Are your expenses rising faster than your income? In these times of lower income, how do you reduce your expenses without changing your lifestyle. Do you feel that there is nothing you can do? Make a list of everything you buy each month. Ask yourself, what can you do to make a change? For example, start with your utilities. Can you reduce the amount of electricity you use? Yes! It would mean the purchase of low energy lights or changing your use of appliances. The other portion of utilities is water. If you are more conscious of your water use, you can reduce it by changing watering the lawn or other small changes one gallon per day at a time. If you use either gas or oil to heat your water, cook or heat your home, this is another area you can change. Adjust your thermostat in winter to 68 during and 65 at night. During the summer set your thermostat at 78 when you are not home and 75 when you are home. Last, use cold water when possible such as washing clothes, rinsing dishes and brushing your teeth.
This is just the start of analyzing each of your expenses. Start with your list and determine what you can do to reduce your expenses. Remember everything can be changed or reduced, if you try hard enough. I have a lot of friends, and I realized I was spending a lot every month just giving them all birthday cards. By switching to online birthday cards I was able to save money while still letting my friends know I was thinking of them on their special day. Recently, I was renewing a subscription. If you are like most people you responded to the renewal from the magazine. I didn’t, I shopped it on the Internet and checked various sites using a shopping bot and saved a lot! My three (3) subscription cost me $8.22. Yes, that is the entire cost for three years! It took me five (5) minutes. I apply these to everything and save hundreds of dollars! What are you going to do?
Photo by: alancleaver
Also consider increasing income. A good balance of both is ideal, something along the lines of a frugal-hustler 🙂
Thank you for your comment. In these times increasing income is difficult! You have control of your expenses and can easily do something about it. The article was meant to make suggestions of what to do. Please read the other articles. If you like them, please subscribe.
Thank you for your comment. In this economy , it is harder to increase your income, but you can certainly control your spending. If you like this one, you may enjoy other articles.