30 Practical Ways to Cut Expenses | Recipes

By JudyTurner
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Word Count: 710

The times are oh-so-bad and recession or depression or a slowdown (whatever you may call it) is upon us. Well, this world is all about survival of the money savers and so, save we must - here are 30 practical ways of cutting expenses and saving big:

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. Instead of meeting friends at the coffee shop or bar, call them home. Potluck dinner parties are a good idea.

4. Take your lunch to work more often. Your savings will really add up!

5. Share rides to work with co-workers or use public transportation.

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. If you make a lot of long distance calls then it may pay to go with a plan that offers free long distance. Otherwise, limit calls to nights and weekends when rates are normally cheaper.

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. If you smoke quit! Not only will you save a ton of money but your health will greatly improve.

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. If you're paying a high interest on a mortgage or credit card - refinance it, change it or consolidate your debt to save on interest.

17. Eat out less. Try to keep stocked up on the ingredients for quick meals to keep from going through the drive-thru on days you are just too tired to cook.

18. Don't be afraid to ask for a deal when buying large ticket items such as cars and furniture.

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

20. Do you freecycle? Many communities have local chapters that you can sign up for to give away or get things for free. Go to Freecycle.org for more information.

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

22. Don't waste money on manicurists and pedicurists - you can do their work yourself at home.

23. Start a savings account just for emergencies. Start small like $5.00 per week.

24. When shopping for your work wardrobe try to avoid anything that is "dry clean only".

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. Have a rummage sale or check out local consignment shops. They will either give you a set price for all your stuff or, sell your items and share the commission with you.

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

29. Plant a vegetable garden. If you don't have a lot of space you could try container gardening.

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!

Whether you try just a few of these tips or all of them, these tips can really help you stretch your budget.

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