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Spend Your Money Wisely
by Eldher Steller
http://www.fsfmoney.com
If you're working hard and still living from one paycheck to
another, you need to look at your spending habits. The money
you earn from honest hard work should be sufficient to meet
your expenses. If you still feel tight, you should think of
setting up a monthly budget.
Make a sheet tallying your monthly income after taxes and
all fees. Subtract your rent or mortgage, car payment,
student loans, credit card bills, or any other debt you may
have. The resulting amount needs to be delegated to
utilities, including gas, electric, water, sewer, garbage,
phone, wireless phone, cable, internet, and any other
monthly fees you have. Also take into account home,
renters, or car insurance. Do not forget food and general
living items! If you find yourself inundated with bills,
then you may need to rethink your spending situation.
When it comes to utilities, there are many ways to save.
Instead of having a land line and a cell phone, try using
just your cell phone. Most plans have unlimited long
distance (unlike land lines) and unlimited call time on
nights and weekends. Try to shave your gas, electric, or
water bills down to a more suitable amount. Run energy-
sapping items, like air conditioners, dryers, or furnaces
in limited doses, using other methods to cool or heat your
house. Additionally, fix any leaky toilets or dripping
faucets. These innocuous items can cause your water bill
to skyrocket. When it comes to cable, satellite dish, or
internet, cut down to the bare basics. Check around with
competing service providers to see which company has the
best deal. Also, avoid adding costly premium services,
like HBO, Showtime, or Starz.
Generally, it's not the regular bills that offset your
budget, but the unwise shopping habits. If, after paying
your bills, you still have plenty of money to go around, but
find yourself in tight spots, then carefully look at your
spending. Use sales papers and coupons when shopping for
food. Avoid buying branded items. Also, try cooking with
fresh ingredients and avoid canned, boxed, or frozen food.
Eating at home is far less expensive and far healthier. So,
pack a lunch or limit meals out to once a month.
Try seeing a matinee to save some cash or consider joining a
movie rental club for the same price as one movie ticket.
These clubs are great deals, allowing individuals to rent
unlimited movies for one low monthly payment. This is also
a great substitution for premium cable channels. Whatever
your spending habits, curbing overspending now will ensure
you have money when it counts!
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