5 Easy Ways to Cut Expenses

quote from Cashcowcouple.com

If you didn't get a chance to read last week's post, check it out here. 
This week we show you that it really is possible to cut expenses without cutting out the fun.
Here are 5 easy ways to cut expenses. 

1. Pack a Lunch

According to and after much research, thesimpledollar blog says the "average cost of brown bagging it (eating lunch without going out) was $2.45...the average cost of eating out was $8.80." Multiply each by 5 days a week, subtract one from the other & that's $31.75 saved per week OR $127 per month OR $1555 per year (49 wks). Now that's a chunk of change! 

2. Clip Coupons & Shop Double Days

Okay, so now that you are sold on brown bagging it, let me sell you on couponing. The most common complaint: I don't have time. But check out these recent statistics (and my own personal testimony to this fact): According to the Promotion Marketing Association's Coupon Council, the average family can save up to $1,000 per year. To get those savings, most families need only spend 20 minutes finding and clipping their coupons, making coupon clipping a worthwhile measure - especially when the cost of groceries is rising. 20 minutes is all it takes to save up to $1000 per year. Another simple trick: shop on double and triple coupon days. For my grocery store, its Wednesday and they double coupons up to $1 and sometimes $2. For more tips and tricks check out my favorite coupon site: Southern Savers

3. Make your own Coffee

This one speaks for itself: A 6-ounce cup of coffee made at home, at about 17 cents a cup per day, adds up to $1.19 a week and $62.05 a year. A 16-ounce grande coffee from Starbucks, at $2.29 per day, adds up to $16.03 per week, and a hefty $835.85 per year -- the price of a mini vacation. (from daily finance)

4. Say goodbye to cable TV

But I can't live without college football? Yes you can. Here are some other options: go to a friends house, watch the game at a bar/restaurant for $5 - the cost of a beer, OR watch it at home (yes, some games are on basic cable for only the cost of an antenna, around $35) . As far as "shows," Hulu, Netflix, and Chromecast have you covered for a nominal fee of around $8 per month or a one time fee of $35 for Chromecast. Apple TV is another popular option for around $100. You CAN live without cable TV. And now, the savings part: The average pay TV bill (excluding internet and phone service) was $86 in 2011 and is expected to reach $123 by 2015, based on estimates by the NPD Group. Cut cable TV & save $86/month or $1032/year.

5. Drink Tap Water.

Its healthier, its green, its cheaper. How much cheaper? According to a recent poll, it is 300 times cheaper to drink tap water than bottled water. Although 75% of Americans are chronically dehydrated (no thanks to diet soda), if we did get our recommended  8- 8oz glasses per day we would be spending $0.002 cents on Tap Water VS. $0.61 cents per day on Bottled Water. Think that doesn't add up? It does. That is $222.65 per year on bottled water per year VERSUS a whopping $0.73 cents per year on tap water. One of the easiest ways Ty and I have found to be the bottled-water blues: invest in a nice large water bottle and take it everywhere you go. Not only will you not have to pay for bottled water, you will stay hydrated. 

Choose one, choose them all, either way you are taking a step toward financial independence.

Oh, and for you math gurus out there, that's $4644.77* you could save per year.  

*based on numbers and statistics provided. 

Our Journey to Financial Freedom

This week I read a really inspiring blog about debt-free living by an equally inspiring couple. Ty and I find that they mirror a lot of the same ideas we have about financial freedom and wanted to share it with you! We especially love this excerpt from a recent blog entry...

The most sure path to financial freedom involves cutting expenses, not increasing income. In fact, it’s the only path. Income really doesn’t matter when you consistently blow it all like the average American consumer. When you are saving more than 50% of your income, as we do, you start to realize how quickly you can exit the rat race, or find a new career that you enjoy. - See more at: http://cashcowcouple.com/cash-cow-guides/financial-freedom/#sthash.8EuuvNC7.dpuf

Although Ty does work a 9 to 5 job and we don't save 50% of our income, our method to attaining financial freedom is the same: managing our expenses. During engagement, Ty and I really evaluated our finances by asking "what is enough?" The truth is we already have more than we need, and if we already have all that we need there is no higher income, no bigger house, or nicer car to aspire to. So we did a life analysis and started asking questions like: Do we really need an German sports car, or can we get by with an older car? We chose the older car. Do we really need to go out to dinner more than once a week? Probably not. Do we need a maid, cable, or brand new furniture? We opted for doing the cleaning ourselves, Netflix, and shopping on craigslist. Although these come at somewhat of a sacrifice, I don't get to drive my chic Audi anymore and Ty misses some of his beloved Alabama football games, they also come with great reward. By keeping our expenses low, we are able to give freely, eat healthy, maintain physically healthy bodies, and spend time ENJOYING what we have rather than chasing after what we don't. Hate to break it to the Joneses, but we've found a better way!