This one might be tricky for some of you, but How I Save Money Tip #10 is Stay Home.
Tip #10: Stay Home
I’m a bit of an introvert. That’s why I hide behind my laptop. So this tip is easy for me because I like to stay at home. I don’t mean staying at home and skipping work or your life, I mean staying at home to eat or see movies. You don’t have to do this all of the time, but by cutting back a bit, you save a ton of money.
Movies at the theater are expensive! Even if you go during matinee hours, you can still drop $20 and only have one popcorn or one drink to show for it. Now, all of these Eat In Theaters are popping up everywhere. Doug and I went to see a movie at one a few months ago, and after tickets, drinks at the bar, dinner, and drinks in the theater, it was almost $150! Yikes!
My Strategy
If you’ve been around the blog for a while, you know I like to be organized, and I like Home Decor. I’m always working on my house to make it more custom for our family and the way we live. Being organized and having everything picked up creates a no-stress environment for me, and I love it. I also love being in my pajamas. Who doesn’t?
Our family has invested in decent electronic gear to bring us a good movie-watching experience from home. Someday, we hope to convert our walk out attic space into a true media-room. We also purchased a house with a pool, and created a wonderful space to relax with our friends. We like being at home. It’s cheap and safe. We’re not paying $10 for a beer or having to drive late at night.
How to Have Fun When You Stay Home
There are a ton of free and cheap activities that you can do from home. Need some examples? Here you go:
- Take a Walk
- Host a Pot Luck Dinner
- Read a Book or Magazine
- Play a Board Game
- Play a Video Game
- Watch a Movie
- Have drinks on your own patio
- Use a Streaming Service like Netflix, Disney+ or Amazon Prime
- Buy a Workout/Yoga DVD to practice at home
- Jog the Neighborhood
- Organize a Block Party
- Get Weights from Craigslist or Freecycle or Amazon and work out at home
- Take a Nap
- Work on a Hobby
There’s a list to get started. These activities save you money because you’re not paying inflated prices or wasting money paying for memberships you don’t use. Not to mention you don’t have to pay for a babysitter.
Incorporate the Other Tips
If you’ve completed Tip #6 and gotten organized, then your home is a peaceful place that doesn’t have piles of clutter staring you down. In order to truly relax in your space, you can’t have overflowing laundry baskets and junk drawers that won’t close.
Now, I’m not saying that you can’t ever eat out or go to the movies, but, just like in Tip #8, why not Use Less? If you go to the movies twice a month, why not try going once a month? If you have Amazon Prime or Netflix Streaming, there are a ton of movies and television series to watch at home. Check out your cable On Demand service for FREE movies.
If you’re family likes to eat out, why not try once a week. Growing up, my family only ate out on Saturday nights. That’s it. Some weeks, we didn’t eat out at all. We try to do the same thing now, only Friday is our night. In the last year or so, we’ve cut it back to every other week. When you do eat out, use a coupon! Check restaurant websites and Facebook before you go, or pick up a Groupon voucher.
Figuring out ways to do the things you love from the comfort of your own home is a fantastic way to save money. That’s why Staying Home is the #10 way I Save Money. You might also make friends with your neighbors and create a safer community while you’re at it!
Learn More
Follow me on Instagram for more ways I save money. Also, check out all of my easy, actionable money-saving tips in my post 15 Easy Ways to Save Money!
What activities do you do at home to save money? Want to add to my list? Tell us your favorite ways to save money by staying at home in the comments!
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