Monday, March 30, 2015

save money tip #5 : make things & do not buy things


Making things is almost always less expensive. 

  • Make breakfast
  • Make your own coffee or tea 
  • Make lunch 
  • Make dinner 
  • Make a card for a friend 
  • Make a salad to bring to a pot luck 
  • Make your own clothes 
  • Mend your own clothes 
  • Make your own toys
  • Make your own beer
  • Make your own fun! 
It can be hard to break the spending cycle so I suggest that you quit cold turkey. Just stop spending on stuff. 

This month only buy food - and I mean ingredients, not meals out. Just try. 


Okay, I get it - it's hard. You think you need to buy stuff - to be happy, to show your friends that you like them, for a whole munch if reasons.
Here is my thinking. 

We live in San Francisco. Everyone has a small place to live and no one wants more stuff cluttering up their life. We can bring something we made - because there are cultural norms for bringing stuff to parties and to people houses. Going to a party, bring a piece of art, a poem, a salad. 

Feeling blue? Normally buy things to feel better? Don't. Don't even window shop. 
  • Go for a walk. 
  • Call a friend. 
  • Make tea an take it to the local park - sit and watch the trees. 
  • Say hi to a neighbor. Offer to help them with something. 
  • Go to the beach. 
  • Pick up trash in your neighborhood. 
  • Go to the library and check out a book, or a movie, or a dvd. 
  • Make dinner at home and take it to the park/beach. 
Try it - buy nothing but food for one month. See how great it feels and how fat your wallet feels! 

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