Recently, my pastor gave a message about the leading causes of money issues in marriage.  He referred to them as “money minefields” that if not dealt with (or defused) lead to problems in marriage and much of the time divorce.

After listening to the message the second time this past weekend, I think it is one of the most profound messages about money and marriage I’ve heard.  It gets to the root of money problems and identifies the one true solution.   I hope you’ll enjoy what I learned.  You can listen to the actual message here.

The 5 Minefields:  We Need To Defuse Them

1. Meaning of money

Couples should ask themselves what the meaning of money is to them.  Often times we enter into our marriage with different definitions.  Perhaps its security or perhaps money is the freedom to buy something to make you happy.  “If you don’t know what it means to your spouse, you will be talking in foreign languages”, as my pastor said.  It’s important to have this discussion and get on the same page.

2. Gender differences

For most males, their need, when it comes to money, is to provide for their family.  They like to carry this burden.  For most females, their need is to make sure the family is provided for.  The challenge, as mentioned, is when the husband might work longer to provide, but the wife thinks his work is his top priority over family.  The husband sees it just the opposite.  For some husbands, just because they are working hard, it doesn’t mean they love their jobs more than their families.  Obviously, too much work can cause the relationship to suffer.  My pastor said couples must seek the right balance to confront this issue.

3. Priorities

When we enter into marriage, we enter with different priorities for money too.  There is always the question between couples on how they are going to spend their money.  Should we buy, save, invest, give, etc. and in what order?  Where will we give?  On what will we spend our money? If priorities are different; you’re heading for trouble.

4. Debt

According to my pastor, 43% of American families spend more than they earn in any given year. The average family carries $8000 in credit card debt (without car and home loans).  In his words, “American families are going down the tube!”  Buying now and paying later is not a good plan. 

43% of American families spend more than they earn in any given year.

It may seem to be a good plan at the moment, but you often wish you hadn’t signed the 5 year car note with monthly payments that squeeze money out of other important areas of the family budget.  Unfortunately, this is our culture and for those who are avoiding debt, getting out of debt and staying out of debt, they are “swimming upstream.”

5.  Using money as a smoke screen

Sometimes money can just be the symptom to other issues.  For example, an argument may occur about some issue which results in one of the spouses going out and spending out of frustration.  The argument then becomes about carless spending and not the source of the problem which can be a number of things.  Sometimes, money is used to take out frustration or anger on the other spouse and it mask the real problem.  The key is to recognize the root cause and deal with it

Why Does Money Cause Such A Problem?  Why Are Minefields Present?

As we learn in Luke 12:15, “a man’s life doesn’t consist in the abundance of his possessions.”  If we focus on things and put money and material possessions in front of our family and marriage we are heading for disaster.  Greed will sneak into your life and be there before you know it.

a man’s life doesn’t consist in the abundance of his possessions. Luke 12:15

“If you look deep behind greed you will always find fear.”  This was the most profound part of the message for me.  Greed is the symptom.  Fear is the root cause.  The fear drives our focus on money which will separate our relationship.  For example, fear is what causes us to want to have what our neighbors have.  Fear causes us to be concerned about what others will say or think when we say no to spending money on certain things.  Fear causes us to say things to our spouse about money we wish we had never said.

Solution: How Money Can Be A Bond In Your Marriage

1. Recognize that it’s God’s money, not ours. God owns everything (Psalms 24:1).  We must get on the same page with this Biblical principle and believe by faith that only God gives us the ability to work and earn!

2. God has entrusted his money to both in the marriage.  We are to use money as God wants us to use money (1 Corinthians 4: 1-2).  We are to give, save and spend it wisely. Using money as God wants us to will lead to unity in our marriage.  Managing money wisely, with the same values, shared decisions on a shared budget will lead to building a strong marriage.

What are some other money related challenges, or “minefields”couples encounter?  Tell us your thoughts in the comments!

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Overcoming Money Issues In Marriage

The pursuit of wealth is one of the greatest illusions of our time.  We think we will be wealthy when we come to a place in our lives when we can do whatever we want with money.  One might imagine this to be the freedom illustrated by the phrase “financial peace”.  Wealth, however, will never be attained if it is defined as getting everything you want, because when you get what you want, you will just want more.  While money can fulfill needs (and thus provide fulfillment) money can never buy happiness.  I believe a person will only be able to consider themselves wealthy when they are satisfied with what they have today.

The apostle Paul writes:

I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. (Philippians 4:12 NIV)

Observations about contentment:

1. Contentment is learned and thus contentment is process.  Are you becoming content?
2. When you are content, when circumstances change you do not.
3. Both the well fed and hungry are susceptible to a lack of contentment.

Here are some stats from the book Your Money and Your Brain by Jason Zweig

A survey of 800 people with a net worth of at least $500,000 found that 19% of them agreed with the statement, “Having enough money is a constant worry in my life.”  But among those who are worth at least $10 million, 33% felt that way.

I love the following quote from philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer

Wealth is “like seawater: the more you drink, the thirstier you become.”

As a result of these and similar surveys and my own personal experience, here is what I believe wealth is:

Wealth is a decision fostered by an attitude of self-control.  Wealth is experienced when a person has the ability to be content with God’s blessings.

If you are looking for an external measurement for wealth it will never come.

Wealth requires looking beyond the bank account.

The wealth we experience on this earth is about so much more than money.  If you are just trying to build wealth like crazy, you will never get enough.  If you are defining wealth in terms of acquisition of currency, it will be so hard to ever feel satisfied.  Each day take time look around and see your loved ones so you can be reminded of how blessed you are.

Wealth is the ability to choose to focus your life on the truly important things. Someone might make a lot more money in their life time, but in return be burdened by meetings, appointments, and obligations – this is not wealth.  Wealth is the flexibility to be involved in the things that really matter in life.

Though I might not have as much as others in the bank, I feel like the richest man in the world because I am surrounded by a family that loves me, and I’m involved in a ministry that helps people.

Post written by Craig Ford.

How have you learned to be content?  How do you define wealth?  What are some of your greatest treasures?

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Wealth And Contentment: Two Peas In A Pod

One thing that I am a huge proponent of is trying not to rely too much on one stream of income for your family.  Why not instead create multiple streams of income, whereby if one of them dries up, you’ll still have several others that you can depend on?

PT over at PTMoney.com is launching a great e-book today that will look at a variety of ways that you can make extra money for your family.   It’s a great resource that you should check out.   As a part of that offering he asked me to write about something that I do to make money on the side, graphic design.  I heartily agreed.  Before we get into that, however, go to PT’s site, and download the e-book – you just may find some great ways to make some extra income! (look for small “download” link in the right corner until Friday. Download it without giving an email until then!)

• 52 Ways To Make Extra Money E-Book

Make Extra Money By Designing Logos

Are you a graphic designer or do you have some artistic talents that you know others are looking for? Why not make some extra money for your bottom line by designing logos or other graphics for people’s websites, for their newsletters or for other print applications?

Doing web graphics obviously isn’t for everyone. It will help you quite a bit if you’ve got some background in graphic design or if you’re relatively proficient in design tools like Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Indesign, Adobe Illustrator or other similar products. You don’t necessarily have to have a degree in graphic arts, as long as you’re able to put together eye pleasing designs that others will love and will pay for.  I am completely self taught when it comes to design, but I think I’ve done quite well and am able to make a nice side income from doing design.

Getting Started

So how do you get started designing logos for others? Can you just put together a website and hope that the business will start rolling in? Unfortunately it will take a little bit more work than that. (Note: the steps below can work for doing a variety of service oriented businesses online, not just design)

• Network: To get my logo design business started I first started networking with people that I know on the internet that would have a need for design work.  That means bloggers, IT developers who put together websites for others and a variety of people I’ve met through social media.
• Get the Buzz Going: Next I designed a few logos for free or for extremely cheap rates. A few of these logos for were for high visibility bloggers who in turn trumpeted my design services on their sites.
• Put together a portfolio: Once I had built up a small portfolio and a bit of a buzz I launched a WordPress portfolio site for my design work, showing examples of my logos.  Now people were able to see examples of my work.
• Make it easy for people to buy and use your services:  I also put up an logo purchase page where people could order different logo and design packages, and pay for them directly through PayPal.  I put up questionnaires on the site so people could tell me exactly what they were looking for. The website was setup to make the process of ordering a logo and giving design instructions as easy and hands off as possible. That way, I could spend more time doing the important work of design. Of course I did still have to to do the work of promotion for the site through networking, through writing of design related blog posts to bring in search visitors and through setting up a referral program.

Customer Service Is Key

Now that I’ve been doing design work for a while word of mouth does the best job of bringing in new work. When you’re doing your design work for your customers (or other service), remember that customer service is key. Make sure to maintain good communication, keep your turn around times as short as possible, and remember that the customer is always right.  If you do those things, you’ll be on your way towards having a nice secondary source of income.

Have your own ideas for ways to make extra income for your family?  Tell us about it in the comments!  Want to share your own post about how to make some extra money, click on the “contribute” link at the top of the page, and send us your post!

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Make Extra Money By Doing Graphic Design Work On The Side

One of my all-time favorite movies is Wall Street.  It is directed by Oliver Stone and stars Charlie Sheen and Michael Douglas. If you’ve never seen the movie, the Internet Movie Database (IMDB), has a short synopsis of the movie.

Bud Fox is a Wall Street stockbroker in early 1980’s New York with a strong desire to get to the top. Working for his firm during the day, he spends his spare time working an on angle with to approach the high-powered, extremely successful (but ruthless and greedy) broker Gordon Gekko. Fox finally meets with Gekko, who takes the youth under his wing and explains his philosophy that “Greed is Good”.

I’ve seen the movie countless times. I enjoy the excellent acting, the scenery from New York City and all the interesting dialogue that takes place between the actors.

But I think what is most interesting about the movie is what we can learn about the pursuit of greed and money. The main characters, all with different motivations, look at money from unique perspectives. Bud wants more of it and believes it is the answer to his happiness. Gordon Gekko’s religion is money and the pursuit of more of it is his life purpose. Lou believes the pursuit of it will control your life and lead you down a road you don’t want to go. Carl doesn’t need it nor measure it.

Bud Fox (Young Stockbroker)

Bud is in a struggle to find himself. He believes the answer is to get to the top and become rich. However, he learns his desire takes him across legal and moral boundaries. We learn that as a young broker, he is already trying to live a life style that is above his means. He sees the lack of money as failure and defines success by the amount of money one is able to accumulate.

Memorable quotes from Bud:

I’m tapped out Marv. American Express’ got a hit man lookin’ for me.

There’s no nobility in poverty.

Who am I?

Gordon Gekko (High Powered Broker)

In Bud’s pursuit of excess, he desires to be like Gordon Gekko who he believes to hold the answer to success (money). Gekko cares about money and his competitive nature to win more of it leaves casualties in his path. Gekko is a believer of greed and conveys it as his answer to liberate stockholders from their overpaid and unwise  spending of corporate executive leadership.

Memorable quotes from Gekko

The point is, ladies and gentlemen, that greed, for lack of a better word, is good. Greed is right. Greed works.

What’s worth doing is worth doing for money.

I’m talking about liquid. Rich enough to have your own jet. Rich enough not to waste time. Fifty, a hundred million dollars, buddy. A player. Or nothing.

Lou Mannheim (Head Of Bud’s Firm)

In Bud’s pursuit he pays little attention to the wise words of Lou who knows that money doesn’t define oneself and is an empty pursuit in the end. Bud is captured by Gekko and money and Lou wisely tries to help him see his emotional attachment and to look inside to find himself. There is no get rick quick method or short cuts in Lou’s mind.

Memorable quotes from Lou

Bud… Bud I like you. Just remember something. Man looks in the abyss, there’s nothing staring back at him. At that moment man finds his character. And that is what keeps him out of the abyss.

The main thing about money, Bud, is that it makes you do things you don’t want to do.

Good things, sometimes, take time.

Carl Fox (Bud’s Father)

Bud’s father is the simple man who doesn’t value money or wealth. He is content and believes in working hard to earn a living. But Bud quickly finds he is at odds with this father. Carl tries to point out Bud’s naivety and that success can’t be measured by the amount of money in which one has.

Memorable quotes from Carl

Money’s only something you need in case you don’t die tomorrow…

What you see is a guy who never measured a man’s success by the size of his WALLET!

Stop going for the easy buck and start producing something with your life. Create, instead of living off the buying and selling of others.

Final Thoughts

Bud, through all of his emotional connection with money finds himself in the end alone and empty in the abyss Lou hints of.  But not finding anyone there to help, Gekko or his riches, he finally realizes who he is and what he must do to regain his life.

As in Wall Street, but also in scripture, we know that greed, or the love of money, is not good which is contrary to what Gekko says.

People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap an into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. 1 Timothy 6:9 (NIV)

Greed can tempt people to put money before all things, including God.  As Lou states, the main thing about money (I think he means the love of money) is that it makes us do things we don’t want to do.

Photo by IMDB.

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What The Movie Wall Street Can Teach Us About Greed

About a year ago I wrote a post detailing how I was making some extra money for our household by using the “Get Paid To” website called Cash Crate. Today I decided to write a quick update to let everyone know how Cash Crate has gone for me the last year.

What Is Cash Crate?

First things first, before I get too far, what is Cash Crate? Cash Crate is a “Get Paid To” website where you get paid cash to complete surveys, join free websites, sign up for free trial offers, refer other users and more. In other words, you’re getting paid to do stuff! If you have a little bit of free time, and have a blog where you can promote the service, it can lead to a nice little bit of extra income every month. To find out details about how to use the service, read my post “Guide To Making Money Using Cash Crate“.

My Cash Crate Earnings

When I originally signed up for the service, I was skeptical that I would  make any real money with the service.  So the question is, how much money can you make legitimately?

Over the past 14 months I’ve filled out surveys, signed up for free trials with netflix and other sites, and most importantly referred others to use the site. Over those 14 months I’ve made an average of $124.63/month (and yes, they do actually send you a check – it isn’t a scam):

July 2008: $27.64
August 2008: $82.69
September 2008 $76.04
October 2008 $114.53
November 2008 $178.54
December 2008 $92.08
January 2009 $85.11
February 2009 $454.15
March 2009 $118.94
April 2009 $76.39
May 2009 $74.56
June 2009 $71.64
July 2009 $69.51
August 2009 $104.51
September 2009 $118.50
=====================
Total: $1744.83

So over the past year or so I’ve made almost $1750 dollars using Cash Crate!  That’s nothing to sneeze at!

When you look at my numbers you see that the amount you make every month can fluctuate immensely, depending upon how many surveys and offers you fill out, how heavily you promote the site, and how many offers your referrals fill out.  I had a really good couple of months earlier this year where I referred a lot of users, and a couple of my referrals especially made  a lot of money (which means I made a lot of money). My results in those months is not typical.

Cash Crate is only one of a whole host of “Get Paid To” websites, but in my opinion is one of the better ones out there.   After using it now for a year I can honestly say that it isn’t a scam, and that if you do it right, you can make a nice little bit of extra income to add to your bottom line every month.

It should be noted that if you do sign up for the service, you should make sure to sign up for a hotmail, gmail or other free email account to use when signing up for offers. You will be getting a ton of email when signing up for offers/etc, and probably don’t want to use your regular email to do it.  For a step by step guide to using Cash Crate, go here.

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Making Extra Money In Your Free Time With Cash Crate: A Review Of The Service One Year In

One of the common criticisms of saving money is that some folks think that saving for tomorrow completely defeats the purpose of money.  These are the ones with a live for today philosophy.  The live for today philosophy claims, you could save your money for tomorrow and then have a heart attack and die.  What a waste!  Use your money for whatever your heart desires. Proponents of this approach to personal finances claim money is to be spent, to be enjoyed today.  Nevertheless, the reality is that saving for tomorrow actually improves the quality of life today.

Financial Security Offers Peace of Mind, Today

Finances typically are subject to the laws of cause and effect. Your actions today will directly impact the results tomorrow.  The problem with most of us is that we are so TODAY focused we are not even willing to consider tomorrow.  Remember the story of Esau and Isaac (Genesis 25:19-34)?  Esau had a wonderful right as the firstborn – the birthright.  Unfortunately, he was unable to see the value in what he had.  In a moment of temporary hunger he gave away his future assets.

I wonder how many of us are like Esau?  Making decisions today that are crippling our future. We borrow without considering what it will cost tomorrow.  Esau recognized his mistake.  He sought to have his future returned.  He desired to go back to yesterday.  But, regardless of how many tears he shed he had set his fate.

See that no one is sexually immoral, or is godless like Esau, who for a single meal sold his inheritance rights as the oldest son. Afterward, as you know, when he wanted to inherit this blessing, he was rejected. He could bring about no change of mind, though he sought the blessing with tears. (Hebrews 12:16-17 NIV)

Not only does disregarding future implications of our actions cripple the future; it also makes life today much harder.

Five Ways Saving For the Future Improves the Quality of Life Today

1. When small emergencies arrive it is not a source of worry or frustration. If the transmission were to go out on the truck you could simply pay the bill and move on.  If one of the kids had an accident and you were able to just pay the medical bill, how nice would that be today?
2. When the phone rings you don’t need to cringe.
   There is no fear that someone on the line is going to be calling about an unpaid debt.  Your nights are spent sleeping instead of worrying.  You and your spouse can actually talk to each other because the issue is no longer so tense.
3. You have money on hand for special activities.
   When your children want to be involved in extra curricular activities you don’t need to struggle with the question – where am I going to get the money to pay for that? You know that if Jack does want to play soccer there is money in the bank.
4. When you open the mail you don’t need to hold your breath.
   I enjoy checking the mail.  Perhaps there will be a card from a friend.  Many people who live for today dread checking the mail because all it has is bills, bills, bills.  What if mail call could be a highlight of your day instead of a nightmare?
5. When you feel like you’re splurging you can actually enjoy it.
   How often do you ‘live it up’ today and, just like Esau, wake up and regret the whole thing.  When you have money saved, your special night out with your wife doesn’t add extra financial worry.  When you go on vacation there is not the depression period waiting for all the bills.  Fun is fun.

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How Saving for Tomorrow Improves the Quality of Life Today

This is a guest post from Ryan Yates, owner of www.hillthread.com, a non-profit Christian T-Shirt online store. Hill Thread was created to spread the Truth of the Gospel, to encourage discipleship and spiritual growth, and to raise excitement, awareness, and financial support for missions. Learn more about Hill Thread’s mission.

Mission trips have a way of changing people; changing the way people think or the way they see the world that they return home to. If you’ve been a part of a mission experience before, then you will probably find what I am about to say somewhat familiar. If you’re new to the idea of a mission trip, let me explain the change.

The moment you step back in an American airport or back in your hometown, you notice something is different, and it’s not just the air-conditioning. You might not be able to pinpoint the difference you feel, but something is definitely not the same as when you left. You might say that you’re looking at the world with new eyes and a refreshed mind. You are happy to be home, but you can’t stop comparing the differences between where you are now, and where you just came from. Maybe you’re blown away when you realize how many tv’s are hanging on the walls and from the ceiling, and you’re still just in the airport. You notice the coffee lines and the fast food lines, finally aware of just how plentiful and accessible food really is here. You’re walking around with your head on a swivel, and everything you see reminds you of the country or town you just served in, and how little the people actually had. Your view of the world has been rocked to the core. Your definition of poverty has been changed. You understand the meaning of basic human necessities. Your own list of “needs” has been updated, realizing how many were really just “wants”. And no matter what you do, you’ll always remember the smiles you witnessed from people who had next to nothing.

So you’ve been back for a couple of days, you’ve napped and recuperated physically. Time for lunch with some friends. But again, there’s this way of thinking in you that has been altered due to the previous 7-14 days spent in a place where money was almost non-existent. Remember, the majority of people were poor, really poor, not just what we think of as United States poor. You have seen first hand the hardships and sufferings people experience. You no longer have to rely on hearing about this stuff from someone else or seeing starving people on tv commercials, because you’ve been there. You’ve been face to face with suffering and hunger and poverty. All you have to do is close your eyes and you will see those faces, those tears and smiles, those people whom you served with the love of Christ. You’ve experienced it first hand, you’ve smelled it, you’ve got sore feet and aching muscles that scream out “Don’t forget! Don’t ever forget this!”

You remember all of this as you sit down at a restaurant to pay $9.95 + tip for a great meal with friends. Not a bad price at all. Then it hits you. You’re drinking your second refill on soda and remember how hard it was for those people to get clean water to drink. You start to wonder if the waiter will bring more chips before your meal gets to you, and you remember how little food there was for the family of 7 sharing a one room “house” that looked more like a mud pie fort. You think of the money that you’re paying for your meal, probably $13 if your tip is decent, and you realize how far that money could be stretched back in the place you just returned from. Then, you look at your 6 other friends at the table and do some quick math. 7×13=91. $91 could buy so many of those New Testament Bibles ($.70 ea.) that you were passing out. It could help buy medicine for 30 newborn babies, or food for an entire family for weeks. You go home and multiply that amount by the number of times you and your friends go out to eat each month, and your minds starts cranking out ideas about how to live on mission for God. You scribble down ideas whenever they hit you. Ideas about feeding the homeless, about supplying them with long-johns during the winter months, about caring for abandoned babies, or helping single parents with food for their families. Ideas about taking the word of God to those that society has ignored.

You realize that you don’t have to wait to go on a mission trip to serve God. BINGO! God is changing the way you think. You start finding ways to live here at home like you were living while serving on the mission trip. Less tv, more personal time with God studying your Bible. Less internet, and more face time with friends and family, developing and strengthening relationships. Less thinking about yourself, and more thinking of others and how you can serve them and share God’s love. You start to trim down your unnecessary spending, and you retool your budget. You cut out $4 coffee 3 times a week, you slow down on your music and movie purchases, you realize nobody really needs $150 jeans. You start thinking of the things you buy that you really don’t need, and equate that stuff to items the people desperately needed back in the place you were serving. Cut back on 3 of those coffees a week, and that’s 17 New Testament Bibles you could send out. Cheaper clothes means you could help buy antibiotics for the children at the orphanage to help fight off infections. Restaurant food = rice and beans for the locals for a couple weeks. $10 movies plus popcorn = shoes for the kids who’ve never had a new pair their entire life. You do all of this not because someone is forcing you, but because God has opened your eyes and changed the way you think.

Romans 12:1-2 says,

And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.

This isn’t about tithing or church offerings or sacrificial giving; and it’s not about making you feel bad for the money you spend. It’s about challenging the way you think and encouraging you to use all of your resources, your gifts, and your blessings (whether monetary or not) to glorify God and make an impact for Him. It’s about challenging the status quo of society. Money isn’t the only way God has blessed us, but it is an area that can quickly get out of control when we don’t seek God’s direction. Live above the influence of the advertisers and above our world’s push to get out there and spend.

Seek God’s direction about your finances. Do you see your bank account as your own private property, or do you see it as God’s blessing? Do you check your direct deposit online and praise God for His blessings and asking Him for the wisdom to be a good steward with what you have?

I’m just saying, what IF we started thinking differently about money. What if we asked God what He might want us to do with our next paycheck, or our next bonus, or our next $20 bill we find washed and dried in our jeans.

What if we saw a $3 desert at the end of a meal not as a sweet end to a great meal, but as the possibility to share the Good News about Jesus Christ in the form of a New Testament Bible.

I guess my question is, do you use all of your gifts and blessing to impact people for Jesus? Or do all of your blessings cause you to lose focus on Jesus, who gave His life for you?

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Changing How You Think About Money And Seeking God’s Direction With Your Finances

Welcome to the readers of The Consumerist! Thanks for stopping by to check out my post on saving money on your TV bill, and don’t forget to sign up for free daily RSS updates, or for updates via email!  Don’t forget to check out some of our best articles on ways to save money, get out of debt and life financially free when you’re done with this one!

Television Can Be Expensive (It Doesn’t Have To Be)

One way that my wife and I have saved money over the years is that while most of our friends have cable or satellite TV, we’ve never paid subscription costs to receive TV programming.  That means that we are saving ourselves a good chunk of money every year.  If you’re in debt, you probably shouldn’t be paying for TV either!

Rates for cable in our area range anywhere from around $12/month for the basic package with only local channels to well over $100/month for upgraded offerings with premium channels and shows. We probably would have ended up going for a middle of the road package, somewhere between $50-60/month. How much have we saved every year by not paying subscription costs for our TV entertainment? Probably between $600-720! That’s a lot of money!  The good news is,  TV doesn’t have to be that expensive!

While we haven’t paid for cable TV, we haven’t exactly been deprived, or had to watch only the shows offered by the over the air networks.  There are tons of free video options out there! In fact, we actually still watch a lot of the same shows that our friends do. How do we do it you ask? Through a combination of free over-the-air digital TV,  free online video services (the legal kind), a video streaming software, and a Xbox 360.

Our Low Cost Home TV Setup

Here’s how we watch TV at our house.  Keep in mind that this package isn’t free, but it is lower in cost than the above mentioned $720/year package.   Things we needed:

• TV:  A TV to watch your shows on!  -  Cost:  Free (you probably already have one)
• Playon Software:  This software that can be found at http://www.themediamall.com/playon and allows you to stream online video from popular services like Hulu.com, straight to your TV through a networked media device (see below).  -  Cost:  One time fee of $39.99 (there is a 14 day free trial)
  
• Networked Media Device – Like Our Xbox 360 (list of Playon supported DLNA-compliant networked media devices):  You can get a brand new Xbox 360 for around $200 nowadays, sometimes cheaper if you buy used or refurbished.  Tons of other networked media devices are compatible as well including Playstation 3 and HP Mediasmart TVs.  Soon it should work on the Nintendo Wii as well.  Check the link above to see if your device is supported. -  Cost:  Free-$200 (depends on if you have one of these already)
• Video Streaming Services:  There are tons of online video streaming services like Hulu.com, Netflix,  CBS.com, Youtube,  Comedy Central, HGTV, and ESPN that support the Playon software!  The software also now supports plugins, so additional channels are appearing all the time including the Food Network, NBA/NFL content, and others! -  Cost:  Free

In our case, we already had everything at our house, except for the Playon software.  So for this setup we paid $29.99 (the software has gone up in price since then, but goes on sale occasionally.), plus the $8.99/month for the basic Netflix streaming package (get it, it’s worth it!).  That’s $138 for the first year, and $108 for every year after. That is a lot cheaper than if we were paying for cable!  (It would be free if we dropped netflix.)

UPDATE:  From now  until October 31st at midnight, the Playon software is on sale for 1/2 off! Just enter coupon code OCT09 and you’ll get $10 off the price of $39.99!

So here’s how the above cited items are setup at our house in order to stream video from the web, to our TV

1. The Playon software is installed on our home computer connected to the network.
2. Once installed Playon has a media server running in the background that pulls in RSS feeds from major video content providers, which allows the PC to pull in the video streams in the same way that a web browser does.
3. Video is sent over our home network, and played full screen through the Xbox 360 on our 50″ Plasma TV.   Much better than trying to watch shows on our tiny 19″ computer monitor!

Here’s  an explanation of how Playon works from the software’s website:

MediaMall’s PlayOn software is a UPnP digital media server and browser that pulls RSS feeds from content providers, and presents them to DLNA-compliant networked media devices. In plain English, this means you can use your game console or networked television to access content from providers like YouTube, Netflix and Hulu. The PC software pulls in the media streams, in the same way as your web browser, and then sends them directly over your home network to your device, even converting their formats on the fly to make sure the devices can play them. Simple as that.

MyLifeROI.com talks about how he setup the same Playon to Xbox 360 streaming at his house.

Watch Free Over-The-Air HDTV

The setup I talked about above is only one way to get free or low cost TV content.   Another way we get free content at home is through the free over-the-air HDTV channels that are now available to everyone who has a HDTV tuner and an antenna.   If you have a TV with a built in digital tuner and a simple antenna, you should be able to just turn your TV on, and get all the network TV stations in their full HD glory! Check for your local digital stations here.

If you have a regular TV, you’ll need to buy a digital converter box to continue watching TV by this summer anyway, and once you get one, you will then get tons of crystal clear TV stations for free!  When we started watching Digital TV we instantly gained about 5-10 TV stations because some channels have the main channel, and then sub channels as well.

Honestly we could probably survive on our over the air channels alone, although my wife likes to have our cable TV fix every once in a while – which is why we have Playon.

Watch Free TV Online

In addition to the options above, you can also watch TV for free through a variety of websites online.  While it isn’t as fun to watch the shows on a small computer monitor, it is still a good option I think.   Many of these online options may be available for streaming through the Playon software in the future as well.

• Hulu.com: probably the best one out there in my opinion, already works through Playon, but you can watch it on your computer as well if you’d like.
• Fancast.com: Similar to Hulu, not quite as good, but still has tons of great content.
• TV Network Websites: ABC, NBC, CBS all have good full episode streaming options available.
• Joost.com:  Full episodes from a wide variety of shows.
• Tioti.com: Tape It Off The Internet is a social media site for TV shows – allowing you to view episode information, and then see where you can find the show online.
• Veoh.com: Tons of content, including TV shows!
• TidalTV.com: Tons of TV content, not my favorite site or layout, but it works.
• FreeTVOnline.com: Haven’t used this site much, but was recommended to me.
• Sidereel.com: I’m new to this one, but it looks to have lots of good free TV options.
• AOL Video: Both short and long video clips and full shows.

There are a ton of other free video sites out there, this list only lists some of the ones I found to be the best.  Have some free online video options that you use?  Let us know about them in the comments and maybe I’ll add them to the list.

Rent Movies And TV Shows – And Use The Library

Another low cost option to get your TV and movie fix is to either rent your TV shows and movies, or to get them from your local library. My favorite options are:

• Redbox:  Redbox allows you to rent a new release movie for $1 a night,  which is an extremely low cost movie rental option. Search for coupon codes online for free redbox rentals, and it can be even cheaper!
• Netflix.com:  Slightly more, but the added convenience of keeping the movies and TV shows as long as you want, and being able to stream a selection of movies and TV shows over the computer, or networked media device.  $8.99 for the basic package, or try a netflix free trial.
• Your Local Library: Your local library will most likely have  a decent selection of DVD movies that you can check out for a week or more.  My local library tends to be a bit picked over, but if you get on a waiting list you can usually find movies or TV shows you’d enjoy watching.
• Borrow From Friends: Borrow movies and TV shows from friends and family.  They already own a ton of DVDs, they may as well get some use out of them!

Conclusion

A lot of people pay a lot of money in order to be able to watch the TV shows that they want, when they want.  In the process they end up spending upwards of $500-1000 a year, mostly for programming that they don’t watch.  If they would just look a little deeper they might find that there are a lot of free or low cost options out there, and they can get a lot of the same TV shows, movies and other video content for free.

My suggestion?  Read this article, do some research, and find your own low cost option for watching the TV shows that you love.  If you put a few of these tips above into practice, you can save thousands of dollars, just like we have.

Do you have other suggestions for low cost or free options for watching TV?  What setup do you have at your house, or do  you still pay for cable or satellite TV? Are there shows that you think you can’t get by using these free video options?  Tell us your thoughts in the comments!

Copyright © Bible Money Matters - please visit biblemoneymatters.com for more great content.


Ways To Watch TV Without Paying An Arm And A Leg For Cable Or Satellite

It is better that you should not vow than that you should vow and not pay – Ecclesiastes 5:5

In this day and age it seems to have become more and more common for people to live above their means, and to use credit and debt to increase their lifestyle. Instead of saving up for things and paying cash, they buy today and pay the consequences tomorrow. In fact, many people buy things knowing full well that they won’t be able to pay, or that they will most likely will default.

This verse speaks to me about the importance of living up to your obligations. Whether it is continuing to pay the mortgage on a house that you’re underwater in (because you signed that contract saying you would pay), or paying off the credit card debt you racked up on your last vacation, it is important to live up to the promises that you’ve made to others.

Have the integrity to follow through on what you’ve said you would do. If you know you aren’t able to afford something, it is better that you never take out the loan in the first place. Don’t fall vicitim to the mentality that it’s ok to wrack up debt, and then not pay.

Are there times that you wished you had heeded this advice, and not have taken out a loan you shouldn’t have? What did you learn from that experience? Tell us about it in the comments!

Copyright © Bible Money Matters - please visit biblemoneymatters.com for more great content.


Personal Finance Bible Verse Of The Day: Not Paying Your Debts

This weekend was an extremely beautiful one here in the Twin Cities area.  We had temps in the 80s, blue skies and a slight breeze. Perfect weather in my opinion!

I was able to get out and take some photos with my new Canon EOS Rebel T1i down at one of the popular lakes in our area, and I got some great shots of the bumblebees as they hopped from plant to plant partaking in their sweet flowery goodness!

In related insect news, I also discovered some wasp nests on the side of our garage this weekend. Luckily the nests weren’t very far along and i was able to dismantle them before all the wasps had moved in.  Before I did though, I got a couple of pictures of those as well.  Don’t these bugs just look scary up close?

Thankfully I wasn’t stung when I took down the nests.  The last time I was stung by a wasp it stung me right on the eyelid, causing my eye to balloon up. I couldn’t see for several days out of that eye!

2nd Quarter Estimated Taxes Are Due Today!

If you’re self employed, or have self employment income, don’t forget that your second quarter estimated tax payment is due today!  For more details about how estimated tax payments work, check out my article on the topic:  Estimated Tax Payments

Carnivals

I was included in several carnivals this past week, and was honored to be chosen as the editor’s pick in several of them.

• Carnival of Personal Finance (Editor’s pick for my article Watch TV Without Paying An Arm And A Leg For Cable TV)
• Best of Money Carnival – Rolling Stones Edition! (One of the top 10 PF articles this week for my post keeping on a budget even when things are going well)
• Carnival of Debt Reduction (Editor’s pick for my article Don’t Let Your Emotions Cloud Your Good Judgement. Set Goals And Delay Gratification)
• Carnival of Pecuniary Delights (Editor’s pick for my article A Bad Plan Is Better Than No Plan At All)
• Festival of Frugality: Revenge Of The Fallen Transformers Edition (Editor’s pick for my article 7 Common Questions About The 2009 New Car Sales Tax Deduction)
• Carnival of Top PF Posts
• Money Hacks Carnival

Good Reading For This Week

Lots of good personal finance reads for the coming week. Here are a few of them.

• 107 Things That Make Good Financial Cents (My pick for the best PF post of the week. Must read!)
• Retired at 31!
• Taking a Closer Look at Making Home Affordable Program
• Toughness Is A Virtue
• Use The First Time Home Buyer Tax Credit Now!
• House Passes Bill to Give You Money For Your Gas Guzzler
• How We Vacation (This one makes me a tad jealous!)
• Keeping Up With The Cheapskates!?
• 5 Ways To Save Money Now!
• Turning Garage Sale Junk Into Ebay Gold
• 10 Excuses That Keep You In Credit Card Debt
• The Curse Of Lottery Winners
• What Is Your Debt Philosophy?

Copyright © Bible Money Matters - please visit biblemoneymatters.com for more great content.


Uh Oh. We’ve Got Wasps: Links And Post Roundup