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Laura Rowley Money & Happiness

Laura Rowley, Money & Happiness

Budget-Trimming Tips for a Down Economy

by Laura Rowley

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Posted on Wednesday, November 5, 2008, 12:00AM

There's plenty of advice out there to help slash your spending -- get rid of your car, throw out the television, grow your own vegetables, rent out the attic to a college student. But maybe you need a car to drive to work, have no time to garden, enjoy relaxing in front of the tube occasionally, and don't want to bump into an 18-year-old stranger in your bathrobe.

Here are eight ways to tweak your budget and save $500 by the year's end -- with minimum hassle, and without radically changing your lifestyle.

1. Cable TV: If you pay for premium cable services -- extra channels, HBO, etc. -- call your cable company and put your service on "vacation mode" between now and the end of the year. You'll still receive basic service, but save temporarily on the extras.

We did this recently because we were having work done in the basement/TV room. We eliminated the "preferred tier" for two months (we don't get the movie channels), saving $15.99/month. (Comcast charged $1.99 for the change, so the total savings was $30.)

2. Prescriptions: Only about one-third of prescription drug purchases are mostly or fully covered by insurance, according to a recent Consumer Reports survey, and prices can vary by as much as $100 for the same drug. Always ask your physician for a generic equivalent, which can cost up to 40 percent less, then shop around.

About a dozen states sponsor websites that help you compare prescription prices. Discount stores such as Wal-Mart and Target offer the most popular generic drugs, including antibiotics and medications for asthma, arthritis, diabetes, and high cholesterol, for as little as $4 a month.

I tested out comparison-shopping on the web and phone to save on a common antibiotic, Amoxicillin (250mg, 30 capsules), and it took about five minutes. First I searched New York State's drug comparison website for amoxicillin at local pharmacies in New Rochelle, which charged from $13.64 to $17.09. Then I called Wal-Mart in nearby White Plains, which charged just $4, and Costco, which offered the drug for $6.90 (no membership required). Savings from highest to lowest pharmacy: $13.09.

3. Cell phones: Take a look at your actual usage, and make sure your plan matches your behavior -- are you using all your minutes? Wasting money on extra services or old ringtones?

For example, I used to pay $40 for unlimited megabytes to check email on my phone. But I realized I wasn't actually checking email that way very often. I called and asked for the cost of my actual megabyte usage the previous month: $6. By paying for the bytes used (and eliminating text messaging altogether) I save $30 to $35 a month.

If you tend to go over your allotted minutes (at a cost of 40 to 45 cents a minute), register for free with a service called OverMyMinutes. It will alert you by text or email when you're at your limit.

4. Food: This one takes a little more effort, but with about an hour of planning, I typically cut my grocery bill by one-third. I start at my grocery store's online circular, creating five to seven dinner menus based on what's on sale and in season (click on the item and the site creates your shopping list for you).

Then I head over to CouponMom or MyGroceryDeals (both free, registration required). Click on your state and local grocery store, and the sites tell you specific bargains available that week so you can stock up. CouponMom also tells you whether a coupon is available and exactly where to find it (i.e., "Smart Source insert 10/5"). I just pull the coupon inserts out of my Sunday paper every week, date them, and throw them in a drawer. I only cut a coupon when CouponMom tells me where to find it; but you don't have to do this at all to save money.

In the store, I check the price of the sale/coupon item against the generic brand to make sure it's really a deal, and then use the store's loyalty card. Using this approach, I cut a recent grocery bill from $174 to $114 for a week's worth of groceries for a family of five. (I also do a monthly warehouse club run for low-cost staples like skim milk, which freezes pretty well.)

5. Drycleaning: "Wool, cashmere, silk, rayon, polyester, and spandex can all be laundered," says Lindsey Wieber, of The Laundress, a collection of specialty fabric care products. Manufacturers actually wash the fabric before they construct it into a garment, she explains, and add the "dry clean only" label to avoid liability issues. Wieber and co-founder Glen Whiting, both Cornell University graduates, work with one of their former professors (who has a doctorate in fiber science) to create new enzyme formulas that clean without damaging clothing.

Hand-wash or use a mesh bag in the washing machine (delicate cycle on cool). Lay wool and cashmere flat to dry; everything else, including cotton and linen, can be thrown in the dryer on a low-heat setting, then pressed. Hang up and air out suits immediately; use a lint-free cloth and a stain-removing product to eliminate perspiration or other stains on the inside lining, and spot clean exterior stains. Using this method, Wieber says, suits only need to be dry cleaned two to four times a season. (Savings in our household: About $30 a month.)

6. Utilities: You can get a basic programmable thermostat for as little as $23 at the hardware store, but can save as much as 25 percent on your energy bills by turning down the heat (or air conditioning) when you're away from home or asleep. For the average utility payer, that works out to about $250 a year, or $21 a month (so ideally, you roughly break even in November, and save $21 in December and thereafter).

In addition, water bills can be cut back 25 percent by replacing your old showerheads and faucets with low-flow aerating models. Look for 2.5 gallons per minute (gpm) or less; Home Depot sells showerheads at 1.6 gpm for as low as $12. (Savings in our household after the initial investment: About $10/month.)

7. Taxes: The market's steep decline this year offers many investors the opportunity to save by harvesting tax losses before Dec. 31. An investor can sell downtrodden securities held in taxable accounts to offset either capital gains elsewhere or as much as $3,000 in ordinary income. (Meanwhile, additional losses can be carried forward to future years. See this IRS publication for details.)

A study of 185,000 households by Fidelity found that only 10 percent of taxpayers took advantage of the full $3,000 deduction allowed under the tax code. Most of the households surveyed would have gained $500 in additional tax savings. Consider this example from the study: An investor buys a stock for $30,000, and sells it for $27,000, taking a $3,000 loss. If the household had $100,000 in adjustable gross income, harvesting the loss would have cut their tax bill by $450 if the position was held more than a year and $750 if it was held short-term. Click here for more year-end tax tips.

8. Money rituals: In their book "The Power of Full Engagement," authors Jim Loehr and Tony Schwartz suggest that change is a matter of adopting new rituals rather than demanding we be more disciplined. "Building rituals requires defining very precise behaviors and performing them at specific times," they write.

Save money by creating quirky rituals: Save all the $5 bills from your wallet at the end of the day. Bring your lunch to work every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday until the end of the year. Boost your 401(k) contribution by 1 percent every time you get a raise. Comparison shop for your auto or homeowner's insurance the day after your birthday each year.

Small rituals become habits -- and take a lot less time and energy than watching every penny you spend. (For more savings tips, see my blog.)

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  • Ken - Thursday, November 13, 2008, 8:12AM ET  Report Abuse

    • Overall: 4/5

    Just my thought on a NEW BAILOUT IDEA... Why can't the government help everyone else instead of the people who are in trouble? Imagine this... through government intervention, which is already in place with the $700B bailout, 1. GOV'T SPONSORED LENDING: Working through banks, force the 30 yr mortgage lending rate to 1 or 2% for everyone using taxpayer money. It may even work with 3%, but please keep reading. 2. Allow people to refi if they wish to do so. 3. ENSURE THE TERMS ARE RESONABLE AND THAT PEOPLE CAN REPAY. 20% down etc. 4. Ensure banks will not make too much on the easy money with their crazy fees, but will make enough to stay in business. 5. REGULATE THE CRAP OUT OF IT SO IDIOT BANKS DONT END UP WHERE THEY WERE AGAIN!!!!!!!!!!!! 6. Probably other things will need to be in place, but this is the main idea. BENEFITS: 1. 95% of people with good credit and good standing can refi legally without ruining the credit system. this gives money to the economy to get restarted. 2. This will bring buyers out of the woodwork to buy new houses. 3. This will keep a % of the foreclosures from happening because the borrowers could refi into more reasonable terms. 4. MORE CHANCE "THE PEOPLE" GET PAID BACK WITH THEIR TAX MONEY AT RISK. It will guarantee that money will likely get paid back to the people UNLIKE the current $700B bailout. 5. There are plenty more benefits, too many to list here. 2nd way to implement this idea: You could even do the GOV'T SPONSORED LOANS in steps by starting at 5% and see where it goes, if it is not enough drop to 4%, then to 3% and keep dropping until the refi biz can get the economy back on its feet. In this 2nd scenario, the kicker will be that borrowers will not know how low the gov't will go thus spurring refi's at every level until the economy picks up. It may never have to reach 2%.

  • robert - Thursday, November 13, 2008, 4:04AM ET  Report Abuse

    • Overall: 5/5

    the advice is free! can't get any better than that!

  • Yahoo! Finance User - Thursday, November 13, 2008, 12:08AM ET  Report Abuse

    • Overall: 2/5

    Anyone expected a good article from yahoo? lol Educate yourself financially, learn what a security is, and understand what kind of environment you're living in. Also, if you don't understand what a "credit crunch" is, then how can you possible plan your lifestyle and budget in an efficient manner? Everyone is different, but you can't go wrong with making a list of your expenses, ranking them in importance, and using some problem solving skills to figure out a way to cut out the fat or work more to pay for it. It's that simple! It will depend on your situation whether you're savings effort will be simple and easy or extreme. We all have our unique situations. Turn off the cable, better yet turn off the tv. Watch video's online, that way you decide what you wanna watch and when! (better yet don't watch anything except maybe "Daily show".) theres nothing out there worth an hour or half our of our time anyway. Read more, take more responsibilty, stay informed on current events, and slowly but surely the nation will pull through this crisis to become more prosperous and more informed and financially savvy to live better days. From what I understand, the alternative is an economic death spiral leading to world war three and mad max lifestyle for the few who survive. lol. in that case take time to learn how a boomerang works. The article sucked for me and most people who commented because the economy is so crappy, jobs are scarce and the pay is ridiculous, that includes people with advanced degrees or without. However think about what's going on in other countries... you think their's having a party over there? Cut expenses, take responsibilty, and everyone should pull through this like a champ.

  • Patrick - Wednesday, November 12, 2008, 11:24PM ET  Report Abuse

    • Overall: 2/5

    I actually hope nobody finds common sense like this insightful or informative. Does anybody really need to be told things that are purely common sense? Whoever does deserves whatever happens to them. My #1 suggestion is: become a syndicated financial columnist and give nothing but common sense advice. Dave Ramsey, Laura Rowley, and Suze Orman made a mountain of $$ doing nothing but! I give it 2 stars because at least this wasn't a story about "retiring early" by having your spouse earn all the $$. Wow that was bad.

  • Yahoo! Finance User - Wednesday, November 12, 2008, 9:27PM ET  Report Abuse

    • Overall: 1/5

    I wanted to read more about the retired housewife!

  • Yahoo! Finance User - Wednesday, November 12, 2008, 1:48PM ET  Report Abuse

    • Overall: 2/5

    Prior to the 1970's the market was controlled by the wealthy and institutions. Since then, millions of small investors have entered the market through IRA's, Mutual Funds, ect. with the belief that they could not lose. They now know the truth. The rich, and the institutions, will continue to "milk" the market for the remaining easy money by using the "dip" through the use of "puts" and "calls" . The small investor cannot do this because he/she does not have "real-time" access to the market. They will lose all of their money. Recovery from major declines in the market in the past have taken years even decades for recovery. This market is different. The small investor will be "flush" out, never to return. I feel great sorrow for all of them.

  • Yahoo! Finance User - Wednesday, November 12, 2008, 9:46AM ET  Report Abuse

    • Overall: 5/5

    About 10 days ago the well ran out on our economy. I am part of one of the largest privately owned B2B technology companies. Our business is an indication of where the economy is heading in the immediate future. Less than 30 days ago, we noticed an immediate decline in our diversified business portfolio. It's probably the worst drop in profit we've ever experienced in the history of the industry. What does this tell us? It means that companies have cut back most of their Information Technology purchases (capital investments) simply because they are no longer hiring people. They will not need additional workstations, servers, networks, and peripherals to add to a once growing workforce. It was just this month that most of these companies began announcing layoffs. This is what I call STAGE 2. Stage 1 was when the markets began to drop, indicating a possible slow down. In stage 1, most of the banks, businesses, and consumers were still in denial...while still trying to live the dream. Stage 2 is the realization that our banks are broke, consumers can no longer use their equity as cash, and business is non existent. So, Stage 3 will be in January. Oh I cannot wait. After Christmas, retailers will be closing their doors. Stores like JC Penny, Macy's, and small retailers like GAP, Express, and Pacific Sun Wear will be filing Chapter 11. Hundreds of thousands of people will be hitting the unemployment lines. Banks will finally be forced to show their books at year end and the country will be showing its true colors. Our banks will be broke, we're broke, and our businesses will be shut down. So, where's the positive spin? Uhhhhh. Ya, there really isn't one. Because we're the largest importer of goods in the world and our standard of living is too great for our own nation to create our own goods, we've put ourselves in a pickle. Here's my plan for January 1, 2009. Let the auto industry fail. The morning after it has failed, create a new auto industry with the names FORD and GM but without the expensive unions. The auto industry should be able to save itself without the burden of the unions. Would an auto worker rather be unemployed than have a decent job that supports his family. Why should our government bail out an industry that is bloated with employee fat. None of us get the same fat in our jobs. I also think that in 2009, the government should let the lenders eat the mortgages. The government should not be in the business of bailing out borrowers who took the same risk as me when I signed the bottom line. So, this story suggests that you cut back on your bills. Ultimately, when you do this, your cable company, cell phone company, food stores, dry cleaners, and utility companies will all lay off thousands and could even go out of business. A lot of economic idiots will suggest that you keep spending so that our economy doesn't get worse. But the truth is that if everyone stops spending, the economy will most certainly crash. But if you use the money wisely to pay off your revolving credit card debts, it is likely that our economy will recover quicker once it bottoms out. It will also teach Americans the fundamentals of saving rather than spending and help people in the long run. My feeling is "What do you have to lose?". Our economy as we know it just hit rock bottom. Of course we won't see the actual news headlines until late January or early February. But mark my words, we're in a depression that has yet to POP. When employers, consumers, and governments realize how crappy the situation really is after Christmas, suddenly everyone will realize that the foundation for which our financial world stands on has left us swimming in an ocean with no shores.

  • spinaltap58 - Tuesday, November 11, 2008, 9:35AM ET  Report Abuse

    • Overall: 4/5

    The markets will still colapse, doesn't matter what Obama does to stimulate it, it's too late. Worried investors and wannabe investors and institutions are quietly pulling capital out of the market and funds. This will be much worse than the crash of 1929.Many a rich man will be broke. Many a poor man will be much poorer.

  • lorraine - Tuesday, November 11, 2008, 9:13AM ET  Report Abuse

    • Overall: 4/5

    Good advice

  • Yahoo! Finance User - Monday, November 10, 2008, 9:33PM ET  Report Abuse

    • Overall: 4/5

    I always look at money saving tips and this one had some I have seen but also some that I have not, putting these things into place really do help, with a family of 5 and 1 income we need all the help we can get.

  • Sir Bob - Monday, November 10, 2008, 7:21PM ET  Report Abuse

    • Overall: 5/5

    Most people do not realize they can be far better financially. It takes key pointers like this, smart ways to save on the cost of gas for your car, energy audits of your home/business to find ways to reduce these energy costs among other ways. Those pennies here and a dollar there can result in substantial savings over a month and year. The biggest challenge is having the discipline to start these measures and even greater discipline to stick with it. Just like losing weight I find it is best to track your successes. Unlike tracking your weight, which you want to do down, tracking your savings is as easy as having table with the Y top axis showing the areas where savings can be realize such as the cable, food cost, prescriptions, gas, etc and the X axis has the listing of the weeks. So you can track by area and week where your savings are accumulating. This is even better if you can do it in a computer spread sheet where you can keep running column totals and grand totals. That can be a real boost when you are feeling a little less disciplined and cha chink of the little bit of savings soon becomes cha chunk. Tell me that would not make you break out in a big smile.

  • El Viejo - Monday, November 10, 2008, 6:44PM ET  Report Abuse

    • Overall: 1/5

    Two in a row ???? .... what happened, this chick is indeed becoming Penelope Trunk !

  • frenchie - Monday, November 10, 2008, 6:43PM ET  Report Abuse

    • Overall: 2/5

    Nothing new, just common sense.

  • Sandra B - Monday, November 10, 2008, 6:36PM ET  Report Abuse

    • Overall: 4/5

    I'm sorry, the last time i checked everyone regardless of how much they make spend money on food, cell phones, most people have cable and prescriptions. everyone could use these even if it's just one part of it like finding out about the coupon websites. if all you're going to do is complain that you don't make as much as the person who wrote this, then you have no reason to read it or write about it.

  • CJ - Monday, November 10, 2008, 6:08PM ET  Report Abuse

    • Overall: 1/5

    I'm surprised hitting the grocery store at the times when they are giving free samples to save on your food budget was included. This article was a joke and Rowley is well on her way to becoming the next Trunk.

  • MattW - Monday, November 10, 2008, 5:56PM ET  Report Abuse

    • Overall: 4/5

    I don't know why people pooh-pooh this kind of advice. Americans aren't exactly experts when it comes to handling their money (our negative savings rate and staggering levels of personal debt should tell you that), so any advice that's out there is helpful and should be appreciated.

  • Yahoo! Finance User - Monday, November 10, 2008, 5:36PM ET  Report Abuse

    • Overall: 1/5

    Dont worry all you joes out there Obama will help you out with all the money he is gonna give you. Welfare and free hand outs to everyone..

  • Stellestia - Monday, November 10, 2008, 5:35PM ET  Report Abuse

    • Overall: 3/5

    I would agree that these are not for everyone. But still good ideas. There are a lot of good user tips too. Here is another. See a financial adviser!! My husband has helped families save on health insurance, car insurance, mortgage, and life insurance. He gives full plans to outline where you are and how to get to where you need to be... and has helped us too!! They know all the tricks

  • Yahoo! Finance User - Monday, November 10, 2008, 5:19PM ET  Report Abuse

    • Overall: 1/5

    we like to take cruise vacations - instead of always booking a balcony room, we now only book inside rooms saving us over 50% on each trip!; we only reserve the smallest car at rental companies because more often than not we are upgraded at no cost to something larger please i wish i had those money problems. Where's the help for people making minimum wage? Where's the help for the average joe. Oh my goodness how can some one making 2-3 times more then me understand my money problems. Where's the help for people who are non-owners and non-management working people. The only people who found this articule helpful are those who are cutting back on luxury spending. I mean 2 cars and 2 mortgages and they are thanking for the help saving money. Next time you write a articule actualy write if for the people who need help. You need to give advice to the people who are reading the articules, or need to start writing articules for the proper places.

  • Sara - Monday, November 10, 2008, 5:10PM ET  Report Abuse

    • Overall: 2/5

    i think we all agree this article is bogus.....i mean, maybe these tips would be helpful for people who are already spending a bunch of extra money on crap they don't need, but if those people can't figure these "tips" out for themselves, they are either stupid or have so much money to waste they don't care. oh and for those people complaining this article doesn't apply to them because they can barely afford anything as it is working for minimum wage or w/e, just swallow the fact that this article wasn't for you and that maybe you need help other than a crappy yahoo featured article. im so sick of people bashing every single yahoo featured article because it doesn't apply directly to them 100% of the time. its all generalized advice, good for some people but not all. deal with it and go find your insight elsewhere. jeez.

  • StephenS - Monday, November 10, 2008, 5:05PM ET  Report Abuse

    • Overall: 1/5

    Total waste of an interweb click.

  • Big D&#39;s in your mouth is bad for your health - Monday, November 10, 2008, 5:02PM ET  Report Abuse

    • Overall: 1/5

    NUMBER 8 is to buy a book on how to save money??WTF...

  • KhoiH - Monday, November 10, 2008, 4:51PM ET  Report Abuse

    • Overall: 1/5

    Why don't you write something more for the general public who are living in the lower-class of the social ladder? If they're in the middle-class, they shouldn't worry.

  • sarahz - Monday, November 10, 2008, 4:44PM ET  Report Abuse

    • Overall: 3/5

    I think most people have thought about most of the items on this list already and cut down. how about shopping at Aldi for foods- I've been going there for years and saving tons of money on everyday items that are half the price of some generics at the grocery stores. thrift store anyone? skip the retail stores for clothes- you can find some really nice stuff (some with the tags still on!) at thrift stores. it may take a little more time to search the racks, but you will see the savings. and don't stop just at clothes, they get some nice furniture and other household items in at times- give them a little refurbishing and then it's even better cuz it fits your style. when I get flowers for someone I always pick up a really nice vase from there for like $1! back to clothes- if you are a woman I know you have a closet full of stuff you don't wear anymore. I started a clothing exchange party with family and friends last year. everyone goes through their closets and brings all the stuff they don't wear anymore. throw it all in piles according to size and dive in! instead of going out and buying new stuff we just trade our old stuff we don't wear anymore and the leftovers all get donated to a womans shelter! we have a fun afternoon of going through piles of clothes- it's pretty much FREE SHOPPING! clothes, shoes, jewelry, purses- we bring it all along with an appetizer to munch on! skip renting movies- borrow from friends and family instead! me and my sisters have been exchanging for years- we have a sign out sheet that we write who has what so we don't forget- then cross it off when you get it back. everyone will be shopping for Christmas presents this year- make a list and set a budget and don't go over it! skip the impulse buys and check around for sales- don't buy it if it's not on sale! I love to stock up right after Christmas for the next year- thats when all the stuff is on clearence and you can get stuff super cheap! just keep it al in a box till next year. I do this all year long though anticipating holiday gifts and birthday gifts for people- I search clearence sections in all stores whenever I am there. If I see something that would be a good gift for a certain person and it's on clearence I buy it and just save it till whenever. I have a box of items ready to go at a moments notice if I need a gift for a birthday, shower or whatever! don't drive unnessicarily- walk to the store if it's close (gets you off your butt too!) make all errands on one trip. carpool with co-workers or friends to events out. skip going out to the bar every weekend- have a gathering of friends at someones house! everyone brings their own drinks and an appetizer and you have a really fun night with friends for half the price you would spend at some bar.

  • Nay - Monday, November 10, 2008, 4:44PM ET  Report Abuse

    • Overall: 1/5

    Wow, this would be useful if my cable and utilities weren't included in my budget...if I actually paid any money for checking email on my phone...spent more than $3 a month on my prescription or did any dry cleaning whatsoever.. So yeah, why don't you just advise I cut out the bi-monthly manicures and pedicures I don't have as well...hard to save money but cutting out things that have already been cut out. Try giving real options for people who are really in a bind.

  • Yahoo! Finance User - Monday, November 10, 2008, 4:25PM ET  Report Abuse

    • Overall: 1/5

    This article stated the obvious. If you are experiencing a budget crisis, it is common sense to cut back all that's not a necessity. This article helped no one.

  • Buckin - Monday, November 10, 2008, 4:06PM ET  Report Abuse

    • Overall: 3/5

    Are some of you people serious? You can't afford cable or pay car payments but you consider yourselves middle class?? Unless you make over 50,000.00 for a less then 3 person household you are not middle class. Furthermore, just because someone does make enough to afford cable and nicer items, does not mean they should not cut money to save in case someone is laid off or they have lost money in the stock market etc. Just because you have more then someone else does not mean you can't hurt for money. This ME ME ME, I want an article written specifically for ME and MY problems is ludicrous. Maybe next time the author will write one FOR YOU but just because YOU happen to be poor doesn't mean someone who makes more then you shouldn't save as well or be reminded to save. Get OVER yourself.

  • gabe - Monday, November 10, 2008, 3:42PM ET  Report Abuse

    • Overall: 1/5

    Why not just cut cable entirely? If you absolutely must watch whatever show, just watch it on the internet. I promise you, it is entirely possible to find any show that you have to watch on the internet, many channels (cbs, nbc, etc) put their shows on the internet for you! Same goes for movies.

  • Bunny the Yeti - Monday, November 10, 2008, 3:40PM ET  Report Abuse

    • Overall: 1/5

    This is for someone with unlimited time. Chase coupons by source? Give me a break. I'm retired and I still don't have time for all this nonsense.

  • Zane - Monday, November 10, 2008, 3:38PM ET  Report Abuse

    • Overall: 1/5

    With her dry clean only clothes, dentist whitened teeth, salon cut hair, and premium cable tv she's clearly making a lot more money than me. I wish I could afford cable and store brand food, but in my $6.55/hr world it simply isn't possible. I'm certainly glad people can get $4 meds from Wal-Mart, but what about us who can't even afford to go to the doctor when we're sick. I'm not the only one skirting the edge of the poverty line. Are there any "experts" out there who know what its like to full time for minimum wage, go to school full time, take care of family, ect. all at once?

Showing comments 6-35 of 688<< PreviousNext >>
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