I am by no means starving or wanting for anything in life. I am extremely fortunate, and I know that. However, like most college graduates, I have amounted an impressive amount of debt and it has become our life mission to get out of debt, which means budgeting.
I hate the word budgeting. I’m not a shopaholic or a spend thrift, but I feel like I work hard for my money and should be allowed to get all the things that are going to let me enjoy the time I spend not working. While trying to pay off all my student loans, that just is not really possible. Not if I really want to make a dent. I have, however, managed to find ways to still afford some luxuries and that is what I want to share with you today.
There are four things I consider luxuries for spending money in my budget: music, movies/TV, books, and clothes. I have found a way to still access three of these without spending any money at all!
My biggest tip to those that want to save money and still have access to entertainment is to access your local library. Most libraries nowadays have access to a good amount of ebooks, music, and even movies and TV shows. My library uses several different sites.
For ebooks I use overdrive and can access over a hundred thousand books, not counting my prime membership books. I can check out all of their books for up to two. My library also lets us download 7 items from Hoopla each month which has access to music, movies, TV shows, ebooks and audiobooks. I’ll use Hoopla to download music and get 7 new albums each month!
Besides their online content, the library also has many DVDs of movies and shows that can be borrowed, as well as the books that you would expect. Most libraries also offer all kinds of programs that you can attend FOR FREE. I have seen adult coloring get together soon, quilt guild meetups, and even board game nights. There are lasses for different computer programs and other topics of interest locally.
Everyone says libraries are a dying business, but I can’t see how, if more people would take advantage of what they have to offer. What with the free books, movies and music, and our $8 a month Netflix account, the only thing I have to really curb my spending on is clothes. I still haven’t managed to find a lending service for that, but I’ll keep looking, no worries.
A Day in the Life 