By Barton Goldsmith / Tribune News Service
Financial insecurity is a big part of many people’s lives, and it can make you feel a little unsafe in the world. Here are some things you can do to save money and live better at the same time.
Turn off the lights. Sometimes all you need to do to stay healthy is to keep moving. Making sure all unnecessary lights are off before going to bed will bring down the electric bill and give you a chance to run up or down the stairs another time or two. It all counts as exercise.
Take that walk. If you can do it, walk to the store, school, church or whatever is within reasonable distance. The health benefits, both physically and emotionally, are obvious, and there are additional perks as well. You get to visit with other walkers, and just saying hello to someone you may have only passing acquaintance with can brighten your mood. And let’s not forget that you are saving money on gas.
Clean out the old. It does us good to purge from time to time, and cleaning out the garage is an opportunity to both create some emotional and physical space and make a little extra money with a garage sale. If you have kids, get them involved. They could make bank on some of their old toys and video games and learn more about finances.
Teach your children. Little kids today are much more money conscious than when I was growing up. There may be a tiny mogul lurking in a bedroom in your home, but none of you may know it. Helping your kids put up their first lemonade stand is a great bonding experience. And when the kids have a little jingle in their pockets, you can take them to the bank and teach them about savings, but let them keep a little mad money for fun.
Cook at home more often. Last time I went for fast food, the bill was over $25. For that, we could have gotten a couple of steaks at the store and had a real meal. I believe that when four hands and two hearts are preparing a meal, it is food for the soul as well as the body.
Saving or earning a little extra can give you greater security and help you and yours live a more comfortable life. And as you see, there are other benefits as well.
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