With the unfortunate passing of Steve Jobs, my tech sensors went on high alert. I have admired Apple technology for years, but the typical high prices of their merchandise was a ceiling I could not conceivably reach. But I thought Apple might conceivably lower prices due to sympathy at the very least.
Then I noticed a short time later Apple unveiled the iPhone 4s. I investigated it on the Apple website, and noticed PC Mag had a very good writeup as well. This new smartphone is only $199 for the basic model and has a bunch of bells and whistles that seem pretty cool to my tech consciousness.
Even at that lower price (the top-end model is only $399), I am still left with the problem of saving money for it. Fortunately, my family has recently gotten involved in a couple of ventures that will help us save for the iPhone 4s rather quickly.
Rock Soup
Trying to figure out how to save for this awesome phone, I took a hard look at family finances. I found we spent a good portion of our money eating out. No dishes, no hassle, no waiting. This is very convenient, but very expensive as well.
My family decided to join with some other families in our community to do Rock Soup. It’s based on an old proverb about members in a community bringing together what little each had to make a big meal that everyone shared. The other two families we have partnered with also bring a little something and we prepare a home-cooked meal for the six of us.
In financial terms, we spend $50 a week on groceries to share, versus $50 a visit to a restaurant. The rest goes into the pot for the iPhone 4s.
Sans Latte
Another way we have been saving for the iPhone 4s is cutting back on coffee. I used to have one every day from the corner convenience store. I liked the various coffee varieties available, plus the lattes and cappuccinos and flavored creamers.
But then I realized I was spending close to $50 a month on just coffee. That’s not counting times I would go out for coffee with a friend. The solution: I have cut back my coffee intake drastically. When I feel I need it, I usually fix it at home. If I don’t have time to fix it at home, I tell myself I do not need it.
So, by doing some very simple things, I will be able to afford my next tech gadget, the iPhone 4s. Doing rock soup sans latte will allow me to save the $199 for the phone within a month.