Tips to Save Money?

[Eagle]

What are some of your tips for saving money?

[Eagle]

Some tips 1-4

Here’s some personal experience on great ways to save an extra buck. I'd love to hear your tips! I hope you enjoy!

1) Car Insurance

1a) If you haven’t quoted your car insurance in over six months to a year it may be time to do so. People can often save $200-600 by switching companies. These savings can be greater if you have home insurance/ life insurance bundled. We switched from Farmers to Progressive and cut our car insurance by half! Also we get a discount by paying 6 months up front.

2) Cell Phones

2a) Are you using up all your minutes? Do you have 4000 rollover minutes (AT&T)? Do you need unlimited data or can you do with 200 texts? Is your contract about to expire? You can usually transfer a number to another cell phone provider for free. Time to see what the competition has to offer? Shop around!

3) Landline

3a) Do you really, really need your landline? We got rid of ours. We were paying $70 a month on phone/internet. We got rid of those 2 services and signed up for less than half the cost for just internet through a promotion for a year. Update: The promo ran out. I called and threatened to discontinue my service and was given a 6 month 50% off discount. (Note: We also have plenty of rollover minutes on our cell phone plan.)

3b) Check out alternatives to a landline or even cell phone. You can get Skype via your computer and actually see the other person. All for free! MagicJack is a landline hooked up to your computer using your internet connection. MagicJack is only $30 a year I believe. There is also MagicJack phone service that plugs into your telephone line now. You can get a local number and use it as much as you’d like!

4) Drink More Water

4a) Water is not only incredibly healthier for you but will also help with the waistline. Soft drinks, juice, energy drinks, coffee, and such are fun but they don’t usually help your pocket book.

4b) Give up your Coke or Starbucks for a week and see how much you could save. Try it for a month or a year. See how much you save!

[Eagle]

More tips 6-7

5) Clip Coupons

5a) Last month I saved $25 on groceries and I’m not even that serious about it. Buy the Sunday paper! It is easy to save upwards of $50 a month if you enjoy it. Sometimes things can be bought for pennies or even free!

6) Groceries

6a) Write a list before you go shopping – and stick to it. There are people hired just to make sure the milk and eggs are in a section of the store… Or that you will have to go from groceries in the middle of all these clothes to get to your home goods or toiletries.

6b) Never shop while hungry! Don’t fall for it! Also don’t buy things at the checkout aisle. They are marked up usually and are impulse buys.

6c) Buy in bulk at wholesale box stores such as Sam’s Club or Costco. If buying in bulk for a smaller family or even singles makes wholesale unaffordable then get a shopping buddy! You can split the cost and the product with your buying buddy. Or even split the cost of membership! I do this with a relative. You are allowed two membership cards per account.

6d) Make a comparison shopping list. I made an excel version of this and compared basic items we buy every week. Basically compare your major stores for the items you buy over about a two month period.

You might be surprised to know that where you think is the best prices may not be. Walmart for example in our area is usually more expensive in many every day grocery items than Kroger or even Target. If you don’t mind generic, store brands Aldi’s is a great option as well on a variety of items.

You can also see the local adds online and shop before you go to the store.

7) Go Out to Eat or Make it Yourself?

7a) We realized that going out to eat once a week is a lot more special. We also save a lot of money this way. Currently I bring my meals from home to work. I brown bag it, eat leftovers, or bring a frozen meal. (An occasional meal out is not bad though for variety.)

7b) Of course now I’m married so life is even better! I make some mean egg/omelets and of course my wife is a fantastic cook! We save a ton by eating in.

7c) However, if you do go eat out check these three websites:

restaurant.com sells $25 restaurant gift cards for $2 to $10 to thousands of restaurants around the country. These are great gifts as well!

On groupon.com you can get discounts on a variety of things. We have gotten Groupons for 50% off or more at local restaurants. In fact restaurants are just one thing you can get discounts on. I’ve found massage offers, jet ski offers, family photo shoots, and more!

EntertainmentBook.com sells restaurants, shopping, attractions, and travel booklets for discounts!

[Eagle]

Tips 8-11

8) Save Energy

8a) Turn off the lights when you leave your home! Don’t leave lights on throughout the night unnecessarily. Replace your standard light bulbs with HE (high efficiency) bulbs. Turn down your thermostat when your away from home. Only run your dishwasher when it is full.

9) Get RID of your Cable/Satellite Bill

9a) Yes, you pay too much for TV. I have friends and family that pay $140 a month for HDTV services. Try switching and getting promo's from your current providers competitors. In the summer especially guys get rid of your bill please. The only sports worth watching in the summer is baseball which many local games are televised on free TV. Try it at least for a couple of months to see how much you can save. If there is some final or championship game that is vital to watch try free HDTV with an antenna, a local sports bar, or watch it at a friends/family's place.

10) Be Smart With Your Movie Rentals

10a) Netflix.com (yes, the rates went up to $8 a month for 1 movie and $8 a month for streaming but this is still the best deal out there.) and we watch movies on occasion. Amazon Prime is also another option.

10b) If the need arises we can always get a movie at your local Redbox or Redbox.com. DVD movie rentals are about $1.00 or $1.20 so a night. It is only $1.50 for Bluray DVD’s. Also, come to find out if you sign up for the Redbox texts you get a free rental every week or two sent to your phone! We get to watch a movie for free at least 1-2 times per month!

10c) Hulu.com is also a great option. Or if you sign up for Amazon Prime they also offer free streaming content.

10d) The local library has movie rentals for free! In our area you can check out 10 movies a week. Or your local church library might have a good family selection as well.

11) Shop Right After the Holidays

11a) Yes Black Friday is fantastic. If you can get up early enough that is and stand the lines. I’ve done it for the last 6 or 7 years. However, often the same deals are available online or are still on sale after the big day. Great time for good deals on appliances and electronics! Also keep in mind there are some great sales after Christmas. Save up your money throughout the year and buy on Holidays or the day after.

[savvyher]

Tips to save money

I'm loving finding ways to save money. Here are a few ways that I'm saving money:

Cooking at home - This may be difficult if you have a busy schedule. So start with 2 meals a week and then increase the meals as you find extra time in your schedule.

Take lunch to work - Eating out at lunch everyday can get expensive.

Buy in bulk - Buy in bulk when you find something on sale.

Here's the big one: Pay bills on time to avoid late fees.

[Eagle]

I'm loving finding ways to save money. Here are a few ways that I'm saving money:

Cooking at home - This may be difficult if you have a busy schedule. So start with 2 meals a week and then increase the meals as you find extra time in your schedule.

Take lunch to work - Eating out at lunch everyday can get expensive.

Buy in bulk - Buy in bulk when you find something on sale.

Here's the big one: Pay bills on time to avoid late fees.

Good suggesttions! Welcome to the forums!

Buying groceries and cooking/eating at home is a great way to save money! Along the same line "brown bagging it" or taking lunch to work can save a lot of money!

Buying in bulk can be helpful. It's important to make sure if you do you have storage for what you buy!

Late fees are evil Yes! Pay bills on time to avoid the fees.

Keep them coming!

[Eagle]

12) Buy a Deep Freezer

12a) After the initial investment this can be a great bargain. Buy all sorts of foods in bulk and store them. You can even cook and store meals in advance.

13) Plan a Budget and Stick to it!

13a) Plan a budget. Spend all your income in your budget. Plan for tithing, saving, bills, and then for fun stuff. If you don’t have it don’t spend it!

14) Have an Emergency Fund

14a) This will help you avoid fees or avoid putting an "emergency" on a credit card! My Dad always told me to “Save for a rainy day.” Well around where I live it rains at least a few times a year. The best thing to do is to have an umbrella on hand. An umbrella in finances is like an emergency fund. A good goal is to save up an emergency fund. This is not that hard once you get it going.

14b) If you make less than 24 thousand a year start with a goal of $500. If you make over 24 thousand a year your goal should be initially $1000 in your emergency fund. Emergencies always will happen. The frig will need to be replaced. The car will break down. The kids will need to go to the doctor. Credit cards are not a way to pay for an emergency! Be prepared ahead of time!

15) Buy a Used Car

15a) The value of vehicles depreciates the greatest during the first two years of ownership. Let someone else take the hit and buy a used vehicle. Always get the Carfax report for any vehicle you buy.

16) Go Out to the Movie Theatre for Matinees/Weekdays & Don’t Get Snacks.

16a) A Matinee can be anywhere from half the price or a couple bucks off the regular price. Avoid 3D (except on a rare occasion) especially for prime time. 2D is still great. Also always take your student ID for a student discount for movies during the week.

16b) Eat a good meal before you go to the movies and don’t buy any concessions.

[Eagle]

17) Pay Off Debt
17a) Save money by not paying interest on products and by becoming debt free. Make a list of all your debts. Pay off your smallest debt first. Pay the minimum payments on the rest. Then apply that payment to the next lowest. Keep doing this until all your debt is paid! This is called a debt snowball strategy. Or you could use the avalanche method and pay off the debt with the highest interest first.

17b) Be intentional - I know of a friend of ours who paid off $15,000 in just a few months. He and his wife spent about five or six months working their tails off. They sold some things. He got extra jobs and they pinched the pennies. The result is they were debt free! Dave Ramsey often says You have to live like no one else (now), so that you can live like no one else (in the future). It’s all about changing your mindset.

17c) Spend less than you earn! If you have two incomes try to live off of one. If you make $3000 a month don’t spend $4000. The three biggest stresses in marriage are money, sex, and in-laws. Having an emergency fund setup and paying off your debt will eliminate stress. Save money, give, invest, and have money left over for fun stuff.

18) Amazon Mom (also for Dads)
18a) For people with newborns or infants We found that saving 20% extra (about $5 to $10 per box) on diapers saves a ton of money. You can sign up for a year and get free shipping as long as you purchase $25 worth of product every month. That’s like one purchase of 200 diapers a month so easy to use and save!

19) Free Babysitting
19a) If you have family that lives around you they often will jump at the suggestion of the opportunity to take the kids for an evening or weekend. Grandparents, aunts, uncles, brothers, & sisters are a good place to start. If you don’t have relatives in the area consider exchanging babysitting services with friends. One weekend keep your friend or neighbors kids so they can go out on a date. The following weekend let the friend or neighbor return the favor!

20) Don’t Own A Car
20a) If you live in cities like NYC, Boston, Washington D.C., etc. public transportation is often cheaper than gas/insurance/maintenance plus you don’t have to battle every time you need to find a parking space.

[Eagle]

21) Cancel your Magazine Subscriptions/Newspaper
21a) Last year we made it a point to go to Barnes & Noble and the local library about twice a month. We were able to save a ton by getting our news online and reading free magazines at these locations. Not to mention getting a good book and reading at B&N is a great date night if you’re into that thing 

22) Cancel Your Gym Membership For A Few Months
22a) There are lots of Fitness DVD’s out there. Amazon has plenty to choose from for $20 or less.

22b) Another option is to exercise outside. We tried it last spring for a couple of months. It was actually very romantic, fun, and saved us $70 a month on gym memberships.

23) Christmas Gift Giving
23a) Assuming you celebrate this holiday save tissue paper & re-use gift bags. We stopped using wrapping paper a few years back. Tissue and bags are a lot easier (especially for us guys) to use. Plus they can be recycled/re-used as long as the bag is in good condition!

23b) Have a contest to see who can buy the nicest gifts (including brand name stuff) for the best (lowest) price. A friend of ours does this every year with his family. There is voting by each family member. The winner of the contest gets a great prize!

23c) Consider asking family instead of useless gifts that nobody needs or wants a gift card exchange. We did this last year with part of our family with a lot of success. Everyone writes down a list of 4-5 things they want (including gifts cards) and people end up with a gift they actually want or a gift card to a store they'd like to buy something at... or consider everyone giving towards a charity helping those less fortunate. After all Christmas is the season of GIVING right?

23d) Consider if you have kids asking grandparents, uncles, aunts, etc. to give a money gift to your kids to go toward their college fund.

24) Buy Gift Cards at discounts
24a) Times are tough. Often at the end of the year companies will have promotions: Subway had $5.00 off your next sub with the purchase of a gift card. We bought two gift cards ($25 each) and each had a free sub. Plus we had enough for going out on very inexpensive date for the next couple of months. There are also websites where you can purchase gift cards at discounts.

25) Haircuts
25a) For guys a simple home hair cutting kit ($20-30 usually) can save a ton over time. I bought a kit last summer to buzz my hair and saved an average of $15 every two weeks for four months. We saved about $100 over the course of that time. Plus anytime I want an inexpensive haircut it can be convenient.

25b) For women consider going to a cosmetology school (In the Dallas are there are several Ogle Beauty Schools). Instead of paying $30 you might pay $10 for a good (hopefully) haircut. Plan on spending double the time at the hair stylist as they are just learning! My wife did this our first year of marriage and we saved about $100-200 for the year.

[Eagle]

Which one do you like best? Anyone have anything to add?

[Eagle]

27) Live in a smaller home
27a) I have a (now single as his wife passed away) great uncle who recently moved from a 3 story home to a 1 story home. He saved on utility bills, maintenance, and cleaning. If the kids have moved out do you really need a four room three bathroom home?

28) Use the Barter System
28a) Have a skill? Are you a great photographer and need a plumber? Why not exchange a family photo shoot for a couple of hours of plumbing work. Or how about music lessons in say piano or guitar?

29) Start a Side Business or Get a Part-time Job
29a) Blogging is a good option or being a free-lance writer. Even perhaps starting up your own photography business or baking business might be a fun/good idea.

30) When you buy food, make sure to eat it!
30a) Wasting food can add up quick. If we don’t eat our fresh food and vegetables they can go to waste.

[anaidaa]

Saving money in your everyday life, or getting out of debt, is not easy though. One of the biggest things I learned is that the more motivated I became to save money, the faster it happened. The best thing to do is to figure out exactly where all your money is going to the penny by tracking your expenses for thirty days or more. Simply write down on a piece of paper every single time you spend money what you spent the money on, when you spent it, and for what reason.

[roxymoxie14]

Almost always compare and buy generic

Besides a few vital items like mayonnaise, cheese singles and foil, I almost always buy the generic, store brand items instead of the name brands. Saves me a ton of money and I hardly ever notice any difference. Be careful to compare items such as over-the-counter medicines which 99.9% of the time have the same exact ingredients as the generic brands, but depending on name brand and fancy claims and marketing, the price is drastically different.

:-)

Happy Saving!!

[Eagle]

Saving money in your everyday life, or getting out of debt, is not easy though. One of the biggest things I learned is that the more motivated I became to save money, the faster it happened. The best thing to do is to figure out exactly where all your money is going to the penny by tracking your expenses for thirty days or more. Simply write down on a piece of paper every single time you spend money what you spent the money on, when you spent it, and for what reason.

These are good suggestions. Also tracking your expenses via an Excel sheet and/or www.mint.com is a good idea too. Budgetting and having an emergency fund really helps when getting out of debt.

[Eagle]

Besides a few vital items like mayonnaise, cheese singles and foil, I almost always buy the generic, store brand items instead of the name brands. Saves me a ton of money and I hardly ever notice any difference. Be careful to compare items such as over-the-counter medicines which 99.9% of the time have the same exact ingredients as the generic brands, but depending on name brand and fancy claims and marketing, the price is drastically different.

:-)

Happy Saving!!

This is good advice. I would say that be sure to check the ingredients of generic products. What you may save in the short-term (saving a few dollars) may cost you in the long term (medical bills).

I will agree that generic medicine is probably just as good as name brand. And the cost savings can be significant!