by Judy Turner
Are you feeling overwhelmed with the high cost of living these days? If you think it is impossible to cut back any more than you already have think again. Here are 30 different tips to cut expenses. Even if you followed a few of them you could find that it is possible to make your money go further.
1 Save on energy costs – use power-saving CFL lights, monitor and change your thermostat’s temperature as required during daytime and night and don’t leave lights/appliances on when you don’t require them.
2. Go for a matinee show on weekdays. Avoid weekends.
3. Instead of meeting friends for coffee or drinks invite them over for potluck. Take turns each week at each others house.
4. Do you eat out at work? Plan ahead and pack your lunch.
5. Use public transportation or a carpool.
6. Buy generic drugs instead of branded ones.
7. Use coupons while shopping at grocery stores, and always shop according to a list. Preferably shop on double-coupon days. Maybe, you can buy supplies from bulk food warehouses.
8. Try to limit long distance calls to nights and weekends unless you have an unlimited calling plan.
9. Start saving your spare change. You will be surprised at how fast it adds up.
10. Never pay full price for clothing. Check the sales flyers in your Sunday paper. Why pay full price on a pair of jeans at one store when another store is having a sale?
11. If you smoke quit! Not only will you save a ton of money but your health will greatly improve.
12. Install a water saver type shower head.
13. Save the cost of a gym membership and work out at home.
14. Keep up on maintenance to extend the life of you car.
15. Dollar stores are a great place to stock up on items such as wrapping paper, gift cards, gift bags, etc.
16. If you’re paying a high interest on a mortgage or credit card – refinance it, change it or consolidate your debt to save on interest.
17. Keep ingredients on hand for meals that you can have on the table in under 30 minutes. This just might keep you from ordering take out if you had a busy day.
18. When shopping for large ticket items it pays to shop around. Some stores will even match competitor prices.
19. Is rent high where you live? consider getting a roommate or move if you have to.
20. Do you freecycle? Many communities have local chapters that you can sign up for to give away or get things for free. Go to Freecycle.org for more information.
21. Stick with the cheapest cable plan you can get. Check your local library to borrow video tapes and dvds for free.
22. We all like to splurge once in a while on things like manicures but if are trying to save money consider doing this yourself.
23. Open a savings account that you use just for emergencies. If possible have just $5.00 per week taking right out of your paycheck and work your way up. This will come in handy the next time you have an emergency car repair.
24. When shopping for your work wardrobe try to avoid anything that is “dry clean only”.
25. See if you can get a better price on insurance. Some companies will give you a deal if you carry all your policies (car, homeowners, etc) through them.
26. Drink more water. Sugary soft drinks should be an occasional treat instead of an everyday staple.
27. Reduce clutter and earn some extra money with a garage sale.
28. Always pay your bills on time. Late fees can really eat up your budget.
29. Consider planting a garden. Produce such as zucchini can be shredded and frozen for future recipes. Find information at your local library online on how to get started.
30. If there is some luxury that you can not live without then by all means try to figure it into your budget once in a while. We all deserve a little luxury in our lives!
These are just a few tips to help you stretch your budget. You might even come up with a few of your own!