"Things We Can Do Without," Contributing Writer Post by Tonia at Chic Modern Vintage!!!

   #1 | GYM MEMBERSHIP

I signed my life away for a gym membership a while back for the first month or so I went religiously. I missed a day and then it was easier for me to miss the next. Now, I'm not say this is you but seriously, how often do you go? The average membership cost about $30 per month. A brisk 30-minute walk in the morning and afternoon does wonders and it's free and the $30 can go towards paying on another important bill, such as the electric or water.

#2 | CREDIT CARD

Now, this is somewhat tricky, because you need a credit card for certain things— such as car rentals, hotels, online purchases, etc.The average interest rate is 14.94% for average credit and as high as 24.94% if you have less than perfect credit. Unless it's a matter of life and death, why are you using credit to pay for anything? Most of our purchases are things that we want not anything we need. I know you've heard it a million times before, over and over set a limit according to your budget, save and pay cash for it. Also, there are a handful of retailers that still offer lay-a-way plans. Sears, TJMAXX, Marshall's and a few I can name off the top of my head.

 #3 | EATING OUT

Cooking at home is not only healthier but it brings the family closer. The average cost of feeding a family of 4 at an average restaurant is about $50 {tip included}. That's dinner at home for a week if your meals are planned properly. Plus you can have seconds without an additional cost— unless it's all you can eat, and you can only eat so much. Reserve eating out for special celebrations.

#4 | MAGAZINES

I might get a lot of flack about this but recently I sold the majority of my vast shelter/decor magazine collection to Half Price Bookstore and received a whopping $12.53. It was hard for me to accept since most of the magazines cost about $10 a piece. I quickly realized I didn't even read half of them and most of them were filled ads for a lot of products I didn't use or even want to consider using. If there maybe magazines you love reading subscribe to them, it's cheaper. Check with your local library they sometimes sell old issues at a deep discount and there are several online magazines as well.

Tonia Bozeman
Chic Modern Vintage