Be creative about cutting expenses

Here are some ideas for slashing expenses. See if you can come up with your own as well.

• Use a shopping list when buying food and buy basic ingredients instead of prepared foods.
• Use coupons to save money at the grocery store when they offer a better deal than lower-cost brands.
• Look into Meals on Wheels, which delivers meals to homebound people of all ages. Visit www.mowaa.org.
• Call your local housing authority or social worker if you are having trouble paying your rent. Ask about "Section 8" programs, which allow you to pay a portion of your rent based on your income (the government pays the rest).
• Talk to your doctor if you are having trouble paying for your medicine. He or she may be able to help your enroll in a drug company's "pharmaceutical assistance program," which provides help to low-income people. Medicare also has information about prescription drug assistance at www.medicare.gov.
• Use e-mail instead of long distance telephone service.
• Or, if your cellphone service gives free weekend or evening minutes, use those times to make your long distance calls.

Now is an excellent time to begin to practice good money management. Writing down your goals, knowing where you stand financially, staying organized and taking steps to change your spending plan, if necessary, are all great ways to begin the journey toward achieving what you want in life.