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list and ask yourself what you can reasonable cut from it. The unnecessary extras in utilities such as call waiting, call identifier, directory assistance, extra cable channels, etc. are costing you money you could be saving. Even if the cost for one of these is only $3.00 that is money that will add up to savings when you total all of them.

Now look at the miscellaneous list and see what you can delete. You can pare down entertainment and still have fun. Invite friends over, pop popcorn, make hot wings and kick back for some TV or a rented movie. Try hiking or biking for outdoor sports instead of golfing or boating. Get your friends together for a ball game.

Paid services are often things we can do ourselves, such as mowing the grass, washing our cars and windows and cleaning our own gutters, instead of paying someone else to do it.

If you belong to a sports club or gym but only use your membership occasionally, consider dropping it and running in a park or design your own personal workout at home without the expensive equipment and membership fees.

Another area where most of us splurge is food. Eating out is fun but can be expensive. Learn to cook and invite friends in for a potluck dinner. This means they bring a dish too, and we all know several can eat cheaper than one. Don't buy foods that are already prepared. They cost more than natural unprepared foods do.

As you can see from these things, you can live well and have fun without ruining your budget. We just need a new attitude about what we really need to be happy, healthy, well adjusted and financially secure.

Learn more about this author, Pamela Kay.
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