Nowadays, earning money is not that easy and a lot of people are thinking or looking for ways to save money. Some try to stretch their money and some look for

ways to increase their income.
As for me I tried practicing the frugal way of living. First you have to know the difference of what is needed and what is wanted. Some of us focus on
spending money on what they want without thinking if they can still afford of getting what they need.

Here are some tips to save your hard earned money:

Buy quality things. Instead of buying those things that are of quantity and less cost, get the one with high quality that will surely last for a longer time.

Sell used stuffs, make a garage sale, and sell things that are still useful for others that you do not need. You can make profit and save up money at the same time.

For your cable subscriptions if you can lower your monthly fee by choosing and paying only for the channels that you want much better. It is important that you evaluate every bill that you pay a make sure if you really need it.

Take advantage of public parks and amenities. Instead of watching movies, you can take your family out for a picnic in your park. By this way you can have a family bonding without a cost.

Cook your own food. Stop the habit of dinning out. We all know that cooking at home is a lot cheaper than eating out. You can serve more nutritious food to your family and you can also make cooking fun by letting your kids help you with some small stuff.

Frugal living is one of the best ways to save money.
Some think that practicing this way of life is depriving you of something. For me it’s the best way of living life to the fullest without worrying of about debts.

Re-living your life to the fullest

Majority were shocked because of the sudden turmoil that the global economy had faced. Stock markets went down, businesses closed and a lot of people were laid off from their once promising jobs and to make matters worse prices of basic commodities were shooting up uncontrollably resulting to

debts, bad credits and even bankruptcy. Experts say that this will continue for the next 2 years or so, many of us are looking for financial freedom in any way possible.

Here are some points that can help you grab your financial freedom.

Tighten up your belt
First thing that we need to do is to adapt to this Global crisis and we should minimize our expenses as possible. If you are used to luxuries better think twice and cut the habit of over spending.

Be Versatile
Part of adapting is learning. Given all the recession and laying-off in different companies we can’t get enough security and stability in our work. The best thing to do is to explore different avenues and fields to improve our capabilities and scope of work. Let us not be confined in our borders and live curious.

Utilize your resources
Many of us loses our creativity as we have come on age which is really not a good thing, we should re-live our childhood days when we can virtually make anything possible from scraps that we have. Take that kind of creativity together with what you have to earn and save more money.

Invest WISELY
Ultimately you need a business or other sources of income to cope up with your pending expenses especially if you have a family, but will all the economic crisis is it still possible to open a new business? Of course it is, since the demand is still present and it’s growing parallel to our population. Be one step ahead of the game with these points.

Know your interest
Many businesses were unsuccessful because they lack passion and devotion to it. If you want a food business then go for it and just make the necessary changes as you progress and adapt during the set up.

Study the market
At first it is better to do your business locally because you know the trending and market. Before finalizing your plan conduct surveys and analysis on what the market would need and what would they patronage and not and Why?

Strategic Location
Location is one of the most important keys in a successful business. You have to be noticeable and reachable ( If you are planning to start a business that involves personal contact) If possible try to get the history of the building and what were the previous establishments and what were the problems they faced so you can plan ahead.

Marketing
Another key element is how you market your product or services from your company name to your plastic bags it should create an impact to the consumer and later create your brand.

Credit Cards No No’s

We all wanted to have credit card especially if you love shopping, dining out or you’re a gadget techie. But did you know that credit card is one of the main reasons why a lot of people are in

debt? There may be many people who suggest that you get a credit card. So in case you are wondering if credit card is necessary in your life.

Credit card can be a useful tool, when used properly and with discipline. There are times that you always wanted to use credit card and get hold of the cash you have on hand.

Let me give you some reasons why you should not use your credit card?

1. Loan Payments – never use your card to pay out your loan. Debt should not be transferred to another debt, this will just cost you more in a way that you already have interest with your loan then you’ll transfer it to your card charging you also for interest. The very simple solution here is Do Not BorrowMoney that you can’t afford to pay.

2. Impulse items – if you are shopping, never use your card to avoid impulsive buying of things you don’t actually need. Use your cash on hand and buy only what you are supposed to buy.

3. Cash Advance – do not do cash advance on your credit card. This comes with sky-high interest rates and service fees, making them a far too expensive way to get cash.

4. Don’t lend your card - never let anyone borrow your card, otherwise you are putting your financial future on that person’s hand.

5. Taxes – don’t use your card paying taxes, no one enjoys paying it so why pay even more than necessary in extra interest and fees.

6. Don’t’ pay minimum amount – always pay the full amount of your bill to avoid additional interest. And pay on time to avoid late finance charges.

7. Living expenses - if you are on a grocery buying all your basic needs and suddenly your cash is short, never use your card. This only means that you are spending more than what you are earning. This will also put you to another financial problem. Make adjustments on your budget.

8. Don’t make purchase just to earn points – making purchase to earn those freebies and points is very irresponsible.

With so many credit card facilities some are so eager to have their own credit card not realizing that they are just putting themselves in a hole of problem. Now, that you know all the disadvantages of using your credit card, it’s time for you to get out of debt. You can live without a credit card.

This New Year can be a good start for a more frugal lifestyle. This will allow you to spend less than you earn, and use the difference to pay off debt,

save or invest.
It is important to know how much money you have in the bank and how much is your monthly expenses, so you can begin to make your decision on how to spend your money wisely
Let’s try to give it a shot living a frugal lifestyle.

Buy used things – if you need something try to look for a used stuff in some garage sale, this could give you a lot of savings.

Eat out less – stop eating or dining out, you can always prepare something nutritious in your kitchen.

Buy used books or borrow from the library – you can buy used books from the campus if your kids needed it, there’s nothing wrong in using old books. Or if you can borrow some at the library much better.

Don’t use credit card – it will always put you in debt if not used with discipline.

Stop impulse buying – most of us buy things that are not really important, they just wanted it, Stop that habit.

Go with one Car – if not necessary use only one car to save up in gas. Or do not use the car if you can just walk down the streets to buy something.

Get a Small House – go with a small house if you have small family, this will help in saving up in household expenses. Live in as small a house as you can and still be comfortable.

Bring your own lunch – if you can brown bag your lunch at the office do it, instead of eating out.

Use coupons - most magazines offer some discount coupons which you may use in the grocery, but remember to buy only what you need.

Quit or lessen your vices -   try quitting your evil habit of smoking, drinking or gambling. This will make a big savings.

Cancel subscriptions – cancel some magazine subscriptions, you don’t need it anyway, you can always use the internet to search on anything you need.

Get rid of debts - start paying all your debts and avoid making another mistake.

Reduce convenient store foods - stop eating microwaveable foods and packed junk foods, this cost you more than preparing your own snack.
 
Frugal lifestyle could save you from a ton of debt later down the road. With the current state of the economy, it is more important to plan for your financial future. Learning how to get the best deal on everything that you buy is important.