ADOPTIONOMICS, Part 3: Temporary Tightwad Tactics to Offset Adoption Fees
Did you know that 93 percent of Americans eat pizza at least once a month, and the average person eats 23 pounds of pizza each year?
Did you know that the average Starbucks customer visits their cafés six times per month, and that 57 percent of the U.S. adult population drinks coffee each day?
Most of us don’t think twice about purchasing little “extras” each week—lattes, newspapers, and video rentals.
If you’re willing to temporarily live without some of those luxuries, and funnel the money you would have spent into a special “adoption fund,” you can save half the money you’ll need to adopt a child within one year.
Consider cutting back on the following:
Fast food
Limit fast-food purchases to once a week.
Potential savings: $400/year
Alcoholic beverages
When you eat out, order tap water instead of alcoholic beverages or soda.
Potential savings: $470/year
Movies and videos
Rent movies on DVD as opposed to seeing first-run flicks in the theater. Netflix is a great deal, as is redbox, which rents DVDs for $1/night.
Potential savings: $550/year
Mobile phone minutes
If you don’t use all your allotted minutes each month, consider switching to a plan that offers fewer minutes.
Potential savings: $240/year
Paperback books
Rather than purchasing one new paperback each month, buy used books, or check out books from the public library.
Potential savings: $144/year
Newspapers and magazines
Save 80 percent off the newsstand price by subscribing to the daily newspaper and one or two of your favorite magazines.
Potential savings: $420/year
Cable TV
Order the basic cable package at $15 per month, rather than the $40 per month, expanded package.
Potential savings: $1,300/year
Automatic deposits
Perhaps the most effective way to sock away a substantial sum in a short time frame is to automatically deposit 1 percent of your paycheck into an adoption fund. If your monthly paycheck totals $5,000, immediately begin depositing $50 per month.
Potential savings: $600/year
Letting go of life’s little luxuries may make you cringe. But if you’re committed to providing a permanent home for a child who needs a family, you can make it happen. You’ll be surprised at how quickly the small sacrifices you make will result in thousands of dollars in savings that you can apply toward adopting a child.
The April issue of Adoption
World eZine contains 12 more Tightwad Tips. I'll be giving away a copy of The Adoption Decision: 15 Things You Want to Know Before Adopting
Related articles:
- Why is Adoption So Expensive?
- Temporary Tightwad Tactics to Offset Adoption Fees
- Can I Adopt If I'm on a Limited Income?
- Links to Series on Adoption Financing and Adoption Tax Credit
- USCIS To Increase International Adoption Fees
- Adoption Tax Credit for Ohio Residents Triples
- Adoption Statistics from 2007
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