Donna

I recently read that the key to financial success is to save more, make more and make wiser choices and decisions pertaining to your money.  I would definitely save more if I were to make more money.  However, I don’t. So, I think the key at this time is not to make more to save more.  The key is to cut expenses and reorganize our expenses to fit our income, our economy and the unknown.

Here are 5 basic things that we overlook:

1. Give your car a check-up.  Finding yourself without transportation is not as painful as having to pay unexpected expenses to fix your car.  Keep your car in good health.  Do change your oil as requested by the car manufacturer, and make sure you give your car a good check up to identify early upcoming expenses.
2. Review your cell phone plan.  It is incredible how many people have cell phones with monthly plans that do not accurately represent their monthly usage.  Don’t be a fool.  If most of the months you are going over your minutes, it is time for an upgrade.  At the end it is a money saver.
3. Get rid of your home phone.  This may sound crazy.  But, my brother in law cancelled his home phone service because he realized that he really was not using it.  Most people would call his cell phone first anyway, and he had a good cell phone plan that would allow him enough minutes to easily get by every month without having to pay for additional minutes.  Because of this, he is now saving around $40 a month.
4. Cancel memberships that you do not need.  Magazines that you do not really read, that gym membership that you do not use, etc.  Get rid of all of them and you will have extra money.
5. Do not go to the mall.  Okay, I know this will be a hard one, but every time I go to the mall, even if it is to just do window shopping,  I always end up spending at least $20 either on food, coffee, magazines or things that I really do not need.