Seven Painless Pointers for Lowering Bills and Living Below Your Means

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Seven Painless Pointers for Lowering Bills and Living Below Your Means

Living below your means and sticking to a budget does not have to be painful. Many reformed shopaholics and over spenders who adopt a more frugal lifestyle like to spread the gospel of living below your means. Why do so many people who adopt frugal habits speak so highly of this lifestyle? There are several reasons. First, living below your means keeps you out of debt. Living below your means allows you more freedom in many parts of your life. Living below your means also lowers your stress. And living below your means keeps things simple. Here are seven painless pointers for lowering your bills and adopting a lifestyle that allows you to live below your means.

Learn how to cook and brown bag your own lunch
This is a very simple way to keep your bills low. You can save money without even feeling like you’re saving money and even adopt a healthier lifestyle. If you enjoy eating out, you probably don’t even notice how much you spend on this expensive habit. This doesn’t mean that you have to give it up entirely. If you go out to eat several times a week, take it down to one or two times a week. Learning the pleasures of preparing your own meals can introduce you to a whole new world and save you lots of money in the process.

Keep your car for as long as possible
Buying a new car is one of those major purchases that can keep you drained of savings for years. Instead of buying a new car, or leasing, every few years, keep your car for as long as you can and watch the savings add up. Keep your car in good working order by taking it for regular maintenance and driving as lightly as possible. Become attached to your car, take good care of it and hopefully you will give yourself many years of trouble-free driving without having to make those hefty new car payments.

Reconsider your living situation
Are you paying a large rental bill for a two-room apartment and you live alone? Are you paying too much on your mortgage balance each month? If you are serious about lowering your bills, it’s time to sit down and reconsider your living situation. Maybe you can live just as comfortable in a somewhat smaller, and less expensive, apartment. Maybe you can lower your monthly mortgage payment significantly by refinancing your home. Whatever your situation looks like, sit down and see how much you’re paying per month on living expenses. Chances are, there are ways to lower this expense significantly.

Always buy the generic brand
Most people who buy name brand household products do so out of habit. These days, you can find high quality products for much less than the name brand simply by buying generic. You would be surprised how much you can save on staples such as detergent, disposable diapers, canned food and more. Expect a savings of approximately 30% simply by switching to the generic brand.

Get rid of your land line if you’re not using it
Do you still have a land line that rarely gets used? Do you live by your cell phone? These days, with increased cell phone stability and advanced technology, most people use their cell phone for most of their communication needs. If this sounds like you, perhaps it’s time to cut that land line service and save on your monthly telephone bill.

Shop secondhand whenever possible
New clothes, furniture and electronics are nice, but they are usually marked up pretty high. Watch the prices plunge as you step into your local secondhand store or thrift shop. You can buy high quality clothes, furniture, books and music at your local secondhand shop at a deep discount.

Pay yourself first
This long-held adage still rings true today. Most people in debt are anxious about saving, but it’s time to deposit a little into your own private savings stash every month. Make an emergency cushion for yourself by having ten percent of your paycheck automatically deposited into savings account each month. But if you are in deep debt, pay this down first.

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◦	Saving Money
◦	Living Debt Free
◦	Four Areas of Life to Downsize and Realize Money Savings
◦	Living the Budget Balancing Act and Coming Out Ahead
◦	Many Easy Ways to Save Money and Lighten Your Debt Load
◦	Negotiating Your Way to a Better Deal Without Breaking Your Budget
◦	No-Nonsense Tips for Living Within or Below Your Means
◦	Penny-Pinching Tips for the Fresh Faced College Grad
◦	Shiny New is Overrated: Buy Used to Save Money
◦	Six No-Nonsense Ways for Living Below Your Means
◦	Smart Ways to Cut Costs and Realize Savings Each Month
◦	Don't Deny Yourself
◦	Get Married Without Going into Debt
◦	Having a Bit of Summer Family Fun Without Any Debt on the Run
◦	Helpful Hints on How to Avoid the Debt of the Holiday Season
◦	How to Take a Family Vacation and Still Live Within Your Means
◦	Ways to Find Money For Those "Extras" Without Dipping into Your Savings
◦	Daily Money Saving Tips
◦	Boost Your Savings Account with These Garage Sale Tips
◦	Eight Ways to Save on Your Drug Prescriptions
◦	Five Easy Snack Makeovers to Save on the Grocery Bill
◦	How to Dine Out on Occasion and Still Make Your Budget
◦	Nine Nifty Ways to Earn an Extra $100 Bucks a Month
◦	Seven Painless Pointers for Lowering Bills and Living Below Your Means
◦	Seven Simple Ways to Save Money Today
◦	Stay Financially Fit with These Grocery Shopping Tips
◦	Saving BIG on Household Expenses
◦	Cheapie Ways to Stretch Your Dollar in the Bathroom
◦	Energy Tips to Keep You from Maxing Your Household Budget
◦	Kitchen Item Recycling Tips to Save Some Money
◦	Live Within Your Means and Still Get Good Furniture
◦	Saving Money in the Long Run: Get the Right Home Insurance
◦	Water Saving Strategies to Keep Your Pocketbook Padded
◦	Saving BIG on Car Expenses
◦	Eight Ways to Save Money on Gas Without Going in Debt
◦	Pocket Extra Cash By Avoiding These Silly Car Wastes
◦	Six Savvy Car Shopping Moves to Keep You From Breaking the Bank
◦	Bargain Baby & Child Care
◦	Baby Bargains For the Budget Conscious
◦	Cutting Expense Corners During Baby's First Year
◦	Get Back to Work with These Money-Savings Childcare Options
◦	Saving Money Living Green
◦	Conserve Energy and Reduce Your Bill with This Great Advice
◦	Freecycling a Great Way to Avoid Accumulating Debt
◦	Going Green and Still Living Within Your Means
◦	Smart Money Management Advice
◦	Avoid These Major Money Missteps and Stay Out of Debt
◦	Five Money Ways to Simply Your Life and Breathe a Bit Easier
◦	Importance of an Emergency Fund and Ways to Fund It
◦	Manage Your Money with These Simple Solutions
◦	Realize a Bigger Paycheck by Plugging These Money Draining Holes
◦	Saving Big Time with These Unadvertised Secret Deals
◦	Seven Smart Tips for Living Below Your Means Comfortably
◦	Simple Ideas to Buck the Economic Downturn and Flourish
◦	Ten Ways to Simplify Your Life and Lower Debt
◦	The Wants vs. Needs Battle and How It Affects Your Budget
◦	Three Banking Tips to Keep Money… In the Bank!
◦	Top Ways to Increase Your Net Worth
◦	Saving For College
◦	College Savings/Investment Options
◦	Can You Afford It?
◦	Community College: A Financial Head Start on Education
◦	Get the Family Involved
◦	Getting Started Saving For Colle
◦	How Much Does It Cost?
◦	Important Steps to Take When Saving for College
◦	Is It Too Late To Start?
◦	Options To Think About
◦	Required Steps to Set up a Coverdell ESA for College
◦	Roth IRAs: A Viable Option for College Funding?
◦	Savings Plan Considerations
◦	The Ins and Outs of Controlling a Coverdell ESA
◦	The Pros and Cons of the Coverdell ESA for College
◦	Viability of US Savings Bonds to Fund College
◦	What Are Your Options?
◦	Why Save For College?
◦	Why In-State Colleges Should Be a Financial Aid Solution
◦	College Funding/Grant Options
◦	Federal PLUS Program Smart Move for College Funding
◦	Free Money for College: How to Find It
◦	Funding Options for College Bound Students
◦	Helpful Hints for Identifying College Scholarships
◦	How Federal Work Study Programs Come into Play for College Funding
◦	The Scoop on Pell Grants for College Education
◦	Wading Through the Financial Aid Options for College Students
◦	What About Scholarships?
◦	What Is Financial Aid?
◦	Student Loan Options
◦	Co-Signer and No Co-Signer Loans
◦	Credit History and Student Loans
◦	Interest Rates, Now and Future
◦	No Credit Loans
◦	PLUS Student Loans
◦	Private Student Loans
◦	Seeking Loan Advice
◦	Stafford Student Loans
◦	Subsidized and Unsubsidized Student Loans
◦	The Federal Family Education Loan Program (FFELP)
◦	The William D. Ford Direct Loan Program
◦	Your College Loan Options for the Future
◦	How Students Can Help
◦	Financial Know-How for New College Students
◦	Graduate and Undergraduate Financial Aid: Similarities and Differences
◦	How Federal Work Study Programs Come into Play for College Funding
◦	Paying For College From the Student Standpoint
◦	529 Savings Plan
◦	What Is the 529 College Plan?
◦	A Glimpse into the Independent 529 College Plan
◦	Overall Benefits of the 529 College Savings Plan
◦	The Lowdown On Prepaid vs Savings 529 College Savings Account
◦	The Scoop about 529 Penalty on Refunds
◦	The Skinny on A 529 Plan: What It Is and Where to Fund It
◦	Top FAQs Regarding the 529 Plans
◦	What the Treasury Inflation-Protection Securities (TIPS) Means in the 529 Plans
◦	Important 529 Plan Considerations
◦	529 Plan's Future When College is Not in the Future
◦	Are 529 Plans Necessarily the Best for Everyone?
◦	Getting Past Contribution Limits For 529 College Savings Plans
◦	Keeping Track of your 529 College Plan Contributions
◦	More Than One Kid: Why Two 529 Plans are Better Than One
◦	Opening a 529 College Savings Plan for You a Possibility?
◦	Pros and Cons of Pre-paid Tuition vs. 529 College Saving Plan
◦	Quirks About Getting Education Loans Even with a 529 College Plan
◦	Sound Reasons For Multi-State 529 Contributions
◦	Switching from Your UTMA/UGMA To A 529 Plan
◦	The 529 College Savings Plan as an Estate Planning Move
◦	The Medicaid-529 College Plan Debate
◦	What Contributing Grandparents Need to Know about 529s
◦	Why Prepaid Tuition Plans May Not Be So Great These Days
◦	Your Investment Options with the 529 College Plan
◦	529 Plan and Your Taxes
◦	Changes Made To The "College Kid" Tax Rules
◦	Good News - Bad News on 529 Gift Tax Situation
◦	Learning about State Tax Deductions with 529 Plans
◦	Tax Savings For 529 Plans Even If College Has Started
◦	What the $12k Gift Tax Exclusion is All about in Terms of 529 Plans
◦	State By State 529 Options
◦	A Look at Mississippi's 529 College Plan
◦	A Sunny View on Florida's 529 College Plan Options
◦	States that Come Close to the 5-Cap Rating with 529 Plans
◦	Top Three States With The Best 5
◦	What’s Up with 529 Plans in Texas?
◦	Why Consider Out of State 529 Plans?
◦	Related Content
◦	Currency
◦	Family Budget
◦	Living Wills
◦	Offshore Banking
◦	Ways to Save Money
◦	401k Plan

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