I bought a house that reduced my living expenses considerably--my mortgage is hundreds of dollars less than my rent was. I am using some savings for the renovation, but that's better than an equity line with interest that would increase my monthly expenses. I don't have any commute, and I don't eat out often. The one thing new that I've done is work up a budget and I'm doing pretty well sticking to it each month. I've also stopped using my credit card--only debit and cash. It's too easy to overspend with a credit card (for me).