Changes you've made.

[Russ]

Of the changes you've made to save money or quit wasting money because of that "light-bulb moment"....

What was the easiest? Ours was to pay off the CC EVERY MONTH. Though at times, because of the amount, it IS painful.

What was the most difficult? Ours was to not use the CC

[MomToTwoBoys]

The easiest? For now, cutting out fast food.

The hardest? Trying not to let our cravings get the best of us.

[Ramona]

No eating out, takeout only once a month and then it's Chinese food which I can't cook.

No browsing the stores.

Sticking to sale items, couponing and one small splurge a month.

[erinalexmom]

Easiest: giving up cable (easy for me, terrible hard for dh LOL)
Hardest: accepting help by putting my son on WIC (it was a pride thing,so hard to get over, I still dont like it) and when my parents and inlaws have helped us (although we never asked and they just pitched in it still makes me feel like a kid )

[missyali]

Easiest ~ realizing what a drain the CCs were.
Hardest ~ holidays/birthdays

[piney]

Guit putting things on cc card and paying more a month,A year or so back i would stick cc in at gas pump instead of walking up window and pay with cash then the cash always got through my fingers before bill came.
cutting down on amount of washing detergent,cutting out so many paper products,try cut out so many trips to store.The hardest was not going Sa.& Gw flea markets and yard sales.

[OOwl]

Hardest: saying "no, I can't go; it's not in the budget" when friends want to get together and all go somewhere together, out.

Easiest: giving up extended vacations away from home. I'm such a homebody and hated being away from my animals so much anyway, so it gives me a good excuse to stay home where I wanted to be in the first place.

[sunshine]

Easiest : packing lunches for school, work

Hardest: not taking as many vacation to visit family

[cab54]

hardest---really being honest with myself about what is a need and what is a want.

easiest---simplifying. It feels soooo good.

[Rhayne]

Easiest - clipping coupons and only eatting out when we have coupons.
Hardest - Not letting wants outweigh needs.

[Pemberleyan]

I've never had the habit of not paying off credit cards monthly, so that isn't an issue. I'd say just in general, as others have said, not giving in to wants and separating wants from needs. I find what has become more difficult for me is watching DH purchase things I consider unnecessary, but since has is so generous with me, I can't complain.

[krbshappy71]

Of the changes you've made to save money or quit wasting money because of that "light-bulb moment"....

I'm still waiting for that light bulb moment.

but for now, easiest has been focusing on ONE item to reduce spending on, reduce the cost of, and shifting my thoughts to taking care of my house instead of shopping.

hardest: everything. I want everything. I want the false security of thousands of dollars of credit since I don't have the money built up. I want the fake image, I want my CRV back. I want my fake life back.

[nodmicks]

The easiest was learning to be a black belt frugal shopper

The hardest is not going out to eat much! I hate cooking all the time

[Shelli_wnj]

easiest was giving up cable. the only ones who watched it were the kids, and they didn't need to be watching 24 hours of nick jr, anyway!

hardest will be giving up cell phones - they get turned off on monday. I just can't afford them anymore, and we have a magic jack that works as our primary phone.

the lightbulb moment came when we realized that with my husbands new payscale (read: diminished pay) we were about $100/month, and the cell bill is around $100 a month. People lived just FINE before cell phones! (at least I keep telling myself that.)

[acabin42]

Easiest: sticking to my grocery list
Hardest: getting tough on purging my house full of stuff