Frugal Village

Not everyone has an emergency fund to fall back on when tough times hit. It can be emotional and overwhelming to know where to start making changes. Sometimes you can be so accustomed to your current lifestyle that you forget how much you could pare down when faced with an emergency or layoff. Think about a single item you buy regularly, and calculate what your annual savings would be if you went without it or substituted a cheaper product. Such tactics can improve a tight budget or help build up an emergency fund for the future.

Although simple changes may seem insignificant, when added up they make a difference. Where could you cut back if you needed to? Although paring down to save money is helpful, especially during tough times, you can’t stop there. Look for ways to add to your income as well. Many are fortunate enough never to experience financial challenges, but it’s always good to prepare just in case.

Below, readers share what they would cut if they had to.

DOWNGRADE YOUR CAR: The thing that would have the largest savings for me would be selling my truck and buying a “beater” car. — Squirt, via e-mail

UNPLUG: We could drop cable television, Netflix, conserve gas by walking more, and buy much cheaper coffee. I would look into working more hours, too. — Nantahala, North Carolina

DIY BEAUTY: No more hair coloring at the salon. I could do it myself. — Shoiji, via e-mail

CONSERVE ON UTILITIES: I’d get a clothes-drying rack and programmable thermostats, and I’d wash more dishes by hand. You should plan your shopping, and stop buying things for every fundraiser or from catalogs at work. — Diane, via e-mail

I could wash clothes by hand and lower the temperature on the water heater or turn it off when it’s not in use. I could use the microwave and slow cooker more often to cook rather than my conventional oven. As a family, we could stop buying video games and renting movies. — Graci, Ohio

THERE’S NO PLACE LIKE HOME: Cut our vacation and enjoy local events. Stay home more often and don’t make extra trips. — Brenda, via e-mail

BORROW WHEN YOU CAN: Stop buying books and subscribing to magazines. — Deb, Kansas

MINIMIZE EXTRAS: We could downgrade or cut our Internet service and sell a second vehicle. I could look into raising the deductibles on insurance policies or shop around for insurance again. — Marietjie, Minnesota

I use my cell phone for the free weekends mostly to talk to people who are long distance, but it could go. I spend a lot on disposable contacts. I could stop and wear glasses instead. — Angelee, Missouri

ALTERNATIVES FOR TRASH REMOVAL: We haven’t signed up for trash pickup because we live less than five minutes from the dump. — Kathryn, Tennessee

LESS COSTLY MEALS: We could cut our meat consumption. We currently do one meatless meal a week, but we could do more. We could be better about unplugging certain items or about leaving lights on when we’re not in the room. — Denise, Illinois

BE CREATIVE: I could stop buying expensive hobby supplies and use up supplies I already have. — Crista, via e-mail

TRIM EXTRAS: I could cut all the extra activities our family does and get rid of my health-club membership, which I rarely use. — Tara, via e-mail

PATCH SMALL LEAKS: I could stay out of discount stores that slowly siphon off money, and stick to my list when shopping. — Mary, Oklahoma

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