If living beyond our means is what gets us into financial trouble — and the country into a recession — why is it so difficult to live below our means, save money and avoid grief? Here are some Web sites to help make it easier.
10 ways
dumblittleman.com/2007/10/10-smartest-ways-to-live-beneath-your.html
The writer here says he retired at age 51. It’s not clear if buying store brands and brown-bagging lunch played a huge role in making that possible, but those tricks are listed here among the 10 “smartest ways to live beneath your means.” The bigger picture is to avoid being taken in by advertising — and to save. The advice is part of Jay White’s blog about making life easier, called Dumb Little Man.
Foolish means
boards.fool.com/Messages.asp?id=1040018000000000
Users of the living-below-your-means bulletin board suggest ways to “LBYM” with economical hairstyles, thermostat-adjustment theories and offers of free french fries from fast-food stores. One contributor boasts of finding 50-cent pants. This is part of the Motley Fool investment advice site.
Beans and beaters
bankrate.com/brm/news/pf/20010202b.asp
“We’re not suggesting living on beans or driving a car that should be in the junkyard,” says this bankrate.com article. But, come to think of it, wouldn’t those steps help?
Simple living
simpleliving.net/main/
The Simple Living Network is full of ways to “do more with less.” Its aim is not so much to help you build wealth by saving money as to encourage what the site describes as “conscious, simple, healthy and restorative living.” To that end, it provides links to online study groups on environmental issues, relationships and “frugality and tightwadding.”
Spend less
betterbudgeting.com/columns/livingabetterlife.htm
Some basic budgeting tips, “budget buster” warnings and suggestions for how to respond when you are accused of being a cheapskate are among the articles listed on this page on Michelle Jones’ betterbudgeting.com.
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