Ten Ways to Save Money NOW
Get Money-Smart!
We all know it. Inflation is back. Wages are stagnant. Our discretionary incomes are shrinking. It sure isn't the direction we want our wallets to go. Here are ten easy things to do to save a few bucks here and there. It adds up!
1. Pay by cash, not credit card. Studies have shown you spend less when you have to pay for it now instead of later.
2. Write down everything you spend daily for week. Most people spend $5-$10 a day on miscellaneous impulse items; the designer coffee, snacks at the vending machine, lunch out, a magazine. Tracking your expenditures for a week will show you where your 'money leaks' are. Then you can see where you are able and willing to trim expenses.
3. Keep your tires inflated. Seriously. Keeping your tires inflated will improve your mileage by 3%. I did this, and it got me one more trip to the store without having to fill up the tank again.
4. Keep the exterior of your car clean. This improves your mileage too by reducing the air drag. You wouldn't think this would matter, but experts say this can make as much a difference as the right air pressure in your tires.
5. Shop with a grocery list. This reduces your impulse buying. Plan out your meals so you can use the same ingredients for more than one dish. Notice how you use up your groceries. Some people are better at managing their food money if they shop less frequently. Others tend to throw away more food that way. They do better with more frequent trips, shopping only for two or three days at a time. Monitor what works best for you. Also, if you have a spouse, partner, or kids, try to shop alone. You'll spend less when there are fewer people to add to the impulse buying.
6. Get your meat from the butcher instead of already packaged. I noticed a significant difference in the per-pound price for chicken if I asked for it from the butcher instead of the package just sitting a few feet away. Presumably, you're paying a lot for the packaging to be done at the factory.
7. Drink tap water instead of bottled water. Do we really need to spend $2 or $3 for water? If you don't like the taste of your water, put a filter on your faucet. Add flavorings yourself,such as lemon oil, vanilla extract, or peppermint. Or buy your bottled water at Costco or another discounter where it's significantly cheaper.
8. Women: Buy your hosiery in bulk. Several manufacturers sell hosiery at a discount on line. You buy several pairs at a time, and the per-pair price can be up to about half what you'd pay in the store. Try www.onehanesplace.com This site also has bras and active wear.
9. Get a programmable thermostat. With fall coming, start thinking about heating costs. As in how high they'll be. With a programmable thermostat, you can reduce the temperature in your home at night when you're sleeping or when you're at work, then have the house heat to a comfortable temperature when you're at home and awake. They're inexpensive and easily installed. We reduced our oil consumped by 1/3 just by doing this.
10. Reassess all your bills. Take a look at every recurring bill you have: insurance, cable or satellite, and phone bills. (cell and hard line if you still have one). Insurance is a competitive industry. Shop around between reputable companies for your car and house insurance. It takes time, but you may be able to save a couple hundred dollars. That's worth it. Play the cable and satellite companies against each other to get a better deal. Each entity will negotiate to keep you as a customer. Take advantage of it. Examine your phone bills to see if you're using all your minutes or services. You may be able to easily knock off $5 or $10.
I know I said ten..but since #8 above is just for women...here's #11.
11. Cut your subscriptions. Newspapers and magazines can just be more stacks of paper accumulating that we don't have time to read. Subscribe only to those that you read faithfully. You love that glossy magazine you get every month..but how often do you actually read it cover to cover? Jettison it, and save $20 or $30. Go on line for the rest of what you need. You'll save a tree too.
Start on your smart money campaign right now by keeping track of your cash expenditures for the next week. You'll be surprised!
I'll have more money-saving tips in future blogs.
(Comment on this piece and let me know what other topics you'd like to read about!)
We all know it. Inflation is back. Wages are stagnant. Our discretionary incomes are shrinking. It sure isn't the direction we want our wallets to go. Here are ten easy things to do to save a few bucks here and there. It adds up!
1. Pay by cash, not credit card. Studies have shown you spend less when you have to pay for it now instead of later.
2. Write down everything you spend daily for week. Most people spend $5-$10 a day on miscellaneous impulse items; the designer coffee, snacks at the vending machine, lunch out, a magazine. Tracking your expenditures for a week will show you where your 'money leaks' are. Then you can see where you are able and willing to trim expenses.
3. Keep your tires inflated. Seriously. Keeping your tires inflated will improve your mileage by 3%. I did this, and it got me one more trip to the store without having to fill up the tank again.
4. Keep the exterior of your car clean. This improves your mileage too by reducing the air drag. You wouldn't think this would matter, but experts say this can make as much a difference as the right air pressure in your tires.
5. Shop with a grocery list. This reduces your impulse buying. Plan out your meals so you can use the same ingredients for more than one dish. Notice how you use up your groceries. Some people are better at managing their food money if they shop less frequently. Others tend to throw away more food that way. They do better with more frequent trips, shopping only for two or three days at a time. Monitor what works best for you. Also, if you have a spouse, partner, or kids, try to shop alone. You'll spend less when there are fewer people to add to the impulse buying.
6. Get your meat from the butcher instead of already packaged. I noticed a significant difference in the per-pound price for chicken if I asked for it from the butcher instead of the package just sitting a few feet away. Presumably, you're paying a lot for the packaging to be done at the factory.
7. Drink tap water instead of bottled water. Do we really need to spend $2 or $3 for water? If you don't like the taste of your water, put a filter on your faucet. Add flavorings yourself,such as lemon oil, vanilla extract, or peppermint. Or buy your bottled water at Costco or another discounter where it's significantly cheaper.
8. Women: Buy your hosiery in bulk. Several manufacturers sell hosiery at a discount on line. You buy several pairs at a time, and the per-pair price can be up to about half what you'd pay in the store. Try www.onehanesplace.com This site also has bras and active wear.
9. Get a programmable thermostat. With fall coming, start thinking about heating costs. As in how high they'll be. With a programmable thermostat, you can reduce the temperature in your home at night when you're sleeping or when you're at work, then have the house heat to a comfortable temperature when you're at home and awake. They're inexpensive and easily installed. We reduced our oil consumped by 1/3 just by doing this.
10. Reassess all your bills. Take a look at every recurring bill you have: insurance, cable or satellite, and phone bills. (cell and hard line if you still have one). Insurance is a competitive industry. Shop around between reputable companies for your car and house insurance. It takes time, but you may be able to save a couple hundred dollars. That's worth it. Play the cable and satellite companies against each other to get a better deal. Each entity will negotiate to keep you as a customer. Take advantage of it. Examine your phone bills to see if you're using all your minutes or services. You may be able to easily knock off $5 or $10.
I know I said ten..but since #8 above is just for women...here's #11.
11. Cut your subscriptions. Newspapers and magazines can just be more stacks of paper accumulating that we don't have time to read. Subscribe only to those that you read faithfully. You love that glossy magazine you get every month..but how often do you actually read it cover to cover? Jettison it, and save $20 or $30. Go on line for the rest of what you need. You'll save a tree too.
Start on your smart money campaign right now by keeping track of your cash expenditures for the next week. You'll be surprised!
I'll have more money-saving tips in future blogs.
(Comment on this piece and let me know what other topics you'd like to read about!)
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