That’s Entertainment

Book Club by Mail
To save money on books (and have fun), five friends and I started a book-exchange club. Since we are spread out across several states, each month we exchange three books by mail, using the post office’s Media Mail service. (I shipped a three-pound box to New York for about $2.25, and it got there in less than a week.) This way, each of us gets three new books ― along with little reviews from the previous readers ― every month.
Shae Quiette
Jacksonville, Florida

I canceled my cable-TV service. It took a while to get used to it, but now I don’t miss it at all. I have more time to read, paint, and cook, and I’m shocked to think of how much time I spent sitting in front of the TV.
Alia Breyer
Altamonte Springs, Florida

Smart Shopping

Instead of running out to the store to purchase items, I check several retailer websites first to find the lowest price. Also, sites such as Shopping.com, Overstock.com, and Smart Bargains.com sometimes offer merchandise much more cheaply than the stores do.
Roxanne Benton
Rochester Hills, Michigan

To help me rein in my spending, I set a long-term goal. When I’m tempted to make an impulse purchase, I remind myself that I want to fly to Ireland for a family reunion in 2006, then spend a month traveling in Great Britain. It’s easy to walk away from a decoration or a piece of jewelry when I picture myself strolling the Yorkshire Dales with my son.
Robin Killoran
West Bend, Wisconsin

I started using coupons and watching store sales, and I now save upwards of $50 on most shopping trips. I go directly to my ATM with my receipt, which usually says how much I saved, and transfer that amount from checking to savings. It has become a game to see how much I can save on each trip.
Evelina Snell
Stevenson Ranch, California

To decrease impulse buys, I have a 24-hour rule for any purchase over $50: I force myself to wait a full 24 hours before deciding on, say, that great $75 blouse. Most often I find I can live without it.
Dana Kanoa
San Diego, California

Throughout the year, I buy gifts when they’re on sale (school supplies, for example, are reduced after school starts). I keep a container in my basement filled with presents for all ages, so when a special event comes up, I have a handy selection of things purchased at great prices.
Amy M. Stephenson
Okemos, Michigan

Since I was laid off last year and had to take a job at half my regular wage, my family and I have made a lot of cutbacks. One find has been Amy Dacyczyn’s The Tightwad Gazette books, with hundreds of ideas for saving money―whether you’re mildly interested, you’re a hard-core scrimper, or you just need help making it through a “rainy year,” like the one I’ve just had.
Paula O'Kray
Stevens Point, Wisconsin

Making Allowances

While following a strict budget to save for a down payment on a house, I give myself a $75 allowance each week. That’s my frivolous cash, for a latte, a manicure, whatever. Not only have I stopped making impulse buys with my debit card but I also feel as if I’m rewarding myself each time I make a purchase with my allowance, and I never have to feel guilty as long as I stick to the cash in my wallet.
Caroline Riordan
Brooklyn, New York

My husband was the only-child spoiled boy, used to name-brand clothes and salon haircuts. I was a last child, always fighting to get one new sweater every year. Compromise? Weekly allowances―the same for each of us. If he wanted a designer shirt, he could buy it if he saved up. After a year, when I had hundreds of dollars saved and he had nothing left, he realized how silly it was to buy only for status. Ten years later, we still get allowances.
Kirsten Miley
Cincinnati, Ohio