Pecuniary Prescriptions for the Precociously Poor

I love a good alliteration — sue me.

With energy costs rising and a stubbornly sluggish economy, I braced myself for the dent a move to a new city was going to cost me. But what I thought my spending would be was no where near what it actually was. Between rent, gas, insurance, groceries, taxes and utility bills my paycheck left little to be desired.

So I did what any good bargain-huntress would do — streamlined.

Here are some of my tried and true tips to manage your income while not skimping out on the good stuff.

1. Cut back where you can. Does that box of Cheerio’s really taste better than Kroger’s generic version? Not so much. Opt for the store brands whenever you can. Just that little difference can make a huge impact on your wallet. But no need to get all crazy — I refuse to buy anything besides Lipton’s iced tea and real Oreos, there’s just no substitute.

2. Quality over quantity. This may be the mantra favored by the ever fabulous style gurus Stacy and Clinton, but some of us can’t seem to really live it. I have a friend who refuses to pay a little extra for a classic J. Crew cable-knit and instead drops $50 total on thin, itchy bargain-priced sweaters each season. There is absolutely no excuse for this kind of behavior. Spend a little more now and you will reap the benefits my friend. Plus, with outlet shopping, discount stores like TJ Maxx and, my favorite, Ebay, there are too many options for you not to be able to live luxuriously while saving some Benjamins.

3. Two words: happy hour. Don’t go out at night just to buy over-priced, watered down drinks in that ritzy new bar downtown when you could buy two or three equally delicious beverages a little earlier in the day for the price of one. Plan your social romps around places with the best specials or opt for a night in with homemade margaritas and a game of poker. Either way you’ll save some cash. And besides, who doesn’t love a little taste of the Jimmy Buffet lifestyle after work? Just remember to be adult about it – always drink responsibly.

4. Secure what you save. Okay so this one I’m still having trouble with, but with my new required company savings plan I’m hoping I can learn the value of stashing extra cash for the future. Even if it’s just $20 a month, deposit what you can into a high interest savings account and don’t touch it. Starting a little nest egg now will pay off big in the long run.

-Marilyn