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One of the most frequently asked questions I get is for tips on how to save more money.  Tips on saving money is easy to dole out but sometimes a lot harder to follow.

 1st Tip To Save Money

 The first tip I would give is knowing where your money is going. Initially write down all of your recurring monthly expenses.  For example your cell phone bill, your cable bill, electric bill etc…

 Then carry a small notepad with you and write down everything you spend money on.  Yes even the $1.25 you spent for a bottle of Pepsi.

 This will give you a fair idea of where your money is going.  My personal money “leaks” are usually buying soda/water and eating out. That is the first place I attacked when I tried cutting back my budget.

 This is really an easy way to save money.  Do I really need Subway or McDonalds a couple times a week? Heck no!

 Saving Money On Groceries – How To Save Money On Your Next Grocery Bill

 Another place to examine closely is saving money on groceries.

 We tend to spend way too much on groceries and waste a lot of the food we do buy.  How about those can goods, the other day I was visiting my father and I found a jar of relish in his pantry that was dated 1993!  Now that is antique relish.

 A trick I do when grocery shopping is get a smaller shopping cart, I find I spend less money than if I grab a large cart. 

Another grocery shopping saving trick I do is do my shopping and before I check out I look at my cart to see what I really need.  I then dig for two items I can do without, these items were usually impulse buys!

 These are just some of the many ways to save money on food.  In future blog posts I will highlight a few more ways.

 Saving Money Cooking

 There are two main ways to save money cooking.

 1)      Cook at home more frequently -  This is an easy one, stop eating out, you will be more healthy and save a ton of money.

 2)      Cook smaller portions- How many times do you cook enough food to feed the whole New York Giants football team or like you had to live off of it for a week.

 Cut back to smaller portions and you will save a ton of money.  Most of us hate leftovers and end up throwing them away anyways.

Saving Money On Cable

Last but not least cut back on the channels. No lie the other day I went over my friends house and he had 200 some channels.  I immediately asked him how many he watches on a regular basis and he said 10.  Too funny!

Cut back to one of the most basic packages that include most of the channels you watch on a frequent basis.  The rest is just filler and clutter.

 Also feel out the cable company, call then up and said you are really happy with their service but are thinking of canceling.  Let them know company so and so has a similar package for $x cheaper.

 The cable business is turning into a commodity with many choices, you have Directv, Dish Network, your local cable provider and even some phone providers are getting into the game now.  Make sure your company knows you go with whomever provides the best value.

In conclusion these frugal budgeting tips will help you better manage money, stay within your household budget and become debt free quicker.