At times we all have to give things up. With the way the economy is right now, more and more people are giving things up to survive. Well work-at-home-mom's give up more than others just so they can be at home and be around for their family when they need them. You may have to give things up so you can take a long family vacation, you may have to give things up during the Christmas holiday season, or you may have to give things up so you can get your kids braces. When you have the opportunity to stay at home to be with your children, you might want to jump at the chance. Preparing for it can be a bit of a challenge, but it can be done. There are a number of things you can give up so that your dream of being a WAHM will continue to happen. Here are just a few of those things. 1. Cable or Satellite TV
2. Going out to eat weekly
3. Going to a movie weekly
4. Cell phone service Giving them up or cutting back on some of these things will help you save money. Now when we talk about cutting back, you may wonder how you can do that with those things. With the cable or satellite TV, you can either go with a different company that offers a less expensive package or stay with the company you are with and go to a less expensive package. With the meals and movies, you can cut it back to one night a month or two nights a month. You can also go to a less expensive place to eat and wait until your movie goes to a cheaper movie theatre. There are so many different things you can cut out in order to save money so you can continue to stay at home. There may be some ways you can reduce the money you are spending as well. Here are just a few of those things. 1. Grocery bill
2. Insurance bill
3. Gasoline bill
4. Heating bill Now you may want to know how you can reduce the bill for each of these. Let's discuss each of them. With your grocery bill there are several things you can do. One easy thing to do is make a list of the meals you will have for the entire period you will be shopping for. Then sit down and make a list of items you need for those meals and include all the other items you need. When you go to the store you only buy the items on your list. Another way to save money is to cut and print coupons for as many of the items you will buy as you can. There are a few sites online that will give you the ability to print coupons that you can take when you go. With the insurance you need to call your insurance agent and ask them if there are any discounts you can receive. Ask if there are minor changes you can make to your plan to get the price down. You might be able to ask for a bit of a higher deductable to save money. You might also be able to add a few minor things to your home and save money that way. With gasoline, it's a little harder to save money, but it is possible. During the summer months, ride a bike or walk whenever possible. Purchase a vehicle that gets better gas mileage, make sure to do a tune up regularly, and check the air pressure on your tires. Your heat bill is another one of those that is a bit difficult to lower, but it is possible. You can keep the heat at 68 during the day while you are at home. Cover up with a blanket, or wear a sweat shirt and sweat pants if you get cold. When you have a dream of working at home, you will be willing to do whatever it takes to make it happen. Saving money or cutting back is difficult, but it can be done. Consider your life style and look at the things you pay monthly. Review everything and see what you can do to save money. When you do this, you will be able to keep your work at home status and keep your dream alive. Corrie Petersen runs a successful Virtual Assistant business. She enjoys helping others reach their goals and dreams. Check out her website at http://www.virtualfreedom4you.com | 
