{"id":903,"date":"2018-07-27T21:12:08","date_gmt":"2018-07-27T21:12:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/stockchase.com\/discover\/?p=903"},"modified":"2019-06-14T16:04:28","modified_gmt":"2019-06-14T16:04:28","slug":"are-your-penny-pinching-ways-keeping-you-from-enjoying-life","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/stockchase.com\/discover\/are-your-penny-pinching-ways-keeping-you-from-enjoying-life\/","title":{"rendered":"Are your penny-pinching ways keeping you from enjoying life?"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_82_2 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Discover What&#039;s Inside<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 eztoc-toggle-hide-by-default' ><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-4' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/stockchase.com\/discover\/are-your-penny-pinching-ways-keeping-you-from-enjoying-life\/#Attention_Baby_Boomers_Weve_Updated_this_Post_with_New_Content_and_More_Ways_to_Enjoy_Life_Without_Breaking_the_Bank_%F0%9F%95%BA\" >Attention Baby Boomers: We&#8217;ve Updated this Post with New Content and More Ways to Enjoy Life Without Breaking the Bank &#x1f57a;<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/stockchase.com\/discover\/are-your-penny-pinching-ways-keeping-you-from-enjoying-life\/#Free_Up_Some_Cash\" >Free Up Some Cash<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/stockchase.com\/discover\/are-your-penny-pinching-ways-keeping-you-from-enjoying-life\/#Fun_Money\" >Fun Money!<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/stockchase.com\/discover\/are-your-penny-pinching-ways-keeping-you-from-enjoying-life\/#Road_trips\" >Road trips<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/stockchase.com\/discover\/are-your-penny-pinching-ways-keeping-you-from-enjoying-life\/#Pick_fruit\" >Pick fruit<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/stockchase.com\/discover\/are-your-penny-pinching-ways-keeping-you-from-enjoying-life\/#Potlucks\" >Potlucks<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/stockchase.com\/discover\/are-your-penny-pinching-ways-keeping-you-from-enjoying-life\/#Become_a_foodie\" >Become a foodie<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/stockchase.com\/discover\/are-your-penny-pinching-ways-keeping-you-from-enjoying-life\/#Smart_Money\" >Smart Money!<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/stockchase.com\/discover\/are-your-penny-pinching-ways-keeping-you-from-enjoying-life\/#Live_Life_Fully\" >Live Life Fully<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h4><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Attention_Baby_Boomers_Weve_Updated_this_Post_with_New_Content_and_More_Ways_to_Enjoy_Life_Without_Breaking_the_Bank_%F0%9F%95%BA\"><\/span>Attention Baby Boomers: We&#8217;ve Updated this Post with New Content and More Ways to Enjoy Life Without Breaking the Bank &#x1f57a;<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n<p><i>This is a guest post by Jim McKinley.  Jim is a retired banker with almost 30 years of experience. He created <a href=\"https:\/\/moneywithjim.org\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">MoneywithJim<\/a> to share his advice and other resources on a variety of financial topics.<\/i> <\/p>\n<p><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/stockchase.com\/discover\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/baby-boomer-442252_1280.jpg\" alt=\"Baby boomer 442252 1280\" title=\"baby-boomer-442252_1280.jpg\" border=\"0\" width=\"795\" height=\"530\" \/><br \/>\n[adinserter block=&#8221;4&#8243;]<\/p>\n<p>Good news! <\/p>\n<p>There are ways you can live it up without getting out of control financially. Here are some inexpensive thoughts on kicking up your heels that balance your frugal habits with a little more fun and live the good life on a tight budget.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Free_Up_Some_Cash\"><\/span>Free Up Some Cash<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Even if you\u2019re used to stretching your dollars, there may be some ways to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.medicare.org\/Articles\/advice-education\/ways-for-seniors-to-save-money\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">eke more funds out<\/a> of your budget. For instance, you may be able to save money by shopping around for new health care coverage. Finding a plan that is more affordable is a smart choice, as you may be paying for more coverage than you need. You also may be able to free up some funds by evaluating your mode of transportation. <\/p>\n<p>Sometimes you can save money with a different car insurance company, car sharing, carpooling with friends or family members, or taking public transportation. In Montreal, Ottawa, Kingston and 6 more cities <a href=\"https:\/\/www.communauto.com\/index_en.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Communauto<\/a> offers reservation-free car rentals for as low as 40\u00a2\/min.  Think outside the box, maybe you can sell your car and use your money to enjoy life.<\/p>\n<p>Did you think of getting rid of your landline?  These days, people don&#8217;t bother that much with the landline.  Get rid of your landline and get a good cell phone with an unlimited calling plan and enough data.  I use a Fido Bring-Your-Own-Phone $50\/month plan with 6GB of Data.  In addition to 6GB of data per month, Fido gives you 5 x 1 hour of unlimited data per month. When you know you&#8217;ll be using a lot of data (videos) you can activate your free hour of data.  <\/p>\n<p>And of course, there are senior discounts. <\/p>\n<p>Never hesitate to ask for a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dealnews.com\/features\/The-Best-Senior-Discounts-from-A-to-Z\/987339.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">senior discount<\/a>, as you may be pleasantly surprised at how many businesses offer you a break. Check around, because utility providers, hair salons, grocery stores, and travel providers are all known to offer a lower price to seniors. Even banks offer perks to seniors. TD offers monthly checking account fees discounts, National Bank offers a $3.95 account.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Fun_Money\"><\/span>Fun Money!<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Once you have some cash freed up and you\u2019re committed to loosening your purse strings (at least a little!), there are plenty of great ways to spend your fun money:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>&#8211; Community sports events<\/li>\n<li>&#8211; Road trips<\/li>\n<li>&#8211; Pick fruit<\/li>\n<li>&#8211; Potlucks<\/li>\n<li>&#8211; Become a foodie<\/li>\n<li>&#8211; Community sports events<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Let&#8217;s go into more details&#8230;<\/p>\n<p>[adinserter block=&#8221;2&#8243;]<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Road_trips\"><\/span>Road trips<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Instead of the expense of a cruise or airline tickets, consider a driving vacation. <\/p>\n<p>Buzzfeed offers a list of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.buzzfeed.com\/farrahpenn\/cheap-road-trips-you-need-to-make-if-you-want-to-explore-o?utm_term=.qarLLJnvoo%23.aa3aalV0PP\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">31 best destinations<\/a> for road trips on a budget, including quaint and artsy Nashville, Indiana, viewing lighthouses in Maine, and public art installations off Route 66.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Pick_fruit\"><\/span>Pick fruit<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Want a great way to support local farmers, get some fresh air and sunshine, and ensure you\u2019re getting beautiful produce? Spend time visiting fruit farms and picking your own. Many farms have fields dedicated to self-picking, and you typically pay the same or almost the same as you would in the grocery store. <\/p>\n<p>What\u2019s more, spending <a href=\"https:\/\/www.businessinsider.com\/scientific-benefits-of-nature-outdoors-2016-4\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">time in nature<\/a> is shown to provide numerous health benefits, such as improved short-term memory, lowered stress levels, reduced inflammation, improved vision, better concentration, and reduced risk of an early death.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Potlucks\"><\/span>Potlucks<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Invite friends and family members for supper and ask everyone to bring a dish to share. You could even invite your neighbours to get to know them better. Spend time playing games; inside you can play board games or cards, and if the weather is nice, take the party outside for some bean bag toss or croquet.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Become_a_foodie\"><\/span>Become a foodie<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Not sure what you could make for those potlucks? <\/p>\n<p>Try taking a cooking class! <\/p>\n<p>Many communities offer classes at local kitchen boutiques or colleges.<a href=\"https:\/\/www.lifehack.org\/articles\/money\/this-list-50-low-cost-hobbies-will-excite-you-2.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Another idea<\/a> is to check YouTube for instructional videos. Try a foreign cuisine or some foods you never ate before. You can even explore gourmet or ethnic grocery stores for palate-tempting delights.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Smart_Money\"><\/span>Smart Money!<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Of course, it\u2019s not all about fun, so you want to make sure you\u2019re still being realistic and prepared for the worst. After all, you want to enjoy your life but you know you aren\u2019t getting younger. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.everydayhealth.com\/longevity\/future-planning.aspx\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Everyday Health<\/a> suggests investing in a few important documents if you haven\u2019t already. <\/p>\n<p>In the event you suffer a major health catastrophe, you should already have a plan in place. <\/p>\n<p>Prepare your advance directives, including a living will, durable power of attorney, and other paperwork relating to your end-of-life wishes. It\u2019s not the most fun to think about, but you\u2019ll be surprised how much relief it provides to know you and your family members won\u2019t need to make those decisions in the midst of a tragic occurrence. <\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Live_Life_Fully\"><\/span>Live Life Fully<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Your senior years don\u2019t need to be boring. Live a little! You can enjoy yourself and still make wise choices. <\/p>\n<p>Spend your fun money &#8212; you earned it!<\/p>\n<p>[adinserter block=&#8221;4&#8243;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Attention Baby Boomers: We&#8217;ve Updated this Post with New Content and More Ways to Enjoy Life Without Breaking the Bank &#x1f57a; This is a guest post by Jim McKinley. Jim is a retired banker with almost 30 years of experience. [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":917,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"cwp_meta_box_check":"","cwp_rev_product_name":"","cwp_rev_product_image":"","wppr_links":[],"cwp_rev_price":"","wppr_options":[],"wppr_pros":[],"wppr_cons":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[34],"tags":[16],"class_list":["post-903","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-investing-tips","tag-baby-boomers"],"wppr_data":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/stockchase.com\/discover\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/903","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/stockchase.com\/discover\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/stockchase.com\/discover\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stockchase.com\/discover\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stockchase.com\/discover\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=903"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/stockchase.com\/discover\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/903\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stockchase.com\/discover\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/917"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/stockchase.com\/discover\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=903"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stockchase.com\/discover\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=903"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stockchase.com\/discover\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=903"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}