It may seem like the most sensible thing to do when times are tough, or you’re short on funds, is to not replace or keep up-to-date things that don’t seem like necessities. Sure, there are things that can wait—like getting your hair dyed or getting a new outfit, but what about getting new glasses when you need them, or fixing/replacing a leaky faucet? When times are tough, you have to take care of what you have.
But it goes beyond maintenance. Instead of spending money constantly upgrading your technology, look after what you already have. There will always be another iPhone or iPad, but you don’t need to keep spending money to get the latest device.
Sometimes, something as simple as a new cell phone case, like the one I got from Bodyguardz, can breath new life into your older devices. Think of it as a new coat of paint for the thing you carry around more than anything else. Help yourself out by protecting your cell phone with a screen protector to save your phone from scratches, fingerprints, and impact.
The Pure screen protector has prevented my cell phone from getting scratched on many occasions, so far! I love that it’s made of tempered glass, which means it’ll last and do a good job of protecting my phone.
I think a bit of an upgrade for your devices doesn’t have to be all or nothing. Having old, tangled, cracked, half-stripped power cords is no way to treat your devices! Don’t you love the red lightning cable above? The investment was already made on my iPhone, so getting a charging cable that was in good shape was an easy upgrade. No need to get a whole new phone if you can just make some quick, cosmetic upgrades to the one you have.
If you own a home, take care of your investment. Whether or not you plan on selling the property right away, make sure you maintain it inside and out.
A bit of elbow grease can go a long way to spruce up the exterior. My mom’s house’s shrubs, and plants have completely overgrown—but would cost practically nothing to fix up. The stucco badly needs to be repainted (all the other homes in the area have siding), but it shouldn’t cost much and would help keep the house from devaluating.
What if you need to sell your house quickly for financial or relocation reasons? People I know say that they don’t think that they need to do anything with their home until they are selling it.
Firstly, maybe things that need to be updated/replaced in a home have health benefits—like making sure your carpet its replaced regularly (or changing to laminate or similar). I know these things cost a bit of money up front, but they are necessary for maintaining your investment for so many reasons. Secondly, why not update key areas of your home for your own enjoyment, instead of just for resale value?
Taking care of what you have includes your body, too. It’s easier to spend money on things that I think might make me happy, but this year, I’ve made an effort to spend money on the right things. This includes health checkups, going to the dentist, If you have medical benefits from work or school—you never know when you’ll no longer have those benefits—take advantage of your coverage. I didn’t do this during my university days but wish I had.
The idea of taking care of what you have, when times are tough, can be translated to so many things—from things you use daily (like your cell-phone or laptop), to larger items like your car or house.
What do you own that you feel you could take better care of?
I received products from Bodyguardz in order to write this post. I love the products I received from them, which is why I’m sharing my thoughts here.
