Downgrading isn’t something that most of us like to do. Usually, we forge ahead and upgrade or super size things in our lives. But there is a lot of joy in downgrading. Not only can you remove many money worries from your life, but living more simply may lead to enjoying yourself more. There is often less of a feeling of having to rush around to fit everything in.
Downgrading can come in many different areas and many different levels. You might be comfortable living in a smaller house but could never give up expensive vacations. That is okay, being frugal means being flexible. You can choose the areas to downgrade one at a time, but you may find that you enjoy your new life so much that you look forward to finding new areas to downgrade.
Here is one example of the many levels of downgrading. Let’s take a look at television entertainment. Find the level that you are currently in and see if you would be comfortable going down a level or two.
Television service from lowest to highest. These numbers are approximate for service in my particular area per month.
None (free)
Broadcast antenna (Free with free digital converter)
Basic Cable (Anywhere from $10 to $30)
Basic Digital Cable ($99 to $120)
Premium Cable or Satellite that may include high definition and special channels ($130 to $190)
Super-sized Cable or Satellite ($200 to $350)
Beside the obvious cost for the monthly service, there are other expenses that you may avoid by downgrading. For example, if have digital high definition television service then it may prompt you to buy a high definition television and premium home theater sounds system.
While I used television in this example, you can apply downgrading almost anywhere. Any easy way to see this is to make a list of all of your options just as I did with television.
Have you downgraded lately?
Click here for more articles by Mary Ann Romans.
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