There is a fine line between “wants” versus “needs”, but when a financial hardship arises, that line becomes even thinner.  Being able to prioritize your monthly expenses around your financial situation can be difficult to do, because these days we are used to added luxuries.  Believe it or not, cable and cell phones still are considered to be luxuries.  During times of hardship, we need to be able to temporarily cut ties with these wants, even though we’ve have grown accustomed to them.  Keep in mind that certain monthly expenses are non-negotiable like rent and mortgage, and it can be a little more challenging when it comes to prioritizing your variable expenses in our budget. Just keep telling yourself that every little bit helps! 

Small adjustments, like reducing minutes on your cell phone plan, using internet access at home instead of paying for a data package on your phone, and refraining from purchasing applications or extra features like ring  tones, can all help lower your monthly cell phone expense.  It is a compromise because you can still have a cell phone, just maybe not all the added perks.  If cable is a priority then sign up for basic cable instead of all the added features.  If having Internet access is more important, then find a plan that provides Internet access only and watch DVDs instead of cable.  There are many ways to walk that thin line between wants versus needs, and making smart compromises can allow for some flexibility in your budget and a little more peace of mind.