1. Turn off lights and water when your not using them.

2. Eat only once a day. Hold off eating as long as you can. You'll be full when you finally eat, and spend less at the grocery store.

Using candles instead of lights sometimes.

Chico1 said:

Uh, that's not a good idea! Eating once a day slows down your metabolism, which makes it easier to gain weight.

magnificentsynthesizer667 said:

methinks Chico was joking around

Natisse said:

Havn't been doing too good recently,
But when we saved the downpayment for our house I had direct deposit split between 2 accounts, I had I think $50.00 going into one account each week. Every time there was a couple hundred dollars I bought a series I bond so I couldn't touch the money for something like six months.


and get rid of credit cards

paintsprayer said:

good idea - I have a set amount I'm (theoretically) able to save each week...I should have it go straight into my savings account, huh? as for credit cards I've been there done that...they're a dirty word to me now lol

1) Cook your own food
2) Stop drinking Soda
3) Starbucks only once a week
4) Plan activities around excercise instead of food (IE: Instead of a cookout, go roller blading, instead of a picnic, plan to go swimming)
5) Go to Prince concerts instead of Maddonna ones.
6) Stop smoking
7) Wait for movies to come out on DVDs, except the one your REALLY want to see.
8) Stop eating so damned much.
10) Buy any book by David Bach (Automatic Millionaire)
11) Pack your own lunch to work. During lunch if you really can't stand to be the office building, eat your sandwhich in your car and walk around a nearby Mall.
12) Instead of "Saving" as your goal, pick a goal like a destination vacation, and save for that. Even if you opt not to take it, you will have saved money for it that you can use elsewhere or continue to save.
13) Don't spend money to comfort yourself--it's a trap.

AsianBomb777 said:

your words ring home to me more than you know taking lunch to work is something that I REALLY need to work on because it's a huge chunk of money when it adds up! same with the movies for a long time now I've only gone to see movies I've really wanted to see...

with regards to the vacation destination - got that well and truly sorted I'm actually saving to go overseas next year to the U.S. and U.K. for 2 years

Natisse said:

Thanks Natisse. Some people have no sense of humour.

Chico1 said:

I think it's just been a misunderstanding thank you BOTH of you

Chico1 said:

magnificentsynthesizer667 said:

Don't spend money on eating fast food or buying unecessary things.

luv4u said:

thanks

never let hans and inmate09 buy the groceries.

asylum said:

Natisse said:

why we need 70 pounds of viener schnitzel and 300 cds i just do not understand.

miss natisse, i have always found a budget to helpful.

asylum said:

very true...thank you (um, sorry hans here's a hug for you too )

Natisse said:

your kindness brightens the darkest wing of this doctor's heart.

asylum said:

Natisse said:

no, i will not "talk to the flower".

asylum said:

you crack me up

Tisse!! My suggestion is do what i'm doing...start an Award Savers Account- or an equivelant (National Bank has a good service too, but in the Commonwealth Bank you get interest everytime put $$$ in!) This is actually really helping me save...cause the "Savings" account is really a "spending" account, and without the award saverz, i probably wouldn't have anything saved up!! This is ideal for someone who is a spendthrift but really needz to save!!!

In a way i'm lucky, i still live at home...but me madre shopz at Aldies supermarket and buys alot of groceries in bulk, cause it's just ridiculously cheap!! No more headin off to Coles...

Any fresh produce is best bought from the market...in Melbourne u save more by buying fresh!! (for example Vic market) Not only is it better quality but it's better on da hip pocket too. Supermarkets really do overcharge

For work wear or casual wear...either 1) check out a really good factory outlet centre (i work in one hehe) ...cause u can get designer labels for ridiculously lower prices!! Or 2) spend largely on what you NEED and less on pieces dat are more of a phase. I still think u should spoil yourself...so limit it to once a month to be strict!

and pschologically...to keep u steady, whenever u go off track think of how much you wanna aim for your goal, as soon as you do dat, you learn to change your spending ways fast!!

That's as far as i can go with my advice..in terms of bills, i guess ya gotta get out a planner and just write everything down!! But it's important if you are gonna do that, ya gotta be consistent and look at your planner all the time to make sure you're on track

I dunno if dat helpz at all, but i hope it does in some way babez!! Best of luck!!! You can do it!!

lilmissmissy said:

OMG Missy you put a lot of thought and effort into that! thank you! I read all of it and took it all in

thank you again!! that IS a big help, hon

Natisse said:

iDe nada me amiga! Anytimez at all!! I know what it'z like!! I'm glad it helpz babez!!

- Shop in the supermarket instead of the grocery store, much cheaper sometimes.

- Coupons. yup, they work.