It’s tax time and this week’s contest prize is TurboTax.

To enter the contest: tell us your best tip for living debt free.

To start things off, here’s my tip:
I limit my credit card use to special event type purchases, like travel, and concerts. Otherwise, I pay cash.

We look forward to reading your tips.

My tip is to save money on cars. We are down to one car, so the insurance drop alone is a huge saving. Shop around for car insurance, it takes some time, but you will save.

I save money by cooking at home, planning meals and bringing lunch to work. I refuse to waste money on fast food. Once a month I go out for a great meal rather than a junky lunch once a week.

We are almost debt-free, just owe under 10K on our home equity.  Best tip:  prepay your mortgage every single month.  Chip away at it, get rid of it, it’s totally liberating.

http://twitter.com/cdziuba/status/10271626069

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My best tip is that I take my credit cards out of my wallet before I go shopping. I go to the ATM and withdrawl the cash that I am comfortable spending with and I can’t be tempted to spend over that amount because I won’t have any other way to pay!

I am a big fan of coupons. Before I go shopping I look in flyers or online for coupons. There are a ton available. All these savings really add up.

I make a list of everything I need when I go to the grocery/department store. I only buy what I NEED on the list and take a certain amount of money with me. (The more you have, the more you spend) I am forced to stick within by budget.

My tip for living debt-free is buy everything with cash.
Thank you for the wonderful giveaway!

I prepare lots of meals at home for my family instead of ordering out.
thank you for the give away!

I found the fastest way my credit card debt was racking up was from eating out. I could control the big purchases but those $7 lunches or $12 dinners added up in a hurry.
I started exclusively paying cash when I ate out. It helped me to budget that part of my life better, make smarter meal choices and keep track of my spending.

Eat at home but make it fun, eat dinner by candle light, have a picnic in the living room and take turns making dinner

I save money by using our local library, rather than buying books and movies. I also sell our outgrown kids clothes and bigger toys to consignment stores, small stuff goes to charity. I am dreading doing my taxes, so this prize would be nice.

I think the biggest thing for our family is never impulse buy—- when it’s a large item we always go home and think about it first to check can we afford it and if is it a necessity.

Forget the debit and credit cards…cash only!  Can’t over spend if you run out of cash.

I make cash payments to my savings account until I have saved up enough money to pay cash for things like everyday groceries to a new car.  If you don’t have the cash for it, you don’t need it right now.  It takes patience, but it works.

My tips-Never go grocery shopping with an empty stomach.  When shopping ask yourself if a purchase is a need or a want.  Always ues a list and stick to it

I pay bills online, it’s faster and saves me the hassle of going to the post office. Also, with my online bank statement I can keep immediate tabs on what is coming out of my checking account, so much easier to track than waiting for the monly statement.

I pay as I go and do not charge things on my credit card.  Also, I have found that if I pay cash, I spend less.

I pay with cash. Only dine out on occasions. Buy generic items at the grocery and big box (Target) stores. Read the ingredients, unit price and you will save money.

I am trying to teach my teenagers to avoid debt in the 1st place. I’ve encouraged them to wok part time to help save for college. I have many friends who racked up high student debt, and took 10+ years to recover.

In previous years, one of the largest sources of spending for me was clothing, until I recently discovered a “gold mine”.  There has been a stigma associated with thrift stores (i.e. Goodwill, Salvation Army, ect…) but I will tell you, that has been my biggest savior.  My 3 kids are all outgrowing their clothes and I just spent $38 for probably $400 worth of clothes.  They are all brand name and in EXCELLENT condition.  One thing that most people probably don’t know is that a lot of local retail stores donate their unsold merchandise to these charities.  I have purchased multiple items of clothing that were brand new for pennies on the dollar.  (Oh, and the thrift stores won’t ask you if you want to open a credit card with this purchase!   )

I try not to spend money. If I do I shop sales. I also try to walk to places if it’s close enough or have a friend to talk to.

Pay yourself first - save something each pay period - even if it is only $2. Savings helps for raining day expenses and retirement.

grow a garden, no matter what size of space available to you.

We go out to eat only once a week and it’s lunch on Saturdays. You can get the same menu selections at a cheaper price and there are always coupons in the local paper

I only charge what I can pay off.  Don’t spend what you don’t have.

Tweeted:
http://twitter.com/denyse_g/status/10289955169

Charge only to get point awards for free merchandise or gift cards.  But make sure you pay the bill in full every time to avoid interest fees.  In this way, the credit card companies pay you to charge!

We use coupons, get hand me downs from friends and family, walk all we can, and don’t eat out much at all.

Slickdeals.net is a great way to save, Cashback and Miles Rewards Credit card helps you earn while you spend

The best tip I can give is to live debt free.  If you have credit card debt now, start questioning every purchase decision and have a waiting period for anything except essentials.

tweeted: https://twitter.com/hushsweetscove/status/10296390278

I shop garage sales.  Often you can find brand new clothes with the tags still on them for next to nothing.

We have found that restricting ourselves to going to a restaurant to Saturday or Sunday mornings snd eat at home the rest of the time.

my tip for debt free living is simple, only spend what you have.

get rid of your credit cards

Shop at Aldi or some other generic brand grocery store. HUGE money savings!

Pay cash and use those coupons!

Coupons every sunday, Cash or Debit only. When walking around say Target or Walmart I go straight to what i need then leave otherwise Ill pick up a million things i have no need for. And i do end up walking around the store and pick something up i dont typically need i put it down and if after a loop of walking around the store ive come up with two reasons as to why i need it i’ll maybe purchase it

I put 5 dollars a week in my savings account that way i dont seeit or miss it

My tip for debt-free living is to approach reducing expenses like it is a game. It’s good to have some competition too - I had an office neighbor who was interested in the same thing. We’d tell each other our savings schemes, and try to top each other. We came up with some pretty lucrative schemes (legal too!)

learned pretty early on I can’t avoid credit cards, the only way to turn that negative to a positive is to pay them down to zero debt each month.

http://twitter.com/sweepstaking/statuses/10311990221

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I look for sales, use coupons and only buy the things I really need. By doing this I have been able to pay off my credit card. Will only use it for emergencies now.

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http://twitter.com/skeetersden/statuses/10317544243

I shop at Thrift Stores and find great bargains.

My best tip for living debt free is to never live above your means and ALWAYS pay off your credit card balance every month!

I always shop with a list.  Not just for groceries but any shopping.  It helps me not make impulse purchases.

My best tip for living debt free, is there such a thing?, is to pay off your debts as quick as possible. If possible prepay.

The best tip I have for living debt free is to live within your means.  This will take practice since it’s so easy to buy stuff that you don’t need.

tweet -http://twitter.com/HMB99/status/10324878232

Cut off cable/dish! We’ve been on “rabbit ears” for almost a year and do not miss cable at all. Plus, we have more time together

Use the library.  I belong to a book club and most of the members buy the monthly book.  One by one they’re switching over to using the library.

My best tip for living debt-free is to be frugal.

Try to make it a game!  Even when you have the money for an item, try to see how many ways you could do the same thing with what you already have, or if in fact what you want is really needed.

Don’t buy anything unless you can pay for it in full.

Turn down the heat in the winter, use coupons at the store and stop driving so much.

Thanks for all your great comments.
The contest is now closed and our winner is being notified. Please check your inbox or Twitter DM to see if you won.

Good luck.
Next contest is March 17 & 18.

cheers, Lesley
@lpurtell
@shopdebtfree