Since drastically curtailing our cable television, Kris and I have been catching shows via Netflix and the iTunes Music Store. We currently watch Heroes, Battlestar Galactica, and The Office. What one show should we add to the mix? I’d prefer a comedy, but Kris would prefer a drama.
Meanwhile, here are a few stories about personal finance:
To begin, two recent guest posts at Money-Saving Mom caught my eye. First, Katey offers advice on living frugally and pleasantly in an apartment. A couple of these (trash out every day?) seem odd, but most are smart ways to make the most of a small space. Second, Michelle has some tips on how to make your own household cleaners.
Next, Paul sent an article from The New York times about how the economic woes of their parents are affecting teenagers. This story makes me feel out of touch. “National surveys put older teenagers’ average monthly allowance at $100 and upward.” Really? Really? I was lucky to ever get five bucks. And the stuff kids want, their knowledge of brands and prices — wow, was I like that when I was in high school?
Finally, via Jeff, The Wall Street Journal has four smart money moves for a down economy. Three of these seem obvious — create a budget, eliminate debt, boost your credit score — but the fourth is more subtle, and is a great idea: convert your traditional IRA to a Roth IRA. When you perform this conversion, you owe income tax on every dollar you roll over. Because of recent market declines, you probably have fewer dollars to roll over, and thus would owe less in taxes. If you qualify, this may be worth considering.
GRS is committed to helping our readers save and achieve your financial goals.Savings interest rates may be low, but that’s all the more reason to shop for the best rate.Find the highest savings interest rate from Ally Bank, Capital One 360, Everbank, and more.
This article is about Spare Change
Disclaimer: This content is not provided or commissioned by American Express. Opinions expressed here are author's alone, not those of American Express, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by American Express. This site may be compensated through American Express Affiliate Program.
Discover is a paid advertiser of this site. Reasonable efforts are made to maintain accurate information. See the Discover online credit card application for full terms and conditions on offers and rewards.
SEARCH FOR RECENT ARTICLES
thanks for the reminder- i’ve been meaning to roll the tIRA into a rIRA. awesome timing to do that, especially for us this year.
i really like house- since i don’t have cable or much time to watch tv anyway, it’s about all i can keep up with lately.
loading....
Holy cow. 100 bucks? I never even got an allowance. At least I have an excuse now, right? Tough childhoold and all that rubbish.
As far as TV shows: House, MD. Seriously. It’s deep, shallow, dramatic, funny and outlandishly fascinating. Watch at least three shows to get the hang of House, and you’ll love it.
(That is, you’ll love it if you haven’t already seen it.)
loading....
Mad Men
loading....
I agree…HOUSE
You get the comedy along with the drama.
$100 allowance? Not in my house!
No wonder the world is as it is.
loading....
I know a show with comedy and drama that you guys could both agree on! The show is called
The Pickup Artist 2
It is on VH1 and you could watch the episodes for free online. I love the show!
Oh yeah I guess I should tell you what the show is about. It is a reality show that teaches nerds and losers how to pick up girls…. Trust me its great!!!!!!!!!!!
loading....
I agree with Leigh and Shaun. I love House, but since they suggested that, I’ll suggest the Office. In addition to Netflix and iTunes, I would suggest Hulu to watch television. They have other great shows like Burn Notice (think MacGuyer with spies) and movies (Sense and Sensibility).
What kind of chores are these kids doing for a $100 a month? I overcharged on my parents’ credit card during college – once -and they drove to my dorm and took it away!! I’m glad they did. Who knows what kind of damage I could have done back then?
loading....
I like Big Love. My husband likes Deadwood. I’ve never watched Lost, but I think that would be a good one as well.
loading....
That “$100 allowance for older teens” thing has got to be a mistake. I’ve jotted it down as something to research. The original data must be online somewhere, right?
loading....
The article also has data showing “discretionary spending” by 17- and 18-year-olds of around $50 per week. Again, this seems high, but what do I know? My oldest child is 14 — but she has black fur, a collar, and no allowance.
loading....
The show you should start watching next is Dexter. It’s a drama WITH comedy! And it’s fabulous. It’s seriously one of the best TV shows I’ve ever seen…and this is coming from someone currently following more series than she can count on 2 hands.
loading....
I *highly* recommend How I Met Your Mother as a fantastic comedy. It’s a sitcom, but far funnier and more clever than Friends ever was. Plus it’s got some great and hilarious actors in it. Pushing Daisies is also high on my list. Funny, dramatic, whimsical… it’s got everything. And if you’re willing to wait, take a chance on Joss Whedon’s new show coming out in January, Dollhouse. Knowing Joss (who did Buffy and Firefly), it’s pretty much guaranteed to be quality.
loading....
Little Britain is available on Watch it Now, it’s comedy somewhere between the insanity of Monty Python and the dryness of Are You Being Served.
Wonderfalls and Scrubs are also excellent choices.
loading....
Well, you just named 3 of the 4 shows I watch regularly; if you’d like to check and see if the trend holds, my fourth show is 30 Rock. It’s smart comedy – smarter than it seems at first glance, anyway. Not quite Arrested Development smart, but close.
And yeah, 100 bucks allowance is ridiculous – I got a $5 a week allowance (contingent on doing my chores) until I got my driver’s license, and from then on I had to get a job if I wanted spending money. And of course I still had to do my chores then, anyway.
loading....
Ugh–
Tried “House” and couldn’t take it, even though I enjoyed that actor in “Black Adder” (years ago). A friend recommended “Damages”. Any thoughts?
loading....
JD,
We have eschewed cable for an over-the-air antenna. For the last 10 months we’ve used an indoor antenna, but we’ll be hooking up an outdoor antenna when it arrives.
Total cost for antenna + coax cable: ~$50.
We watch all the CSI, NCIS, Numb3rs, Heroes, Office in HD. The antenna is hooked up to a home theater PC that acts as a DVR and media center. We canceled our Netflix and only miss it a little bit (watch instant was a big A+ to catch up on Heroes).
loading....
For TV, a cheap way to do it without iTunes is watching free online. hulu.com is an excellent resource for TV shows, like your next new favorite show, 30 Rock. Also, the major networks have features where you can watch shows on your computer the next day after they air, all for free!
loading....
At last, a subject I can expound upon! “Chuck” is one of the best shows on TV right now. It’s a great mix of action, drama, comedy, and sci-fi. Highly recommended! That would be the one show I’d keep if I had to give up all others. As noted above, “Dexter” is excellent, although not for the faint of heart. My wife and I are also big “LOST” fans. If you want a silly comedy, “The Big Bang Theory” is good stuff with tons of nerd humor. Finally, “My Own Worst Enemy” looks pretty good based on the pilot episode, but it’s too soon to tell for sure.
loading....
Life on NBC:
http://www.nbc.com/Life/
Great show that doesn’t get a lot of buzz.
loading....
I want to like Hulu, but in practice I find it frustrating. The selection is limited, the ads are annoying (though admittedly, there aren’t many of them), and I can’t figure out the logic behind which episodes are available. We recently spent an evening watching the five episodes of 30 Rock that Hulu offered, but I didn’t find it a pleasant experience.
I’ll have to check out the actual network websites. It never occurred to me to check.
Tangent: I hate that the iTunes Music Store now defaults to HD-quality episodes when you search. Hate it. It’s only a matter of time before I pay an extra buck per episode for an entire season accidentally.
loading....
As a teenager I did not get an allowance. I worked. First summer job was at 14 when it was legal to be an on-the-books employee. Before that I was able to earn money around the house with some chores. That was sporadic and at best I could earn $2 an hour for hard work. I DID splurge, though. My item of choice was shoes. But I still managed to buy a decent car with cash when I was 16.
Our son is not a teenager, but he does get an allowance. He has to earn it though, and it tops out slightly over $5 a week.
loading....
Hi J.D. and Kris,
Here are the shows my boyfriend and I both watch:
- Weeds
- Boston Legal
- Entourage
- The Amazing Race
Of those, I’d recommend Boston Legal. It’s sharp, witty, and has some really, really good writing. Plus, William Shatner is a riot! If you like the current episodes, it’s also a great one to watch back on DVD.
-Erica
loading....
You should go with the combo of “Big Bang Theory” and “How I Met Your Mother”. Both very funny and, especially BBT, not you everyday sitcom. If you must go with a drama, go with “Lost”. You have time to catch up before the season starts.
loading....
my husband and I hardly ever watch tv together — the debates and maybe a few minutes of msnbc after dinner, or an episode of iron chef or top chef from bravo when it’s on (but we miss the old japanese iron chef shows). House is ok if it happens to come on when I’m surfing, but I don’t seek it out — or Law and Order Criminal Intent, though I’ll sometimes watch one…
However, we have had standing “dates” to watch “the closer” together, which you might like — there’s humor but it’s also a police procedural… and we’ve watched all of Lost and will stay with it when it comes back for this season, though I worry that it’s going bad, the way the x-files did, which i ultimately couldn’t keep watching…
loading....
I sounds like you have the same TV viewing tastes as Mr Chiot’s and I. We love Battlestar, The Office, and Heroes (although this season of Heroes is not as riveting so far).
I would agree with all those that recommended “Big Bang Theory” and “How I Met Your Mother” both are fantastic. The most laughs I have each week, there’s just something about lighthearted comedy that you don’t have to tune in to every week to stay up on the story line. LOVE LOVE LOVE them both!!! I’m also a huge fan of “House” and “Dexter”.
Mr Chiots and I love to watch TV shows on DVD. We cancelled our cable last year and have been getting shows from Netflix or the library. We like watching them all in a row. I would also recommend “Good Neighbors” and “The Thin Blue Line” both Brittish shows great for those times when there isn’t anything new on network TV. We also really enjoyed “Fronteir House” “1940′s House” “1900′s House” all great educational PBS reality shows.
loading....
One day, I kid you not, a teenager’s card got declined and she rolled her eyes and said, to her friend, “My dad has me on a limit of $500 a day, SO annoying!”. I was absolutely dumbfounded.
Today, I had a customer who was talking to me about how she really has to watch her money since her husband has been unemployed for several months. What was she buying? A $32 skirt, a $40 hoodie, and a $49 pair of pants- for her 12 year old daughter- just to be nice. Apparently, her daughter’s been kind of stressed out lately.
It’s sad to see how much parents spend to keep their kids happy and how, regardless how much the parents spend, the kids are rarely grateful.
loading....
I 2nd Pushing Daisies. Not sure how a show about death can lift my spirits, but I look forward to it every week.
loading....
Mad Men!!!!
loading....
@ elisabeth – if you have cable, the old Iron Chef episodes are on the Fine Living Network sporadically. I love them. I wish they were still on the Food Network and more often.
@ JD – as for your question about what show to add, I have much different taste in TV since I watch none of the three you listed.
But I love House – I loved the first episode I ever saw, hated the second, and then have loved it ever since. It takes a few times to get to know Dr. House. 
Burn Notice is another show I absolutely adore. And recommend without hesitation.
Beyond that… I don’t watch that much TV, I have two little kids.
loading....
Have you watched “Six Feet Under”? I think it’s the best series out there, though it ended a couple of years back.
I also enjoy Lost.
loading....
$5 was worth a lot more back when you got your pocket money wasn’t it?
The world is very different now…not bad…just different
loading....
I know you don’t like Hulu, but they have complete runs of a few series. For comedy I recommend “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia”
Not on Hulu, but the best drama on television right now, hands down, is “Brothers and Sisters”
If you wanna do it through Netflix tho, you have to watch “Six Feet Under.” It’s probably the best show ever put on television, cable or otherwise.
If you wanna do retro, you cannot lose with “All In The Family.” Give it a chance. Again, one of the best shows ever produced.
loading....
For Comedy:
How I Met Your Mother
Chuck
Psych
Monk
For Drama:
Mentalist and Life on Mars both seem promising
Use Netflix to get Veronica Mars
SciFi:
Doctor Who
Other:
Mythbusters
Plus the ones you already watch, which I also love.
I watch way too much TV and Netflix.
loading....
$720 is rent for my apartment, $200 for my car, $200 for food, and about $80 for gas.
However I am a full time college student, triple majoring in mechanical engineering, math, and computer science so I don’t have time for a job during school.
I do work 60 hours a week for 3 months this summer making $25 an hour, but nothing from September to June.
So if you wonder how the number gets to $100 – it is people like me whose parents give them an inordinate amount of money per month compared to those who get a typical amount. Averages are always misleading, what is the median allowance?
So how am I not spoiled? Well I worked my ass off in high school to get a full ride scholarship to college. My parents had saved up quite a bit to send me to college and now they are basically drawing that down and paying me with it monthly so I have no debt.
Funny thing was, up until I got my scholarship I NEVER got an allowance, and I was paying for my car. Obviously I didn’t have rent when I lived at home but there was not so much as $5 for gas here and there.
I worked at a gas station for my freshman year, McDonalds for sophomore and junior, before finally getting two good jobs senior year of high school. I appreciate the money they give me now because I remember when I made $5 an hour and was saving up to the down payment on my car – it took months to get a few thousand dollars together.
Learning the value of money and the pay off for hard work is the most valuable lesson my parents ever taught me.
As for TV – I don’t really watch much since I don’t have one, but my roommate has Dexter on DVD and we watch it together – now that is a show.
loading....
My oldest, 17, gets $40/week. My youngest, 14, gets $20/week. Is that high?
They are pretty much responsible for all of their entertainment, public transportation fees, and a lot of extras on that, so have to plan, save and budget when there is something they want.
loading....
Dexter is definitely a must see–fantastic! Mad Men and House are also great, as is Burn Notice. Lost is wonderful, but you’d have to start from the beginning, and that’s a fair amount of catching up to do. As a mythology show, it is much better than Heroes, though. I used to love Heroes, but I feel it has gone steadily downhill and I have finally decided to give it up. As someone who also believes that BSG is the best show to have ever appeared on television, I’d second the motion for adding Dr. Who in the scifi genre. So basically, it’s really hard to choose just one! Though if I had to, it would be Dexter.
loading....
Besides “House” (which we like), here are a few others.
Comedy:
– 30 Rock (Watch It Now! on Netflix)
– Big Bang Theory (silly, but fun)
– How I Met Your Mother (NPH is great)
– Psych (main character is hilarious)
Drama:
–Deadwood (although it’s pretty crude)
–Rome (same)
Heard good things:
–Friday Night Lights
loading....
In defense of the $100 allowance (am I really defending this?!?!) the number is meaningless unless you know what the teen is responsible for paying with it. I used to get an allowance but was responsible for buying all my own clothes. I had friends who got much lower or none at all but if their parents were buying their clothes they actually got more than I. I believe in giving kids (esp teens) enough money and responsibilities to make money mistakes on their own (it’s the best teaching they’ll get).
On the television front I’ll second Six Feet Under and give a few more:
- Big Love
- Arrested Developement
- 4400
4400 esp. given you sci-fi interests. It was the best show that no one watched. It was like x-files only the central mystery got more and more interesting (not more confusing).
loading....
My first thought on a TV show matching the description of what you want was House. Since that was nixed by Kris, I pick Dexter and Six Feet Under as other shows that are both funny and dramatic. Both have really dark humor though, so if that isn’t your cup of tea I’d pass on those.
(Oh, and I’m watching The Big Bang Theory right now
Totally addictive mindfluff)
loading....
I agree with a lot of other commenters: House, M.D. I find it hilarious, which would cover your need for comedy, but it’s classified as a drama. If Kris decides she really can’t stand it (I still close my eyes during any scene involving needles) then I’d suggest Burn Notice or Dexter. I haven’t seen either one, but I’ve heard great things about them. Also, I have seen a bunch of Six Feet Under, and loved it. As Nicole says, you’re looking at some pretty dark humor. You might like The Closer. My Mom and I love it, my Dad’s not so into it.
I’m a college student, and my part-time job isn’t covering my expenses right now, so my parents have to give me a couple hundred dollars every month so I can pay my rent. (I tried living with them, and the amount I save on gas probably makes up for paying rent.) It’s my senior year, though, and I’m hoping to start making better money once I don’t have to be in class every day. When I was a teenager, my parents paid for everything until I got a job the summer right before my last year of high school. Then I had to pay for gas and anything else I wanted.
Of course, starting college has given me a whole new appreciation for going home for dinner.
loading....
The Wire.
Okay, that’s not a comedy, but it is amazing. If you’re looking for comedy and drama together, I’d definitely recommend the brilliant Dead Like Me, about an 18 year old girl who dies and then gets a job reaping the souls of other people like her. It’s from the same people as Wonderfalls (that a couple of people mentioned) but a bit more drama in the mix, and equally as funny
loading....
I recommend House M.D., there’s both drama AND comedy!
loading....
I only watch three shows; and I’m getting ready to add a fourth to my VCR programming:
- Heroes
- Survivor
- The Office
and the one I would recommend, it’s a 30 minute sitcom on Monday nights, 8pm, called “The Big Bang Theory”.
They are my people
Give it a shot.
loading....
Yeah, I’m not too far removed from that “older teenager category.” My parents gave me a large allowance (until they thought I was old enough to work, and then I got a job) but it was to cover EVERYTHING, including school clothes, supplies, any meals outside the home, and all entertainment. I don’t remember how much it was, but I know it was a lot. Really they were more concerned about teaching me to budget and save under their watchful eye than anything.
I always liked it because even though I still had to make informed decisions about my spending, I didn’t have to go running to them asking for money every time I wanted to do something.
This method of giving “allowance” was popular among all my friend’s parents for a while (until we all got jobs) – I wonder if it has since become even more common.
Oh yeah, and Burn Notice is funny/cute and action-filled, too – a good one.
loading....
We handle the allowance situation like part-time employment: if there are a lot of extra chores to be done and he does them without complaint, our 15 year old can earn up to $15/week. If he’s too busy to help out, or off with his friends when things need to be done, he earns nothing. Over time, it’s teaching him to balance work and play.
Where the economy is effecting him is in college savings. Our other savings are long-term and I’m not worried by a temporary downturn, no matter how severe, but we need that college money in 3-7 years. His 529 savings account lost 25% of its value in 2008; that’s easily a year of tuition and books. Student loans are becoming harder to get and he won’t qualify for financial aid (unless something unexpected and horrible happens).
I’m sure we’re not the only parents who are concerned about college savings. Somehow, that seems more important to me than Hollister jeans or a designer bag for my kid.
loading....
My children are younger, but they only get $3.50 and $2.50 each week. They also have to pay taxes out of their allowance and are expected to give a tithe to the church. The tax money is used for special trips and outings that we vote on as a family.
For extra money they can do extra chores or tasks (there are a list of household chores that have to be completed each week if anyone is going to get allowance). They are in the process of starting up their first business (they are 9 and 11), a nursery, and sold $200 worth of flowers their first time out. They each get 15% of the profits.
I think that teaching them to understand money, learning to start a business and work for what they want, will give my children a leg up on the rest of the folks.
For the record, I have to ditto the “Big Bang Theory.” Both my husband and myself enjoy the dialogue.
loading....
I have to second the motion for How I Met Your Mother. Greatest sitcom since Scrubs. Lots of backstory, but very clever, especially since they are the same age as me. I guess I’m getting old when I start noticing subtle references to childhood events in tv shows!
loading....
The Big Bang Theory and How I Met Your Mother are both quality comedy shows. The Big Bang Theory is my favorite new comedy in the last 10 years.
loading....
The teenagers in that article gave me an entitlement migraine. My money came from various jobs (since I was 14) and my options for college (which was local) were find an apartment and pay rent or live at home and pay rent.
loading....
Pushing Daisies is good, quirky comedy/drama, and it keeps getting better.
Also How I Met Your Mother.
loading....
Hey J.D.,
Hulu is okay, but have you tried Joost? (www.joost.com)
loading....