Cut Your Spending - Part II

One of the parts to getting out debt that I personally think is the hardest is cutting your spending, ie "changing your lifestyle and habits."

We know what we need to do to get out of debt, and are willing to do it. But changing our spending habits and the way we think about money has taken discipline, creativity and sacrifice.

It's almost like being on a diet.

Here's an example of how my thinking has changed. Instead of swinging by Starbucks and getting my Grande Vanilla No Fat Latte and a slice of coffee cake and spending $7-$8 I think beforehand, "What is more important? That coffee or paying off our debt? And can I still get my caffeine fix without spending $7?" I might go home and make myself a cup of coffee for pennies, or instead of springing for the latte and coffee cake just get a small coffee with cream and sugar.

Ummm...so how is this like a diet?

Well, when you are a on diet you either cut back on or cut out completely things that are causing you to gain weight or preventing you from losing weight. My biggest temptation is sweet things. So on a diet I would cut out desserts, or try to find low calorie alternatives to get my sweet fix. For example, instead of eating rich brownies or a New York Cheesecake for dessert, I might have some fresh strawberries or make a pan of brownies using the No-Fudge Fat Free Brownie mix.

On our debt diet we are using cheap/free alternatives to things we would like to do. Or cutting certain expenses out altogether.