So I’ve been noticing this sale @ Costco lately, and the more I think of it, the more it makes sense (and cents). We’ve been paying $300 per year, per person for our LA Fitness membership. Not a bad price if you ask me, but with working, travelling, and being at the boat most of the summer, we don’t often find time to go.

However, we’ve both decided that working out and staying fit is a top priority for both of us, so we don’t want to get rid of it just to “cut costs”. However, that’s $50 a month right now that could basically be the equivalent of $25 for both of us. It’s the $300 for 2 years 24 Hour Fitness Membership being sold right now at Costco. $299 buys you two years, period. Personal training is extra of course, but this includes all clubs everywhere, minus the fancy super duper ones. A quick look at the locator shows me I’ve got one by the office, one by the current house (rental) and one near where we plan on moving this year. They’re even located near the boat in San Diego.

I might just have to propose this to the BF and maybe check out one of those 7 Day Free Passes. But getting rid of the monthly fee and it’s ability to cause an OVERDRAFT on our accounts seems definately worth it to me. Oh yeah, and did I mention it would save us $600 over 2 years?

The BF and I decided yesterday on a whim to dump DirectTV. First, they are more expensive, and second, they are contract based (I hate anything with a contract).

So, we called and dropped them. Cable will be installed today for a whole $8/month cheaper without a contract. (And one less bill I have to deal with every month, as cable and internet will be combined.)

However, without a DirectTV box, we will be absent a DVR. Enter our new budle of joy, Tivo.
Tivo is so much more than it used to be… it now has 2 TV tuners (which means you can record 2 shows at once) and a very advanced “Home Media Option”. For me, a Mac user, this is basically the Apple TV on steriods.

Not only can I record live TV, I can now bring it with me to the boat on the weekends in my iPod. (I can sync it with iTunes). I can also schedule programs remotely (ohh, Sarah Paulin is going to be on The View in 30 minutes? Quick… go record it!)

I can also sync my PC content with it too… this means all of my iTunes songs, my Picasa online photo album and everything in iPhoto. And the best…. movies! Every movie I have on my Mac is now going to be instantly available on the big screen TV at the click of a button. If I’ve been hesitant to finish ripping all my DVDs to file, this is now my inspiration.

Anyway, I will stop annoying you with the Geeky details, this is after all, a PF blog. The good news is that I just bought an 80 hour dual tuner Tivo off Craigslist today for the rock bottom price of $250. Did I mention it includes a Lifetime Subscription? This means I will never ever have to pay Tivo a single dollar more for service.

Buying outright with no monthly payments…. that’s the Dave Ramsey way.

I’m free! I’m Free! No more cellphone bill for me! No more 2 year contract – no more remembering to pay the bill or managing plans. I’m free!

As of 15 minutes ago I just paid the final amount on my cell phone bill. Around the 4th of July, my phone (and my contract) was transferred to my company’s account. My boyfriend’s was also transferred to his company account. This means no more payments/reimbursements/liability with Verizon for us!

I know there’s a few of you out there who just went and bought an iPhone 3G and signed up for a 2 year agreement. I want it too, but not having the personal cell phone liability feels AMAZING!

My company’s in the process of demo’ing an iPhone – as most everyone is already on a company AT&T account (we have lots of sites internationally). Hopefully, once it’s enterprise approved, they’ll transfer my account to AT&T and I can have one too.

Right now though, the liberation feels amazing! It’s not just the money, it’s the stress, hassle, and liability of everything you own. Having it, maximizing it’s use, maintaining it, supporting it. Everything has some kind of cost in time, money, and freedom. Some things are worth it, some aren’t. I’ve got an unlimited cell phone plan right now w/ no bills, no contracts, and no commitments (for me.) It feels great!