The ABC's of frugal living

A Ask about lowering your interest rates on credit cards, it never hurts to ask right
B Brown bag it. Taking your lunch to work instead of eating out can save more than $700 per year
C Clearance sales can be your best friend for holiday gifts as well as shopping early.
D Don’t put yourself in a position where you have to pay late fees. Manage your finances and pay bills on time.
Evaluate the purchase beforehand. Do you really need it? Is it a necessity? Can you get it cheaper somewhere else? Can you buy it secondhand for a fraction of that cost?
F Freecycle! Not a member? Become one! There are Freecycle groups in almost every community. You can get rid of unwanted items and get some items...for free! http://www.freecycle.org/
G Grocery list! Shopping without one will cause you to overspend. Make a list and stick to it.
H Have a budget. This sounds so simple but many people dont know where their money goes. You have to know your expenses before you can cut them.
I Invest in things that will assist you in being frugal...if you grow your own vegetables, you'll need items to store and preserve them...if you can sew your own clothes you may want a quality sewing maching...if you can turn trash into treasure you'll need the proper tools to do that etc.
J Jump into being thrifty! Saving money is fun!
K Kick old spending habits to the curb, if you want to start living a frugal lifestyle, you’ll need to learn new ideas on ways to spend and ways to save.
L Look into selling unwanted things on ebay or craigslist...it will declutter and put money in your pocket
M Maintenance is very important. A properly maintained car will be less costly in the long run. Perform regular maintenance on your heat/air unit to help it run at its best.
N Never buy something just because its on sale, Sure everyone loves a great buy, but if you can't utilize it then you are wasting money.
O Open a savings account and make regular deposits.
P Penny, nickel and dime yourself! Collect change in a jar and see how the savings add up. However, when you cash the money in, take it to the bank and not a coin machine. Those coin machines charge a fee for converting your coins.
Q Quit beating yourself up for past overspending. Sometimes these are the most valuable lessons. Take what you know now and learn from there, adjust your spending habits but dont beat yourself up for whats already been done.
R Recycle! Its not only good for the environment, its good for your pocketbook!
S Stop living above your means. Sometimes drastic cutbacks are needed. You really don’t have to have a new car when a used car will get you where you are going.
T Taxable deductions. When you donate to Salvation Army or Good Will, get a charitable deduction slip. It might be a small amount but that is a less amount that you might have to pay come tax time.
U Use things till the wear out and then find a NEW use for them. A dish sponge can have many lives. When it gets too old to use on the dishes, use it on the floor, when it gets too old to use on the floor, use it on the toilet. Find ways to repurpose things instead of of throwing them away
V Visit free attractions. Not everything has an admission fee. Try your local art museums, or city park.
W Winter proof your home.
eXamine (X is a hard one give me a break) monthly bills each month. The utility company DOES make mistakes like everyone else....be sure you are not overcharged
Y Yearn for that buzz you get when you find a great buy. Develop the craving for saving. Its really quite empowering.
Z Zap the high electric bills by replacing standard lightbulbs with energy efficient ones.