If you really want to save money, try cutting back. Cutting back on certain things can save hundreds or possibly even thousands of dollars a year. Here are some ways to cut back and keep more of your money:

1) Cancel your satellite or cable- *Gasp* I know some people are simply addicted to their favorite TV shows and might not even cancel all those channels if their life depended on it. However, if you decide there are better things to spend money on than hundreds of TV channels, you can save a lot of money by turning it off. Try watching less TV and rent movies free from the library. You can also watch movies and TV shows for free on various websites. If you spend $50 a month for all those channels, that would be a savings of $600 a year.

2) Get a less expensive phone plan. If you have a monthly phone plan that costs a lot, get a cheaper plan. If you talk a lot on the phone, most companies offer free nights and weekends so you can plan to do more of your talking on nights and weekends. If you get a plan that costs $20 less a month, that’s a savings of $240 a year.

3) Cut back on eating out. If you eat out a lot, cut back to one time a week. Eating at restaurants is nice because you don’t have to cook or do dishes, but it can add up. Unless you are eating off the dollar menu everytime and that can’t be healthy.

4) Don’t pay retail for clothes. Look at thrift stores for clothes. You can find some good clothes at good prices if you find the right store. Also check yard sales or ebay. Shop at the big stores when they have big sales. Pay attention to your junk mail to see when the stores in the mall are having clearance sales.

5) Pack your lunch to work instead of eating out. If you work and regularly eat out for lunch, packing your lunch can save you a lot of money.

6) Find free or cheap entertainment. If you spend a lot of money on entertainment like going to the movies, look for alternative entertainment. Invite friends over on Friday nights for snacks, games, and chatting. Go on a picnic, ride bikes, hike, play family games or take up a sport or hobby.

With food prices having gone up faster than anyone can remember, more and more families are looking for low cost meals.

A common meal for poor families in the country was pinto beans and cornbread. Before food stamps, many poor rural people grew up on pinto beans and corn bread because it was cheap and filling.

Cutting back on meats and eating more pastas and beans will save on your grocery bill. Ramen noodles are cheap, but it doesn’t take long to get sick of them.

Noodles, spaghetti, macaroni and cheese are low cost meals or sides. With creativity, you can still eat good and cut back on your grocery bill.

Ipods, Xboxes, Mp3 players, video games, think of all the stuff we have we don’t need. We live in such a materialistic culture that teens think cell phones are Ipods are necessities just like food and clothing and air.

With the price of food soaring faster than it has ever soared before, the highest ever gas prices, along with the recession, some people will have to learn to cut back on the stuff they don’t really need. And some people will have to learn the difference in what they really do need and really don’t need. You need food. You don’t need an Ipod.

Think of all the money an average family would have if they didn’t it on certain “luxuries”. Some families would be rich if they could get back all that they’ve spent on video games. It seems every year a newer, better, must have model of some video game system comes out. How many different Nintendos are there? The latest model was the Nintendo Wii. The original Nintendo came out in the 1980’s. And I don’t even know how many different versions have come in between, but it’s a lot.

When trying to save money and cut back on your budget, look at how much you are spending on stuff you really don’t need.

Only buy those wanted, but certainly not needed things on special occasions such as birthdays and Christmas and set a reasonable limit to what you will spend on these non necessities.

Rather than playing video games or listening to your Ipod, try spending time with what’s really important in your life, the people you love. You can’t buy them at a store. Go on a walk, have a good conversation and enjoy each others company. And it’s free.