The best and easiest way to save money is to not spend it to begin with!

Your retirement lifestyle must include recognizing what is actually a luxury, and items are necessities.

Easy ways to keep track of your spending is to stop the use of credit cards unless it’s a NECESSITY. Carry cash with you, and always know, almost to the penny or peso, how much you have in your purse/billfold.

Avoid ATM withdrawals – that “I’ll pay for it later, or, wow, I have a bunch of cash now”, can only lead to problems a little later. And I’ll bet money that in a week you won’t even remember what you wasted the extra money on…unless it was a NECESSITY.

Do bargain shopping, use coupons, compare prices and make sure you don’t just grab the largest size assuming that it is the best bargain (merchandisers have already caught on to the fact that most people grab the larger, just assuming it’s cheaper – surprise – it’s not always!

And, of course, as I’ve said many times, downsize your home. We have found that visitors are glad to stay in nearby resorts or motels, or be satisfied with our very comfortable trundle bed that is incorporated in our computer room.

Downsize the amount of cars you are paying insurance on and the upkeep on. Cars are never going to be a good investment, unless you are lucky enough to already have the money to waste and buy some vintage stuff…even then, it’s only worth what someone else is willing to spend on it, and once you include the upkeep again, we, who must watch pennies just can’t afford to do that sort of stuff.

Now, here are “Great-Value” areas, from International Living:

But, just because the price of living is small, doesn’t mean you really want to live there – do your research!!!

Taken from my article “Retirement Decisions”: “There are places in the world you can live on very little money – I’m talking about under $100 a month. But, I prefer a flush toilet, thank you. And I want water coming out of a faucet in my home – I cringe at the thought of dipping water out of a crocodile-infested pond for daily use – not for me. …”

So here’s their list:

Belize. Ecuador, Panama, Spain, Thailand, The Lake Chapala area in Mexico.

There is something, someplace, for every one of us.

From  my book, “Money Saving Mexico” :

“We Are All the Same, Yet Uniquely Different.” Barbie