Low Budget Life

Stealing is wrong. You may go to jail, pay a fine or you may not. Frankly, stealing is all about balancing risk vs. reward. Ask yourself honestly, what are the chances I can get away with taking this object (or these objects if you’re feeling particularly spry) and is this really something that will enhance my life. In most cases, stealing probably isn’t the best way to save money, ultimately resulting in additional costs of both the time and money (i.e. court fees, community service and checks to lawyers). Still, for the better part of a decade, pretty much every individual under the age of 30 pirated libraries full of illegally downloaded music and material, bringing into question whether or not it’s truly wrong if A) tons of people are doing it or B) it’s legitimately difficult to get caught doing it. Similarly, a few special situations still exist by which many people still take advantage of such a litmus test. What items are traditionally taken at a self-applied discount?

• wireless internet Assuming you live in an apartment, condo or reasonably tightly-packed neighborhood, it’s more than likely your neighbor’s internet signal is strong enough to suffice for your place of residence as well. Whether or not that network is password protected determines your own good or poor fortune. Hacking into your neighbor’s internet connection, however, is much more likely to result in negative consequences.
• newspapers (machine not doorstep copies) Granted, not as much now as when people actually used to read newspapers, but any street machine that opens by virtue of a couple quarters and stays open until you shut it is probably not going to turn a profit at its full potential. Would a vending machine by which you paid up front to open a refrigerator and grab your own Coke ever stay stocked? Doubtful. Continue Reading »

Coupons can save a person a lot of money for groceries and other items. You might wonder where can people find online coupons. There are a lot of resources offering savings on the internet. A good place to start is a site for a grocery store. Often you can simply print out the coupons and take them to the grocery store.

Some department stores allow their customers sign up in the store for email offers that contain coupons. This is convenient for the customer and allows the shopper to save money on deals Continue Reading »

Coupons can save you hundreds of dollars on every shopping trip. Knowing how to use them for the best results is easy if you just follow a few tips.

The first thing to do is get a coupon organizer. A binder, recipe box, whatever works for you. A book with clear pages can be helpful in spotting coupons quickly, without all the hassle of searching for them. Place the most recent expiration dates on top so you Continue Reading »

Many of us have been there, standing in line, staring aghast at the constantly rising numbers of our shopping bill. Then once we’ve finished paying and walk out of the store in a mild stupor, reality hits us. We’ve spent too much money.

There are many sites around that describe the best ways to save money while shopping, but the tips are all the same. Maybe we should start listening and acting on this advice.

Some of the more popular tips out there are ones that bemoan the rise of materialism in our day and age. They warn Continue Reading »

You may have escaped your Christmas shopping with only a moderately sized hole in your pocket, but while Christmas gets more than its share of mainstream coverage, today’s overly commercialized society has turned gift-giving into a year round obstacle for those on a budget. Blink once and suddenly it’s a family member’s birthday, wedding, Martin Luther King Day (equal rights, the gift that keeps giving), Valentine’s Day, one present-for-presence exchange after another. Though we don’t endorse coercing others into spending outside their means by passing it off as a form of celebration (we do endorse equal rights, just for the record), we recognize the need to partake in such holidays and momentous occasions in order to maintain good social standing. Though it may not be better on your bank account to give than receive, the following suggestions will at least make it better than it could it have been.Cut Down on Overhead Costs Buying a gift is one thing, wrapping paper? Total scam. Try using old newspaper. A cartoons page or Sunday crossword can help not only effective cover your present so as to preserve the surprise, but also provide a source of entertainment wrapping paper simply can’t match. Not to mention, newspaper also overs a chance to add even more thoughtfulness to your gift, perhaps making up for less-than thoughtful gift purchases. For example, wrap a wedding gift in a page with wedding announcements or a birthday gift with that day’s paper. Your gift can double as a conversation piece by including topical current events.Go Sentimental It’s the thought that counts. Mementos from the past are great starting points for gifts, particularly for those in relationships. Children and teens may not appreciate gifts in this vein, but for those with a little more earthly experience, sentimental gifts may even be preferred to the latest and greatest technological release or shiniest item in the store. Continue Reading »

The hustle and bustle of the business world has led many captains of industry to believe the idiom, “Time is money.” Whether or not you agree with the phrase, consider such philosophy to be transactional leverage. For those of you who prefer to take the slower track in life, either going nowhere fast or savoring each step along the way, a lackadaisical lifestyle can easily to both money and perks thanks people who value their time for more than it’s worth. Here are a few instances in which timing is everything, as far as saving is concerned.

1. The boarding gate at the airport The airline industry can be quite the careless operation, often overbooking flights by selling more tickets than the aircraft has seats. In order to rectify the situation, airlines will usually offer travel vouchers (good for close to the same price as the original ticket) to passengers willing to bump to a later flight. If the later flight doesn’t leave until the next day, this will also be augmented with a hotel voucher and meal stipend. Continue Reading »

Perhaps the hardest thing about leaving to town to take a well deserved vacation is the accelerated rate at which greenbacks take a one way trip of their own, from the inside of your wallet out into the world. Vacations, while relaxing during their actual duration, can lead to even bigger headaches upon your return home than the ones you sought to escape at the onset of your travels. Then again, without a break from the day to day monotony that defines the common work experience, how is anyone expected to maintain his or her sanity?It seems as if, in this time of cutbacks and penny-pinching, the first to be struck from household budgets across the country is vacation time. This is unfortunate as, in many cases, well timed time-off can actually lead to increased productivity, not to mention an overall happier environment both at home and in the workplace. Continue Reading »

Perhaps you don’t have time for a full-time job or maybe even already work 40 hours a week but with little discretionary income to show for it. There are still a few ways to find a few extra dollars in your pocket, without having to come up with a suggestive alternative alias or risk shaming your good family name. While these tips aren’t likely to suffice as a steady means of income, here are a few ideas to help you add a 20-spot or two to your bill fold. Continue Reading »

As a limited income college student, likely with limited cooking capabilities to boot, the simple task of feeding yourself can prove more challenging than most midterms. Of course, anyone looking to cut back on spending can look no further than the bottomless pit of burgers, burritos and ultimately dollar bills we feed at least 3 times a day (not to mention 4^th meal for Taco Bell fans). While fast food is nice from time to time, even those prices aren’t what they used to be. Not to mention regular reliance on the drive-thru diet will turn you from slim student to Nutty Professor, trading in your Buddy Love body for the Sherman Klump full-size. At some point or another, it’s likely you will have to head to the grocery store, though not necessarily to stock up on fresh fruit, vegetables, and assorted cuts of meat. Cooking meals from scratch at home will only further bankrupt your budget. In case you didn’t notice, it’s still cheaper to order a pizza than hand toss your own homemade pie. Here are some simple, cheap solutions you can pick up at the store, more or less ready-made for a delicious dinner. Continue Reading »

A lot changes when you cross a state line, aside from whether or not fireworks are for sale. Every state in the United States sets its own individual taxes on many products you might purchase out of both habit and necessity. In some cases, driving 50 feet further down the road before running an errand may actually save you a healthy chunk of change over the course of the year. In order for this to really be a practical money saving strategy, you have to live in a town or city that shares a border with your neighboring state, or at least is in close driving distance. As geographic proximity plays the most prominent factor, border towns are obviously the most desirable set-up (border towns as in Kansas City, Missouri/Kansas, not Juarez, Mexico unless you are looking to save on products illegal in the US, avoid Juarez, Mexico). Keep in mind that if crossing the state line is too far of a trek or too high traffic, you will simply lose any savings back in gas money. For anyone who naturally crosses a state line on the way to work or school, make sure you know which state has lower taxes on items like gas, alcohol and tobacco and purchase those items as necessary in the state with cheaper prices. Continue Reading »