CUTTING EXPENSES WITHOUT SACRIFICING QUALITY

Cutting your expenses without sacrificing quality is not as difficult as it sounds if you adapt subtle principles.
The first approach, as outlined by both the National Consumer League and the Consumer Affairs Commission, is to draft a list of daily and monthly expenses. Once this is completed scrutinise ways in which your expenditure can be slashed without deteriorating your standard of living.

Here are some recommendations:

Transportation: Resist the urge to drive everywhere you want to go and either carpool for daily travels to work or use public transportation for short, routine trips. Plan your day and map out the shortest, most efficient route to accomplish them. In reducing the use of your personal vehicle, you save on gas, insurance and maintenance cost.

Utilities: Cut the light bill by ironing one to two times per week instead of everyday. Turn off lights, water heaters, and appliances when not in use. Microwave food in bulk rather than individual servings.
Cut the water bills by turning off taps when not in use. Check regularly for leaks, especially the toilet tank. Use stored water to water the garden and wash the car. Do your laundry less frequently per week and wash in large loads instead of multiple small ones. Take two showers instead of soaks in a full tub of water.
Cut phone expenses by using the cellular phone to make cellular calls. Use prepaid cards to make calls; that way, when the credit finishes, the call ends. Spend less time on long distance calls. Encourage your friends and family to share the cost with you. For example, you hang up and they call you back for the second half of the call.

Groceries and Food: Buy in bulk and seek the least expensive brands of foods. Prioritise basic necessities and leave niceties, snacks and treats such as ice cream and chocolates for weekends or month end. Use food efficiently. Make the most of leftovers. Store food properly to avoid infestation and spoilage. Increase the frequency of buying perishables if bulk buying leads to spoilage.

Accommodation: Cut your housing expenses by considering renting one of your rooms. If you are single or a college student, take a roommate. The amount you earn from the rental will offset the increase in your utility expense.

Drop expensive habits: Quit or cut in half your smoking, drinking, social and shopping sprees. Such habits are very expensive and cut deeply into ones income. You will also save on medical insurance and health care if you quit the smoking and drinking habits.

Entertainment: Reduce your entertainment cost by eating in than out. Some cinemas have a two for one special on specific days of the week; take advantage of these. Rent movies and pop your own popcorn. You will save on travel expense and foods during intermission just by sitting in your own living room.
Instead of going clubbing, invite some friends together and have small get together. You will be surprised that the compiled admission cost alone for some nightclubs from all your friends gathered is enough to purchase food and booze for the party. Routine weekend clubbing and other activities could also be changed to fortnightly.

Credit Cards: If you have them, consider getting rid of them and switch to using your debit card instead. Build an emergency fund to handle unexpected expenses. If you must use your credit card, reduce interest payments by paying all of your balance on time. Do not use it frivolously, but only for emergencies. Use it to pay bills and save your salary in an interest bearing account. This way, when you pay your credit card bill, you can save the interest earned from your salary.