Learn how to save some of your hard-earned money with these tips for frugal living. You don’t have to use them all, but choosing just one will save you some money!
Bills- Do we need everything we pay?
Do we need all the movie channels that our cable or satellite company offers? Do we pay for five movies at a time from Netflix when we only watch three? Do we get the best possible deal on auto or home insurance? Do we really need a house that big or three cars?
It’s important to evaluate each bill you pay and make sure you really need it. Can you cut your cable bill in half? Call and get estimates on auto and home insurance to see if you can save some money. If only two of you drive at home, do you really need three cars? Can you hang out with one?
Ask yourself these questions and more to discover what you really need and not what just makes you feel better.
Buy used and sell used
Don’t throw away that lamp you don’t like. Try selling it on eBay or craigslist, and if that doesn’t work, donate it to a charity like the Salvation Army or Goodwill or your local church.
Instead of rushing to the showroom floor when you need new furniture or home decor, browse flea markets and garage sales. Not only can you find an expensive sofa for half the price of a new one and only six months old, but you’re also saving an item from ending up in a landfill!
Pay it off!
Plan a budget and stick to it. You’ll feel better than you can imagine when you don’t have any credit card debt. And when you pay off credit card debt, you can move on to bigger things. What if you no longer have car debt or home debt? How much stress would that reduce in your life?
Pay smaller bills first, then use that money to pay off larger debts and so on (while making your minimum monthly payments) and see how quickly you can pay off what you owe.
The best feeling in the world comes from buying an expensive item with cash and knowing that you won’t have to pay anyone interest.
Go meatless!
Another one of the easiest frugal living tips is to eliminate meat from your diet for at least one meal a week. While this may not sound like much fun, especially for the meat and potatoes group, you’ll be amazed at the meatless meals you can make!
Some great meatless meal ideas include beans and cornbread, baked potato dinner, cheese quesadillas, or vegetable soup. Think of the meals your family enjoys and you may be surprised to find more than one meatless meal in your recipe file!
Remember, as Benjamin Franklin said: “A penny saved is a penny earned!”
