One of the best ways to save money on a number of items, especially entertainment, is to show patience. Getting something when it first comes out is a surefire way to guarantee that you will pay a premium. If you can show patience, you can save hundreds — or even thousands — of dollars over your lifetime.
Improve your frugal lifestyle by showing patience in these areas:
TV Shows
Paying for cable/satellite TV is one of the expenses that can most easily be cut from your life. If you are willing to wait a night or two to watch an episode of your favorite show, chances are that you can watch it on the network’s web site. Streaming services like Netflix and Hulu can also provide you with access to your favorite shows. You might have to pay, but paying $7.99 per month for Hulu Plus or Netflix sure beats paying $80 (or more) per month for cable/satellite.
Some shows can’t be watched this way, and that means that you might have to be patient for a little bit longer, and rent the shows when they come out. However, renting is still cheaper than paying the cable/satellite bill. Even buying the best shows when the come out can put you ahead, depending on how many “must see” shows you have.
Movies
Instead of paying to go to the movie theater, you can be patient and wait for it to come out on video. You can rent the disc for $1 a night from Redbox if you are going really frugal. There are plenty of other renal options as well. And, if you decide to buy, it can make sense to be patient until the price drops.
It’s possible to buy Blu-rays of some movies for between $7 and $19.99. No reason to buy a movie for $30 or more when it first comes out. It’s also possible to buy used DVDs and Blu-rays inexpensively.
Video Games
Whenever a video game comes out, you will pay a hefty price to buy it first thing. However, if you can wait a few months, the price will come down — or you can buy it used. If you are willing to wait even longer, for when the next version of the game comes out, you can get the older version quite cheaply. But that might be more patience than the most devoted video game fans have.
Electronics
Any electronic product bought upon release is expensive. From the latest smart phone to the upgraded HDTV to the new video game console, it’s expensive to buy new gadgets. If you wait a little while, you can get them at a discount. Often we buy our computers refurbished. They’re a little older, and used, but they cost less and they work really well. Even if you don’t buy refurbished phones and TVs, you can wait until the next model is released and buy the older version on clearance.
If you are willing to wait to make your purchases, you can save money over your lifetime. It might mean a little waiting, and you might not have the newest item that your neighbor has, but you’ll have something that meets your needs — and that you didn’t have to go into debt for.
What other items do you save money on through patience?
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