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Living on Less: Entertainment

by Jessica on January 27, 2010

Just as a quick recap for those of you who may have just start following along, this week I’m sharing how we live on less. First I shared our mission and philosophy to live on less and then yesterday how we eat on less.

Today we’re moving right along to entertainment. I feel like we need some dramatic music, so here we go…

Okay, now we’re ready to move on.

Monday I shared briefly how we stay happily entertained without a TV or stereo. We use to have a TV, but it was on the fritz so we left it when we moved. But we still get to watch our favorite shows thanks to the amazing world of the world wide web.

I have to make a quick confession: we have two radios, but they’re just in our alarm clocks. Does that count?

photo by just Luh

We watch all of our television on Hulu or YouTube. We make personalized radio stations on Pandora. Rent movies from RedBox and make the most out of our library system.

There’s a variety of sources out there for your viewing and listening pleasure.

Pandora & Last.fm
- Internet radio that you can customize to your taste. Few commercials, thumb up or down songs, plays songs based on your likes, dislikes, and musical style of those songs.
- A kind of radio that customizes music to your taste
Lala
- First 25 songs are free
- You can listen to the full song before you buy
- Unlimited web page is $.10, download for $.79 and compatible with Windows Media Player & iTunes (but cheaper than iTunes!)
RedBox
- A $1 dvd rental (even blue-ray rentals)
- Keep it for 24 hours for a buck…each day is $1 plus tax.
- Lots of movies, conveniently located at grocery stores, drugstores (Walgreens, etc), and even McDonald’s!

Hulu & Fancast
- Free TV and (some) movies in high quality.
- Some shows have a few days (up to a week) delay.
You Tube
- Mostly amatuer hilariousness.
- Lots of full-length Masterpiece Theater/period drama pieces.
- Full music videos from recording artists.
- Great place to watch movie trailers.
Cancel the Cable (Your Guide to Free TV)
- I heard about this recently on NPR.
- Gives you directions on the different ways to get free TV at home: over the air (antennas, USB/HDTV tuners), internet tv (free, pay, internet TV devices), PC to TV, and more.
- As we don’t have cable I can’t vouch for the in’s and out’s of this site personally.
Your Local Library
- Movies, Books, Music – all for free!
- Make use of interlibrary loan

There you have it ladies and gentlemen, uncomplicated and mostly free entertainment! Simple as that.

How do you save on entertainment? Are there any good sites out there I’ve missed?

Tagged as: budget, frugal, homemaking, Intentional Living, Living on Less

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Living on Less

by Jessica on January 25, 2010

in Living Intentionally

photo by DavidDMuir

One of our goals as a family is to live sensibly, spend our money wisely, and to live within our means. We feel that this is not only a smart move economically, but is in line with God’s standard of living. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus implores his followers to

…not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Matthew 6:19-21

What’s the point of hoarding wealth that has no eternal value and that we can’t take with us? It’s a vain pursuit. If we find ourselves in the pursuit of worldly treasures Jesus says our hearts and desires belong more to this world and its kingdom. As a Christian, that should not be so. It’s not safe and, if you belong to Jesus, it’s not who you are.

We still want to be wise with our money. Saving for big purchases, maintain an emergency fund, and the like. It’s not that money is inherently evil and we want no part of it, a lot of good can be accomplished with money, but we know the hindrances that come with debt and just how quickly money can enslave us.

No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be devoted to one and despise the other You cannot serve God and wealth. Luke 16:13

Keep deception and lies far from me, Give me neither poverty nor riches; Feed me with the food that is my portion, That I not be full and deny You and say, “Who is the LORD?” Or that I not be in want and steal, And profane the name of my God. Proverbs 30:8-9

photo by eric731

Our pastor concluded a series on money last Sunday and I wanted to share a few things he said that forced me to question my attitude toward money:

Our perspective on money is as pervasive as oxygen to our lungs.
Where’s our money going? Are we seeking to send our money on ahead and be apart of the kingdom Jesus has called us to?
The kingdom of God is the place where what God wants done is done. (Are we seeking to spend our money in a way that works to accomplish God’s will?)
Ask yourself: In this purchase, am I about to do it to serve God or myself?
What is more important: God or appearances?
Ask yourself: What is it that I am ultimately living for?
If you want to know where your heart is with God, follow the money.

You can hear the message in its entirety here.

We want to be a family that gives away generously to those in need and if we aren’t responsible with the money the Lord has given us, then how can we bless others with what we’ve already been blessed with?

We don’t need a brand new car with an expensive monthly payment, fancy electronics, or even the highest quality food. If we pursued these things at our current income level we’d likely find our way in debt pretty quickly. We’d be keeping up with the Jones’ as it seems many Americans are. It’s estimated that 43% of Americans spend more than they earn and some households carrying around $8,000 in debt or more (see link). And while some may be quick to blame the economy isn’t the acquiring of stuff an American pastime? A way to show our family, neighbors, and community just how well off we are? Even if they don’t have the money to pay for that new toy many people will buy it anyway. But why?

photo by Kenn Wilson

It’s an “I want, I need, I have to have…” attitude that is drowning bank accounts and killing souls.

I don’t want this post to be construed as me saying, “We’ve got it all together. We never make any mistakes with our money. And we’d never do what So-and-so did!” Believe me there are days when I wish I could blow some money on an expensive pair of shoes, buy a ton of clothes for spring, stock up on the cutest scrapbooking embellishments, pick-up Chick-fil-A for dinner, or fill my shopping cart with all those oh-so-adorable items at Target.

We’ve wasted money. Eaten out when we shouldn’t have. Invested in something that wasn’t such a hot idea. (Can we say Mary Kay? Yes, I was once a sales consultant. Never made it off the ground. It was going to make my life better, but it’s still sitting in a box on my bedroom floor. Seriously. Do you want some?) We’ve made mistakes and I can assure you that we’ll make them again.

Joe and I are both blessed to have parents who taught us how to be wise with our money and displayed that in their own lives. Both of our father’s were “money men” in their pre-retirement days–mine a fiscal officer in the Marine Corps and Joe’s spent time as city treasurer. I grew up hearing Dave Ramesy on the radio (my parents even taught Financial Peace classes for awhile) and saw many a young men and women gathered around our kitchen table asking for advice on how to get out of debt and manage their money. I am so very thankful for being raised in an environment where money was not an idol and giving generously was the norm. Shouldn’t that be our goal? To give generously because God was and is so generous to us.

This week I’m going to share how our family lives on less to honor God and bless others. How we budget and spend our money may not be the same way you should, this is just how God has led us. Here’s a few things you can expect:

How we eat on a budget of $40 a week for a family of 3 (without using coupons).
How we stay happily entertained without a TV or stereo.
How we get around on just one car.
How we stay out of debt.

Come back tomorrow to see the details of how we eat on less.

How has God changed your attitude on money and living for His kingdom?

Tagged as: budget, homemaking, Living Intentially, Living on Less

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Titus 2 in Today’s Culture

by Jessica on January 12, 2010

in biblical womanhood,Women for Glory

Older women likewise are to be reverent in their behavior, not malicious gossips, nor enslaved to much wine, teaching what is good, so that they may encourage the young women to love their husbands, love their children, to be sensible, pure, workers at home, kind, being subject to their own husbands, so that the word of God will not be dishonored.

Titus 2:3-5

Join in the discussion on Becoming Titus 2 in 2010 over at Extravagant Grace. This week the topic is “Beliefs about Titus 2 in Today’s Culture.”

My Thoughts on Becoming a Titus 2 Woman

I think to become a Titus 2 woman is become a godly woman. It’s pursuing womanhood as God designed it. It’s following in the footsteps of women of grace, like Sarah, before us following after God and living our lives, serving our families for the glory of God.

I believe becoming a Titus 2 woman is a promise. There’s no “I’ve arrived” marker. It’s pressing harder and further into God’s heart and call for women to bear His image in the world as he uniquely designed for us. It’s encompasses practical aspects of life–having good sense, purity, kindness, working at home.

I think it also means being in relationships with other women at different stages of faith and life than you. I don’t think it’s possible to truly become a Titus 2 woman outside of community, that’s why Paul is telling Titus to have the older women teach the younger women. We’re all younger and older women to someone–whether it’s in our walk with the Lord or place in life. God has given us a fellowship of believers to encourage and spur us on to His call of womanhood.

Titus 2 in the Christian Community

I’m sad to say, that from my experience, most Christian communities don’t take the commands of Titus 2 seriously. They may be affirmed and encouraged from the pulpit, but broken down woman by woman it’s virtually unknown. Maybe it’s just the churches and communities I’ve been around. Hopefully.

I had a conversation with a friend recently about the lack of discussion on biblical womanhood at her church (which was also mine before we moved this summer). There’s older women and mentoring, but there always seems to be two points of contention among Christian woman: submission and working at home. Why? Because, I believe, there’s not a proper understanding of each and their importance in God’s economy.

When I would try to bring up the topic of biblical womanhood with some friends they weren’t really able to even describe it. I think one of the reasons I’m so passionate about biblical womanhood is that it’s rarely broken down and talked about in church, but it’s so important! It’s vital in becoming a honoring wife and mother, but in maintaining a healthy view of the world, our self, and our relationships. It speaks so much of God’s design for how family should work and yet we pass it by because it might not sit well with everyone.

The World’s Response to Titus 2

I’m sure if the world read this passage they might just laugh at us. Some might say that a few of the traits are honorable, like loving your husband and children. But submission? Working at home? At the heart of the world’s disdain of this call to biblical womanhood is a different of purpose and passion. We live to serve the King. They don’t. Our hearts are called to different things and what’s important and valuable to us may not be to the rest of the world.

Challenges in Pursuing Titus 2

For me, the biggest challenge in pursuing Titus 2 is myself. My desires…my selfishness, my desire for time to myself, quietness, peace. I too often look to have my needs filled in the ways I think is best. If it doesn’t fit in the preformed box in my mind then something’s going wrong!

That thinking is wrong. God uses struggles, weaknesses, hiccups, crying babies, messy husbands, and mountains of other mess to transform me into His image. It’s me. That’s my biggest challenge. Too often I want the end without the uncomfortableness of refinement.

Encouragement & Support to Press On

Three places: Jesus, the Bible, and the community of other women. We’re never alone. I have been so encouraged and motivated by other women I have “met” through blogging. Its been through their experiences, struggles, and joys that I have also been fueled on in my own pursuit of becoming God’s true woman. And dear friends who hold to the same goals and principles.