Although fixed expenses are hard to change without refinancing loans, selling off assets, etc., many variable expenses can be easily reduced or eliminated. Lowering your variable expenses means giving up things you don't need; reducing the usage of goods and services you do need, such as food and clothing; and finding ways to lower the cost of things you use everyday, such as electricity.
Your goal in slashing variable expenses is to free up enough money to pay down your debt and avoid bankruptcy and credit counseling services. You might have to live a very austere existence to accomplish this.
Below are links to pages with tips on lowering variable expenses. Print out a worksheet and make a list of your own ideas on cutting variable expenses while reading our ideas.
Cancel voice mail
Get free checking account
Bring lunch to work everyday
No vending machine snacks
Transfer high credit card balance to low-rate card
Fewer long distance calls
Prepare meals from scratch
Dry clean less often
Cancel cable television
Cut back on entertainment
Use to pay down debt
