Cutting Back On Spending

While getting out of debt, it's important to keep the spending in check.  For me, it was a matter of survival, given what I was making at my job at the school versus how much I was paying in monthly bills.

What did I cut?

I got rid of the smart phone and the Verizon plan and got a flip phone through TracFone.  I could no longer afford to keep a phone with data and a service plan.  I still use it today.

I got rid of cable tv.  I still use Cox Cable for my internet, but I could no longer afford the cable tv, and besides, I wasn't home much to watch it anyways.  I had previously spent money for a digital antennae and converter box when they first came out (you could get coupons from the FCC to get a discount on it at that point in time), so I use that instead.  I still use it today.

I no longer went out to eat.  As it was, I could no longer afford the nicer priced tv dinners, I bought the raw ingredients and cooked, at a lot of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches (including my lunches at work) or I ate at Mom's.  I can now afford the tv dinners and will only go out occasionally, perhaps once or twice a month.

I cut out any unnecessary trips with my vehicle.  Thankfully, I had bought a car with great gas mileage, so I was able to go two weeks on one tank of gas.  I can now go out when I want, however I have so much to get done at home right now, I don't go out that often and will still combine trips to fill the gas tank with getting groceries and other items.  I seldom make a trip anymore that is just for one reason.

No shopping for clothes, electronics, movies, music, books.  If it didn't get me to and from work, feed me or pay down a bill, I didn't buy it.  I still limit myself on buying these items, however I did purchase a few things in December with the sales going on.