127Comments
Jan 11, 2013 1:20AM
This is HILLARIOUS!! Cut your expenses!! Reduce food bill. I'm already eating crackers and drinking water. What else can I do? Cur the car payment. I don't have one. I'm driving the same rattle trap I've had for years. How can I cut that? Free entertainment? All mine is free. I sit and watch the birds stinky off the power line onto my old truck. No popcorn, No coke. How much more free can my entertainment become? Reduce the gym costs. I don't have that. Had to give it up and try to work more. How can I reduce gym costs now? Clothes!!! I get mine from the second hand store. What else can I do? This article shoud have been addressed to CONGRESS.
Jan 12, 2013 2:19PM
Jan 12, 2013 11:58AM
This is ridiculous - People who are seriously trying to save money: 1)They don't drink lattes - we're lucky of we can afford to buy the cheapest coffee available 2) they don't go out to restaurants to eat - our treat is if we can afford to order a cheap pizza or chinese once every 6-8 months (and that is considered a "serious" luxury) which we give a great deal of thought to - do we buy food for month or order pizza? 3) Cut vehicle costs? Our vehicle is 17 years old; 4) Cut back on entertainment - what entertainment? I feel decadent because we have a TV; 5) Gym costs? Get real!; 6) Clothes? We're lucky if our clothes from 10 years ago still fit! I agree with "Being Honest" - this should be addressed to Congress or yuppies who are "suffering". Not for real people who are desperately trying to survive!
I don't know where you people get your ideas for "cutting costs" but it certainly isn't from people who are out of work, out of money and out of hope!
Jan 11, 2013 5:16AM
Jan 11, 2013 3:03PM
Stupid Article, I have been doing these things for the last several years. Anyone with common sense knows to bring your lunch to work instead of buying lunch out. I have no internet at home and have the cheapest satellite package that one can possibly can get. As far as the car goes it will be paid for in a few months.. Entertainment/gyms forget it. There a 60 acre park within 5 miles of my house that is full of nature and greenway trails not only can you exercise there but have a picnic and they have summer concerts that are free. For bad weather a I have a treadmill that a friend gave me that she no longer wanted.
Jan 11, 2013 4:17PM
Jan 12, 2013 11:52AM
LOL - Look at the picture in the "Cut Car Expenses" section of this article. The guy is hunched over in an Aston Martin trunk. I am pretty sure that if you can afford that car along with the cost of insurance & maintenance, you shouldn't have to worry too much about reducing your monthly expenses. And you probably could afford to pay someone to vacuum it at a car wash.
Jan 12, 2013 12:48PM
I'm with the rest of you this article as stupid as the rest of them. We've cut all the expenses and than some more creative ones in order to save $10 a month and still we haven't managed to save a dime. Here are some of the other ones msn money has said: Check around to see if your car insurance rate is the lowest you can find. Heating your house for free by gathering wood (course it does cost a tank of gas to do this) and it only works if you have the ability heat with it. Bike to work instead of driving, not only will you not need the gym membership you'll save gas money. Plant a garden. Oh yes pay your bills online. Barter for services, yeah the hospital doesn't go for it and neither do its affiliated doctors. Get real those of us with real issues have already done all of the above plus sold off our homes and our bodily fluids.
Jan 12, 2013 5:21PM
We are learning to cook without much meat. If I buy pork chops then I will make a meal for the family with one pork chop and the rest will be frozen for other meals. We are eating much more rice which I buy in bulk at Sam's Club and substitute beans or eggs in meals for protein as much as possible. Cheese when it is on sale can also be a substitute. Bulk macaroni, spaghetti, rice, and beans help me save quite a bit. Also a can of cheap chunk light tuna can flavor noodles for a large meal. I shop at discount grocery stores and only shop at Food Lion or Kroger's when there are really good sales. Although if you walk into those stores looking for their markdown produce and ready to expire meats you can save as well. The one think I have learned to do is to waste as little as possible. I will make three or four meals out of a chicken that is on sale. I may roast it and serve with stuffing homemade with bread ends and stale bread or corn bread, meal no. 2 would be chicken and rice casserole, meal no. 3 would be chicken stir fry and meal no. 4 would be chicken soup made from the the bones and skins saved from the previous meals. Sometimes the soup will have very little meat so I will add a bouillon cube and make it into egg drop soup. Americans need to learn that eating less meat per day will save their pocketbooks and hearts. If you have leftovers and you don't think you will eat them in the next 3 days then freeze them. Make stir fry's, fried rice or soups with all of your leftover veggies, meats and starches. Don't throw away your peels from your vegetables. Scrub your veggies first and then peel them. Take your peels and boil them to make veg. broths to add to casseroles and soups. That is the way our ancestors did it. They rarely had food in the garbage. Serve your family correct portions that is healthy and that you know they will finish and you won't have to scrape plates into the trash or garbage disposal. Make more soups and casseroles. They are comfort foods and are delicious and healthy. Learn to bake your own breads both yeast and quick breads. If you buy your flour in bulk then it makes your simple breads cost only about 65 cents a loaf instead of dollars. You can add many interesting flavorings to breads to make it seam like artisan breads. Quick breads can be used for breakfast or snacks or deserts. Fruit that is getting past its prime is great in banana bread or applesauce cinnamon bread. Leftover oranges are great as well in breads. Don't forget the zests or peels of the fruit you buy to add to cakes and breads and pancakes. Try serving old fashioned cornbread as a great stomach filler when cooking something with meat. It really helps stretch the meat. Like serving with a small ham to stretch it to make many meals like sliced for one meal then made into casseroles or mac and cheese and ham or ham and cabbage stir fry or ham and bean soup. Look up online what to do with small amounts of various meats. Eat much less beef and lots more beans and legumes and rice. Pasta with marinara sauce in a satisfying meal with no meat, homemade pizza crusts with leftover marinara sauce and bits and pieces of leftover vegetables or meats such as chicken and ham are great meat stretchers. Buy more seasonings from inexpensive stores such as Big Lots, Dollar General, or Dollar Trees and use to heighten the flavors of your foods to make them more satisfying. Be Creative in your Food Dollars to SAVE Big! Check out the blog Grams Survival Kitchen on the net for other ideas to stretch your food dollars, the cost of foods are rising so educate yourself on being frugal in this large expense of your budget.
Jan 12, 2013 4:03PM
Jan 11, 2013 1:25PM
I found that the best way to save cash is by not having it in your bill fold to begin with. The video reconmends to have carry a $50. I think it's bad advice. When I go to the ball game with a $50 in my pocket, I'm tempted to buy the $9 beer. When I don't have the ca**** too muchof a pain in the a$$ to the machine to withdrawl money, so I don't worry about. At the end of the night, I found I enjoyed the game just as much without the beer and I didn't miss any action by running out for a bathroom break.
Saving money on your cell phone plan is easy. I recently walked into my cell phone provider with another providers special offer and asked why I should stay when the other is offering this sweet of a deal? You can do the same thing with the Cable Company. I now have every cable channel under the sun just with a phone call.
I have found that they money the consignment shop gives me for preworn clothes isn't worth the effort once I accounted for driving there. Here is what I did. I had a yard sale and put up a sign saying, "Everything must go, no offer refused". I had no gas expense...didn't have to wait in line at the consignment shop, and I didn't have to full with bagging the clothes to transport. I'm not sure, but I think I may have faired better in the pricing as well.
Jan 12, 2013 12:27PM
Jan 12, 2013 4:53PM
I realize that the people writing these things are trying to help. I also realize the people reading them are trying to save money WE do not have. When it takes every penny you have to keep a roof over your head and the electricity on to keep warm so you can get up and go to work everyday, these extras are already gone. Short of getting a second or third job there aren't too many options. We have to just keep doing what we can, that's what we need help with "the strength to keep doing the right thing"!!!
These are the times that show what we are made of.
Jan 12, 2013 2:28PM
Jan 12, 2013 3:22PM
I'm renting out rooms because I'm jobless. I've been doing all the suggested things for years. My old car is paid for. I eat well at home and never go out to restaurants. At the supermarket, I only buy exactly what I need, but my biggest food expense is food for some homeless cats. My gym at home consists of a pedaler and jump rope. I don't rent movies anymore because I still have cable - my one and only indulgence in this life. One tip I just got is to cut the dryer sheets in half.
Jan 12, 2013 3:13PM
Jan 12, 2013 2:09PM
If you really wanted to save some $ you missed your chance, it was called the ELECTION last NOV. You could 've looked at the overall economy and voted for politicians who know how to pass a budget, create job friendly a private sector environment so 47 million people don't have to go on food stamps. Instead you voted for politicians who just raised your payroll taxes 2%, the medical device tax, the death tax, the marriage penalty tax, that 3.8 % real estate sales tax, the capital gains tax, so much for not raising taxes on the middle class.
Jan 12, 2013 3:33PM
Jan 12, 2013 6:24PM
Jan 18, 2013 12:05PM
Benjamin Feldman what planet are you living on? It is bad enough that these companies are still charging you the same price or more, for less product. Most of the time I buy store brand products my grocery bill rises every week I pretty much buy the same things so I know the prices go up weekly. Everything is rising our taxes for one thing, gas is another, but our paychecks are not, we work so much don't have time for a gym. don't have any car payments, bring leftovers for lunch, cut back on cable, have to keep thermostat down to save on oil, keep lights off, unplug what we don't use, and it is still hard to put money away. Yes, we eat out once a month and have a coupon when we do. Need to get out and enjoy something.
Jan 12, 2013 3:50PM
Jan 12, 2013 5:23PM
Money saveing tips huh? Well what can you do when you have a 2000. bill for a crown? Or hey better yet a maintenance car expense thats way out of control. Give us tips other than coupons what 10.00 off the maintenance fee WOW! thats going to save alot better yet hey Dentist don't have a discount for you, it's pay up or loose your dentures, crowns, etc. Yeah tell us where there could be a real saveings to these 2 factors! We already live saveing by cutting back on alot of stuff thats common. Alot of us have done the lunch bag, crackers n water thing oh cut back on electricity, clothes yeah buy what we need only yeah! So tell us something we don't know!!
Jan 18, 2013 5:00AM
I just wanted to see what obvious cost cutting schemes the brain trust at msn has come up with.
What I don't get is why people who really need money help are sitting here on msn finance thinking they might actually find some magic formula to fix their money woes. And those same people, who upon reading the article lash out, don't have something better to do than sit in their Eeyore pajamas on the couch crying about their situation while complaining that this is bad advice.
Jan 18, 2013 1:22PM
My own short article on how to cut costs...
Purchase old trailer and park it in friend or family members driveway (or)
Buy used tent with camping accoutrements and live under bridge near shelter.
Take advantage of local homeless meal prepared each day by volunteers and church staff
When sick, use local emergency room
Collect bottles and cans along road and turn in to recycle center for cash !
Select fine used garments from shelter donation bins
Purchase old trailer and park it in friend or family members driveway (or)
Buy used tent with camping accoutrements and live under bridge near shelter.
Take advantage of local homeless meal prepared each day by volunteers and church staff
When sick, use local emergency room
Collect bottles and cans along road and turn in to recycle center for cash !
Select fine used garments from shelter donation bins
Jan 12, 2013 3:32PM
Jan 12, 2013 5:12PM
ok if you want to save some money try a place like cash and carry it is a restaurant store that sells lunch meat for about 2 and up depending on the meat you slice it and bag it your self its cheaper then the meat at the deli in the store you should be able to find one in your town it sells the stuff that restaurants need its in big quantity like Costco but with out the fee to get in there and if you like costco split the fee with someone you can have 2 people on the Costco car that will save you some money invest in a seal a meal I know it cost money but its worth in the end I save a lot of money. Hire a friend to do your yard work its cheaper then hiring a gardener to do if you cant do your work yourself got a site for you to check out if you want to save money on stuff its Goodwill.com it has some cool stuff there to hope this helps and yes Obama sucks
Jan 12, 2013 3:15PM
Jan 12, 2013 5:45PM
I agree with most of you guys about this article. Especially BeingHonest. Should have given the "common folk" something more we can do to cut costs, if that's even possible. No Benjamin Fedlman (guy who wrote this), but I think you should have spent more time on this one. I think some of these young advertising guys and gals need to put out articles and they need to do it fast....gotta' impress the boss, impress mom and dad that they got an article out, keep their jobs, etc., without really putting much thought into how much impact it's really making on people. I know how it works...I used to work in advertising....
Jan 18, 2013 3:21PM
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