I'm frugal by nature, inherited from my folks/grandparents. Got off track for a couple of years, though. Nothing crazy, no debt accumulation or anything, just spendy. Here's what I've done to get back on track.
I'm contributing to the 403b for the first time ever this year, and maxing it out. I'm paying less federal and state tax to the tune of... savings: $456/mo
Moved from an apartment with a dining room in a trendy neighborhood to an apartment sans dining room in a "family" neighborhood. BUT, this one has a dishwasher! Savings: $250/mo
Sold my used 2005 Prius. Savings: $100/mo I've lived most of my adult life without a car. This was a 2-year experiment to see if owning one would increase convenience. It didn't! I hated driving, taking care of it, and paying for it. So, good riddance!
Pursued credit card rewards and bank account sign-up bonuses. These are one-time things, but they average to... additional income: $71/mo
Got a raise! Additional income: $67/mo
Kissed AT&T goodbye. got a fancy free phone from my brother-in-law, who works for Nokia, and switched to Airvoice. I'm on the $30 unlimited plan, but I'm thinking about going lower next month. For now... savings: $33/mo
Volunteered for an extra duty at work. Additional income: $30/mo
Reduced my renter's insurance coverage, increased the deductible. Savings: $5/mo
Monthly total: $1,012! Yearly total: $12,144. SO badass!
P.S. I'm also cooking, and shopping at Costco, but since I'm still in my first month of experimenting, there's a lot of waste--inedible waste--as I learn. No savings from this yet, but I'm hoping for ~$100/mo.
