How to cut costs

Someone else said this already but to honestly cut costs you have to know what your costs are. Several years ago I had my entire family keep receipts for everything they bought on a daily basis. (If no receipt was given they would have to write down what they bought, how much it cost and where they got it from in a notebook.) I would tally these receipts up monthly and we would sit down as a family and go over them. One of my families main waste of money back then was buying things for convenience. My older boys would go and buy sodas or chips at convenience stores when we had plenty of that here at home. The fact that they were out and about was their excuse. After I showed them how much extra they were spending on this habit when all they had to do was take a cooler of drinks with them when they went somewhere and some snacks they opened their eyes up rather quickly. Soda's are going for $1.25 each these days for a 20 oz at stores. A two liter costs the same but it is not refrigerated. The little things add up fast. Keep a track of your expenses and figure out where your money is really going and then figure out what you can do to cut costs.

I use coupons to buy groceries is the biggest thing. I also use the loyalty cards to get cents off of gas, so that it doesn't cost quite so much for my husband to get to work. When we are not going to be home, I turn everything off, and turn the thermostat up to give the air conditioner a break.

I think the best way to cut costs is to know first what costs or expenses you could cut. I recommend listing down your expenses and costs incurred everyday. Then after a week or a month, you'd see where your money goes and then you can cut-back from there. I believe that though we have the intention of cutting back costs, if we cannot really see where the money goes to, we cannot find ways of cutting back. Another would be establishing goals. Why would you want to cut costs? What for? What costs could be cut? and what are the necessities? Then from there set up a way for you to be able to cut them back without thinking that you're cutting too much! Remember, there should be a little happiness once in a while. Like dieting, too much sacrifice would seem senseless if you're no longer enjoying life. Have a great MyLot experience ahead!

When I have to ask this question, I ask myself what is a want and what is a need. I further evaluate if what I need can be purchased at a lower cost. I also like the idea of having multi-purpose items. For instance, vinegar can be used to clean as well as cook. Some dish soaps can be used as hand soaps. Then there is the entertainment question? Do you have cable? Cable is most definitely a want. You can save money when you don't purchase those extra channels. If you have a computer, sometimes you can watch some cable channels online. These are just a few suggestions. It is good to know you are trying to find out how to cut costs by asking the question. Hopefully, it puts more money in your pocket.

If you have the room, it is a good idea to stock up on paper products and such when they are on sale. If you have back ups, you can wait for another sale instead of rushing to the store when you run out and having to pay a higher price. I agree with some of the other posts. Sometimes, even though a product is cheaper, you end up using more so it is really more expensive.

I make a grocery list and stick with it. If an item is not on the list it does not get bought. I use coupons when I can although they are hard to find. I only buy items I use and if I do not use a product I will not buy it. I only buy meat when it is on sale and if it is not on sale I do not buy it. I belong to Sam's Club and Costco and I do buy certain items in bulk. We have one car and only Randy is on the insurance so he does all the driving. We have a lot of heat out here so we have to keep the a/c going as much as possible (that we cannot cut back on). I look for great deals before shopping anywhere.

I could write a book about this but I doubt that myLot would appreciate it. Anyway, there are a few basic things that can change how much money you save. First, take a close look at what you're spending. Do you overspend in one area? Buy things that are not needed? Waste water or electricity or gas? Keep close track of what is being spent for at least a week, then take a critical look at it. Budget... most people hate that concept, but it isn't something that forces you to do without. Instead, it's a plan that helps you put money where you really do need and want it. Check your insurance premiums. Often, we carry more insurance than we need. Ask your agent to help you find discounts and deductions. Think about downsizing. Vehicles, houses, memberships or whatever else you can think of. We often pay for things that don't really satisfy us when we could be happier with less. Those are just a few ideas, but the most important one is to read. The internet and myLot is filled with hints, tips, advice and more on how to save in every area of your life. Go looking. You'll find more than you probably want to deal with.

there are tons of ideas out there. the first one would be to make a budget and only spend what you have listed on that budget. of course, there are the usuals: only shop at sales, plan your meals, only shop with a list (no matter where you go), only shop when you need to, use your local library to its fullest (no more buying books or renting movies), shop for clothes at thrift stores, that type of thing.

well my advice is to make a meal plan for a week or a month and only buy groceries for those meals. make a list and stick to it. don't buy anything unecesary and if you are shopping and see stuff you want, walk away and come back to it. go away and think about it for a while before purchasing. shop for clohtes are your local thrift store and use your library for free books and movies.

Tons of ways to cut down...problem is, like me... you do all the ways to cut down and cut back and save...and still struggle to make ends meet! But I keep at it. Better than being homeless! But coupons, sales at stores, BOGO's even online shopping with free shipping. All the usual, turns lights out, use low watt bulbs etc. I do laundry after 7pm and before 7am as that is when rates are cheaper. Check out this category...look at all the discussions...some going back years. Read them all and pick which ones work for you. Make a list, start with a few and work your way up to more. Once you start...you'll find it really easy to do all kinds of things to save money and wonder why it took you so long to start!

I think the most important thing that you should do is make sure that you keep a record of everything that you're spending, and then you should be able to see where you could cut back on your spending. Energy bills are one of the most important things that you spend money on, and doing things like turning off the tap while you're brushing your teeth, and making sure that you turn the lights off when you leave the room, can really help to bring the costs down. Also, the amount of food that some people waste in life is shocking, and if you only buy the amount of food that you actually need for any given time, then you will find that things are a lot easier for you.

Shop around and look for the lowest price. Defer buying whenever possible, otherwise how would you have the opportunity to compare prices? Ask friends what they use, and if it is cheaper than what you are paying for, why not consider changing brands if you think the quality expectation is similar. There are many ways. Just be creative.

The first step is to start comparing the prices of different products at different stores in your area. I have a hard time remembering the prices so I always keep my receipts in my bag. When I go to a certain store and see my favorite snack for example, I would refer to my receipts. If it's cheaper, I would buy it. When you go to the mall or anywhere, always bring water with you so that you won't have to buy drinks when you get thirsty. Avoid ordering drinks at restaurants. Just ask for service water or tea. Take care of your things so you don't have to buy new ones to replace them. If you're going to buy something that you want but don't really need, buy them only when they're on sale.

Usually the big 3 expense are housing, traveling (vehicle, Insurance..), and food I was scared to cut off from the big stuff and not look how to save another 20 cent here or there