In this bad economic weather, saving money is a very realistic and important task – and contrary to what many people think, saving money can even be very manageable – yes, it is indeed possible to save considerable amounts of money without compromising too much on your standard and style of living. Here a few tips that can help you cut corners:
The first piece of advice would be to look for cheaper gasoline. You probably are one of those many people who use their car everyday and in the final analysis; expensive gasoline can become a huge burden on your expense column. It is probably a good idea to look for cheap gas stations on websites like fuelmeup.com. Just doing this little research can save you up to twenty five to thirty dollars per month (depending obviously on how often you use your car).
The second piece of advice would be to get your home phone unsubscribed. Now, before you think that that is too extreme, its worth considering that almost all voice communication is done via cell phones nowadays and, if you really think about it, there is absolutely no reason at all why all your calls cannot be routed to your cell phone. Getting your home phone unsubscribed will most certainly save you a good twenty dollars per month.
Next, you would want to venture out and look for some cheaper cell phone deals. Look at features and packages that suit your needs and unsubscribe to any packages that you do not use. Consider looking at packages with fewer minutes and happy hours that are in sync with your calling patterns. It’s really not a bad idea to ask other family members to use the same service provider as yours – doing so will allow you to avail dirt cheap packages and amazingly low per minute rates. You can at least save a good twenty to thirty dollars if you plan and execute this tip correctly.
Are you signed up for newspapers and magazines that you don’t really read? Or even if you do read them, is there a way by which you can read them on the internet? If your hard copy magazine and newspaper subscriptions aren’t adding any real value then get your self unsubscribed – you will be amazed at just how much money you can save by doing this. The same is true for gym and club memberships – take a good honest look at the past few months and ask yourself how often have you used these memberships. If the answer is “not very often” then you would want to save yourself hundreds of dollars and get your memberships cancelled.
Next, take a good hard look at your insurance options and don’t hesitate in picking up the phone and asking your insurance company for better (cheaper) deals. Usually an insurance company would not update you on cheaper insurance options until you actually ask them (we all know why that would be the case).
Apart form these there are a plethora of other expense cutting measures that you can take. These measures do not require a lot of time and effort – and what’s even better is that these measures wouldn’t dent your standard of living to a noticeable extent.
There are many ways to make saving money easy and doable. You don’t need a lifestyle change to succeed in saving money. Listed below are helpful tips to make it easier for you to start saving money.
Make it a habit to prepare a grocery list. Write down the items that you genuinely need. Be strict with yourself and strike out superfluous items. Your grocery list will steer you away from pointless purchases as long as you stick to the list you’ve made. This routine will only take a little of your time each week but the benefits can be substantial.
Take advantage of discounts and coupons. Buy things that you use often in bulk to enjoy discounts. Toilet paper, dish washing soap, and detergents are some of the items you can purchase in larger quantities. Since they are non-perishable, you don’t have to worry about them getting spoiled. On your spare time, cut out coupons and use them on your next grocery trip.
Enjoy homemade meals. Include on your grocery list food items you can use to prepare a homemade sandwich for lunch. Pack them well and take them with you to work every day. This not only saves you money for cafeteria food but also helps you eat healthy. For dinner, stay at home and simply prepare easy-to-cook dishes that are cheaper than restaurant food.
As much as possible, pay for what you buy in cash. Credit cards may be more convenient but it is also the fastest way to temptation. When shopping, leave your cards behind so you don’t get tempted to buy unessential items. Use your card only when doing so would be more economical such as when there are installment plans or cash rebates you can avail of.
Check your pantry for natural body and skin care products. Milk and honey are known to be good for the skin. Using them instead of your usual lotion can help you save money and can even be healthier for your skin in the end.
Prepare your own snacks. Instead of always buying chips from the store, create your own popcorn or French fries at home. You don’t only save money by doing this; you can also be creative and come up with even more delicious flavors!
Take your home-made snacks to the cinema. Save money on over-priced drinks and snacks being sold at the movie house and simply bring your own snack creations with you.
Reduce your electricity bill. Turn off lights in parts of the house that you don’t use. Use energy saving light bulbs which consume less energy than the usual incandescent bulbs.
Don’t substitute walking in the shopping mall for real exercise. More often than not, you wont stick to just walking. You’ll go look in a store and find something you’ll be lured into buying. Resist the call of the mall and choose a nice park to walk, jog or run in during weekends.
So you need to save money, who doesn’t? The problem is that most of the money saving tips on the internet are either all the same or simply not achievable. We have put together some tips which are guaranteed to save you money. Achievable? You can do anything if you put your mind to it…
Save yourself a fortune, stop smoking
I don’t know how anyone can afford to smoke in this day and age. The price of a packet of cigarettes could be far better spent (or saved) on things you need. If you add up how much money you actually spend per year on cigarettes, it might make you think twice about how much you smoke.
Don’t drink as much
Okay, this isn’t revolutionary but again, if you calculate your yearly spend on booze, you might think twice before you order your next round.
Prepare your own meals
Ready meals may seem like the answer to your prayers but they simply are not. Not only are the bad for you, they also cost a lot and savings can be made to your wallet and your health if you start to cook your own meals. It doesn’t have to be a chore, you should take pride in your cooking and see it as a chance to get creative.
Check your mortgage deal
Let’s face it, unless you come into some money, the biggest expenditure you are likely to make is your home. It is for this reason you must make absolutely certain that you’re not getting ripped off on your mortgage deal. There are a vast amount of mortgage products available and some are better suited to others, make sure yours is the absolute best solution to your circumstances.
Don’t pay the store price
This might not always be possible (for example in your local supermarket) but you should always try and get money off wherever you can. This works really well in smaller shops where you’re dealing with the owner rather than someone who’s probably not authorized to give you a discount. For example last week I bought a new mountain bike and I spent quite a lot of money. I wasn’t just buying the bike either, I went for the helmet, the shorts the lot. I could tell he didn’t want to lose this sale, so I got as much off as I could and then I got him to throw in a few freebies too.
There are money saving tips that can help you save now, and some that will help over a period of a few months. Although some may not seem like they will save you too much by itself, added together over the course of a year, you could save hundreds.
Coupons are a great place to start when looking for money saving tips. Although they can be a hassle sometimes, they allow you to save money on the things that you would normally be buying anyway. I’ve walked away from the checkout looking at my receipt and seeing that I saved $12 just by using coupons. Done every week, that’s almost $50 a month.
Replacing your faucets and shower-heads with low-flow water-saving ones can help to not only save water, by using less; but also help save the energy it takes to heat that water for your hot bath or shower. For larger families where there are more people who need to bathe or shower, these money saving tips can save a lot of water and energy.
Eating out is something that we all love to do, but it’s no secret that it can be costly. Taking a lunch to work, instead of buying one can help to save money, and even put towards that evening when you do go out to eat. For those with children, choosing to eat at places where kids eat free is also good. There are many restaurants that offer for kids to eat free on certain nights. Places with a buffet are also a great way to save. They may cost a little bit more, but it is well worth it for everyone to get full instead of getting home and hearing the words ‘I’m still hungry’, whether it is a child, spouse, or even yourself saying it.
We all know how much people love hand me downs, and while they are a good way to save money by using something again, sometimes it’s nice to get something new. Now as for money saving tips, this is my favorite, buy out of season. Although it is a bit unusual, I love to buy winter clothes in summer, summer clothes in winter, and Christmas decorations after Christmas. When you buy out of season, the stores are desperately trying to get rid of items to make room for the new ones and the markdowns can be a tremendous savings. I’ve done this to get many things, I would normally not be able to afford, and paid only a fraction of the price it was.
Although some money savings tips won’t save you a huge amount of money right away, every little bit helps, and it all adds up.
Money saving is more than a little sum of money you put a side. It is something found in
your everyday life by the way you life and the lifestyle you choose. It is not that hard to
save money, just a matter of learning all the different options and be creative. I have 10 most powerful tips on money saving. It is not going to make you rich over night
but if you stick to it you will find yourself in more control of your money.
1. Make a Budget
Have you ever wondered where all your money is gone even before you reach your next
paycheck day? Make a budget on paper. Knowing exactly where you are spending your
hard earn money is the best your to save money. You will have no idea where the money
is really gone until you see it on paper.
You will find out that you are spending too much money on unnecessary things. See your
own spending habits is the only way to cut down and save money. You will learn to
spend on the things that really matters and plan your budget.
2. Make a list
When you are budgeting your monthly budget, it is wise if you write down the most
important things in a list. Rank them in order of importance using number 1 to 10. This is
to help you visualize your money cash flow.
Allocate your money on daily need such as food, electricity, mortgage, utility, credit
cards, and the balance you should put a side. Although this way of saving money may not
seem like much, but once you add them up at the end of year you will see how much your
savings really are.
3. Be realistic and flexible.
Set a goal and be realistic. If you earn about $60,000/ year, saving $30,000 would be
great. But if you make it unrealistic, it will be make seems even harder to achieve it. It
will break your heart and you will end up saving nothing.
Once you have set up your goal, be flexible. Things are not always on the way as we
expected. If you manage to save up $ 150 on monthly basis, then only able to save $50
next month it is just fine. As long as you are focus you are on the right track.
4. Attitude
Money saving is an acquired skill. As you go with the process of saving money, you need
to have a good, positive attitude, which is often what will keep you heading to the right
direction.
If you cannot save, then you probably will not. Be determined and stay positive about
saving and break your old habits of spending money on impulse.
5. Alternative shopping.
When you are really need to buy things – always find alternative to spend your money.
Instead of heading to the mall, head straight to clearance rack where you could find
amazing bargain.
Thrift and surplus stores are another good alternative. Spend some time to find better
bargains. Sometimes you could find name brand merchandises with a fraction of the
original price. Do not ignore the dollar stores. Check them out and enjoy huge lumps of
saving.
Ebay. You could find almost anything from used underwear to expensive watches with a
laughable price. Just avoid the temptation to involve in the auction frenzy with other
buyers for items you do not really need.
6. Make it yourself present.
Look around for items you already have on hand to make a unique present. Let your
creative juice flow. Make your own handmade cards. Create your own wrapping paper.
Knit your own glove. Sew your table clothes. Make homemade chocolate; bake cakes,
and placing them in inexpensive glass containers or baskets.
Your handmade present is not only unique but also personal. People love getting personal
handmade items and the options are endless.
7. Coupons
Coupons can save you couple hundred dollars every year. It can be used at grocery stores,
retail chains, and any stores where the items are sold. In average you could easily save
5% o 10% on bill simply by presenting your discount coupons.
8. Buy thing in bulk
Always buy items you and your family use on a consistent basis in bulk on sale for a
great bargain. As an Example, shampoo, body soap, cooking oil, sugar, cornflakes, and
other items you know you will use them buy it in bulk on sale.
9. Limited your credit card usage
Use it only for emergency. If you only pay the minimum payment each month, it will
take you forever to pay off since all your money will go straight to pay the interest.
If your credit is in good standing, call your credit card company and negotiate a lower
interest. Just tell the representative and mostly they will care of your request just to keep
you as their customer.
10. Give your self some incentive
Money saving does not mean you have to stay away from things you love and give up the
good stuff. If you love movies, switch your nighttime show to late afternoon or evening
matinee. If you love fresh bread and pastry, visit your local thrift store. Taking your
family to eat out, choose restaurant with “all you can eat” buffet. For free entertainment,
some cities have areas that are popular on weekends where you could find free concerts.
Who says entertainment and having fun should be expensive? Check your local paper and
college for a list of free exercise class, poetry reading, dramas and painting exhibition.