10 Ways to Save Money Without Sacrificing Your Lifestyle

Does frugality bring to mind a picture of a Depression-era family living off leftovers and hand-me-downs? Before you roll your eyes at the idea, consider this -you can have your cake and eat it too! Yes, you can save hundreds and possibly even thousands of dollars every year without much sacrifice and without making drastic changes to your lifestyle.

Here are some ideas:

1. If you still have a landline phone, switch the service over to a VoIP-based service such as Vonage or Skype. The only difference you'll notice will be the size of your monthly bill.

2. Downgrade your cell phone plan for a one with fewer minutes and no bells and whistles such as text messaging or Internet access. The truth is, most people don't use extras enough to justify the costs.

3. Forget about cable TV. Instead use a combination of Hulu.com, streaming videos from news networks' websites, and unlimited instant watching from Netflix.

4. Skip the gym. There are plenty of ways to get a great workout without having to pay for it.

5. Eat in instead of eating out. If cooking a gourmet meal is not your idea of fun and romance, downsize your meal (split your entrée between the two of you) and skip the desert (get it at a grocery store on the way back).

6. Do not buy retail until you comparison shop online. Some brick-and-mortar stores will offer to match or even beat both competitors' prices and discounts.

7. Make do with one car. It is not impossible, just takes a bit more planning.

8. Before buying ANY software or subscription services check if there's a free or freemium alte
ative. Examples include OpenOffice.org, SugarSync.com, DabbleDB.com, FreeConference.com, and many others.

9. Instead of buying books at bookstores or even online, consider this powerful combination - your local library, PaperBackSwap.com, and a site such as OpenCulture.com for free downloadable e-books.

10. Considering taking some continuing education classes or going for a Master's degree? Do you know you can study for free at some of the best-known universities, including MIT and UK's Open University, through free online courses.