30 Common Sense Tips To Reduce Expenses

by: JudyTurner
Total views: 17 | Word Count: 725

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. Cut back on energy costs whenever possible. Hang clothes instead of using your dryer whenever possible (outdoors in nice weather and inside on racks during bad weather). Use energy saving CFL lights. Get in the habit of turning off lights and appliances when you leave a room.

2. Skip the movies and rent or borrow dvds. You will also save money by making your own popcorn.

3. Want to spend some time with friends? Instead of going out have a fun night of coffee, cards and good conversation.

4. Carry your lunch to work.

5. Carpool to work whenever possible.

6. Save money on drugs with generics whenever possible.

7. Do you see a good sale for a product you use anyway? Stock up whenever possible! If you have coupons for the sale item you can save even more.

8. Call long-distance in the evening and on weekends. If you make a lot of long distance calls look for a plan that offers unlimited free long distance.

9. Piggy-bank loose change.

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. Can anyone really afford cigarettes anymore? For the sake of your budget and your health now is a good time to quit.

12. Save water - keep your showers short.

13. Don't waste money on a gym - instead, jog, walk, workout at home or cycle.

14. Keep up on maintenance to extend the life of you car.

15. Shop in discount stores - even Warren Buffet does that!

16. Get out from underneath credit card debt by making more than the minimum payment each month.

17. Keep your pantry stocked with ingredients for quick meals that your family enjoys. This will keep you from ordering a pizza on those evenings that you just don't know what to make.

18. Always bargain at shops and look at a few options before making a purchase. If you're buying fancy stuff like jewelry, buy it from a pawn shop.

19. If you're paying a high rent, move to a cheaper place.

20. Try Freecycle.org for getting and receiving unwanted items for free. One man's trash is another man's treasure!

21. Subscribe only to the TV channels that you watch and cut out the rest.

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. Having a savings account just for emergencies is a must! Otherwise you'll end up resorting to credit cards. Try to put away just $5.00-$10.00 per week away and watch it add up. As you pay off debt increase your savings.

24. Save on dry cleaning costs by purchasing items that can be washed at home.

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. Don't be late in paying your bills - the interest can be killing.

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!

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