(Tim) In the middle of a list of ten ways to save money during these difficult times, Money magazine recommends, "Turn off the TV." Here's their rationale:
surprising. TV is, after all, a cheap form of escapism. But before you
tune in to tune out the realities of recession, remember that
prime-time TV is full of pretty people and even prettier things. All
this glamour affects how you think about your position in the world.
According
to Boston College sociologist Juliet Schor, "Television viewing results
in an upscaling of desire. And that in turn leads people to buy." Her
study found that every additional hour of TV viewing per week boosts
spending by roughly $200 a year. So a handful of sitcoms and a reality
series or two can cost you more than a grand a year...
Forget keeping up
with the Joneses; now people are struggling to keep up with the
Kardashians.
If you can't bring yourself to give up TV
entirely, at least stop watching shows centered on the lifestyles of
the fictionally the rich. Try COPS or The NewsHour With Jim Lehrer. No
one ever looked at the PBS anchor and said, "I've got to get a blazer
like that!"
