8. Find Cheaper Beverages to Drink
If you can break your addiction to fancy coffee, the free office coffee can be a money-saver over time. Unwilling to give up out-of-office coffee breaks, some thrifty consumers switch to a cheaper drink at their local Starbucks or other coffee shop. For alcoholic drinks, quality wines, beers, and liquor can be found at lower prices with a little research.
9. Examine Your Phone Service
Do you need both a landline and a mobile phone? If you have a cell phone, do you need long-distance service on your home phone? Canceling one line could mean one less bill every month. Many people have phone packages that are too expensive for their needs, so read your bill carefully.
10. Stop Paying for Premium Cable
Some penny-pinchers cancel cable service entirely to save $100 or more each month. Others lower their bills by cutting out premium movie channels.
11. Drive Less; Consolidate Trips
Think before jumping in the car. By planning and running many errands on the same car trip, you cut your fuel usage. Rather than driving, consider using public transportation, or walk, bike, or rollerblade somewhere nearby.
12. Use Warehouse Stores Wisely
Warehouse stores like Costco or Wal-Mart's Sam's Club can be great places to get deals, but they can also encourage over-spending. "Just make sure you go with a list and only buy those things that you are actually going to consume," financial planner Frank Boucher says. "It makes no sense to get a 'bargain' on a bulk item if you are going to throw half of it away."
13. Lay Down the Law with Your Free-Spending Friends
It can be hard to keep up with wealthier or less thrifty friends. Some financial planners advise cash-strapped clients to seek out social companions with similar budgets. However, if you're honest about your spending limits, true friends should be willing to adjust their plans by, for example, choosing a less pricey restaurant.
14. Find Free Entertainment
Movie rentals, cable TV packages, book purchases, concert tickets—it can all add up. Use your local public library to read books and rent films for free. Depending on where you live, it might also be possible to find free concerts, performances, and readings.
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