24 Ways to Make the Ends Meet

1. Do you get a huge (or moderately largeish) tax return every year? Reduce your withholdings.
2. Reduce your life insurance.
3. Reduce your retirement savings.
4. Get your bills current and stop paying late fees!
5. Stop using your credit card. If you can't afford something, you can't afford it plus 20% interest. Duh.
6. Get rid of or reduce cable.
7. Refinance your mortgage. Only if you can get a good deal. NO ADJUSTABLE RATES!
8. Cell phone or land line. Not both.
9. Switch to dial up. Or use the library's Internet.
10. Quit smoking!
11. Stop eating out.
12. Save money on gas - ride your bike, walk it, consolidate trips.
13. Shop around for lower insurance rates.
14. Sell your stuff - rummage sale, consignment stores, ebay.
15. Spend less on gifts. Make stuff. Do stuff.
16. Use the library. It's free, yo.
17. Stop buying new clothes. Consignment stores rock, if you haven't heard, and will often let you earn credit by selling your stuff so you can get new stuff free.
18. Stop drinking soda.
19. Do it yourself. If you can't pay your bills, you can't afford to pay someone to mow your lawn or clean your house or bake your bread. Ouch.
20. Stay home more - get out those board games, read a book, talk to each other!
21. Sell your car. Or one of your cars. Or that motorcycle. Or the boat. Or the camper. Or all of it!
22. Move. Get a smaller, cheaper home that YOU CAN AFFORD!
23. Make a commitment to living within your means so that you can get back on track and afford to do things like save for retirement.
24. Stop making excuses.