When I left my six-figure paying job a few years ago, and then subsequently having two kids, my husband and I had no choice but to adopt a more frugal lifestyle. Despite the initial "penny-pinching" and "cutting corners" associations that are typically related to the term frugal, we've been blessed with a comfortable lifestyle in spite of having one paycheck support a household of four. Having been a diligent saver and somewhat savvy investor as soon as I started earning a paycheck is definitely paying "dividends" now. Of course, being in the fortunate position of having a husband with a good job also helps! Up until this past year, we had never formulated a budget nor tied ourselves to a budget. My husband and I have always been aware of our spending, and because we're practical by nature, having an actual budget was never a consideration. However, when our second child was born last year, and our oldest son's "needs" started changing as he's gotten older, tying our household to a budget became inevitable. Because I track our household spending on Quickbooks, creating a budget was easy. Sticking to it, on the other hand, requires constant discipline!

There are a few notable, budget-friendly, money-saving, lifestyle changes that we've incorporated into our household: 1) Dine on home-cooked meals rather than eating at restaurants. When I say "home-cooked", it doesn't necessarily mean cooking from scratch every night. It could be as simple as heating up prepared frozen entrees from your local Trader Joe's or Costco. I enjoy cooking Filipino dishes, but with two young kids, sometimes I "short-cut" dinner and heat up whatever TJ entree I have in the freezer. Pasta or quesadillas are also quick and easy dishes to prepare. Crock-pot meals or dishes that can be oven-baked are more great options. To break up the week, we have a "family night" in which we eat out. It's nice to expose your kids to different foods and cultures. 2) Brew your own coffee. Since I'm the coffee drinker in my household, indulging in that latte, mocha, or just plain old regular coffee is something that I used to do without thinking twice. Mental or physical, my body needs at least one "cup of joe" a day. We program our coffee maker every night so the coffee is brewed and ready to drink each morning. 3) Clip or download coupons. I know, it could be time-consuming, but it could save you lots of money over time. Besides, you could get turned on to some great deals this way. I've always been price-conscious, so getting a few extra cents or dollars off a retail or sales price is worth the effort. 4) Buy household items like toilet paper and paper towels in bulk. The unit cost is normally less expensive. 5) Try the generic brands. It may surprise you. For example, I recently tried a generic hand sanitizer brand. I thought it would stink, but it surprisingly smelled really good. I also like to buy generic brand multi-vitamins. 6) Plan your meals for the week. This way, you don't end up wasting foods that have a shorter shelf-life. How often have you had a vegetable go bad? It may also save you time and gas by not having to make extra trips to the grocery store. 7) Stop buying individual bottled water. This is good for the earth and your wallet. 8) Buy what you can online, especially if free shipping is available. Living with a 9.25% sales tax rate in Los Angeles county, this makes even more sense now. I buy diapers online all the time! If you see something in a store, go online first to see if you can get a better deal. For instance, I recently bought a new car seat online for $60 less than the normal retail price, and I didn't have to pay shipping. Not only did I save money, but I didn't have to pay sales tax either. 9) Brown bag lunch more frequently. My husband normally brings leftovers for his lunch the next day. It's especially convenient when he has to work through lunch. Eating out with your boss or co-workers is great professional socializing, so don't dismiss it altogether! 10) Switch to Vonage or bundle your internet/cable/phone service. We switched to Vonage a couple years ago, and it cut our telephone bill by more than half. We're also able to make free long-distance calls throughout the nation and to certain other countries under the plan. 11) And finally, one of our recent faves: Go Redbox, make some popcorn, and get your movie experience at home!