The Happy Husband's Guide to Saving Money

As a financial advisor, it's the HH's job to think about money all day long. That's a good thing because I don't ever want to think about money--unless its saving money.

Fortunately, he's taught me a lot.

I heard someone say that if you always spend less than you make, you'll always be rich. I like that idea.

Priority #1 - Know what you're spending.
Believe me, you would be surprised. I keep an excel grid to balance my checking account. I update it with the items listed on my online checking account.

Priority #2 - Pay off your credit cards.
You can prioritize them by paying off the ones with the highest interest rate first, while paying the minimum balance on the rest. Once you pay off one, choose the next one with the highest interest rate. Consolidate to one card with a low interest rate, if possible.

Priority #3 - Set aside money for emergencies.

Ideally, you should have 3-6 months worth, but until your credit cards are paid off, any amount will help in case you get sick or your car breaks down.

Priority #4 - Cut back.
Before we got married, and I lived alone, he looked at my bills to see where I could scale back, and discovered that I was paying for home phone services that I didn't even know I had, like three-way calling. Eventually, I got rid of the home phone altogether.

Priority # 5 - Save energy.
It's a happy accident that changes that protect the environment can also save you money, such as changing your lightbulbs to flourescents, installing a programmable thermostat, and making your own household cleaners with vinegar, baking soda and Borax. (You can find recipes for this online.) Also, bundle your errands in one trip to save gas.

Check back tomorrow to learn how the HH saves us money by staying on top of the electrical rates.