Simplifying leads to saving

Simplifying is a huge part of saving. It seems a bit counter intuitive but when you simplify, you save money and stress, and in turn, you to live a richer life.

Think about this. Twenty or thirty years ago, a household budget was pretty simple and didn't include a $50 Internet bill; a $100 plus cell phone bill; a $100 satellite or cable bill; gas prices more than $1.50 a gallon; Netflix subscriptions; memberships to warehouse retailers or $5 a cup morning coffee.  Do we really need these things? As children of the Eighties, weren't we okay without them? I’m not advocating doing away with all technology created after 1986 but perhaps prioritizing and self-reflection might not be a bad thing.

In the last five years, my husband and I have shed quite a few household budget line items.

First of all, we got rid of our credit cards. We had been drowning in department store , Visa, MasterCard, and Discover card bills every month. We now simply use cash, debit or pre-paid credit cards. It’s a lot easier to know what we've spent and what we have.  It has limited us from impulsively purchasing frappacinos, mall food court delicacies and the like. It’s also a HUGE savings to avoid late fees, high interest percentages and annual membership fees.

Secondly, we cut the cord on our land-line and depend on our pre-paid cell phones. These are $65 a month each but include unlimited calling, texting and Internet. This move saved us at least $75 a month and the headache of receiving telemarketing calls at dinner time.

We also switched from cable to satellite. We've been very happy with this change as well since our satellite provider has only raised prices by about $10 in the last three years.

One change that has been difficult at times is becoming a one car family. We didn't do this voluntarily. My husband’s car simply became too much of a lemon to run and we couldn't afford to take on another car loan. Luckily, my job is on the way to my husband’s job and we can work out when each of us needs the car. It has saved us thousands each year on car insurance, gas, maintenance and license fees.

We’ve taken on a frugal lifestyle, only going to restaurants or making a purchase if there’s a coupon or if it on sale.  This allows us to try out new restaurants or products. These changes have allowed us to enjoy holidays and vacations without the prospect of bills afterwards. This  lead to less stress, fewer arguments over finances and a better outlook overall.