Smart Spending Tips for Couples

4 simple steps to become a savvy spender.

1. Make Savvy Choices You think your morning latte is a right, not a choice? Get over it. Coffee can be made at home just like movies can be rented from the library (or Netflix). Skip the gym membership and get a great yoga DVD.

2. Stop Phoning It In If you’re on different providers because he just had to have his iPhone whereas you’re glued to your BlackBerry, investigate a family plan on the same network. While you’re at it, review all of your bills -- landline, cable, Internet -- and see if you can consolidate them into a “triple play� to get the most from your plan.

3. Become a Bag Lady If you buy lunch five times a week and spend about $5 (at the very least!), you’re looking at about $1,300 a year in sandwiches, soups, etc. So start brown-bagging it. You can even cook lunch together on Sundays that will last you throughout the week. It’s a win-win! You’ll have better lunches and more cash!

4. Talk It Out If you share a checking account and both hit up the ATM a few times a week without mentioning it to one another, you’ll be greeted with an “insufficient funds� message sooner than you think. Keep each other in the loop and say something as simple as “I’ll be taking out $80 today�, to avoid those pesky overdraft fees.