MONEY-SAVING IDEAS
From pinching pennies to saving thousands of dollars....
Here are a bunch of suggestions to consider in the "spend less" category. Many -- or even most -- of them may fall into the "duh!" and "that's old news" categories too, but it doesn't hurt to review once in a while, to see where you (or, speaking for myself, I) can do better.
So in no particular order, here's my brainstorm of ideas ranging from big to very, very small, some with links to more information:
1. Buy in bulk (as long as you know you'll use it all). That doesn't
mean you have to go to Sam's Club or Costco. Even at your regular
grocery store, both edible and non-edible goods are often cheaper per
unit when you buy bigger packages. This might include toilet paper,
rice, beans, pasta, garbage bags, etc. Here's an article from WalletPop
about the best items to buy in bulk. Find out other ways to save on groceries ("Insider Grocery Saving Secrets") from Yahoo! Finance, some of which I'll bet you haven't thought of.
2. Re-use plastic grocery bags for wastebasket trash bags, lunch bags
for work, or even doggie poopie pick-up bags. (Just check for holes for
the latter!)
3. Cut down on processed foods and cook from scratch. Crock pots are a
great way to cook with little effort, not to mention while you're
asleep. And the meals can last for a few days.
4. Eat in more and out less. Eating out less can save a LOT. If you're
going out twice a week, cut down to once. If once a week, try for every
other week.
5. When you do eat out, consider places where you can order and pick up
at the counter. This can save on tips. (Although leaving a little
something in the tip jar is a good thing, if the service is good that
is.)
6. Take advantage of happy hours and two-for-one deals. At one local
shop, we can get two smoothies for the price of one between 4 and 6pm.
(Better yet, we save even more when we make them at home in our
blender.)
7. Turn off lights when you leave the room.
8. Turn off strip-switches when electronics aren't in use. Turn off DVD and CD players, for example.
9. Shut down the computer when it's not in use.
10. Use compact florescent bulbs, not incandescent.
11. Turn down the thermostat at least a few degrees and wear fleece, down booties,
etc. Put an extra blanket on the bed. Maybe try fleece or flannel
sheets, also. According to the Alliance To Save Engergy, for every
degree you lower your thermostat, you can subtract 5% from your bill. I
read that an Energy Star programmable Thermostat
will save more than twice its price in a year as it adjusts the temperature for you when you're away or asleep.
12. Pay bills online to save postage and checks, not to mention avoid late fees.
13. Bike and walk instead of drive. It's good for you, too!
14. Grow a vegetable garden (or even just mix in veggies with your
landscaping). Container gardening is another possibility. At one time,
we were spending less than $200 per month on groceries while growing
much of our own food.
15. Buy store or no-name brands (unless the name brand is less with a coupon or store special).
16. Use washable rags instead of paper towels. You can make rags out of old clothes instead of throwing them away.
17. Use cloth napkins instead of disposable paper napkins.
18. Stay at campgrounds instead of hotels. (To me, it's more fun anyway.) Looking for free campgrounds and RV parks? Check out FreeCampgrounds.com.
19. Pay off credit cards at the end of each month, but get the cash
rewards. (We make several hundred dollars a year this way, and we use
our cards only for things we'd buy anyway, such as gas and groceries.)
20. Shop with a list and make lists by recipe. Don't impulse buy. (This applies to things other than groceries, too.)
21. Rent movies instead of going to the theater. But if you do go to the movie theater, go to the less expensive matinees.
22. Sign up for paperless bill statements. Some companies give you a
small discount each month for doing so. The same also sometimes applies
to auto-withdrawals. We saved $5/month on our cable internet bill by
having the company charge the bill to our credit card each month and
send an email invoice.
23. Cut out soda pop. Even diet soda. It's just not good for you. (And I actually lost weight when I cut out Diet Coke.)
24. Make coffee at home. Those stops at the coffeeshop or drive-through coffee places can really add up.
25. Bundle services (ie. long-distance phone, cellphone, satellite TV,
internet). Some companies give you a bulk discount for doing so.
26. Sign up for cell phone family plans. Compare family plans by various cell companies at LetsTalk.com.
27. Go the speed limit. Speeding wastes gas, so I'm told.
28. Accelerate evenly, don't take off like a bat outa Hades. Also saves gas, I hear.
29. Do your own oil changes. Learn how on About.com in this step-by-step article.
30. Clean and detail your vehicle yourself (or bribe your kids).
31. Look for free festivals, free days at local museums, free tours. I
find out about these in our local paper online, on fliers around town,
and on our city's website.
32. Take up hiking and walking. It's a pastime that's fun, good for you, and pretty much free.
33. Cross-country ski and snowshoe instead of paying to downhill ski or
snowboard. (I know, some folks would say that's blasphemy.)
34. Shop at second-hand stores for more than just clothing. Sometimes, the stuff is actually new.
35. Trade/barter on Craigslist.org,
for one. (Look for your state, city and then the bartering section.
There's also a free section, and you can post what you're looking for,
not just what you have.)
36. Check out Freecycle.org for free stuff in your area.
37. Don't buy expensive shampoos and conditioners. Personally, I find
Suave is just fine for my sensitive, curly hair. Costs less than $2 each
compared to some fancier brands that are $5 or more per bottle.
38. Use the back of waste paper for note-taking before discarding.
39. Refill ink cartridges rather than buying new. I get mine refilled at the local Walgreens drugstore.
40. Read the news online instead of getting the paper.
41. Sew and patch clothing. Sometimes you have to downgrade it to
pajamas or work clothes, but might as well make the stuff last.
42. Wash clothing inside-out to make it wear longer. (This one comes from my husband, who swears it makes a difference.)
43. Compare gas prices in your area. There are websites where you can check, including GasBuddy.com.
44. Plan your errands for the shortest, most direct route. Don't backtrack from one place to another. Another gas saver.
45. Unplug battery chargers and electronics that operate by remote when
not in use, because they still draw power when they're off. You can also
buy a device that will do this for you, such as a Smart Strip Energy Saving Power Strip, which will stop drawing electricity when the gadgets are off and pay for itself within a few months.
46. Use low-flow shower heads. Here's an adjustable one by Alsons.
47. Take shorter showers. (I know, this is a tough one.) Or maybe turn the water off while shampooing or soaping up.
48. Use a clothesline in nice weather instead of the dryer.
49. Don't buy bottled water. Filter from your sink if necessary.
50. Reuse gift bags and decorative tissue paper from gifts you receive.
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