I would love to hear your top 5!

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Too many people spend money they haven't earned to buy things they don't want, to impress people they don't like. - Will Rogers

1. Couponing
2. Don't buy it if we don't need it
3. Match sales with coupons
4. Buying off brands
5. Try to limit eating out (I actually struggle with this, but I've gotten better)

Holly

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Forgiveness is love in its most noble form. -Anonymous

1. Don't spend/Don't Buy unless needed
2. Couponing
3. Couponing
4. Couponing
5. Cash Only Lifestyle...No credit cards

1. Don't spend/Don't Buy unless needed (I like that one!)
2. Put $$ straight into ING savings on payday
3. Shop sales -- plan menus around sales and use coupons as needed
4. Live GREEN - this covers a lot of aspects of our lives!
5. Drive low-cost non-gas guzzler vehicles

I don't coupon as much as I used to... see #1!

I need to add a number 6...
6. Pay off your debt... especially those with HIGH interest -- pay extra on the PRINCIPAL. Interest adds up more than people know.

!. Buy on sale WITH a coupon (with a rebate too is even better)
2. Rebates
3. Don't buy if don't need, unless it's FREE!!!!!!!!
4. Cash ONLY!!!!
5. Budget
6. Plan meals

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Work like you don't need the money,
Love like you've never been hurt, and
Dance like you do when nobody's watching.

MyCoupons Is #1 for Holiday Shopping

Buy on sale
do not socialize while eating out
do not go to "sale" parties
Do not keep up with the Jones
Learn to tell yourself, "NO".

For those who finally have enough income where there is a little extra- my biggest advice is KNOW YOUR PRICES and buy opportunistically. Stockpile!!! If I go to a store- like Sams- and there is 90% hamburg for 99¢/lb...I buy it. I buy as much as I can- 20 - 30 pounds. You have to know what is a good price vs a once in a lifetime price. You have to take the time to take advantage of the sale . It is no sale if you take 30 lbs of hamburg home and let it rot in the fridge. You have to carve out the time to go home and repackage all the hamburg (foodsaver) in to the size packages your family will use. If I go to Big Lots and the saltines are 59¢ a box. I buy them. I also know what I have, where the item is. I do not re-buy something because I can't find it. Do not waste money on disposable items like paper towels and napkins or silly items like toss and throw wipes to polish or clean.

Do not socialize around eating out unless you have a amount budgeted for it. It is too easy to spend more than you expected when someone else says "let's get appetizers" or "oh, lets stop at ____ and get ____, too". Socialize with food at home.

Do not go to sale parties EVER- you know- baskets, jewelry, candles, home interior, plastic stuff. I have heard it 1000 times "Oh, just come and have a good time It doesn't atter if you buy something". Yes it does and you will buy something you do not need for a price you can't afford.

Do not keep up with the Jones. Let them go into debt by themselves.

Learn to tell your self no. Financial freedom tommorrow is sooooooo much more liberating then that one cute pair of shoes, or the "well, it is just a cup of coffee", or the clerk said these are designer frames and I splurged. If you are going to splurge on an item- do it with thought and planning- not on the spot with excitement and pressure.

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Lyn Clarke

These are all good suggestions. I would suggest, if possible, try not to have a car payment. I know that sounds unrealistic, especially if you want a new car. Think of how much money you would save every month.

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I don't suffer from insanity, I enjoy every minute of it!

1) pay yourself first (we have money go directly from DH's paycheck to a money market account that is not linked to our regular bank account. We can get at the money if we need it, but it's not super easy to transfer it).
2) really stock up on a good sale for things you use every day (don't buy more than you know you can use before it expries/goes bad/etc.)
3) pay extra on your mortgage every month -- it will reduce the principle and save you interest over the life of your loan
4) don't charge more on your credit card than you can pay off every month
5) buy things at the end of the season when they are on clearance and put them away for next year -- be careful, however, to buy only what you'll need.

Sarah......mom to Jason & Devin

Pay extra on your mortgage. Even $15 a month will make a huge difference.
Live without credit cards, keep your money instead of paying interest.
Buy sale items when possible for things you need.
As you replace light bulbs, replace with the long lasting, low energy ones.
Don't splurge just because you have money in your pocket burning a hole. (This is the hardest for me)

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Think about helping out with cancer...
Join the Relay for Life

1. Try to fix what is broken, don't just buy a new one.
2. Don't just go into a store to see what's on sale. Chances are you buy something just it was marked down a lot.
3. Use coupons - but only if you usually use the item.
4. Take bike if possible (also cuts down on amout of shopping)
5. Ignore your or kid's friends who brag about their new _____. You're doing just fine without it!

We put in those CFl lightbulbs... very inexpensive at Costco.

I swear our electric bills have gone down more than $20 a month from a year ago. For one thing, they use less energy and also, they don't put off heat.

1. Pack DH's lunch instead of eating out
2. Cook at home - I always have 5 loaves of frozen dough for emergency pizza night at home
3. Don't buy just because it's on sale (i've weened myself off of cruising the target endcaps - heck, i've weened myself off of target!)
4. Shop thrift stores for clothing (may not work with teenagers but my 6 year old doesn't care about his clothes just yet)
5. Use the library - instead of buying books/paying to rent movies, borrow from the library instead

1. Put everything on credit cards and pay off each month.
2. Never buy a car that I can't afford to buy outright. (As soon as I purchase a car, I start saving for the next.)
3. Don't buy things and services (like cable) that I don't need.
4. Drive a fuel-efficient car.
5. Live in a small cozy house.

bring a drink and snack for you, DH, and the kids when running errands. It cuts down on a lot of wasteful spending.

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Doing the right thing isn't always the same as doing the easy thing.

Stay home instead of going out a lot.
Tell kids no to buying _________.
Plan meals.
Tell kids no to buying _________.
Drink water.

Here are mine...


1.Know the margin of "above and beyond" necessities before the month even starts.
Using the prior month's bills, find an estimate of what bills will be and what amount if any will be the "fluff" factor. For Example - if that amount looks to be $800.00 left after paying bills then I divide by 4 and realize that each week there should not be extra spending above that two hundred dollar mark... having a mental note of that figure does come to mind as you shop.

2. Divide my Hubby's salary by 2080 (52 weeks x's 20 hours a week) Remind myself of what an hour of my husband's time is worth and then ask myself with each frilly item (how much will this really cost us?)

3. Shop only using a list (no browsing! ) Set a timeline for major purchases and look forward to the rush of paying cash for something!

4. Shave the grocery bill and lay out the meal plan a week in advance allowing for one or two eat out for a set amount. I admit we buy ALOT of extras and ahead of time stuff if it's on sale with a coupon and that can be cut off if we need to save up for something larger.

5. Let someone else have paid the depreciation for you!
Shop yard sales, thrift stores, Ebay and other outlets that help people find "gently used" or sometimes never been opened items without paying FULL price.


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