Lost in Faith

Another post from Renee Seba. Way out in Lathop, MO Renee finds ways to squeeze even more from the spending plan that she and her husband have crafted. Read on…

In tweaking our budget this year, one area I am evaluating again is annual dues, subscriptions, and events. Things like magazine subscriptions, conferences, retreats, club memberships, etc are what I am taking about.

Magazines. I love magazines. Glossy pictures, new stuff, latest trends, gossip–none of these promote biblical living so it is probably just as well for this category to go, but I do so love magazines. Several years ago, I started letting subscriptions run out, and now get subscriptions only if my parents give them at Christmas. We have a subscription to the local paper ($29/year) because of our business. I am thinking on ways to not renew, but still get the paper used/recycled.

Annual Dues. Do you have annual dues for and bank accounts, credit cards, safety deposit boxes, equipment, ball teams, PTA, soroity, park fee/passes, swimming pool, etc.? I am not recommending getting rid of the safety deposit box as a tool, but if funds are really, really tight, could you merge your car titles and marriage liscense with your parents or sibling and share a box? Close any bank account or credit card that has a fee, no matter what the “rewards” are. Talk with the bank about no fee accounts. Make a change in your habits to accomodate the requirements of the free account. I am letting go a piece of eqiupment that has a fee associated with it this year.

Memberships and Events: Last year, I evaluated our summer membership at the Plattsburg pool, and figured up how many visits on a cash per visit it took to pay for the membership. Guess what? We don’t go to the pool 21 times a year. I opted for pay as you go. I kept my sewing guild membership ($20), but looked very hard at a conference I attend every year. I am dropping the conference this year ($35 plus childcare at $60). I spend a lot of money at the vendor boothes in impulse spending, and am just going to order (from one vendor only to save shipping) the few things I really need. I need to use all the things I have purchased and never taken out of the package. I dropped an online membership ($25) this year realizing that the cost per item for the amount I was using it was way more than I would pay to buy those items in a store.

Do not feel guilty to quit or not join a group, even if there is peer pressure. Your family life will probably be better having fewer commitments, you will feel less guilty not having to cancel all the time because of too many commitments, and your finances will be in better shape. Groups, fundraisers, sponsers, etc. are good things, but DO NOT FEEL GUILT over not participating. They will live or die on their own without your support. You and your money are not the key to their survival.

I estimate these cuts to save us $250 this year. That is $20/month basically. That may not seem like a lot, but if you can cut $5 to $20 per month in even 5 or 6 categories of your budget, the results will be significant. That’s $100/month or $1200/year. You could put $1200 in savings per year for some pretty small, not so painful cuts. Look at your annual spending in this category. Make a few cuts. I am. You can too.

Renee Seba