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Advice

6 Ways to Cut Spending, Starting Today

Posted November 6, 2008

What a difference a day makes. November 5th was a painful reminder that, regardless of the outcome of the presidential election, we’ve got more to EconoWhine about than ever. After all, the Dow Jones Industrial average closed with another stomach-churning drop of nearly 500 points. Job cuts were still soaring: They reached their highest level in nearly five years, according to a newly released report from consulting firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas.

And The Whiner’s dishwasher malfunctioned yet again, forcing us to rely upon desperate measures, including manually rewashing an entire load of dishes whose food gunk was now baked on — a cruel reminder that we still can’t afford to buy a new dishwasher or any new appliance at all.

Like it or not, it’s time to cut our personal spending. Odds are pretty strong that economic conditions are going to get worse before they start to get better. So it’s time to take six really simple steps. (Yes, we’re lying. Taking even one step is hard, but don’t let that discourage you from giving these a try.)

1. Look on the bright side. You’ve already saved money by deciding to follow The Whiner’s tips, rather than spending big bucks on a magazine subscription, personal finance book, or pricey visit to a financial advisor. (After all, let’s be honest. A hell of a lot of this stuff is just common sense. You’d be crazy to pay for this kind of advice.) In the interest of keeping you motivated, we’ll give you permission to spend money normally for the rest of the day.

2. Make an emotional commitment. Trying to rein in your expenditures is a lot closer to dieting than it is to rocket science. (What’s that you say? You’ve always failed at diets? Then you might want to pursue the rocket-science approach: Start memorizing every financial calculator you can get your hands on and get back to us in the morning.)

If you can convince yourself that you really do want to cut your spending, even if only because you absolutely must, you’re more than halfway there. (Okay, we confess that this may be an exaggeration. But this is only Step #2. We’re still trying to keep you motivated.)

3. Do some thinking about how you work best. Not only is there no one-size-fits-all approach that works for everyone, it’s a pretty good bet that the only approach that’s going to work for you is one that matches your mood swings, personal priorities, spending habits, and more.

If The Whiner needed to record every single expenditure, every single day, in order to develop a budget and then figure out how to live within that budget (as many financial advisors recommend), it’s fair to say that we would take a flying leap off the roof. On the other hand, some people really love to put it down on paper every time they spend a buck on a pack of gum. (We don’t know those people and we’re not sure that we want to. But if you fall into that category, sharpen your pencils because you’re going to have a lot of fun with the whole budgeting experience.)

4. Avoid all value judgments. Psychobabble does have its advantages. So it makes sense to remind yourself of all the obvious points. You’re not a bad person because of your spending habits. You’re not a failure because you fail to follow the advice of all of those money experts who treat you like an arrested adolescent. (In fact, it’s probably their fault.) There’s no “wrong” or “right” way to make it through this EconoCrisis. All that matters is figuring out (and then sticking to) whatever set of spending cuts make sense for you.

5. Make some easy changes quickly. Shop for great, cheap olive oils, wine bargains, and other shoestring spending deals, instead of the pricier brands you might have favored in the past. Try lifestyle changes that will make you feel good because they’re better for your health as well as your pocketbook, like switching from soda to tap water, or squeezing in a couple of vegetarian meals each week. Look for a couple of quick fixes that will reinforce your feeling of control over your finances. And if that doesn’t work, try to figure out who you can blame for the problem.

6. Make one painful choice right away. We needed to save that for last, because if we didn’t you might not read your way through this whole list.

So here’s the basic point: It’s hard, especially at first, to stop spending money in all your usual ways. That’s especially the case if you’re aiming to make enough cutbacks to actually see results. It’s going to hurt. We do think you’ll get used to whatever choices you decide to make, but odds are pretty good that this is going to take a while.

We recommend making a big change pretty quickly. (If nothing else, you’ll then be able to tell yourself how happy you are that you didn’t waste your time recording all those nickle-and-dime purchases that probably aren’t worth cutting back on anyhow.) In The Whiner’s case, our really big cutback was eliminating Friday night dinners at a restaurant, any restaurant, that we would usually limp our way to after another week of too much work, too little time, no energy left, and, hey, it’s the weekend.

Yes, The Whiner really suffered over this one. And we’d be lying if we told you that it doesn’t still hurt when it’s about 7 p.m. on a Friday night and we’re thinking about all the places we’d rather be except our kitchen. But we’re saving quite a bit every single month just because of this one lifestyle change. And in tough times, that’s a big help.

Have you made any significant cuts in your personal spending? Are there some changes you refuse to make?

Reader Comments

  1. Em Allan

    I know what you mean about making big changes. For my family, that meant stopping going to the movies, which we used to do every week. I really missed it (I guess it’s fair to say that I still do). But we see some of those same movies on netflix, which seems to be a pretty good deal, especially compared to the cost of movie tickets, popcorn and soda, hiring a baby sitter, and, usually, going out to dinner.

  2. Ewa Matyczyk

    Being in my mid twenties with no investments, property, or financial stability to speak of, I’ve had trouble finding more to cut back on. But….. I succeeded! I put my Netflix subscription on hold for a few months and started heading to the library for my entertainment needs. The selection is far from what I had become used to online, but I get to indulge in movies I wouldn’t otherwise choose…. like Fiddler on the Roof. “Every little bit helps” and “less is more” are also excellent mantras to repeat to oneself several times a day. Especially if you can make yourself smile while you do it.

  3. James

    A couple months ago, my girlfriend and I made a pact to stop eating out three (or more) nights a week and actually learn how to cook. As high as food prices are, it’s still significantly cheaper than going to a restaurant, not to mention the additional health benefits and occasional entertaining catastrophe. Otherwise, just simple and relatively painless exchanges have made a difference (replacing starbucks with maxwell, fresh fish with canned tuna, bourbon with whiskey, etc.)

  4. Judy

    Hi–Thanks for the encouragement–last Sunday I bought a large flat screen TV (it was marked down $100) and it is still sitting in my foyer because I was not sure it was the right thing to spend $900. I rationalized my splurge by telling myself I would save so much money getting free videos from the library and not going to movie theaters. After reading your blog, I now know why I been feeling such ambivalence and I will return the TV in the morning–and save my money for something I might really need–my Maytag washer is now 35 years old …so any day it might go and I must have a washing machine. Thank you.

  5. Carol Green

    Went to drop cable channels and instead, cable co lowered my bill $25 for the next 6 m if I keep the channels. Also called to cancel AX cuz of $95 annual fee, then AX waived the fee if I kept the card. Great, right. Here is where I got screwed: paid $100 to lock in a $3.13/gal for propane gas thru June 2009, then oil/gas prices dropped! Now I am stuck paying this high price to heat my home. Can win for losing! Tried to negotiate out of this K but they refused. I shop at Walmart for everything and buy their store brand. Stopped drinking alcohol which saves a bundle. Bought xlarge mens flannel and cord shirts at the thrift shop and made coats for each of my dogs from them.

  6. janie greenwald

    financially, i have not made it to the high living category.
    but, i can give you guys some hints on how to have a blast on just a little or no money.

    1) you are not alone in this. instead of weekends that just cover your numb lifestyle, have a pot luck. invite your other suffering friends. make it a weekly event.

    2)do you live near a park. get a bird id book and make that your new winter project. you get a lot more from this than can ever imagine.

    3)do something nice for someone else and don’t tell them or anyone else.

    4)instead of gym membership fees or yoga class fees, put on your favorite groove tunes and dance for 1/2 and hour in your living room or any other formal and unused room.

    5)

  7. janie greenwald

    financially, i have not made it to the high living category.
    I make $12/hr and my boyfriend is on welfare,but, i can give you guys some hints on how to have a blast on just a little or no money.we are in our late 50’s and live upstate.

    1) you are not alone in this. instead of weekends that just extend a numb lifestyle, have a pot luck. invite your other suffering friends. make it a weekly event. make friends with someone outside your usual type of friends and invite them too.
    2)do you live near a park. get a bird id book and make that your new winter project. you get a lot more from this than you can ever imagine.take a child with you. borrow one
    3)do something nice for someone else and don’t tell them or anyone else.
    4)instead of gym membership fees or yoga class fees, put on your favorite groove tunes and dance for 1/2 and hour in your living room or any other formal and unnecessary room.invite your friends.
    5)use this time to break your own rules. (dance in your living room) have morning coffee in bed with 1 rose in vase on a work day. put your feet up on the table.walk around you dwelling naked. use your imagination
    6)check out the dollar store near you for all your gift wrapping needs as well as cleaning products and tacky decorations.
    7)Volunteer at your local library, pet shelter or hospital.
    8)trade services with your friends. I trade massage for stylish hair cuts.
    the gist is to focus on finding new pleasures. be open, explore, and have fun for pete’s sake.
    9)be a tourist where you live. do all the free and cheap things available.
    10) instead of giving THINGS, give an experience. go to a museum with someone as an xmas gift.
    spend a day on the subway getting off at new stops with a new friend.
    it is a mental shift and it takes time but it makes life more fun than just numbly paying for THINGS.

    my big indulgence is $10.00/lb coffee beans.

    read a christmas carol and have a great new year
    love to all, janie greenwald

  8. Liz

    Money Saving Tips: Here’s mine –
    Make sure you have adequate weather stripping around windows and doors. This has saved us a bundle. Wear sweaters and turn the heat down a few degrees.

    Make sure the laundry is full when you wash it. Electricity alone is climbing and you pay every time you wash (if you have a washer).

    Try getting a local handyman to fix small things around your place. I showed a broken lamp and microwave to him, and he fixed them both in 20 mins (at his $15/hour – totally paid versus buying new microwave and lamp).

    Bulk buying for only those things you know you’ll definitely use. Toilet paper, paper towels, laundry detergent, razors and shampoo are on my list. I buy at Costco and save a bundle. The trick is not to get seduced by “bargains” on bulk items you can’t use up in a lifetime – or those things that you haven’t used in the past, but “seem like a good deal.” (In fact they may be a good deal, but if you lived without them before, maybe now isn’t the time to acquire a new habit.)

    Loyalty cards. Use them. I haved saved a bunch shopping at Stop & Shop and CVS using their loyalty cards.

    Keep a few treats. Total deprivation feels terrible. WE have a few brands of upscale cookies as our treats, and buy wood for the fireplace (although I could get a better bargain on that, come to think of it.) It makes staying at home a refuge instead of a punishment.

  9. Jim

    Janie: great advice; you’re a good person. Here’s my addition for those of us who don’t live in the city and drive. Don’t run out for a single item. Consolidate your list and stop at the dry cleaners when you go to supermarket, after the auto parts store and the dollar store. We’ve actually cut our gas bills in half by not running out just to go to post office or single destination. I also take my bike for those easier to reach places. Not only is it the right thing for the environment, but it really saves.

  10. Jen

    We are lucky in that we are a two income family and both mid career so our situation is far better than the norm, but since my employer started circling the drain last spring and ultimately ended up bankrupt in September my days are numbered–I will be employed here for at best another six months. I am grateful that I have the amount of notice that I do to reshuffle the deck chairs of our personal finances.

    The easiest and first thing to go was any type of spending on the house other than critical repairs. I don’t even buy so much as a dish towel.

    We took a hard look at what we were spending on food and managed to cut it down by almost half. No more trips to the fancy grocery store and it removes temptation to buy the delicious Spanish goat cheese, graze through the olive bar, etc.

    Beans at least once a week–not from a can–you have to plan ahead a little but it is not that hard since you can set and forget.

    Walk, bus, bike.

    Portion control–we cut back on portion sizes of meat and fish.

    Alcohol–we don’t have wine with dinner most nights (sob, whine!)

    Auto-save is your friend. we set aside 25% of each paycheck automatically–it gets removed from our checking account each payday and goes off to live at ING Direct where it is out of sight and out of mind. Magically we are still able to coast through each two week period. Our ATM withdrawals and restaurant meals and Starbucks habits are gone, but it is a good feeling to have this amount of control over finances.

    The benefits? I have dropped 15 lbs since we got serious about cutting our spending. Our areas of sloppiness were around good food, house trinkets and garden plants and tools, entertaining and good wine.

    The only downside is I have cut way back on entertaining, but with the holidays coming up I’ve decided to have a couple of casual parties at home.

  11. ks tate

    I never thought of myself as a big spender. Now, with money getting tighter hubby and I have realized that we can do without the spontaneous, we’re-too-tired meals out (even our favorite Vietnamese restaurant, once so cheap, isn’t so cheap anymore!), and the daily coffees out. I have what I need to make coffee at school (I’m a grad student) and I’m taking lunches now rather than spending $6 for that salad at the cafeteria. We’re also trying to concentrate on buying more fresh fruits and veggies rather than convenience foods when we grocery shop. I’d rather not have to peel and slice everything I want to eat myself before I eat it, but it opens up a world of money-saving possibilities.

    Also love the pot-luck idea, janie.

  12. Ann

    Besides dropping our premium cable channels, I started saving money on books. OK, OK, so I know could go to the library and check them out for free, but my Mom, my daughter and I like to circulate the books. A friend told my about buying used books at Amazon.com. Some of the books are only a penny! Most of my purchases have ranged from one cent to just under $3. Shipping and handling are usually $3.95 — but that still makes for a very good deal.

    I also stopped having my hair colored which will save several hundred dollars a year. Plus, I’m excited to see what I’ll look like with grey hair — change is good!

    We also now live by a budget. My husband was an accountant so he has spread sheets for everything and makes me write down every dime I spend in a little book. Its become like a game to see how much under budget I can come in each month.

  13. Peg Wacks

    Here’s another way to save: buy clothing at resale stores.
    I’ve been getting most of my clothing, including coats, sometimes, shoes, hats, bags, at resale stores. There are some excellent ones near me (northwest Boston suburbs). I find lovely stylish things all the time. Most of the clothing looks like new and some of it really is. The price savings are enormous. The buyer at the store I usually shop at (Closet Exchange in Needham, MA) is extremely selective, so everything there is stylish and in good shape. I get lots of compliments on my wardrobe selections.

  14. Carolyn

    Hi All,

    Good ideas for saving $$$ on this blog!

    I bought some strings of LED Christmas lights (use 60 to 70% less electricity/initial cost kind of high, but hope to offset winter electric bill shock. Have reset outdoor timer lights near walkways to minimum hours, don’t have them on dusk to dawn anymore. Noticed some years back after getting a dishwasher that electric and gas bills went up fairly significantly. Will I go back to hand washing every dish? Only if I have to, but washing up pots, mixing bowls, large cook pans that take up space in the dishwasher by hand means running it less often.

    I cook most of my own food because of allergies, but have cut back on almost any restaurant outings. I splurge on nicer produce or cut of meat occasionally knowing I’m the main cook and need some positive reinforcement to keep motivated and my spouse happy. Soup is my fall back, you can simmer left overs and chopped vegetables, always add more water and salt to stretch it, and serve hot on a cold day with all the crackers or bread on the side to make it filling. With two people in our household, our Costco membership is for very, very carefully navigated pre-planned trips with a list and a calculator. Don’t feel bad if your gigantic cart only has two or three items at checkout!!! Rarely, do we buy food there, except for hosting family gatherings. The portions are too big for two people. I like the plain white cotton towels they sell (like hotels use), you can replace washcloths or handtowels and never worry about color matches, and washing is easy as there is no problem sorting. You can always use worn out washcloths for cleaning rags.

    My tip for using the last of the iceberg lettuce when the leaves no longer peel off for sandwiches, is to chop it into thin shavings, deli style.

    My experience is that when you are really up against it, things you don’t need become apparent. My grandparents in the Great Depression kept letting go and go, like the pioneers traveling West, who kept jettisoning furniture and lightening the load. They got rid of their car, canceled all subscriptions and non-essential services (ice delivery back then), planted a garden, foraged for greens and fruit and cut out cardboard for their shoe soles, among hundreds of other forms of economy.

  15. Carolyn

    Another savings tip I forgot.

    My husband and I have cultivated the habit of saving ALL receipts. As soon as we purchase something we put the receipt in our wallets. We never let the checker put it in the bag. At home we have a centralized place for receipts (a big cigar box) that we put the receipts into when we take them out of our wallets. No more looking for receipts in the back seat or trunk of the car, or in bags or the trash can….because no matter how careful a shopper you might be, you get home and find the purchase might be defective, or you bought “diet” accidentally when you wanted plain, or “it” doesn’t look good after all in the cold light of day, or in a moment of weakness bought something you didn’t need or was over your budget. With receipts you have the POWER to go back to the store and get your money back and your peace of mind. Also, check before purchasing what return policies the store has. I no longer shop where credit is given instead of a refund. It has saved us lots of money over the years.

  16. The Whiner

    Everyone, great, great ideas. Thank you. And, Carolyn, as for your suggestion about saving receipts, we’re on your wavelength. The Whiner is such a total pack rat when it comes to keeping records that we’ve still got bank statements from accounts that were closed up years ago (you never know what you’ll need).

  17. Jodi

    About five years ago, my partner and I got serious about taking charge of our money, using many of the tips commonly shared here and elsewhere.

    The three that have helped the most were:
    1. Hiring a financial planner to plan and manage our retirement investments. It is a huge relief knowing we have a plan. (I am also repeating to myself, “Everything at the stock market’s on sale, it’s on sale….” as I continue to invest.)

    2. Automatic savings (paying yourself first!)We do this for short- and long-term things. Someone else mentioned ING, and they’ve been super easy and a great way to have money out of sight, out of mind!

    3. Plan/budget for splurges. I found that being utterly focused on not spendin’ nothin’ often backfired and I’d spend anyway,out of resentment. Now, I try, relatively successfully, to plan for buying stuff like clothes. That’s pretty much my biggest weakness.

  18. Jamie Hartshorn

    Several years ago I made the HUGE decision to close my personal checking account and combine everything (including charge cards) with my husband’s. For at least 20 years of our marriage, and for 10 before that, I maintained my own account and charge cards. It was just too tempting to make lots of stupid, frivolous purchases of the makeup and shoes type…which I always ended up kicking myself for…and “hiding” them among my (usually unbalanced) checks.

    My husband, on the other hand, is an excellent money manager. While he’s also nonjudgmental (the guy’s a saint), I knew I would be too ashamed to note too many $250 checks or charges to Sephora or Nordstrom among our personal finances. (The way it works is I take $300 in cash at the beginning of each month and give him receipts for anything else. The cash is spent on hobbies, lunch with friends, gifts, personal grooming, some clothing and household items, etc…as far as I can stretch it each month.)

    I realize this arrangement sounds like I’m a little girl relying on “daddy” for allowance each month, and approval of her purchases, but it has been the only way I can get a handle on spending. Since we’ve been operating this way for maybe 2 or 3 years, it’s standing in good stead during these times of EconoWoe.

  19. Judy

    Take your lunch to work! I couldn’t believe how much money I frittered away eating out or buying a sandwich. And I didn’t spend that much money at lunch…on the average, $4-$7. But guess what? It adds up.

    Now if I’m making a pot of something or casserole I put a portion in the freezer to grab at some future date. Or sometimes leftover dinner from Tuesday night, becomes Wednesday’s lunch.

    I’m not rigid about it. I still grab a sandwich or go out perhaps a day a week, but I know I’ve saved a hunk of money by taking my lunch to work a majority of the time.

  20. Amy

    My husband and I put a strict budget into place several months ago. Our goal is to save enough money to pay our bills for at least one year if he gets laid off. We have been incredibly successful so far and are getting closer by the day.

    1. Track all expenses and draw up a budget. (My husband and I keep our monthly budget on Google Excel docs. It’s easy, fast, shareable, and real time.)
    2. Cook at home and bring lunch to work. (Sign onto a cooking community site for inspiration. I like http://www.allrecipes.com and have friends who swear by http://www.epicurious.com)
    3. Bookmark circulars for your local supermarkets and drugstores websites (They usually come out on Friday. It is the fastest way to compare specials.)
    4. Keep an inventory of products in the home: groceries, cleaning products, personal products etc. (This way you’ll know what you have and what you need, then try to buy them only when they are on sale. Also, be mindful of the fine line between stocking up and wasting money by hording things that will expire before you use them.)
    5. Shop for your weekly meals using a list made primarily of circular sale items. (Do not stray from the list. Do not browse the aisles.)
    6. Get club and savings cards from all grocery and drug stores. (It can be done by signing up online or in the store. Benefits range from getting a free $5 or $20 coupon for every $100 or $300 spent to simply qualifying for extra savings.)
    7. Comparison shop. (Do the math. Things are not always what they seem.)
    8. Know what things cost so you know when you’ve found a deal.
    9. Avoid the upcoming store sales. (The coming months will guarantee massive sales in store and online that will be almost irresistible. Remind yourself you don’t need another black sweater, not even if it is at a low low price. Out of sight out of mind.)
    10. Be reasonable with gift giving this holiday season. (It’s time to go back to basics and be creative this holiday. Send e-cards this holiday. Agree on a limit, be thoughtful not extravagant, make gifts, give practical items, reduce your list of people)
    11. Keep looking for expenses to squeeze out. (Each month I look critically at a bill such as cable, cell etc. and research ways to reduce costs. Going slowly will prevent feeling overwhelmed but revisit every few months to see if there are new options.)
    12. Do allow for occasional, small indulgences. (Build into your budget a modest clothing allowance, dining out, entertainment, hobbies etc. Like a diet this will not sustain unless it is a feasible lifestyle change.)
    13. Count your blessings.

    You can’t do this alone. Make sure your family is all on the same page and working toward the same goals. Modify to suit your needs and personality.

  21. Mimi Forsyth

    Thrift (Goodwill, Salvation Army, ex.) shops are more fun than department stores, apart from the savings. Everything is “one of a kind”. I find it depressing to see racks & racks of identical things at department stores.

  22. Mimi Forsyth

    Shop around the edges of the supermarket where the “fresh” things are. The processed foods- unhealthy & expensive- are in the center aisles.

  23. K

    I am a moderately careful spender vs my hubby who is a spendthrift, which can be a source of contention in my family.

    These are some of my rules that I live by( or atleast try to or want to live by)

    1. Think a second before you buy anything, small chips packet to higher-end items. Is this really necessary. If you take that extra second, you will make the right choices.

    2. Less is more. You don’t have to fill up your house with stuff.

    3. Reuse when you can. Reuse that aluminium cake pan as long as it lasts. It is better for the enviornment and your wallet as well. Compost your kitchen scraps and garden waste.

    Here are some of my tips

    1. We have a local grocery chain called GrandMart in the East Coast,which is like an international grocery store. It is not as clean as Whole foods or Safeway, but fruits, fish , meat and Vegetables are fresher due to the high volume of sales. What would you rather have, fresher vegetables or fancy store decorations. Don’t get me wrong, I still like to buy my pies from Whole foods when I need them.

    2. Search through each one of your closets and sell all the stuff you acquired and don’t need anymore on Craigs list. You will be surprised how much money you will make and how much more closet space you will have.

    3. I also realized that if you buy the vegetables that are seasonal, you save a lot.And that was how Nature was meant to be. Watermelons are cheap in summer, not winter. Cauliflowers are cheaper in winter.

  24. Liz

    I automatically call up businesses who send me their catalogs and cancel them on the spot. Too much browsing inevitably causes me to buy something. No more turtlenecks! If I really want something, I can look it up online.

    For men: buy a hair trimmer and cut your own or have somebody else cut your hair. After I purchased a set of hair clippers at Walmart, I recouped the cost of the clippers for my husband after four home haircuts. At first cutting his hair was a little scary (for him too!) but we got used to it.

    Think half. Half as much shampoo in the palm of your hand. Half as much butter on the toast. Half as much hot water in the tub. Half as many meals out.

    Think before you reach for a paper towel. Could you hang those clothes to dry? Could you read that newspaper online? (All except the Sunday New York Times, of course…!!! ) Really stop and consciously think about the resources you are using.

    If you’re so inclined, learning a foreign language is an inexpensive hobby. You can get instructional books and CD’s from the library and I found a native speaker (Russian) in our community. We get together twice a week to teach each other which is a lot of fun.

  25. Patricia

    I have saved a lot of money by learning how to cut hair. I began on my husband, who was pretty easy to do with an electric clipper. Then I started cutting and coloring my own hair. The first time was pretty scary, but I have gotten the hang of it and am able to give myself the look I want. The salons never gave me exactly what I asked for anyway. We both have short hair and were going for cuts every four to six weeks, so we are probably saving at least 100 bucks a month, not to mention the time wasted at the salon. I think we actually look better!

  26. Julia

    My spending is already very much pared down, as a consequence of just putting my daughter through college, but I am still looking for ways to conserve. For six months this year, I bought no new clothes or books, cancelled my Netflix and only got books and movies from the local library. I watched lots of movies I had never seen and probably would not have thought to put in my Netflix queue. Lots of classics! It was great.

    Recently I discovered the “discount/clearance” corner of my local art supply store and was amazed at how many interesting things I found there for holiday gifts and stocking stuffers.

    And I am cooking at home much more, with what is on hand, resisting the temptation to run to the store to buy something that I *think* that I want for dinner. Instead I am “shopping” from my own pantry and getting creative.

    Big changes are good, but making several small ones definitely adds up (or in this case, down)!

  27. Lily

    The hardest thing for me to cut back on is all the money I spend on entertainment. There are so many movies, plays, concerts, etc to see that it’s painful to stay at home knowing I’m missing out. I have made much more of an effort to seek out free shows, show up to a play a few hours early and get rush tickets, and go to museums on the “pay what you can” nights. I’ve also found that going to bars with free music is always a fun event with a group and allows people to spend whatever they’re comfortable with. Also, try to find theaters that play double features. Two movies for the price of one, you’ll never find a better deal!

  28. Roko

    I’ve stumbled on a way to save some money each month simply by having at least one “no spending day” each week. I make do with what I have at hand, I turn away from the cop-out/take-out meal, et cetera. It’s a very simple concept and I either succeed or fail- there is no fudging. It sure beats being broke before my next payday.

  29. John

    I turned off the cable, suscribe to Netflix, and now I am learning to cook with lentils. I also got rid of the Starbucks habit and figured I saved 400 a year.
    I also bike it on some errands. I use the dollar store for some items also. Next it’s Costco so I can buy bulk. If you make it a game it’s better.

  30. Laura Arasmo

    I have learned how to spend less on groceries over the last 7 years or so by becoming vegetarian and learning simple and good recipes using varieties of beans, grains and other vegetables. Another advantage of this life style is weight loss and general fitness. Currently, I buy somewhat fewer prepared foods and make a bit more from scratch as well. I will go to a grocery store and buy a yogurt and a banana for lunch for about 75cents total instead of eating in a restaurant-any kind of restaurant. I quit buying newspapers and stopped renewing magazines. I borrow from the library more and purchase fewer books. I’m investigating an overseas retirement for financial reasons and hoping to find others interested in the same thing.

  31. D Matthews

    The following are some (but not all) goals that may help those who are open to change, and the thrill of learning, gaining new useful knowledge and becoming increasingly self sufficient, and saving money.

    1. If you can’t write a check for it or pay cash, don’t buy it now. Wait until you can.

    2. Do not treat discretionery spending as a continuously-running “social event”. And, do not make socio-political statements in spending. Go “feel good” some other (non-monetary) way!

    3. Do not treat monthly saving as “discretionery”. Pay your “future” first, then go blow the rest.

    4. Resist the urge to gain “bragging rights” as the first to have it, see it, go to it or talk on it, drink it or eat it.

    5. Do not create your “identify” (who you are) with stuff. “Stuff” goes out of fashion and wears out, leaving your identity with a huge hole in it. (Time to fill up the hole! Buy new stuff.)

    6. Recall what you lived successfully without 10 or 20 years ago. Yes, you can do it again!

    7. Develop a “pioneer spirit”, becoming self-sufficient. If you don’t know how to help yourself, read a book, go to the Internet, ask a pro, watch the DIY channel. For example, if you cannot replace the heating element in most built-in electric ovens, you are not self-sufficient. If you cannot replace a doorknob assembly in the bathroom door, you are not self-sufficient. If you can’t read, understand and follow a recipe, you are not self-suficient. If you have to pay someone to do simple, everyday things for you, you have reduced your options and increased your dependence. Do not refuse to help yourself unless you want to be at the mercy of others.

    8. Round up all the “stuff” in the house, apartment, or attic, sell it all at your grand yard sale, and do not replace any of it. Use the proceeds as “savings”. If some things did not sell, give it to Salvation Army or Goodwill, or charity of your choice.

    9. Savings (money) is empowering, so empower yourself, and give yourself greater options and more independence. Feel good about your new status, not your new bragging rights.

    10. Take care of you first, because no one else is going to.