Tips For Your First Credit Card
Getting your very first credit card is something that you’ve probably been quite anxious for. The day that most of us turn 18, we have two things on our mind. We’re now legally adults and we can now get a credit card. Well, unfortunately, most of us have a tough time with our credit card whether it’s avoiding the temptation to max it out the day that we get it or with getting a credit card in general. We’re going to assume that you’ve just gotten your very first credit card and we have some helpful tips for how to control it!
Controlled Spending
The first piece of advice that we want to give to new card holders is to control your spending. What we mean by this is that you should keep a very close eye on what you are using to buy your card and what the total of those purchases is. For example, for most new card holders, we recommend using your new credit card for gas and emergencies only. You have to put gas in your car anyways so use the credit card and pay it off every month.
Switch Cards Regularly
Every few months (or 6 months at the most), try switching credit cards. Keep one card active, use it for a few purchases, pay off the balance monthly, and then get a new card. Doing this will ensure that you’re never stuck with the same company for too long and you’ll get some pretty sweet offers from other companies. It also looks good on your credit card application because you’ve had various accounts, all of which are in good standing.
Don’t Increase Your Limit
We know that companies like Capital One typically start you out with a $300 spending limit. We don’t recommend ever getting a credit card with more than that on it. Later on down the road, once you’re more experienced with credit cards, you can get a card with more of a limit but for now, $300 is perfectly fine. It’ll pay for a tow, groceries for the month, a full tank of gas, or whatever else you would ever possibly need the card for in the future.
Communicate Regularly
Finally, the last tip that we have for you is to contact your credit card company regularly just to check on your account. You’ll probably have access to an online account but we’d like to think that it’s better to speak with someone in person. This will ensure that your account is in good standing, has no outstanding balances, and nothing has changed on it.
So, there you have it. This concludes our list of Tips For Your First Credit Card and we hope that you walk away (or click away in this case) with some valuable information that will help you time and time again. Be sure to check back often as we’re always putting up money saving tips, ideas, and practices that appeal to a very wide audience. As always, get out there and live life, have some fun, and save money. After all, that’s what it’s all about!
4 Dinners Under $4
Cooking dinner is something that all of us stay at home moms have to do on a pretty regular basis but sometimes, we sit back and wonder if there is a cheaper way. Well, we have some pretty good news. There is a cheaper way! You see, we’ve put together a small list of 4 Dinners Under $4. What this basically means is that we’ve brainstormed hard and long for dinners that will costs you just a little more than a gallon of gas for your car. Are you ready to find out what these dinners are on our list? If so, scroll down and enjoy!
Ramen Noodles
What list would be complete without mentioning Ramen Noodles? They are literally under .25 cents a pack and for most people, one pack will do the trick. You have a large variety of flavors to choose from so don’t be afraid to serve up a bowl of Ramen Noodles for dinner. They are tasty, affordable, and easy to prepare. They are packed with salt though!
Spaghetti
A box of spaghetti will only cost you about $1 and a can of sauce is another $2 or $3. If you must have meat in your spaghetti then consider buying meat based spaghetti sauce. We’ll assume that you already have condiments in your home in which case you can add a little bit of hot sauce and cheese to your finished bowl of spaghetti. Pretty complete meal, huh?
Hamburgers
Next on our list is hamburgers. Most people don’t think of hamburgers as being a cheap dinner unless they are getting a burger off of the dollar menu at McDonald’s but that’s not the case. You can buy a pound of ground beef for around $3 and some off brand buns for another $1 or so. This should give you enough supplies to make 2 or 3 burgers. So, with that being said, if you have a small family and need dinner, try some hamburgers!
Macaroni and Tomatoes
Finally, the last dinner to make our list is the delicious Southern dish of Macaroni and Tomatoes. You’ll hear a lot of different names for this dish which is fine. We just call it what it is. Try buying canned tomatoes to save even more money as the macaroni should be no problem. It’s no more expensive than spaghetti and makes for a great dinner. Kids don’t like tomatoes? Try substituting ground beef for the tomatoes and you have a meal!
So, there you have it! This completes our list of 4 Dinners Under $4. We hope that we sparked some creativity when it comes to your menu planning and that you’ll take advantage of these delicious dinner ideas. Sure, some of them are a bit obvious but that’s what it takes sometimes to come up with a real gem. Now, what are you waiting for? Let’s get out there, save some money, enjoy a good meal, and come to PYP when we need to!
Where To Buy Affordable E-Juice
If you’re reading this right now then one of two things attracted you to this page. You’re either curious about electronic cigarettes or you already use them and want to save a little extra money on e-juice (also known as e-liquid). Luckily, we have quite a bit of experience with this and have been around electronic cigarettes since they first took off. How does that benefit you? Well, we’re about to tell you where you can find the best e-juice at the best possible price. Ready to find out where you need to look? If so, scroll down now!
Mt. Baker
Mt. Baker’s vapor is some of the best e-juice on the planet and while it isn’t the cheapest brand on our list, Mt. Baker has some of the best tasting e-juice out there. It won’t cost you an arm and a leg and if you order over $15 worth of e-juice, you can get a free bottle to use as a sample in a flavor of your choosing. That’s a pretty good value if you ask us.
Alien Vapor
Another top notch e-liquid provider is Alien Vapor. They have some pretty off the wall flavors including candies, drinks, and exotic herbs. Regardless of what flavor you are in search of, you’re bound to find it over at Alien Vapor. There e-liquids tend to run a little cheaper than Mt. Baker but we can’t honestly say that the quality is equally as good.
Mad Vapes
Next on the list is Mad Vapes. While they don’t just sell e-liquid, they do have some very good prices and we make sure that we stop by here once in a while to keep track of their current promotions. They do run sales and promotional ads once in a blue moon which means that you can save even more money than you normally would with Mad Vapes. In other words, we definitely think they are worth your time so go check out their stuff!
Zeus E Juice
Finally, we make it to the dark horse on our list. Not many people in the vaping community know about this company but they have some pretty good products at fair prices. What we like even more is the fact that they advertise how many flavors they carry which is at around 230 flavors at the time of this post. That’s a lot of e-juice! Their actual site is a little out of date when it comes to appearance but we promise that they are the real deal!
Now, what are you waiting for? You now know a few good places to get e-liquid at a good price so why not take advantage of it? If you’re just smoking electronic cigarettes now then you are already saving money but you could always save more. All that you have to do is take advantage of these great prices on e-liquid and vape like you have never vaped in your life. Be sure to share this list with your friends too so they can save on e-liquid!
100% Free Places To Enjoy Music
Like most human beings on the planet Earth, we enjoy music just as much as you do. It can either be relaxing, pump you up, or give you the urge to go run some laps. Regardless of what music does for you, we think that everyone should have access to whatever type of music it is that they listen to. That’s why we put together this list that will give you some pretty awesome sources of free music. Yes, you read that right. 100% free music! Now, let’s scroll down, take a look at what made the listen, and enjoy some free music together!
Playlist.com
Playlist.com used to be a lot different than it is now. In recent times, it has became a lot like Pandora radio but we like the feel of it a lot better. If you plan on listening to music on your phone then Pandora might be the best choice but if you’re at home, we hope that you will consider using Playlist.com instead. Now, are you ready to move down the list?
YouTube
Despite what anyone says, we still think that YouTube is a great resource when it comes to listening to free music. You can watch music videos, read lyrics, listen to cover songs, and of course, listen to the real deal. The only thing is, there isn’t a system yet where you can really build your own playlists and roll through your songs in an easy, effortless manner.
The Radio, Duh!
Okay, so we aren’t undermining your intelligence with this one but a lot of people seem to forget about the radio in this day and age of the Internet. Forget about burning discs or streaming music on a site for a while. Hop in your car (or use your home radio) and listen to some good tunes. The radio still might be the very best source of free music out there!
iHeart Radio
This app is available on many devices including video game consoles and it’s 100% free. We have to admit something though. We absolutely love this one and it could be due to the app name but who cares. It’s a good app that still has some kinks to work out but we think that it will be a major player somewhere down the road. Definitely check out this app!
Now, you know a few good free music sources so what are you waiting for? We invite you to get out there and try every one of these sources. See which one you like the most and share it with your friends. Not sure which one they will like? Then share this list instead! Almost everyone on the planet appreciates good music (especially if it’s free) so we’re very confident in saying that they will thank you for sharing this awesome resource with them. Don’t worry though! We’ll be back in the future with even more free music sources!
What Makes A Good Deal? Find out!
If you’re reading this right now then you probably love to save money and guess what. So do we! Saving money is what we’re all about here at Pinching Your Pennies so we thought that it was about time we throw something else together for our readers that just revolves around saving money and saving money only. Below, you will find some practical advice on how to spot a deal when you see one and what makes something a deal. All too often, we’re tempted to buy something just because it’s a deal. Let’s find out if that’s good.
Do You Need It?
The first thing that you have to ask yourself when it comes to figuring out whether or not something is a good deal is if you even need the product in question. It may be a good deal but if you’re not going to use it or it will never benefit you in any way, it’s probably not a good deal for you personally. It may be for someone else but remember, it’s not for you.
Is It A Gift?
Another possible scenario is the purpose of buying the product in question. If it’s a gift and it’ll be cheaper to buy it after the birthday, holiday, anniversary, or whatever the gift is, it’s probably not very beneficial to give the gift late. In that case, it isn’t a very good deal in the sense that you would have it too late. If this is the case, pay extra and miss out.
What’s The Shipping Time?
We’ll assume that you are buying this item online and it looks like a good deal. Let’s say that by buying it online from a specific site, you will save $10. What if it takes 5 days to get there and the shipping is $5? That means you’re only saving about $5 and you have to wait for 5 days to get the product. Is it still a good deal? How fast do you need it? This is just something else that you should ask yourself before you commit. When will you get it?
Will It Get Even Cheaper?
Finally, we have one more piece of advice for you on what makes a deal a good one. Is it a product that will potentially go on sale again? Is it something that they no longer make? Is the retailer in question going out of business? If something will be even cheaper in a few days, why not wait and buy it then? This is something else to take into consideration.
But at the end of the day, you have to trust your gut. Whether or not something is a good deal is just an opinion and we’ll leave it up to you to decide. We merely wanted to give you a few general questions that you should play around with before you make the final choice of buying the product and then being stuck with it. Now, let’s go save money!
Getting Deals On Fresh Fruit
Are you absolutely in love with fresh fruit? Well, so are we! We love it so much that we went out of our way to put together a little “tip list” full of ways that you can save money on fresh fruit. Yes, we know. It sounds like a pretty awesome concept, huh? Anyways, getting back on topic, we hope that you’re ready to cut down on your fresh fruit bill which will thus enable you to enjoy more of the fresh, ripe, juicy fruit that you love to devour!
Buy Locally
The first way that you can save money on fruit is to buy it locally. Buying fruit locally will ensure that you get the freshest fruit possible for the best price. You’ll also be supporting local farmers or small businesses which is great for your area’s economy. Trust on when we say this. The best way to buy fruit is to find a small fruit stand or shop and buy it locally.
Buy It Regularly
Our second tip is to buy your fresh fruit on a regular basis. In other words, buy it as you need it. What we typically like to do is this. Let’s say that we want some bananas and we usually eat a banana a day. We’ll buy 2-3 bananas max and eat our one banana per day. Once we run out, we go back to the store and get more. Yeah, buy your fruit like that.
Prepare It Yourself
Buying fruit already cut and prepared is pretty convenient but we’re not a fan of it. It will cost you more for that box of sliced fruit than buying the actual fruit and preparing it on your own would be. You get three times as much fruit for half the price. Watermelons and pineapples are both good examples of fruit like this. So, prepare your own fruit and save.
Buy It Canned
Every once in a while, you’ll want to buy canned fruit. Avoid canned fruits that are heavy in syrup or added sugar though. It’s absolutely horrible for you! If you just want your fruit fix though and are on a tighter budget than normal, try buying some canned fruit. If you want to reverse all the added sugar’s effects, eat the canned fruit as soon as you wake. This will ensure that your body’s blood sugar count is low and you’re simply refilling it.
And if you follow all of this advice, we promise that you will save a ton of money on fresh fruits as well as your grocery bill in general. It’s not rocket science and it’s not tough. You just have to make all of this a habit and the savings will come on their own later on. Now, what are you waiting for? Let’s get out there, enjoy some fresh fruit, and save a little bit of money while we’re doing it. As we often say, that’s what life is all about. Fun savings!
Cheap Types Of Exercise Equipment
Getting in shape is one of the most daunting tasks on the planet. Not only do you have to cut out your junk food but you also have to make time to go to the gym. Or do you? We do not think that you do but this is just an opinion. However, we will give you one good reason that you don’t have to make time to go to the gym. Because you don’t need it! You can get in just as good shape at home as you could in the gym with some affordable equipment that won’t cost you an arm or a leg. Scroll down and see what we recommend.
Shoes
The first thing that we recommend to anyone that wants alternatives to going to the gym is a good pair of shoes. We don’t have any recommendations other than going out to a shoe store or two and seeing what feels comfortable. Now, you can walk at home or around your neighborhood which means you don’t need to go to the gym and get on a treadmill all day.
Jump Rope
A good jump rope is one of the best cardiovascular exercises on the planet and it also works on your hand-eye coordination. Best of all, you can buy a jump rope for around $5 which is about 1/5 of what a gym membership would cost you for one month at the very cheapest. Where can you buy a jump rope at? At pretty much any retail store out there.
Dumbbells
While these can get pretty expensive ($1 a pound in most cases), they are definitely good to have. You can do curls, presses, lunges, squats, tricep extensions, and numerous other exercises. We recommend getting a pair that you can handle and get a good workout with for a long time. For most females, that number is anywhere from 2 to 5 pounds. For males, that number is usually anywhere from 15 to 35 pounds. And it’s one heck of a workout!
Bicycle
Finally, we recommend getting a bicycle just to mix things up a little bit. What if you’re too sore to walk or jump rope one day? Hop on your bike and go for a ride. You won’t even think of it as exercise and you could literally probably cycle all day long unless you had a lot of hills to deal with. Either way, getting a bike is detrimental to working out at home.
So, we think that you’re ready to skip the gym and start working out at home. It will take a little mental motivation and you will have to make yourself do it for a while (until it turns into a habit) but it will definitely pay off. You don’t have to get in the gym to get a great body but it does make things easier. If you can afford a membership, get one. If you can’t afford a gym membership, gather the items on this list and workout from your own home.
How To Better Manage Your Money
Learning how to manage money can be a pretty challenging task but it doesn’t have to be. You see, we know what it’s like to have to juggle multiple things every single day. The kids have to go to school, clothes need to be washed, you have a business to run on the side, and during all of this, you’re trying to better manage your money. Well, we have a few tips for you that will help you get on the right track and in the long run, save money.
Get A Savings Account
Most people in the world have a checking account but it’s a shame how many people don’t have a savings account. At most banks, getting a savings account on top of your checking account isn’t any more expensive and most banks offer some very cool features. With your online log-in information, you should be able to access money saving tools on your bank’s website which will come in very handy. We definitely recommend using those regularly!
Get Your Significant Other Involved
If you have a boyfriend, girlfriend, husband, or wife then we suggest letting them know that you’re making a conscious decision to save money. Chances are, they will follow suit which is extremely beneficial to you. It’s always easier to save money or meet a goal if you have another person doing it with you. If you can find someone to do it with you, do it!
Save For A Reason
Now, we’re going to ask you to sit down and ask yourself what exactly you are saving for. Are you saving up for a new car? A big vacation? A new camera? Or maybe you are just saving for the sake of saving. A certain peace of mind comes with knowing that you have enough money in your savings account to live off of for a few years if something ever were to go wrong with your primary source of income. So, in other words, we suggest doing it.
Repeat The Process
Finally, our last tip is this. If you ever fall off of the wagon and have trouble saving money the first time, repeat the process. No, you don’t have to go out and open a new savings account but we do suggest maybe sitting down and talking to someone at your bank. See if they can offer any sound advice on how to save money and then go through the rest of the tips that you see above. Trust us on this one. Doing this is going to be extremely beneficial.
But at the end of the day, saving money comes mostly from willpower which we can’t teach. We know that you can do it though and hope by this time next year, you’ll have a big chunk of change put back in your savings account for whatever reason. Good luck and we look forward to seeing what kind of results you have by following these easy tips.
Easy Ways To Save Money On Business Taxes
Starting your own business is one thing and while we admit that it’s tough, we think that there is something that people struggle with even more. What is it you ask? Well, it’s the taxes that come with owning any business. Working for an employer, the tax process is pretty much automated for you but when you own your own small business, that’s when you have to start figuring stuff out. Luckily, we put together a small list of a few things that you can do to save money on your business’s taxes. Ready to find out what they are? Good!
Make Claims
The first thing that you can do to save money on taxes for your business is to make claims at tax time. In other words, you need to keep receipts for all your major purchases for the year (as well as expenses) and see what you can claim as a tax deduction. An example of that would be if you had a home office and bought a new computer for $700, you could claim that as a business expense on your taxes. Trust us on this one. This is very handy!
Hire More People
Generally speaking, if you have an employee or two, it will benefit you greatly on your taxes because the government likes small businesses that create jobs. This may not end up being a huge tax break for you but it is still beneficial in its own way. If you don’t want to pay in to social security or aren’t able to offer benefits yet, hire them as an independent contractor and all you will have to do is report their earnings. They hold their own taxes.
Evolve Your Business
Over time, many businesses fail because they refuse to evolve. A food establishment that we know of was open for nearly 25 years before it went in the hole for about $700,000 due to the fact that it didn’t evolve. It served food geared towards an older generation for that area and once those people passed away and a new generation came in, this fried chicken joint went under. Don’t be scared of change and be willing to adapt or change.
Now, these are just a few tips as to how you can save money on your taxes. Saving money on taxes as an individual is pretty much the same thing but you have far more options as to what you can do. Before you start trying to claim things on your taxes though, be sure to do a little research for tax information on your state and business. A good place to start would be to get in touch with your local City Hall and have them point you in the right direction. From there, we hope it’ll be smooth sailing and you cut down on your business taxes! It’s going to save you a lot of hard earned money and get your small business ready to succeed.
6 Best Tasting Diet Sodas
Okay, we love soda and we’re sure that you do too. We may not love how much it costs or what it can potentially do to our bodies but we can’t deny that soda is absolutely delicious. So, what if you’re on a diet and your grocery list has diet soda written all over it. Which brand of soda should you get and why? Well, we have an answer for you but it very well may surprise you. You see, the diet sodas on our list aren’t all too common. Or are they?
Diet Dr. Pepper
The first soda on our list that we would recommend when it comes to diet soda is none other than Diet Dr. Pepper. It’s delicious, it has a smooth taste, and while we don’t think it tastes much like regular Dr. Pepper, it has its own unique taste that you will love.
Coke Zero
Next on our list is Coke Zero. We were a little skeptical about this soda when it first came out but we’ve grown to love it over the years. It tends to cost a little more than most diet soda brands but it’s well worth it. Coke Zero also goes great with stuff like sandwiches!
Diet Pepsi
In our honest opinion, Diet Pepsi is the diet soda that most tastes like its original recipe. In other words, Diet Pepsi tastes pretty close to how Pepsi tastes. It’s a little less sweet and has a little more punch to it but all in all, it tastes good especially if you like regular Pepsi.
Diet Mountain Dew
This is another soda that tastes a lot like what it is supposed to. It just barely slides in under Pepsi as the diet soda that most tastes like the original recipe because the diet version of Mountain Dew tastes a lot like flat Mountain Dew but it’s still decent to drink.
Diet A&W
By A&W, we mean their brand of root beer. We know that a ton of you out there absolutely love root beer so we had to mention this soda. It doesn’t taste a lot like regular root beer but it’s still definitely a decent diet soda. It’s also not as common to find this.
Diet Sprite
Finally, the last soda on our list of the best diet sodas is Diet Sprite. Again, this is one of those drinks that tastes somewhat like the original recipe soda but not a lot. Diet Sprite is a rough one to take down for us but a lot of people do like it so we had to list it for them.
So, there you have it! This concludes our list of the 6 Best Tasting Diet Sodas. We hope that you enjoy one of the diet soda brands and your diet goes well. Drinking diet soda may also enable you to save more money as it will kill your “sweet tooth” when you need it to the most. This means that you won’t be heading down to Burger King for a milk shake late at night which also means that you’ll spend less money. Now, go enjoy these great sodas!
5 Best Cheap Workout Supplements
Depending on who you are, working out may or may not be something new to you. Either way, we have some pretty sound advice for those of you out there (male or female) that hit the gym on a regular basis, work out hard, and want the best supplements possible. If this sounds like you or something you’d be interested in reading, go ahead and scroll down. What you will find waiting for you is what we think are the 5 best supplements, period.
Whey Protein
One brand that we prefer over the most is Optimum Nutrition. They make a 100% whey protein formula that tastes great, is packed full of quality protein, and is very affordable. Need some flavor advice? Try their Double Milk Chocolate flavor with skim milk or almond milk. We swear it’s one of the best post-workout protein shakes that you will ever drink!
Multi-Vitamin
Sure, a lot of people will say that multivitamins are pointless and you only end up urinating out the majority of it. We don’t buy that one bit. Get your hands on some Vitafusion brand multivitamins (the gummies rock) and see if you don’t feel a difference. Your diet should still be your #1 source of vitamins and minerals but a multivitamin fills in the spaces.
Creatine
If you’re a guy (or girl) looking to pack on some serious muscle then creatine needs to be in your gym bag. Most people, even on the people that make creatine, will tell you that you should “saturated your muscles” with creatine by taking around 20 grams of it a day. That is 100% unnecessary as, after about 3 weeks, your muscles will get the same effect. So, without getting into the technical stuff, just take 5 grams of creatine a day, 7 days a week.
Fish Oil
Sure, krill oil may be better in this way or cod oil may be better in this way. Who cares? As long as you are getting Omega Fatty Acids and staying heart healthy, taking a good fish oil supplement is one of the best things you could possibly do for your body. It will keep you heart healthy but the only downside that we can think of is the taste but it’s not horrible.
L-Glutamine
This is a very underestimated supplement that hardly anyone considers taking because they don’t know what to get. Unlike creatine in which you should get micronized creatine, L-Glutamine is L-Glutamine. Get whatever you can get your hands on and take a scoop with a glass of water every night before bed. It really will work wonders for your body!
So, there you have it. That concludes our list of the 5 Best Cheap Workout Supplements which applies to both men and women. These are all supplements that you should be taking if you are working out more than 2 or 3 times a week. Not sure when to take these supplements? Then do it like this. Take your multivitamin as soon as you wake up as well as your creatine and fish oil. Later in the day, after your workout, have a protein shake with a scoop of L-Glutamine in it. You could also do this last one right before bed but that’s not important. What’s important is to be healthy, save money, and have fun. Now, go do it!
Recording Music On A Tight Budget
So, you like to record music? Maybe you mess around on the piano any time you get a few extra minutes. You may even just be planning on dabbling in music. Regardless of where you are in music, we have a few cool tips for you that you can use if you ever want to take a step forward, record your own music, and see how it sounds. Not only do we have some very general advice but we’re also going to give you some equipment recommendations as well and don’t worry. These recommendations are based on our own unique experiences!
Microphone
The first thing that we recommend getting (and it’s really the first thing that you’ll need) is a good microphone. Even if you don’t actually sing, a good microphone will come in handy for just about any instrument especially when it comes to recording. The best microphone that we’ve used as far as recording quality goes is the Samson Meteor and best of all, it is only selling right now for about $70 which is a really good price for a high quality mic.
Editing/Mixing Software
Once you do some recording, you need somewhere to put it. Well, we recommend trying out the latest version of Fruity Loops. There is a pretty intimidating learning curve for someone new but if you take a few tutorials and practice, you’ll be just fine. There used to be a few versions of this floating around for free but most of them (if not all of them) now are paid. Either way, this isn’t a terribly expensive piece of software and it works great!
Portable Keyboard
This one isn’t as necessary as the two listed above but if you truly want to expand and make some good music on a tight budget, a portable keyboard is a must. You can find for $100 or less and they work like a charm. They’re fun to play around with, they can put out some very cool sounds, and you just never know how well they’ll work with your music.
Be Careless
Finally, we’re going to leave you with one last piece of advice and it isn’t in regards to good equipment for music recording. We just ask that you get “careless” with your music. No, we don’t mean that we want you to stop caring about it. Just play around with it, don’t take it too serious, and focus on building up your studio. It takes time but even those on a very tight budget can have a nice setup and record some of the best music out there.
But we don’t think we have to motivate you. If you’re already reading this then you’re probably already passionate and dedicated to your music. We just wanted to let people know that regardless of your budget, there is good music recording equipment out there. The setup we just gave you won’t cost over $300 and you’ll have what you need for a long time. Now, let’s get out there, get that home music studio built, and record some music!
Making A Movie On A Budget
Making a movie is something that most people only dream about doing but the reality of it is, anyone can make a movie with the right mindset and a little bit of money to play around with. Sure, it may take you a few months (or a few years) to get everything together that you need but if you’re serious about making a movie, the time and effort will be well worth it. Now, are you ready to learn a few cheap tricks when it comes to making your very own movie? Good! Because we’re ready to spill the beans and teach you how.
Use Friends
The first tip we have when it comes to making a low budget movie, is to use your friends. They don’t have to be on screen but you can always use a good grip, assistant director, script supervisor, and numerous other positions. If you’re friends aren’t available or don’t want to help, try to find local talent. Visit local film schools, theaters, and wherever else.
Go Digital
The day and age of actual film is long gone. The future is in digital cameras. In particular, we think that DSLRs are the way to go. You know, those big and bulky cameras that you see photographers carrying around? Yeah, those are DSLRs. We recommend something like the Canon 7D or 5D (one is over 1K and the other is over 3K). If you can’t afford that, get your hands on a cheaper model such as the Canon T2i and save up for better lenses.
Edit It Yourself
You can save a ton of money by familiarizing yourself with a good editing program such as Final Cut. Hiring an actual film editor that is capable of putting together a completed film the way you want it will cost you a pretty penny. In fact, the cheapest that we have ever seen someone edit a feature length film for was around $500. For $500, you can get a good DSLR that will be more than capable of doing anything that you would ever need it to do.
Raise Money
Finally, to cut down on the costs of making a low budget movie, you can raise money for the shoot. There are a ton of crowd funding platforms out there now including Kickstarter and Indie GoGo. Both of them are good in their own sense but you also have the option of approaching potential investors individually. Back in the golden days of film, people would (and probably still do) literally approach lawyers, doctors, etc and ask for some money.
Either way, the opportunities are out there for you to make a low budget movie. You just have to work hard, have some confidence, and hope that luck is on your side. We just hope that our list has motivated you to finally make it happen. Now, let’s get this party started and make your dreams come true. Gather up some money and go shoot your film!
Finding Cheap Auto Insurance
What is something that everyone has to have? Nope! Not that. No way! Not that either. If you haven’t guessed it yet, we’re talking about auto insurance. If you’re on the road and driving then you need auto insurance. It’s not only required by the law (unless you live on Jupiter) but it’s also for your protection as well as the protection of others. Fortunately, we have a few tips as to how you can save a little extra dough on auto insurance. Ready to take a look at what we’ve came up with? Good! We’re glad to have you. Now, enjoy!
Shop Around
The first and most practical tip on this list is to shop around. Don’t commit to one auto insurance company right off the bat. See what kind of quotes other companies can give you and decide from there. Too often people approach an auto insurance company, hear a good quote (one that they like and can afford), and they simply move forward. Take a step back and see what else is out there. You may only save a few dollars but it’s worth doing.
Be A Good Driver
Almost every auto insurance company out there has rewards, perks, and added savings for good drivers. This means no accidents, no fender benders, or anything else like that. This is something that you should keep in mind once you commit to a particular company or if you already have one, it’s time to step up your game. Focus on the road and you will save cash!
Liability Insurance
Although this type of auto insurance plan doesn’t cover you as well as full coverage, think about how much money it could save you. Sure, you can never plan for an accident but if you’re one of those people that do not do a lot of driving, liability insurance may be a good route for you to take. It’s a lot cheaper and makes it easier to add other vehicles to your plan. If you want to learn more about liability insurance, contact your local agent.
Referrals
Finally, you have the option of having a friend or family member refer you. We could have said that we recommend being on someone else’s insurance policy but that isn’t very logical especially if you have a family. The next best thing is having someone else refer you. There are usually cool perks for this and for both parties involved. Find out who your friends or your co-workers are using for auto insurance. Then, get them to refer you!
And that’s all you have to do in order to save money on insurance. It really is that easy! Now, if you have tickets or convictions on your record, we can’t do much to help that but either way, following these helpful tips is certain to help with that some. Now, what are you waiting around for? The savings are out there so get out there and pinch some pennies!
Is It More Expensive To Eat Healthy?
Looking at the picture above, you probably notice one thing. The food looks absolutely delicious, doesn’t it? We think so too! Here’s the downside though. It’s extremely bad for you and has no benefit to the human body whatsoever. Now, don’t worry. We’re not going to get all “eat healthy” on you but we are going to break down a few reasons that eating healthy isn’t more expensive than eating junk. You know, so in case you ever do decide to clean up your diet, you’ll have no excuse not to. Ready to get started? Good! So are we.
Case Studies
We recently read an article in Men’s Health magazine (it applies to women too) that said that eating healthy only costs, on average, about $1.50 more a day. While that may be true among certain groups of people, we disagree with that. We don’t think it’s more expensive at all but before we get ahead of ourselves, go ahead and scroll down. We’ll dive into this a little deeper and explain our reasoning behind this. You need proof, right?
Our Own Experience
Based on our own experience, it really isn’t any more expensive to eat healthy versus eating junk as long as you’re ready to cut down on eating out. A salad in a popular food establishment could run you $10 or more. If you do this at home, $10 will make quite a few salads. In fact, you could feed your entirely family a salad on $10 or less in most cases. Need lean meat in your diet but can’t afford it? 3lb bags of frozen chicken breast (both boneless and skinless) will run you around $7 a bag for the best of the best. In other words, for $7, you can have chicken for lunch every single day for at least a week if you’d like to.
The Bottom Line
While we haven’t provided you with a ton of detail here, we dove as deep as we needed to. Eating healthy isn’t any more expensive than eating junk. Sure, if you’re going to places like McDonald’s every single day and eating off of the dollar menu, it probably is cheaper. If you start dining in more often and prepare your own meals 3 times a day, eating healthy could actually turn out to be cheaper. It’s also extremely hard to eat too much if you’re eating 100% clean. We know a lot of athletes that eat 100% clean that have a lot of trouble meeting their daily caloric needs. Of course, this doesn’t only apply to just athletes though.
So, these are just some of the reasons that we think eating healthy isn’t any more expensive than eating junk food. Of course, you’re free to come up with your own ideas and theories on the matter and we certainly won’t argue with you. We simply wanted to toss around some ideas, let you know what we thought, and tell you that we know that you can afford to eat healthy. Worried about the mental aspect of it? We believe in you!