January is traditionally the month of making New Year resolutions. While it’s not necessary to limit improvements to one month, it can be a great start. And what better way to begin than reviewing where your entertainment dollars go.
Let’s start with those subscriptions - Netflix, Hulu, Prime, Apple, Disney+, etc. Statistics show that the average American household pays about $1,000/yr for just a handful of these channels. Maybe you only signed up for one show and it’s on hiatus or ended. You can cancel now and sign up later when there’s something of interest.
Keep in mind that all of these services have raised their prices in the last few years. Although they send out notices when there is a price increase, most of us don’t change our habits. Netflix, for example, has almost doubled their cost since 2020. It’s even higher if you want ad-free, something that used to be included. Consider watching a few ads to save money.
Did you know that most of these services have a student rate that is half the regular cost? ($1.99/mo. in Hulu’s case) As long as one member of your family is in college, that student can sign up. What a great way to get a young person to start thinking about monthly expenses.
While you are on the Internet, consider looking up easy recipes. Homemade, healthy meals are another fantastic way to save money and share in the work of running a household. Cooking with the family can be a great bonding experience. It also gives children and teens a sense of accomplishment to know that they can make dinner. Breakfast and a packed lunch are the easiest meals to start with, something even a young child can achieve. When everyone is working or going to school, it’ll be nice to know that more than one person in the family can help put food on the table.
The Internet is loaded with great ideas on how to save money. Next time you are mindlessly surfing, consider taking the rabbit hole to a good place - a financial literacy place.

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