Ways to Save as a Single 20-Something

I consider myself "single" even though I have a boyfriend, because I'm not married nor have I ever been. These are some ways that I cut expenses so that I have more to save and put toward debt. Amazingly, none of them are huge changes to make, but the savings really add up!

Clothing: I invest in high-quality, classic looks that don't go out of style. One might argue that when you're living on a budget, clothes from Wal-Mart are the way to go. This is absolutely not true. I used to work at a luxury retailer with high merchandise price points, and I can promise you that the cost is well worth the quality. I have three pairs of jeans from higher end vendors--Silver, Big Star, and Seven for All Mankind--and all were worth the price. None have visible signs of wear after daily wear and tear, and I've owned these jeans for months (or years, in the case of the Sevens). A cheaper pair from Wal-Mart or Target would almost certainly disentegrate in that time frame (and have, in my experience), causing me to spend on a new pair. The pricier ones last. They can even be found more reasonably on a clearance rack. I paid cash for all of my pairs, too. So--to sum up, Ninja says it's OK to treat yourself if you pay cash and if it's an item that can be worn fashionably for many years with much wear. ;)

Nights Out: If you're female, frequent the night spots in your town that have Ladies Night. Many of these places offer no cover before a certain time, or a reasonable cover with free well drinks all night. Only bring a fixed amount of cash with you--enough for a few cocktails, and a cab ride home (Ninja does not condone drinking and driving!). Of course, if you're good at flirting, you shouldn't need to spend your own money on drinks. In my case, I spend $0 each month on entertainment because C pays for us when we go out on dates, but when I was single I was good at never spending a dime at the bars.

Friends: Many times, friends will want to meet for dinner after work. Instead of doing that, me and my neighbor trade off making dinner for each other. I cook for us on Sundays, and she cooks on Wednesdays. We can catch up with each other and hang out, but neither of us spends money other than the ingredients for whatever we've made. No gas money to get there either! See if you have a friend or two who would be interested in this idea--it's a lot of fun for me because I have a guinea pig to test recipes on.

Living: I turn down the heat in my apartment while I'm at work, and also when I go to bed at night. It's really only on for a few hours in the afternoon. I leave the lights off in rooms I'm not in, and I keep all appliances unplugged most of the time unless I'm using them. In the summer, I'm going to get a drying rack so that I can let my clothes air dry on my balcony instead of using the dryer. That should cut even more off the electric bill. I get a 20% discount on my cell phone bill through my employer too. I do not have a roommate--my apartment is one bedroom--but I prefer not to live with other people. If your personality can handle it though, it could cut your rent in half. Where can you cut back?

Food: I do not eat fast food or get coffee from Starbucks. I don't even like coffee, but I know many people do. It's a waste to spend $4/day on it, when you could brew your own for almost free! Fast food is also pricey--3 meals a day at $6 means $18/day or $126/week. Ouch! I eat oatmeal for breakfast, brown bag a lunch, and plan ahead for dinner to keep my grocery bill in check. I only spent $33 this week and that was only because I had to buy toilet paper and some soap. It would have been $25 without those items. Avoiding processed, pre-packaged food also cuts costs, and it's better for you anyway. =)

These are just a few tricks I have for keeping costs down. I have plenty more, which I'll dish out in future posts!