As a personal finance blogger, I’m not always practicing what I preach. At least when it comes to cutting back on certain areas of spending.
Like many other people, I have a really hard time giving up the “comforts of life”. But I recently made 3 small changes that saved me a bunch of money, without sacrificing anything.
1. Canceling the gym membership and working out with Gym Box
My eating habits are pretty poor so mix that in with being too busy to workout (I know we all use that excuse), I’m much more of a rollie pollie than I used to be. Still, I can’t justify spending $46 a month for a gym membership anymore. Thankfully I found a way around that.
It’s called The Gym Box.
The Gym Box on my TV via Roku
For $10 a month I get access to unlimited workout sessions (via my Roku
Benefits to The Gym Box
- Workout at home with your TV
- Stay in shape while traveling via computer or iPad
- No embarrassing moments in front of a whole gym
- Choose between beginner workouts or advanced ones
- No repeating workouts like with a DVD – New videos every week
- Like having your own personal trainer
- Available on your TV, PC or Mac
My favorite workout so far is Kickboxing. I really enjoy getting all that pent up stress and aggression out. Then on the days I’m feeling more mellow I can do yoga and stretching. Instant savings of $312.
2. Canceling magazine subscriptions and trying DiscountMags.com
One of my guilty pleasures is buying supermarket magazines, and on top of that, I subscribe to several others. Last year I spent $185 on magazines and subscriptions. Yikes! That’s about $16 a month.
Since I can’t get myself to completely go cold turkey and cancel my subscriptions, I found a way to drastically cut down on the cost while still getting my favorite ones.
It’s a site called DiscountMags.com which offers tons of magazines, at a discounted price. I cut my magazine fees from $16 a month to just under $5, without losing any of my subscriptions. Plus, anytime I want to change it up or try a new magazine, I can do so without extra fees. Instant savings of $125.
3. Buying an energy saving power strip
According to Kiplinger.com purchasing an energy saving power strip, like the Belkin Conserve Smart AV
All you do is plug the TV cord into the green master outlet, then plug in other gadgets, like DVD player, gaming consoles and surround systems to the other 5 connected outlets. The two extra outlets are for DVR’s and digital streaming devices that need to be left on constantly, to record shows and movies.
When you turn your TV off, it will automatically cut power to the other electronics connected with the master outlet. Now my entertainment system won’t be costing me extra electricity while I’m at work or traveling. Genius! Instant savings of $76.
Saving money without sacrifice
You can actually save money without sacrificing the things you really love. It’s just about being creative and cutting back a little here and there. Make small changes like these and enjoy what life has to offer, without blowing your budget.
Total instant savings = $513
Total sacrifice made = Zero
Cha-ching.
Photo Credit: GlenBledsoe
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I'm an ex-small business accountant who aims to help freelancers get out of debt and organize their life. And through the recently launched 
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