Readers Respond: The One Thing I Could Cut From My Budget

Responses: 37

From Jeremy Vohwinkle, former About.com Guide

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I have cut back to the very basic home phone service with no long distance because there are three cell phones in the household. I only keep the home phone for emergency reasons such as for dialing 911. I am cutting satellite TV down to a basic plan as well. I would cut it completely out of the budget, but I don't have high speed internet service. We have cut out buying books by using paperbackswap.com. We exchange used books with other members. Eating out is a luxury that we seldom partake in and usually we have a coupon.
—Guest Sherri

I have a tendency of looking for faults in either my car or my computer which I use for internet. I spend about $200 on upgrading and replacing the features in both my car and my PC, which is totally unecessary.
—Guest MalcomR

As I review my financial situation I realize how god awful my wife and I have been with our spending habits. Without a doubt the biggest waste is in food. We don't plan well enough and thus end up with a restaurant/fast-food expense that is 3 or 4 times what it should be. Creating a menu, setting grocery shopping trips with specific grocery lists is my top priority. I am ashamed at how much money we have wasted through the years. I only hope I can get my wife to buy in to the lifestyle change. She is addicted to non-home cooked meals.
—Guest Dave G.

We recently cut out cable TV from our budget and we're extremely glad we did. This cut eliminated over 50$ from our expenses. We did retain cable Internet which is how we watch TV now, the largest benefit is the fact that we do not spend as much time watching TV in general. No channel surfing, less wasted time.
—Guest Justin Haugens

Alcohol is the easiest thing to quit buying completely. It isn't necessary in any way. My husband doesn't drink at all, though he might if we were at a social gathering, and to me it is a luxury.
—Guest Yana

I have a book problem. Whoever said print is dying forgot to tell me. I spend at least $100 a month on books. I am trying to get my coworkers to share and lend their favorite reads. But I guess I could also go to the library. They usually have good choices, even if they are six-months behind.
—Guest Linda

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