Winning the Money Battle - Pt 2 Stop Shopping

Hi Again,

Here's the next part of Winning the Money Battle - Stop Shopping!

1. If you are a die-hard shopaholic who cannot seem to stay away from the stores, let's start with groceries - you can order your groceries on-line through PeaPod, or use Schwans and they will deliver to your door. This can keep your grocery bills from getting out of hand.
Let's face it, most of us are really bad girls when we go to the market.We get this and ooh, got to have that, till we realize at the checkout that we have totally blown our budget. Embarrassed by our lack of discipline, we buy it all, then later figure out where to borrow from so we can make ends meet till next paycheck.
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2. Cut up the cards, yes, those credit cards, and the numbers for online shopping networks that you hide in drawers way in the back, or in your wallet under photos of your kids that you swear you will use ONLY in an emergency - forget it! It won't happen, you know you're going to whip out that plastic the minute your radar smells a sale. You just can't help yourself, it's what you need and save so much money right now because it's on sale, keep telling yourself that and you will NEVER get out of the hole. I hope you are laughing about now. :)

Let's face it, you lived without till now, you can live without it - period.
BTW, the savings you think you are getting are being eaten up by the % interest% you are paying on that card!!!

3. Open an Roth IRA and deposit any money you have laying around, get in the habit of doing that even if it is $5.00 - why? Because the more often you start depositing into the IRA, and see it grow, the more you will find ways to keep adding to it. It becomes a mission, a purpose, a goal.
First it could be to have $100, then $500, then $1000 and so on.

4.. Talk to your banker about re-financing your house or car or any loans at lower rates, without penalties or paying a penny out of your pocket to do this. Negotiate, negotiate, negotiate. You won't know what you can get, if you don't ask.

5.. Sell Stuff - let's face it - if you haven't worn it, used it, or given it away within 6 months, it is taking up space and losing money for you the longer it sits there. Craig's List, Ebay, Half.com, or have a girl-friends garage sale where several of you get your stuff together and have a big sale. If you need deductions, find the local shelter, or Woman's Shelter and donate everything to them.

By now, you have probably come up with a few ideas of your own, hopefully the above mentioned ideas will give you the start you need to get going.

I know you will win the money battle - because you are worth it, it feels good to be in control of your money and you are a Winning Woman!

Let me know how you are doing!