You will find one thing true about building wealth. The discipline of spending less money is the surest path to saving more. But you’ll have to retrain your way of thinking—we do not deserve to buy something now we can’t afford today.

Here are a few suggested ways to help you spend less:

• Shop with cash. If you carry a debit or credit card, it is too easy to escalate your buying when out at the mall. Better to put a budgeted amount of money in your pocket and spend no more—make sure you include enough for a treat at the café.
• Clean your clothes at home. Try to buy clothing that can be washed at home.
• Don’t fire up temptation. Don’t bother browsing the catalogues, the clothing racks, or the car lot if you don’t have a true current need.
• Look for freebies. Use your own bank’s ATM to save the $1.50 service charge. Don’t pay all the little service charges that hotel chains are starting to slip onto your invoice. Try to include tips with your resort package, and buy vacations in domestic dollars if you can. Plan to attend one of the numerous festivities that municipalities pay for and provide in the summer holidays.
• Borrow DVDs and CDs at the library. Try your library for movies or music—you may be surprised at the offerings they have for free.
• Take portable picnic coolers to avoid eating out. This can save you hundreds of dollars per month.
• Learn the skills of cookery. It is easy to rack up over $30 with a tip when two eat out one meal per day. By learning to cook, you can add the artistry and relaxation to your own fine dining experience.
• Limit prepaying your taxes. Adjust your income tax deductions at work, to make sure you aren’t pre-paying too much.
• Do a needs analysis by asking, “Do we need it?” This is where your partner can help you be honest and accountable by simply discussing every purchase, at say over $50—set your own dollar figure, a point where you involve the other’s advice.
• Don't prepay phone charges. This is akin to super-sizing food portions. Some long distance residential plans and/or cell plans are priced so high that the average caller will not benefit by a higher pre-paid monthly plan. Long distance and cell phone minutes are better paid by a flat rate, per second, for restrained use as needed.
• Liquidate if you have too much stuff. Space costs money! So why buy a bigger home if it is just to store more stuff? Go over your furniture, books, general stuff, and after determining what you won’t use in the next five years, sell it.
• Invest your raise. Avoid spending up to your raise increase; our minds seem programmed to spend all we earn every month.
• Buy by unit price in bulk. Most everything is sold in quantity and can therefore be compared with a competing brand—either by ounce, kilo, or serving, etc.
• Buy depreciated cars. Avoid the biggest depreciation that occurs among assets; buy vehicles with about a year’s worth of use, with the factory warranty still on it.
• Take the weight off. Unload excess vehicle weight that can cost in gas consumption. Similarly having your tires carry the correct PSI will offer better gas mileage.
• Know that it all eventually goes on sale. It makes sense to wait it out for the seasonal sales. Stores begin to sell seasonal stock, including clothing, almost two months prior to the need. So if you are savvy, mark in your calendar the best times to buy. This is true also of travel bargains.
• Pay cash only for groceries. Have you ever spent double what you intended on items that can be eaten? If you pay cash you are forced to budget regardless of how hungry you are, sticking to the necessary items.
• Know where the quality brands are. Don’t purchase items that will wear out prematurely and will have to be replaced; instead buy quality, but shop around for the best prices.
• Buy more when it is really cheap. If you can buy tuna, salmon or spaghetti at 30% less than usual, why not stock up on it?
• Make fun fast food. In many ways, you can make your own fast food, such as fruit or vegetable trays for drives, hikes, or stay-overs.
• Go public transit. Sell your car, at least one car! Many municipalities offer cheap bus transportation that can save you thousands of dollars annually. You will be unloading insurance, fuel, and repair costs on top of any lease or loan payment (along with the interest).
• Cut your hair between main cuts. Sometimes a minor home trim will add another week before you’ll need to visit the barber or hairdresser.
• Utilize the secondary market. If you are a bookworm, Abebooks.com may help you find the book for less than a dollar, or perhaps find a camera on eBay at 25% off the cost.
• Make the park your gym. Why not do your walk around the park’s pond and get outside as a bonus.
• Adjust your thermostat. By juggling temperatures of one to two degrees on your thermostat (wear sweaters or shed clothing) you can save a few hundred dollars per year.
• Know how and when to return merchandise. Many admit mistakes or displeasure with a product and promptly return it according to policy—in the free market that is more than fair!
• Pre-pay certain vacation costs. Prepaying for your food in Canadian dollars can make budgeting sense because you've got to eat anyway. Likewise prepaying museum ticket passes can save money and side-step long line ups.
• Don't supersize yourself. Avoid supersizing fast-food. It costs more, and usually puts on excessive calories that can harm your health. Similarly don't load up on high fat or junk foods on sale.
• Just stop—don’t shop! Tell yourself to stop shopping when you have no imminent need. Try walking or reading instead.