Damn That Card!

The absolute best advice for how to save money is to pay yourself first. Put away at least 10% of each paycheck as soon as you get it, and I guarantee you won't miss it and will love to see your savings going up and up. Bump it up to 15-20% if you can,

Don't take taxis, don't go out for lunch, make your coffee at home, don't use ATMS that charge you fees; all of these tiny expenses are the ones that really add up.

And, don't use credit cards to spend money you don't have. They are great tools for building credit and earning rewards if you use them the right way. Live within your means, pay it off every month, and you won't throw your money in the trash paying interest.

Meghan is very likable in this episode.

Nice tips! I like the singing too. Can you do an American Idol related episode? he he 

When I got to the ATM, I only take out about  or  for the week, and use my debit and credit card otherwise.

I try to avoid CVS and Duane Reade unless I absolutely need something because I always end up buying tons of stuff on sale in there!

I keep the high NY rent in mind at almost all times and that keeps me from spending tons of money on clothes and shoes.

I buy .99 DVD's at random outlets in NYC (one is on 41st b/w 5th & 6th and another on 6th Ave in the 20's). These are nice cheap forms of entertainment!

In regards to what Meghan said about putting a picture of your goal on your card, I've found it useful to put my updated school loan debt, physically, on my card in a fine tip marker after I start a new semester. 
This way, when I go to buy a hundred dollar handbag, and I see that GROWING five figure number, I think twice. And cry. 

So, while some stores may think I'm not just broke but emotionally unstable, at least I've saved myself from debtors hell later. 

Also, a good tip on credit card debt is to try your hardest not to get a credit card in the first place unless it's a debit/credit linked to actual money. I have one actual credit card which I use purely for gas and then go home and pay off, so that I can build my credit and try to lower my interest rates on loans. I refuse to spend money with a credit card when I don't have to funds to cover it.

I love you girls and I generally think you're episodes are on point. But, um, wow - you guys seem so out of touch here! "If something's over 0 I sleep on it." Um, what? You realize that most people don't have that kind of discretionary spending . . . more like, I don't spend TWENTY DOLLARS on things that aren't strictly necessary without a lot of prior consideration.  

Who exactly is your audience? As a 20-something woman living in NYC, I really thought I was in your target, but this episode couldn't be possibly more off base to me. Part of it may be that you guys just don't seem relateable here.  It doesn't help that Julia just posted on her blog about how she broke the bank at some sample sale.  You can't purport to give people advice about saving money while simultaneously flaunting your extravagant lifestyle (despite a lack of identifiable income).  Er, well, um, you CAN, I guess, it's just a really big turn off for your viewers.

I'm not sure why, but I don't like spending money. I think I get buyer's remorse every time. I'll buy something and then a couple days later, I'll see something better and kick myself for buying the first thing because now I don't have any money. Or sometimes I'll splurge for something I do like and then a month later, I'll need some money and wish I hadn't done that. It just seems better not to spend at all. That's where my wife comes in. I know that if I really need something, she'll buy it for me. Or if she doesn't and I want it for a few months, I'll just buy it myself because if the urge to buy doesn't go away, then I don't think I'll regret buying it.

When I was in the Philippines, I saw a lot of people surviving on very little. I think since then, I have tried to not take for granted the things that I have. I also realize that I don't need a lot to be happy in life. Once you see children entertaining themselves with a bug and a bit of string, then you start to rethink how much you really need to buy another DVD just because you heard it was good.

I guess I don't really have good advice on curbing your spending during this weakened economy, but I'm sure appreciative that I am this way. Maybe my advice should be to always have someone that will buy things for you (and in turn, you for them) so that it is more than just you deciding how important that item really is.

Shop at thrift stores! You can get awesome clothes for like under 5 dollars.