• “I divide the price of an expensive purchase by how many times I plan to use it. It’s a great way to decide if it the item is really worth my entire month’s salary!”
• “I put masking tape over the scanner of my credit card and write phrases that discourage me from spending, like ‘Remember: You’re poor’ and ‘Do I really need this?’ When I’m about to purchase, I feel guilty and put the item back.”
• “I pair expensive accessories with mid-priced clothing. That way, everyone looks at your jewelry, shoes, purses, etc., and assumes your clothes are expensive too!”
• “Every month I put my coffee budget on a Starbucks card. If I run out of money, I have to start making my own cup in the morning.”
• “Ask for samples at makeup counters, but do it the right way. You want to look like you have money to spend and you’re searching for the right products for your precious face. Go as far as getting the sales person’s card; you can walk away with a month’s supply of mascara and face cream.”
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| coquis81 | |
| I sit down once a month and plan out my budget. I write down my monthly expenses, and estimate what I'm going to spend on clothes, food, gas, etc. Once I've reached my estimated amount for the month I don't spend any money on it unless I'm willing to go back and update my spreadsheet, but cutting back on another category. This usually happens when unexpected Birthdays and Celebrations pop up. I never dig into my savings, once it's in there, it's not coming out unless a life altering emergency comes up. Budget, Budget, Budget... It only takes a few minutes of your time a month, even if you can't stick to everything on your list, it's a great guideline. | |
| Rcnqueen | |
| Readers please be aware that you cannot use DIY tax software year after year. I work for the number one self tax preparation software on the market for the past several years. You need to purchase a new product year to year do to changes in the forms themselves and the tax laws. DIY tax software is also an excellent tool for financial planning your future based on current tax year situation. It can help you do things like find ways to increase your savings for retirement and your future tax deductions or adjust your W-4 so you hold on to more of your money through the year instead of letting the IRS earn interest on it. If you also use a budget program like Quicken to manage you finances you can import your information into the tax software saving you additional time, and ladies we all know that when we save time. . . we save MONEY! | |
| Rcnqueen | |
| Readers please be aware that you cannot use DIY tax software. I work for the number one self tax preparation software on the market for the past several years. You need to purchase a new product year to year do to changes in the forms themselves and the tax laws. DIY tax software is also an excellent tool for financial planning your future based on current tax year situation. It can help you do things like find ways to increase your savings for retirement and your future tax deductions or adjust your W-4 so you hold on to more of your money through the year instead of letting the IRS earn interest on it. If you also use a budget program like Quicken to manage you finances you can import your information into the tax software saving you additional time, and ladies we all know that when we save time. . . we save MONEY! | |
| hoopmeh | |
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I put almost all my purchases on my debit card, but when you're not paying close attention, those purchases add up fast! Here's what I do: 1. Take cash out for fast food each week. Quick meals are where I tend to waste the most money. Once the cash is gone, that's it. 2. Keep ALL receipts, and file them according to spending category. Then, at the end of each week, I put them in a spreadsheet to see how I'm doing. 3. If I'm going somewhere when I know I don't need to be spending any money, I leave my debit card at home. |
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| LILA -- Los Angeles | |
| I get a point for every dollar I spend on my credit card, so I usually charge everything on it. I pay off my card immediately afterwards (via BillPay because it's free and fast), before incurring any interest. This way I get cash back without interest detracting from it. Essentially, I get money for spending money. | |
| charlotte | |
| It's also good to reuse everything that you possibly can: ziplock bags, foil, grocery shopping bags. You help the environment and you don't waste money buying all those things and just using them once. | |
| kristart | |
| I get take-out and make it last for multiple meals. It's usually my dinner, my lunch the next day and my dinner again. That way the 12 dollars I spend is only like paying 4 dollars a meal. | |