The economy is getting worse with each passing day and many families are finding the best ways to save money. You may start out counting pennies in the area of groceries or cutting back on utilities, but once you see how much money you can save every month you just may get bitten by the frugal bug. I know I was. I'm not talking about a couple of bucks here and there, I'm talking big money without sacrifice. It's easy to save money when you learn how to simplify your life.
As a single, work-at-home mother for the past seven years I’ve had to learn to budget not only my finances, but my time as well. Instead of feeling like I was getting the short end of the stick after my divorce, I chose to feel eager and excited about my life. Cutting corners and saving as much as I possibly can has become both a habit and a passion of mine.
How has my life changed now that I’m a frugal zealot? Here are just a few examples of how cutting back can really make life richer.
Saving On Rent And Utilities
I moved out of a 2500 square foot two story home and into one less than half the size. This saves me $200 a month in rent, plus the utilities are lower. It’s in a better neighborhood and we have beautiful trees and bushes on our property—which is a rarity in Tucson. My older daughter is planning to move out soon, leaving only me and my youngest, so I'll downsize once again and save another $200 a month in rent.
Each of my bills has been cut in half, if not more since moving to a smaller place. For example, my electric bill is half as much as it was last year at this same time. We also practice frugality when using utilities, though we don't go crazy about it. The kids still take long showers, though I invested in a low-flow shower head. We do laundry once a week and wear clothes a few times before declaring them in need of washing.
Low-Cost Phone, Internet, TV
For phone service I use a Cricket cell phone and have their “$35 All In” plan. I get unlimited everything, all the time, wherever I go in the US. You can't beat that, especially when I was paying $50 a month for phone service before and it was just a home phone. I can take my cell everywhere I go.
Instead of traditional cable that used to cost me $65 a month or more, we now use Netflix. It's only $8 per month, has a ton of movies and TV shows, no commercials, and I can watch it at my convenience.
Having Internet at home is a must since my income comes from freelance writing. With kids in college who need to do research and homework as well, there’s no way we would want to omit this service from our lives. I went through a local company and get Internet for $25 a month for 12 months then $45 a month after that.
Cutting The Grocery Bill
My grocery bill is $250 per month for a family of three, and this includes toiletries and a few treats. Our meals consist of plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables, meats, eggs, cheese, whole grains, and other healthy foods. Buying all the prepackaged garbage is what eats into the food budget a lot of times.
We still eat out about once a week, but I'll go on a website like RetailMeNot.com and find a good coupon to a local restaurant or fast food place. I don't use coupons at the grocery store unless it's to get a free item. Time is money and saving a few cents here and there can't make up for the time I'd waste hunting for, clipping out, and using up the coupons before they expire.
Sending away for freebies is another frugal pastime. I can try many new products on the market for free. In fact, I have so many free samples of shampoo, conditioner, and lotion I won't need to buy any for a very long time. And these are all good, brand-name products, not dollar store knock-offs.
Money For Vacations
These are just some of the ways I’ve cut back without feeling poor. Over the years, trying to get the best deals and saving as much money as possible actually gives me an adrenaline rush! I’m sure other frugal living lovers know the feeling. In fact, now I can afford vacations a couple times per year and I'll go for two or three weeks at a time. If I had kept up my old ways of spending this wouldn't be possible.
Make it a goal to find the best ways to save money for you and your family. Not everyone is the same and we all have different lifestyles, but by making an effort to simplify your life you'll be able to get out of debt and be under less stress.
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Kelly Wallace - Kelly is a seasoned freelance writer, multi-published author, radio show host, teacher, speaker and highly acclaimed intuitive ...
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