Holiday Party!”

Cars, Entertainment, Food, Home, Personal Finance, Shopping, Travel

8 Bold Ways to Save Big Money

Writing about saving money is a feel-good way for me to share my knowledge with all of you. Since I’ve started, I’ve covered a number of ways that you can cut your grocery bill, home energy costs, shopping expenses and many more areas where we regularly spend our money. Some are smaller ways, and others help you to save big money, like shopping around for car insurance.  But I wanted to share some other ideas with you. Each of them is different and if you make them into regular habits, you can save a substantial amount.

8 Bold Ways to Save Big Money

Bold Ways to Save Big Money

1. Give Up Your Car

The cost of a car is way expensive. You may have monthly payments in the hundreds, car insurance costs through the roof (here in NJ, it’s the highest in the country), maintenance and gasoline, plus license and registration fees. Continue reading“8 Bold Ways to Save Big Money”

Entertainment, More, Personal Finance

Hidden Money Messages in 12 Popular Beatles Songs

I grew up at a perfect time to be a teenager. I was 14 in February 1964, just when the British Invasion came to America heralded by the arrival of the “Fab Four” known as the Beatles. It was their first appearance on the Ed Sullivan Show. I don’t think there’s a teenager who saw that show who doesn’t remember that night and the exciting changes that occurred across the nation as a result. 70 million people tuned in to see John, Paul, George, and Ringo, and from that day to this one, music was just never the same.

During all my teen years, the Beatles influenced everything from fashion to politics and from culture to music trends. Some 50+ years later, you can still feel the influences. Beatlemania was unlike anything before, and I doubt it will be like anything in the future.

Hidden Money Messages in 12 Popular Beatles Songs

It occurred to me when reviewing a list of Beatles songs (there are over 200 original recordings), that many of their song titles can be interpreted as encrypted messages about financial fitness and personal development. I may be taking some liberties here (alright, a LOT of liberties), but I looked through the many titles and came up with the top 12 songs that I have twisted into interpreted as money matter themes. I admit it’s a bit of a stretch, but I wouldn’t put it past them if there were actual hidden money messages for us all! Continue reading“Hidden Money Messages in 12 Popular Beatles Songs”

Entertainment, Family & Relationships, Food

A Dozen Cheap Date Ideas

If you’re on a tight budget, or you’re trying to pay down debt or take care of some other financial goals, it can be a challenge to enjoy an active social life, particularly if you are single and looking to find a romantic partner. When most people think of a first date, dinner at a restaurant is probably the most common image that springs to mind. I remember after my divorce when I first got back into the dating game, I would take each new lady out for a nice evening meal and the costs added up quickly while the connections didn’t always last. Ouch!

A Dozen Cheap Date Ideas

There are ways to dine out affordably, but you might not want to pull your coupons out on a first date. Dating is filled with enough etiquette-related and emotional landmines without also having to worry that your date thinks you’re cheap. So how can you show a potential new love interest a good time without spending a fortune? Here are a dozen cheap date ideas that are still enjoyable, fun or romantic.Continue reading“A Dozen Cheap Date Ideas”

Entertainment

Cut Your Cable Bill Without Cutting the Cord

Believe it or not, I remember a time when television was black and white and the channels stopped airing programs for the evening and didn’t resume until the next day. Yes, I was very young as it was a looong time ago, but it happened, I swear! Now we have a gazillion channels to watch round the clock with more programming than we could ever hope to watch in a lifetime. Along with all that content comes a hefty price tag, as having a monthly cable or satellite bill has become fairly universal. “Cutting the cord“, or ditching cable altogether using a combination of newer services and devices, has become a popular way to save money, and it certainly is a viable one. But there may be some good (and not-so-good) reasons for not wanting to cancel your cable package, and there are still ways to cut your cable bill to keep more of your hard-earned money.

Cut Your Cable Bill Without Cutting the Cord

First, if you’re considering whether to cut the cord, plug your numbers and selections into this calculator to see whether it makes financial sense. Perhaps your internet costs will increase so much without a “bundle” that it isn’t worth dropping your TV package. Continue reading“Cut Your Cable Bill Without Cutting the Cord”

Entertainment, Travel

Casino Gambling and Still Frugal???

I know that I post most all the time about saving your money and scrimping each day to accumulate wealth and financial health and yada, yada, yada. But if truth be told, I do have some flaws in my game and yes, I do enjoy a bit of frivolous fun and entertainment that may actually sound as if I’m willing to throw some good money away.

Well, not exactly. I believe if I’m pretty careful, and I give it some serious thought and restraint, that every once in a while I can “entertain” the thought of going to a casino and having some fun without blowing my finances and risking my future! In fact, I can sometimes turn that occasion into a free trip with no expenses and even come home ahead. Although not a certainty, the opportunity to get “comped” is a tough one to pass up and every so often it works out that way.

Casino Gambling and Still Frugal???

Getting comped, for those of you not familiar, is receiving free credits to gamble (slot dollars or table play), free meals, free hotel rooms, free entertainment, free gifts, and/or free parking all because you have spent a period of time gambling in the casino. Continue reading“Casino Gambling and Still Frugal???”

Cars, Entertainment, Home, Personal Finance

Why Bigger Isn’t Always Better

As the years go by, it seems we have all been buying more and more into the cliché “bigger is better”. I have to admit, I wouldn’t refuse a bigger paycheck each week, or a bigger piece of mom’s apple pie after dinner, but there are lots of other instances where bigger can create other issues that may lead you to real trouble.

Why Bigger Isn't Always Better

Being just a little practical and more conservative financially can give you mounds of money that can be used for real life priorities, like retirement, long-term healthcare, and life insurance as well as investing in your future. I’m not a scientist, but I’ve come up with a scientific formula that I wish I had developed years ago:Continue reading“Why Bigger Isn’t Always Better”