Frustrated once again with Mega Bingo! Not getting even close to winning, and I see winners every week. But the jackpot is still there, and climbing. Yet I still continue playing, because let’s face it, winning the lottery is everybody’s dream.
I’m not a big fan of gambling; don’t buy Boledo, Jackpot, Lotto, Mega Bingo or even raffle tickets much. But every time my mother goes to the store to get her Mega Bingo ticket she asks me if I want one. There I go purchasing my one ticket, nothing more. More than one ticket is throwing my money away, so I think because I have never had any luck with those sorts of things.
With all the hype on Belize’s newest gambling craze, it got me thinking how much money people spend gambling on a daily basis. I have a cousin that spends at least $20 on daily boledo, plus mega bingo and lotto. I have seen other friends post pictures on Facebook of their 20 plus Mega Bingo tickets that they play in one day.
Oh my, that’s a lot of money that could be spent more wisely. But I am not judging others on their spending habits or talking negatively about the gambling businesses out there. We are all wasteful in one thing or another. If it brings you happiness and brightens up your day, then it’s all good. Just don’t overdo it and spend all your money and ignore your bills, health and children! Gambling can be very addictive and destructive. I stick to my one ticket per game. DO YOU MEGA BINGO? LET ME KNOW HOW MUCH YOU PLAY. LEAVE YOUR COMMENTS BELOW!
Boledo has become so big in Belize that it has even gone electronic. No more hand-written receipts. It’s all digital now. (Local Chinese Fast Food selling Boledo outside the restaurant)
With all that said, here are some Ways to Save money:
Very few people do not like saving money. However, we have those who are extravagant and those who are impulse buyers. Extravagant are those who are overgenerous or spendthrifts. They don’t measure how much they spend as long as they please others. The impulse buyers are those who buy anything they see and want even if they don’t need it, like the young lady with 40 pairs of shoes. However, we have a whole set of people who like to do window shopping and shopping around in the effort to save a few dollars. Indeed there are many ways to save a little money.
Lottery Buyers:
They say you have a better chance of being struck by lightning than winning the lottery. But that doesn’t stop people from trying. Of course we are not talking about those who spend two or three dollars occasionally or even everyday to try a good lucky number or dream. However if you are spending $50 to $90 weekly to try to win the lottery, you are in for some real overspending. In Creole we say, “Di only one whe win da di Chiney man,” and that is because he is the one who sells the lottery. At $50 a week you are spending $2,600 a year and that is quite some overspending. At $90 weekly you are not saving your money to the tune of $4,680. That can buy you a second hand golf cart.
Double Deals:
We call these infomercials instead of commercials. How many times have you been tricked with a double deal like: Only $19.95! Call now and we’ll double your order! Such promises have lured in many unsuspecting consumers to what they thought was a great deal. Why do you have to buy an article just because you will get another one free? Do you need the second article? And do you even need the article in the first place?
Paying For Brand Names:
Do you really need to pay more for brand names? What’s in a brand name? The most is better quality, but most of the times the prices are ridiculous for brand names. You can find similar, if not identical, products out there for a much cheaper price. This is especially true with medicines, but it also works with shoes, fashion, clothing and cosmetics. Sometimes you only pay extra money for the brand name and you end up overspending. It pays to shop around and find the good deals.
Unused Memberships:
Automatic monthly fees are one of the easiest ways to waste money. For example, if you have a membership for a shoe store that you visit only once a year, you are wasting money on the membership. Of course, if you have a membership to a gym where you go daily and you get a discount with the membership, it pays to own that, but if you will hardly use a membership, save on it and shop wisely.
Smoking:
Smoking is one of those habits that one absolutely gets no benefit of. What about a smoker who puffs his/her money in the air to the tune of one pack a day? At $5 daily that is a huge waste – $1,825 a year.
Of course these are only the beginnings of your saving plan. There is more to it, but at least you should pause and realize that there are simple and inadvertent things we do that are indeed a source of waste. Let’s all be mindful.
