Frugal Living Top 7 Tips
by Mario Carini
Yesterday's free spending ways have given way to taking a
serious look at living with less and enjoying it more.
Today's economy demands changes. If we're not prepared to
meet the new reality of life, we'll join the ranks of those
who paid no attention to living within their means
Frugal living is back in vogue. Poor job prospects,
investment losses and a dismal future have everyone worried.
The first cutbacks are the luxuries that were thought to be
necessities. While the state of the economy languishes,
there are steps the average homeowner can take to weather
through the current storm and come out unscathed.
1. Most people simply don't like to budget, but you can't
know what happens to your money without one. Creating a
budget enforces discipline and shows the best way to trim
those extra expenses. Few people ever think of budgeting
their time. But to be effective and accomplish more means
scheduling tasks in order of importance.
2. Eating out has become an American icon. Eating at fast
food and restaurants is a tradition for many families.
Unfortunately, the money spent is severe when the price of
the meal, alcohol, taxes and gratuities are factored in.
Dining out less often means more money for food that can be
prepared at home and more money set aside for savings.
3. Those fliers in your mailbox and wedged between the
newspaper sections can shave a great deal off the food
budget. Clipping coupons isn't a lot of work as those dimes
and quarters saved add up over the year.
4. The car is an asset. If your car isn't maintained, it
will be a severe drain on your budget. Next to maintaining
the car comes its use. Driving to the corner store for a jug
of milk is not economical when walking there is a better
alternative. Taking time to plan a route to take care of
several tasks in a single day is the best use of time and
provides less wear and tear on the car. Many families with
two cars can often do just as well with one car. Living
close to work affords much needed exercise as walking or
cycling can save on maintenance costs. Using transportation
means taking the bus or carpooling to work.
5. Trying to keep up with the latest fashions can be
expensive. The right clothing is necessary to project a good
image, but there's no need to stock up the wardrobe with
clothes that are seldom, if ever, used. There are no fashion
police waiting to scan clothing tags to see if they're made
of cotton or polyester.
6. There's no need to keep the house warm when no one is
present. Lowering the thermostat a few degrees while away or
sleeping can shave the cost of electricity every month.
Washing clothes in cold water and turning off lights when
rooms are not in use insures more money stays in the savings
account. Unplugging appliances, TVs, computers and radios
that are normally left on consume less power. Faulty wiring
in a toaster or coffee maker left plugged in have started
many fires.
7. Changing the oil in the car doesn't require a
mechanic's license. Changing light bulbs or the furnace air
filter doesn't require the expensive services of a
professional. Caulking around widows and doors to eliminate
drafts and prevent heat from escaping are easily done and
don't require a college education.
There are dozens of ways to establish a frugal lifestyle.
In this time of economic turmoil, learning how to live on
less will help create the habits that last a lifetime and
help weather the severest economic downturns.
Mario Carini may be contacted at
http://www.entrepreneurcircle.com
The author is a freelance writer who has had several
articles published at Helium, Suite 101 and his blog on Word
Press. Currently he lives in Ottawa, Canada and promotes an
affiliate business where anyone can buy and sell products,
ebooks and more. To get more information, go to:
http://www.tripleclicks.com/71130/go
