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Whether the current economy has you earning less or worrying more, there are ways to cut your budget with-
out feeling much pain. Here, find 10 money-saving strategiesto help you lead a full -- but financially leaner -- life. By Brett Graff 
(1) Buy only on-sale pro-
duce. Unlike day-old dough-
nuts, on-sale fruits and vege-
tables are often the store's
finest picks. Produce prices
are frequently at the mercy of
weather conditions, which
can unexpectedly produce
bountiful harvests. When
crops are abundant, growers
will strike deals with retailers,
selling them more product at
lower prices, explains Gary
Lucier, an economist at the
U.S. Department of Agricul-
ture.
(2) Team up for transpor-
tation. Gas prices go up, they
go down, but they never go
away. Cut your commuting
costs in half by carpooling to
any driving destination. It
worked for Paul Woehrle,
senior director of develop-
ment for New World Sym-
phony. The Oakland Park res-
ident found another Broward
County-based colleague to
split with him the costs of
driving some 37 miles to their
Lincoln Road office. "We're
both saving money and
there's less wear and tear on
your car," he says.
(3) Refinance your mort-
gage. If you bought your
property six to 24 months ago
-- or are paying an interest
rate of 5.875 or higher -- then
refinancing would likely slice
your housing costs, says Neil
Stein, vice president and loan
officer at WCS Lending in
Boca Raton. The recent dip in
mortgage rates might mean a
monthly savings of $78 (or
$938 a year) for every
$100,000 you owe -- even
with the closing costs, which
can be financed, he says.
(4) Turn off cable chan-
nels. Some pricey packages
from Comcast include 312
cable channels that cost
$82.99 a month. No one -- at
least in this article -- is going
to argue against crystal-clear
reception. But do you really
need 310 more channels than
you have eyes? Probably not.
Comcast offers 21 channels
for $10.46 a month. Direct TV
will supply 50 channels for
$29.99.
(5) Get high culture at no
cost. Tis' the season to stroll
through Miami's museums,
most of which offer free
admission at least one day
each week. The Museum of
Contemporary Art in North
Miami waves its entrance fee
on Tuesdays and The Holo-
caust Memorial and the Frost
Museum at Florida Interna-
tional University are both
free seven days a week.
(6) Dial up the phone com-
pany. Since 2000, land-line
long-distance charges have
actually fallen 13.2 percent,
according to the Consumer
Price Index. If you haven't
seen the same in your bill, it's
time to shop around.
(7) Turn down the thermo-
stat. If you reach for a sweater
because the air-conditioning
is blasting, be ashamed. Be
very ashamed. Remember:
You'll save 5 percent on your
energy bill for every two
degrees you raise your cool-
ing system, according to
Yanet Obarrio Sanchez at
Florida Power & Light. This is
Miami, people. Wear light-
weight linens, sleep with only
sheets and set the tempera-
ture to match that attire.
(8) Shop around for insur-
ance. Don't automatically
renew each year the insur-
ance policies protecting your
car or home, says Oscar Sei-
kaly, managing partner at NSI
Insurance Group in Miami
Lakes. Sure, another company
might offer competitive rates,
but also life might change for
the cheaper. If your car-shar-
ing teenager leaves for col-
lege, premiums will plummet.
Meanwhile, home improve-
ments -- such as new hurri-
cane shutters -- could shave
yearly costs by $5,000.
(9) Take the IRS's help. If
paying the government this
April was a burden, try light-
ening next year's tax load by
noting each month some
commonly forfeited deduc-
tions, suggests Lisa Gross-
man, a CPA and senior man-
ager at Kaufman Rossin & Co.
For example, sales tax from
major purchases -- cars,
boats, appliances -- can be
deductible. Also record even
the tiniest donations. "Little
contributions add up," she
says.
(10) Cook for yourself. "It
saves time and money," says
Heddy Goldsmith, a pastry
chef at Michael's Genuine
Food and Drink in Miami. Her
favorite meal deal: dry gar-
banzo beans. Costing under
$1, the beans are soaked over-
night in water, drained and
finally boiled in chicken
stock. "They last a week and
are great with soups, salads or
on rice as a main course," she
says.
Brett Graff, a former U.S.
government economist, also
writes The Home Economist
series about how economic
forces affect real people. She
can be reached at brett@
thehomeeconomist.com.
-------------------------------------------
If the money you save
begins burning a hole in your
pocket, put it toward these
long-term budget-boosters:
(1) A water filter: Spend
between $129 and $599 but
wash away expensive, plastic
bottles forever.
(2) An adjustable thermo-
stat: These lower the air-
conditioning after you leave,
rev it up upon your arrival
and may slash electric bills by
some 15 percent a year,
according to the U.S. Depart-
ment of Energy.
(3) Education: In March, the
nation's unemployment rate
was 8.5 percent. But it was
half that -- 4.2 percent -- for
people with a bachelor's
degree and higher, according
to the U.S. Department of
Labor. Workers without a
high school diploma faced a
rate of 15.1 percent. Take
classes and instantly improve
your labor market standing.
(Tuition and fees are tax
deductible.)
(4) Pay off credit cards: In
2008, the average American
household had $10,679 of
credit card debt, according to
Bankrate.com. At 18 percent
interest, it cost them some
$1,900 a year.
(5) A gym membership:
Robust health leads to feeble
healthcare costs.
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