Read how my wife and I had successfully reduced clothing expenses. By reducing the dress’s cost per piece, we are able to buy more dresses (for her) and/or reallocate the extra to other needs or saving. But most importantly, by making this cost saving a family project, we bond our relationship. This ‘Project Runaway’, we called it, is also good for creative minds.

Do you study your telco bills, or you simply throw them into the dustbin? Your telco bills not only tell you how much you need to pay (that is why you hate bills) but also record your calls, and summarises your SMSes sent. How to use this information to your advantage?

Every shopping trip should be planned properly. We should know what we need, how much or many we need, and estimate how much the cost is. And we should allocate a budget for it. Additionally, we should know where to get them and hence, we should plan our shopping route – before we start our car’s engine. That is why we must have a shopping list. A shopping list a document of planned shopping items together with their quantities and the estimated prices, and remarks e.g. places where we could/intend to get them. A shopping list is supported by our commitment to follow it. There are many benefits to it.

A couple who used to work for others to earn a living, earned middle-income salaries, had changed job only once or twice, and not millionaires but they are able to retire early at their 30s and now living financial independently. How’s that possible? But most importantly, how can we be like them?

Now you call less. Now you send less SMSes. In short, you did reduce your mobile phone usage. But money could be still leaking – you might still able to reduce your mobile phone cost. Perhaps now is the time to switch to a better plan that best suits your current mobile phone usage.