I don't need to cut back right now, but I often think about how I would do that if the need ever arose.
1. Basically, whenever possible
don't spend money! I know that sounds overly simplistic but that worked better than anything for me in the past. Spending on cheaper stuff, or spending on stuff to save money on other stuff, doesn't work as well for me as just not spending at all.
2.
Delayed spending is sometimes possible, and often becomes spending that doesn't happen. That helps too. Sometimes the perceived need for something is not as urgent as one might think.
3. Enjoy life! Not having any fun leads to feeling deprived and spending more.
Do something that is 100% free, and fun.
- Play a video game that you already own (on a console that you already own too).
- Go for a walk.
- Rearrange the furniture or reorganize your closet.
- If and only if you already have a microscope or binoculars, get out there and use them to discover and appreciate whatever you can.
- If and only if you already have a musical instrument, practice on it and learn to play it better for free.
- If you have flowers in your yard, pick a few and learn about flower arranging.
- Spend more time chatting about life and the world with your sweetie.
- Go fishing from the shore of a nearby lake or river with gear that you already have, using bait that you can dig up in the back yard or find elsewhere for free. (So what if you don't catch anything, if fishing is fun for you; and if by chance you do catch something, so much the better, free dinner!)
- Read that book that you bought way back when and never got around to reading.
Or whatever. Do something 100% free that floats your boat.
4.
Write down every single penny that you spend. Compete with yourself to see if you can spend less this month than you did last month. Trust me, it's fun after a while and you will find ways to economize that you never thought of before.
I am already doing many of the things people have mentioned in prior posts, but I could push a little harder to do more of them. Right now I am pushing harder to spend more, not less.