Beating the February Status Quo

It’s that time of winter when you might not be living up to your New Year’s resolutions. You remember: Eat fewer sweets. Exercise more at the gym. Are you stuck in what I call “February Status Quo?” My take? Replace your unfulfilled resolutions with some economic solutions. In my last blog, I wrote about giving up drive-thru eating. That saved me at least $15 a week. Other suggestions for saving during the late winter months are as simple as walk, talk, and get together, etc.:

Walk

Go grocery shopping with a friend and walk the aisles together chatting and getting your groceries. You’ll save on gas going together and have two pairs of eyes for spotting those supermarket bargains.

Call a few local gyms and find out if they have any 2 for 1 membership deals (you may have to call around). Then grab a buddy and walk the treadmills together discussing how the day went. You’ll split the cost of the gym and be doing something good for your health. (Remember that resolution about going to the gym?)

Talk

Instead of meeting up with friends at Dunkin Donuts or Starbucks for a chat, have them over and brew coffee yourself. Talking is just as good at home over Folger’s. And cozier.

Have a call buddy/shopping sponsor to talk you out of ordering that gigantic piece of exercise equipment which you already suspect will ultimately hold and hang clothes in your living room. I don’t buy anything over $25 without running it across my buddy. It helps to have someone who is also on a budget and successfully getting by to be your call-in sponsor.

Get together

Dining out with friends is one of my favorite things to do, but it can add up. Try planning a bi-monthly potluck to replace some of those meals out. Warm up dishes in the oven and gather round your diningroom table. This beats itemizing bills and leaving sizable tips. Also groups help in fighting those isolating winter blues.

Do laundry with someone, share a car to the laundrimat and back for reduced gas prices. Flip the laundry from washer to dryer and fold while you visit. Friendship makes even the laundry more enjoyable.

This last tip was recommended by a friend: hold a Savings Party where like-budgeted pals pool together their own ideas and perspectives for saving money.

Whatever you do, join me in making sure this February won’t be like the others before. Join me in beating the status quo!

Cheers!

Cindy

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Cindy Battles is a freelance writer based in Rutland, VT, winner of the National Disability Institute’s 2008 Blog Contest and a regular contributor here on the Real Economic Impact blog.