The Frugalist

Now more than ever before, people are trying to find ways to lower their debt, cut spending and save more. If there's one thing we've learned from the recession, it's to live within your means. It sounds simple really---spend less than your net income. Of course, that's a lot easier said than done. Luckily, I was able to learn about saving money prior to the recession. (I'm Chinese, so it was probably already in my blood) A friend of mine taught me about budgeting, which has been very helpful. It definitely takes some time, but surely makes a difference. It makes you aware of the the things you're spending money on--what is needed, which are pleasure, and what things can be cut down to reach certain financial goals whether it be being debt free or saving money.


I'm glad to say that with budgeting and cautious spending, I'm in a financially good state. I'm not rich to be splurging, but nor am I not in debt or struggling like many other people are right now, especially those without jobs.


I've learned there are only two ways to save money: 1) increase income 2) decrease spending. I was able to increase income a tad bit with a new job, but when I didn't have a new job, I turned to decreasing spending.


Ways I save money:
-Use store brand cosmetics instead of spending on expensive brands. Many drug-store brands are made from the same manufacturer as name brands with the similar ingredients, but targeted to different audiences.
-Bringing home lunch to work. Food can be a big drain of money and bringing home lunch certainly helps.
-Shop on sale from everyday items to clothes, accessories, etc. I like to use sites like Amazon and eBay to buy things like books, computer accessories, etc. If you're shopping online, remember to Google to check if there are and promo codes for the site you're shopping at.
-Getting my multi-media for "free". Yeah, it's bad, I know. However, if I had to pay for all the movies I watch, music and programs I had, that would be a shit load of money.
-Having a regular cell phone. Yep. I have a regular phone with 500 mins and 400 texts. No fancy texting or smart phone with expensive data plans.


"A dollar saved is two dollars earned"