Random Tips: Keeping Your Living Costs Down

Here are a few tips I use to keep my living costs down. This could potentially save you a few hundred dollars a year, maybe more, depending on how you want to live. If you can give up a few luxuries, you'll be on your way to saving lots of money.

• Cancel your phone service if you have a cell phone. Your cell phone should suffice. If you don't have enough minutes, increase your cell phone plan...an extra $10 a month is still cheaper than $30 a month to keep your phone line.
  
• Unless you need high speed internet, downgrade to either DSL or dial-up. Downgrading to DSL might save you $10 a month, but if you choose dial-up, you can save up to $40 a month.
  
• Scrap the digital cable television and order basic cable. Do you NEED 400 channels?
  
• Turn on your lights when you need to and make sure to turn it off when you don't need it. Sounds simple, but you'd be surprised with how often you leave the light on when you don't need it.
  
• If you have an air conditioner, set the temperature to 75-79 degrees. Anything lower will keep the a/c running which will run your electricity bill out the roof.
  
• If you have an air conditioner, consider using fans or a ceiling fan. They take much less electricity than an a/c unit.
  
• Use hot water only when you need to. Getting your water hot, depending on what you use, can increase your gas or electricity bill.
  
• Get solar panels. With tax breaks as an added bonus, solar panels will save you money immediately (not recommended for those who live in Seattle).
  
• Buy fluorescent light bulbs. They might cost more compared to regular light bulbs, but they last longer and use less electricity.
  
• If you need to use your computer everyday, put it on standby. If you don't plan to use your computer for a day or two, turn it off.
  
• Buy food in bulk, but only foods that you will completely consume or foods that will last a long time. Buying foods in bulk and having to throw them away is not only wasteful, but it will also waste your money.
  
• Bring lunch to work. Eating out everyday costs a lot. Calculate it out for yourself...you'll be surprised how much you spend on just lunch if you eat out.
  
• Make your own coffee at home. This may cost you $50 for a coffee maker, but that's the price of 10-15 cups of coffee from Starbucks (depending on what size you get). You'll pay that off in about a week.
  
• Buy generic products. Name brand things cost more because of only one thing...their name. Next time, compare a brand name product to their generic counterpart...you'd be surprised to find that they are exactly the same thing for the most part.
  
• Reduce the number of credit cards you own. This way, you won't keep spending when you don't have enough.
  
• Don't carry too much cash. The more you have in your wallet, the more you will use. I tend to have $40 in my wallet.
  
• Restrict your spending limit to a reasonable amount every month. I tend not to spend more than $100 in cash, and only spend it on the things I need.
  
• Keep your car tuned up so you don't end up spending enormous amounts when things really get bad.
  
• If you don't get newspaper, buy the Sunday newspaper to see all the sales and cut out the coupons.
  
• Shop at Ross, Nordstrom Rack, etc., for cheaper products that are brand names (if you only want brand name items).
  
• Drive smart to save gas. You can read about how to save gas from my Tips to Save Gas and More Ways to Save Gas articles.