Here is a link to a post on the website FrugalForLife.com The post is titled 25 Ways I Save Money. Included in the post are links to several articles posted on various websites. All of these posts have lists of things you can do to save money.
There are a lot of people who have ideas on how to save money. Every suggestion does not work for every person. Most of the suggestions have some very good points and at least part of what they have to offer is relevant to the reader.
I think this is very useful because it gives you a lot of different perspectives to choose from. Sometimes what works for someone else won’t work for you. However, there may be suggestions that you never considered. Every little bit adds up and you may find that some of these suggestions are just what you were looking for.
I would like to throw in my 2 cents worth.
My 25 Ways to Save Money
1. Buy whole boneless pork loin, boneless chicken breast or beef roast for $2 or less per pound, or ground beef for $1.50 or less per pound. Have the butcher slice and tenderize the pork for free. Transfer to ziplock bags and freeze for future use.
2. Use a programmable thermostat. Set it so the heat is lower at night, if no one is home during the day, you can lower it then as well.
3. Set your computer to sleep when you aren’t using it (or shut it off). This saves on electricity.
4. Caulk windows and doors to keep the heat in.
5. Buy propane on a contract. You usually get a cheaper price.
6. Shop at a store like Aldi or Save-A-Lot. Almost all generic food is fine. If you can’t do that try to buy store brands.
7. Buy frozen vegetables instead of fresh. They keep longer, and are frozen when fresh, so they are very nutritious.
8. Chop and freeze green peppers, onions or any other produce that will freeze well if you can’t use them fast enough. You can also do this if you are able to get a quantity of these items for free or cheap.
9. Learn what a good price is and stock up when items are on sale. Items such as laundry detergent, toilet paper, paper towels, dishwasher soap, bath soap, name brand foods you prefer and anything else you know you will use. Don’t get too carried away, these things go on sale every few weeks. Buy a couple of months worth.
10. If you choose to buy name brands save your coupons, wait for the item to go on sale, then buy the smallest size the coupon is good for (do the math to be sure, but the smallest size with the coupon is usually the best deal). Don’t use the coupon at full price unless you were going to buy it anyway. Wait for the sale.
11. Don’t buy fancy products for cooking when you can make the same thing (only better) from scratch. Items like fajitas or pizza or gravy, for example. There are plenty of free recipes available on the internet.
12. Don’t buy all of the extras for your telephone service, such as call waiting and caller id. Let your machine get the call and then decide if you want to answer or call back.
13. Reconsider paying for cable or satellite tv. Watch local tv or find something to do besides being a couch potato.
14. Find cheap entertainment, go swimming or camping. Have potluck dinners at home with your friends, anything that does not come with a large price tag.
15. If it’s not broke, don’t replace it. Try to take care of what you have instead of getting another one.
16. Don’t smoke, it is a huge waste of money and very unhealthy. If it helps, save the money that the cigarettes would have cost and buy something you want but don’t need. (You may not save money, but you will be more healthy). If you save the money instead, that is even better.
17. Use fluorescent light bulbs instead of incandescent light bulbs. They cost more but they last a long time and use less electricity.
18. If you are charging things you can’t pay for and don’t really need don’t charge it. If you don’t have the money to buy something you want but don’t need, DON’T BUY IT!.
19. Credit cards are ok to use if you plan to pay the bill in full each month. If you have to pay for an emergency (such as a car repair, not for fancy hubcaps, or a car stereo) it is ok. Look for the lowest interest rate credit card that you have. Pay as much as possible every month until it is paid in full.
20. Be very careful about transferring credit card balances to a low interest credit card. The low rate is usually for a limited time and then the rates go up a lot. The main thing to watch for is the balance transfer fee. In the fine print, it usually says that you will be charged 3% of the amount you are transferring right away. (Some credit cards have a maximum cap on this, but don’t count on it, read the terms carefully).
21. Don’t default on your credit card payments, some credit cards charge you a default rate because you defaulted on a different credit card.
22. Make your gas money count. Plan your shopping trips wisely. Make a list and do everything you need to do in one day. Schedule doctors appointments or other plans and your shopping trips for the same day.
23. Talk to family members about Christmas or other gift giving events. Decide on a plan that everyone can agree on. Draw one name each out of a hat, or better yet buy for children under 18 and agree that the adults don’t get gifts. Do something cheap instead, for example a pot luck dinner.
24. Look for cheaper long distance telephone providers. I currently pay under 5 cents per minute.
25. Cut back on eating out. You get a better meal for less money if you prepare it at home.
Copyright 2008 Tips-and-ideas.com
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