[Suzy]

With us only being married 16 months, my husband graduating from law school, the two yorkies, the new house, and two new(er) cars, we definitely had to get on a budget. And...this is coming from me, a total shop a holic!

Here's my laundry list of tips:
-Eat less meat. It's expensive, it doesn't go that far in recipes, and it isn't that good for you anyway.
-Ditto for drinking and desserts.
-If you've just gotta have your wine like I do, make it a game-buy the cheap ones or bottles that are on sale, and rate them with your husband. You might find some bad ones along the way, but also some new, cheap favorites! And, it's the journey that's fun.
-Shop for meat at WalMart-it's really the cheapest.
-You don't REALLY need new clothes. (and neither does your yorkie!) Try and make the clothes you have work for another season. Mend them yourself if necessary, and take items to the tailor that need to be taken in, hemmed, etc. It's worth a few bucks to make something older fit well again.
-If you MUST buy a few clothing items, buy only the necessities-a few classic pieces to mix and match, and wear them!!!
-Buy accessories on clearance sales to make old pieces fresher for a fraction of the price of new outfits.
-Have shoes and purses repaired rather than buying new. You know you loved the old ones anyway!
-Nix your health club membership and trade it for one of those 24 hour gyms that just have equipment and no classes. They're half the price.
-Get a digital programmable thermostat and set it and forget it. Why heat/cool your house when you're not there or sleeping?
-Don't redecorate your house. If you're just itching to update, purchase sale toss pillows or make your own to add a splash of color in a new way. Don't redo the bathroom, buy a couple sets of inexpensive towels in a new color or pattern.
-Don't charge anything on your credit cards if you can avoid it. If you don't have the money, don't buy it.
-For the inevitable purchases, if you have to charge something, make sure you have a low interest card that has cashback bonuses-like Discover does.
-Drop your "extras" on cable, internet, phone service, cell phones, the newspaper, etc. You can save a lot. Also, call and see if they're running specials! I'm saving $20 a month for the next year on cable just because I called to see!
-Don't eat out for lunch while you're at work during the week. Pack your lunch from home, or get those inexpensive microwave meals.
-Don't drive anywhere unnecessairily-if you're running errands, run a bunch in the same area, or save the trip until you're going to be out and about anyway.
-Get a library card! I just did this 2 weeks ago-you can borrow books, movies, magazines, and music for FREE!!!
-When you entertain friends, stay IN. It's summer, so why not grill on the deck and have a few margaritas? It'll save you tons, especially on food and drinks-and you get to stay home with your yorkies.
-Entertain potluck style-everyone brings a dish, and everyone saves $. We do this a lot, and it works great!
-If you have a hobby, invest a little in it now for hours and hours of entertainment later. For example, I'm on a budget, but I LOVE to paint, and I promised a friend of mine a few paintings for her new home. I didn't have an easel-I always painted on the floor before-but I really wanted one. I found one on sale, so I bought it. I plan to spend a good amount of my weekends in the yard painting, so it was worth it in the long run. My husband got a new computer game. $40 now will save you hundreds on entertainment.
-Look for FREE entertainment-fireworks, community concerts, walks in the park, art museums, window shopping, movies in the park, picnics for two, etc. We do lots of this-and why not be outdoors since it's summer?
-Another idea for entertainment-bust out the old board games you haven't played in forever. We have a ton in our closet, and they've made for a few hilarious nights in.

That's my list...sorry it's so long, but I'm with you-on that darn B word! Gotta make it work!!! Good luck!