Survive the Recession

Having fun on a budget. #1

How much do you spend when you go to the movies? Lets say $7 a ticket (times 2 for you and a date) then you get a drink for $4 (again times 2) and a popcorn for $5 (lets share the popcorn). I think those prices are probably fairly average. So lets to the math.

Ticket $14 = 7 x 2
Drinks $8 = 4 x 2
Popcorn $5
Total $27

That's almost $30 and now if you add the ticket for the kids or maybe a babysitter and gas and it starts to become expensive. So what do we do for fun. Lets have a home movie night. If you have cable look at Pay-per-view. They have a ton of movies to choose from in all different categories. So lets say $4 for a movie now go and buy some microwavable popcorn $5 (its a pack of 6) and a 12 pack of your favorite soft drink $5. Now lets do the math again.

Movie $4
Drinks $5 (for 12)
Popcorn $6 (for 6)
Total $15

Now that is almost half of what you would spend at a movie theater. And you got 12 sodas this time and 6 bags of popcorn so you can probably use the left overs for the next movie night.

Fat Wallet Thin Body Intro

I have decided to make a series of posts titled, well you probably guessed it, "Fat Wallet Thin Body". I want to share with you ways to save some money and make yourself healthier at the same time. You see I've been thinking that some of our health problems are tied in directly with our money. And the goal of this blog is to help you. Now let me tell you why I think money and health problems are related. Have you ever looked at why some things cost so much money? Usually its convenience, its easy. Now have you ever thought that well I could do this but its so much easier to pay someone else to do it? For example I could pack a lunch for work but it is so much easier to go to [insert fast food restaurant here] and pick something up.

Why Pay when you can get it for FREE!!!!

Well I just recently released a new blog. I'm trying to index as much FREE computer software as I can. Now with this instead of paying an insane amount of money for "big brand name" software. This is software from companies like Open Source and Spybot S&D. This is great software and most of it I have used. So check it out. I mean who doesn't like something that is Free.

I've got Gas

With gas prices dropping everyone's got gas. I filled up my vehicle today for $1.69 a gallon. Now that's pretty good compared to what prices have been. But I do have to say that I am very disappointed in drivers today. When gas prices were high they wanted to know every way they could to save money on gas. That's really all you would hear about is save save save save save. And it was always about gas. But why not have those same practices now and still save some of that money. We all know what we can do things like:

1. Get and oil change (check your owners manual for how often you need to do this)
2. Maintain good tire pressure
3. Use Cruise Control when possible
4. Get the junk out of your trunk
5. Avoid excess acceleration - you speed demon you

There you go. 5 easy ways to save money on gas and may also let your car last a little longer.