I like to think of being thrifty is not just not having what you want. A lifestyle of denial would not be any fun. Being thrifty is using your money wisely so you can have all the things you want and attain the financial goals you have set for yourself.
Although this year I'm trying to be a bit extreme about cutting spending, it is because I have certain goals of having a healthy savings and being debt free.
There are lots of ways a person can cut spending and not feel it. It is easy to waste a dollar here or a dollar there. All of that adds up to $100s of dollars at the end of the year. Where is the money going?
The first thing anyone should do that wants to save money is write out a budget. Compare what is going out and what is coming in. You can either cut what is going out or add to what is coming in. My husband is a salary employee. He can't work overtime and get paid any more.
We have made changes to what we pay out. We have very inexpensive car insurance. (We use USAA.) It is a good idea to compare rates. You should do it at least once at every renewal. It is really easy to get car insurance quotes online and it is worth your time to compare.
Got Cable? Why? You can watch TV on Hulu for free. It is one of those expenses that if you need to par down should be cut.
Phones... Price compare. Don't keep renewing your contract so you can get the latest and greatest new phone. Shop around. You can take your cell phone number with you to the next company. It might be CHEAPER to buy an ipod than pay for a phone with data for 2 years. (We have a wireless connection for our internet at the house.) We don't have a home phone. I have a cell with no data. My phone is over 3 years old and as many times as it has been dropped (thrown by the toddler), it still works great.
If you need help with a budget... I highly recommend you look into Dave Ramsey. He is my financial hero.
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