Relating to ways to save money, generally by either spending less, or changing what is being spent on.
Questions tagged [cost-cutting]
53 questions
42
votes
7 answers
How to help a financially self destructive person?
My ex-wife is a mess, financially speaking. After the divorce, her house that she won in the divorce was foreclosed on, filed for bankruptcy, owes money to pretty much everyone that tried to help her out, etc... Does not have a job, hasn't had one,…
NeedAdvice
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40
votes
9 answers
What are the downsides that prevent more people from working in high-income countries, and then retiring in low-income (and cost of living) ones?
Having experienced living in several different countries, the reality of different salary ranges and different costs of living has struck me.
You can work at a high salary country and make huge amounts of money compared to what you would make in a…
Zaenille
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23
votes
17 answers
I spend too much money. How can I get on the path to a frugal lifestyle?
How do I live a frugal lifestyle? I'd like to live on less but it doesn't seem easy. How can I get started? I want to get out of debt and not have to work until I'm dead.
jzm6
22
votes
5 answers
How can I tell if buying a cheaper car will end up costing me more?
Cars can be very expensive, so it seems like a good place to save money. However, I worry that getting a car that is too cheap, especially if buying used, may end up costing me more in maintenance, gas, etc.
What should I be looking out for in order…
Larry Wang
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20
votes
2 answers
Is selling your house without an agent worth the hassle?
There have been numerous "for sale by owner" signs appearing recently. This seems like a convenient way to reduce the commission charged by Real Estate agents but I have heard that this is still a "closed" market unless one already has a buyer…
Zephyr
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19
votes
16 answers
What are some tips to help avoid impulse-buying?
My husband and I are both impulse buyers - not a good pair now that our combined income has been reduced! How do you stop yourself from making an impulse purchase? I need some help to improve our spending habits.
Nat_Rea
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16
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13 answers
What are some good ways to control costs for groceries?
I find groceries to be one area where I have a hard time controlling costs. We want to eat well, buy healthy foods, good cuts of meat, etc. and limit eating out. I find it hard to know what is a reasonable amount to budget...or end up going over…
Little Miss Mocha
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6 answers
How can I reduce the cost of having a cell phone?
In terms of cell phone plans the U.S. is the worst followed by Spain and then Canada. Besides the obvious get rid of the phone option what other strategies can be employed to keep the costs down?
Zephyr
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13
votes
4 answers
Where can I find an example of a really basic family budget?
It's about time that I took my family's finances seriously and built a budget. I'd rather not start from scratch, and am thinking, "surely, I can benefit from someone else's work?" - can someone please point me in the right direction? Need an…
Nat_Rea
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10
votes
9 answers
How can I avoid going deep into debt during the holiday season?
The holiday season is just around the corner. The shopping malls are especially eager – Christmas trees, lights, and decorations have been up for weeks, all to get us in the mood to spend, spend, spend. :-)
With this special time of year comes a…
Chris W. Rea
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10
votes
6 answers
Are solar cell panels and wind mills worth the money?
Besides being more environmentally friendly is it worth the investment in solar cell panels and wind mills for home use? Is it possible to be "off the grid" completely?
Zephyr
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9
votes
2 answers
How do you make sure your child's birthday party doesn't break the bank?
I've been to childrens' birthday parties that clearly cost in excess of $500 when the price of the venue, activity, food, cake and loot bags are factored in. I don't want to spend a lot in order to ensure my child feels like a million bucks on her…
Nat_Rea
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8
votes
3 answers
What are some ways your family has saved money via resource-sharing or hand-me-downs?
For instance in our family, baby items - from the big (cribs, changetables) to the small (clothing, bottles, toys) - are constantly passed around from brother to sister to cousin and back again. It would be hard to quantify those types of savings,…
Nat_Rea
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8
votes
7 answers
How can I save money on a gym / fitness membership? New Year's Resolution is to get in shape - but on the cheap!
Do gyms ever negotiate or haggle on price? Do they always insist on a term commitment? Are there any tips and tricks on ways to avoid paying through the nose?
Nat_Rea
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8
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4 answers
Is permanent facial hair removal economically worthwhile?
Here's an interesting economics question that's a bit broader in scope than a lot of questions on here.
I like to go clean-shaven. But razor blades keep getting more and more expensive, and that's not likely to change since they're literally the…
Mason Wheeler
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