how do u cut your cost of living

[bigedshult]

I am work at two thing one is help people get 50% rebate on gas.the other is getting 200 dollar of food or a 200 dollar Walmart gift card and cash. and what I make hear on fusion cash and other clicking thing. they are all adding up .







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[CHANEYLAKEGIRL]

Using Fusion Cash and similar sites, selling on ebay & craig's list, clipping coupons & stocking up when items I use everyday are on sale, combining trips for groceries, etc with other trips, turn off the lights, growing some of my own food, working a second job, buying used when practical

[pkrahmer]

I pay for most items by cash or check(i round up to the nearest dollar) and With every purchase I make I save the change. I average about 30-40 dollars a month. the money goes for credit card payment and charity.

[ejholt]

I don't buy anything unless I really need it.  I save my money and stock up when things I need are on sale.  2 years ago I bought laundry powders when on sale and got enough for 8 years.  And when some one had toilet paper on sale I got enough for 3 years.  I just last month had to buy some more.  I save my change every day and when I get enough I roll it and save it to go on vacation or to use for something when it happens. 

[samrhett2]

I love to see how resourceful people are!  Staying home works for me.  Every time I leave the house it seems like it costs money.  I am a homebody anyway so I like staying home.  I also make extra money online from several programs.  It is fun and really helps out.

[lray3152]

Look at your electric bill: switch to CFL's, unplug all unnecessary appliances.  Switching gas supplier is great, we saved $300 last year for switching (due to deregulation).  Look at your phone bills; we cancelled our landline and downsized our cell phone plan.  Look at other misc. expenses and remove them, you can do it!

[girlswin2]

We've gone to using energy efficient light bulbs those squiggly ones, we got rid of our landline and went to using the magicjack for home phone.  We only have one cell phone that we share and we have the totally unlimited plan costs less.  We have gone to using Water Coolers instead of running A/C unit to keep house cool.  Works very, very well.  Our light bills were being over $300 now they are not over $170 and that was the hottest months of summer.  The run on water and ice and only burn 4 kilowatts to run it.  I have now bought 3 of them and we love them.  Keeps bedroom cool sometimes even freezing have to cover up.  We also unplug anything not being used. 

We started keeping a budget of everything we spend and found lots of things that we were spending on that was not needed and now we know were our money is being spent so able to watch it better.  Started cooking more at home and less eating out.  Make goingto the store like walmart a once a month trip get it all at one time.  We do things like my hubbie has to have blood work done once a month so if there is something that we need that is over in that city of Ocean Spring we do it after wards so we don't have to travel back over that way for a second time try to save gas if possible.  I use coupons and I mean alot of coupons when shopping.  Its not hard to save money if you put your mind to wanting to.  Just don't buy the unnessary things that you don't have to have. 

Got question for you how and what are you doing to get the $200 walmart card?

[sommap]

Using coupons and trying to match them up with things on sale.  Trying not to buy things I don't need.  combine shopping trips.  Going to different sites like this one to get a few bucks. 

[lynnc35]

For groceries, clipping coupons can save you money if you do it often, also I watch the ads at every store, when something is on sale, i stock it in the freezer and that way I have plenty on hand, this goes for laundry detergent, shampoo, ect.






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[a_bourget05]

I cut my cost by walking to school and work everyday and using as many coupons as I can when grocery shopping as well as any other kind of shopping. And I even stay home most times when friends want to do stuff because sometimes you just can't afford to go out and do all those things all the time. Granted it's not a very fun life right now but once I get my career and life figured out it will get better. Even in my apartment I unplug anything im not using and make sure I'm only using electricity when it's absolutely necessary. It's just sad to see the world is literally going into the *bleep*! 

[sdenimandlace1]

We buy in bulk, try to stay home as much as we can, I do the shopping on the way to work.  Have the new light bulbs, everything is plugged into surge protectors we safe about $30 dollars a month that way. Cold water wash on most things have not used the dryer in 8 years.   Make my own washing powder.

[stokeman455]

    How I cost cut is, buy store brand items instead of top name brand.  I buy bulk..  I do not buy things I really do not need.  I walk and take the bus to get around.  I even moved to another state to get buy in life.. 

[tantricia44]

With today's rising gas prices, we need to find ways to cut corners to survive. Small changes is the best so it's not shocking. The #1 thing I did was pay off my credit card in 2007 & today i still don't have a credit card. Never again. I purchase things with cash, debit, or check only. Cut back on name brand stuff & switch to  generic. I went from regular stores to  dollar stores. I don't buy anything unless I've saved up the amount it cost. Cut back on going out to eat. Gathered all my junk & sold it or donated it. Tax fund here I come. NEWS FLASH Heard in the news something that banks are doing now.

Attention: They are bringing back the checking account monthly fee. If you don't have the correct balance or suffer penalties. You'd be charged $5 a month if you don't have enough monies  in your account. In the late 80's I removed my monies from my checking in city bank. I didn't understand that every month my monies was dwelling to nothing. I learned later on after I closed my account was the bank was charging me a service fee every month to hold the monies in their bank. If i knew that, I would have never put it in their bank & stuffed the monies under the bed mattress. They're doing the same thing now. So be careful before you open a bank account for hidden fees. The best thing to do is put your monies in a credit union bank which supports the customers better. 

[samrhett2]

I did hear that banks are getting ready to hike rates.  They are going to charge for things they have not charge for in the past and raise ATM fees because the government is trying to limit the percentage they can charge merchants for cedit and debit transactions.  Seems like either way the consumer pays for it.

Awesome tips guys.  I am impressed with how smart we are!

[dreamyxo]

I'm not focused on cutting expenses so much as I am focused on increasing my earnings through multiple streams of income.  I was born pretty much a frugal person and a saver so I don't spend frivolously.  I get excited over bargains and paying the lowest price I can.  I'm not going to deny myself the things I want to do to save money but instead find ways to make more money to have the things I want within reason.