that's it!
i'm giving up my $43.40/month starbucks habit. i'm no longer purchasing monthly $76 unlimited metrocards (when i usually walk everywhere anyways). no more netflix. no more dropping off laundry. instead, i'm going to save $200-$300 a month for the next six months for a possible move.
if i decide not to move? it'll just go to my-spend-my-30th-birthday-in-paris fund.
i can't believe i've lived in new york for this long and have never drawn up a proper budget!
any strategies you've employed to scrimp and save? all are appreciated.
(oh, and i found out that at our clinic down the hall, free leftover food is available at 3:30 pm every day -- just picked up a provolone sandwich and an orange for dinner and a banana and light yogurt for tomorrow's breakfast!)
9 comments:
I let go of eating out expensively on a regular basis.
I only get my hair cut four times a year and only wash it once per week. Plus, I recycle dental floss. How's that for economy?
I'm trying to save up for a down payment on a condo, so I'm all about the scrimping.
I deeply heart my ING Orange savings account - and it's nifty automatic deposit option. 200 bucks from every paycheck goes right on in there and starts earning that 4.25% (or whatever it is now), and I (usually) don't even miss it. And not to sound too much like a commercial, but there are no fees or minimums or limits or anything. It's fab.
It is also wise to give yourself a weekly spending limit, and then only use cash. Definitely helps with the "oh, it's only 5 bucks" type of spending, which adds up quickly.
Miss you!
:)
al, good suggestion! i'll look into it. better to have the money earn some interest, if even for six months or so.
kb, i'm not so thrifty that i'm going to recycle floss, but thanks for the tip. (i've also looked at alan corey's old site and he has some good ideas -- he's a man who knows about savin'.)
kb is right; i think eating/drinking out takes up 2/3rds of my expendible income.
i am also an ING enthusiast. you are correct, it is in fact at 4.25% (whereas most conventional savings accounts are at 0.5%).
another way to save a little dough is to never go shopping until you have NOTHING left in the kitchen. you know that can of soup you've had in the cupboard for a year? that instant oatmeal? don't allow yourself to go grocery shopping until you've eaten it all; it'll last longer than you think.
re: ing, i think i've been convinced. i'm going to set something up later tonight. also just found out that my mom is a fan and am now passing along the tip to my colleagues.
totally agree with you, mcg, about the food in the pantry. i have some whole wheat pasta and sushi rice in that thing that i bought back in december of '04. insane.
Okay, I haven't heard about ING, but I'm convinced. Where do I start this account? Seriously.
mb
i just sent referral emails to both you cats. if you sign up on a referral, you get an extra $25 and i get a quick $10.
all are good ideas, but i must say that some of these so-called "lavish" habits -- i.e. the 'bucks -- comprise of simple pleasures that contribute to a positive lifestyle. in saying that, i mean that even though it does add up, the pleasure in partaking in such a habit that's so enjoyed is just as good for your mental health as is reaching that financial goal 1/2 year earlier. another thought is to reduce those 'bucks trips to, say, three times a week versus five. hell, even two. in other words: feel free to enjoy it, because you can.
the agent?
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