15 WAYS TO SAVE MONEY

Regardless of what you hear on the news, “we’re coming out of the recession” or “we’re still in a recession” - who doesn’t want to save money? And while most people think that sacrificing BIG things like vacations or large purchases is the way to go, don’t underestimate the power of ‘the little things’ which all add up to big savings.

People are naturally creatures of ‘habit.’ And sadly what has cost this country money all across the board is being stuck in old habits which need to change.

If you create NEW habits, what becomes habitual becomes a ritual. And if you target a new habit toward cutting back and saving cash, you can and will save money. Keep these habits even in the good times when cash is flowing. You’ll find that if and when the lean times hit again, you’ll be better prepared and less stressed. Some of these items are perhaps ‘no-brainers.’ But perhaps laziness has set in and you’ve forgotten or just need a refresher/reminder. Either way, here are ___ things you can do to save money:

1) Set monthly budgets. If you don’t already do this, this may be where the problem lies. Keep track on what you are spending and how you are spending it. This will be eye-opening to see where most of your money is going.

2) Conserve. Yes, while everyone is doing the ‘green thing’ – don’t underestimate how you can conserve, be green and save money. Putting glass juice bottles filled with sand in your toilet tank not only conserves water with every flush, but you’ll save on your water bill. Turning off lights in rooms you are not in, not only saves energy, but saves on your electricity bill. If you haven’t already switched out your light bulbs for energy efficient ones…. DO THIS. It really makes a difference. When the weather requires heating or cooling – abstain. Instead, wear lighter clothing if it is hot or throw on an extra sweater or sweatshirt if it is cold and cut down on your heating and cooling bills.

3) Learn to cook, use your junk mail, meal plan shop and freeze. If you don’t already know how to cook – get a friend, neighbor or relative to help teach you how. Cooking at home saves $$$, particularly when you can purchase groceries when items go on special or on sale, buying in bulk. Most people toss junk mail. Often you will find weekly savings from your local grocer, listing items that are going on special that week. READ THESE flyers, they can save you money and help you meal plan accordingly. Use coupons for all your grocery shopping and take advantage of your free club card benefits and discounts. When you buy everyday items – go generic or store brand rather than national name brand. It’s often the same quality, but you can cut costs drastically by buying these items instead. Cooking at home will save you even more money with some of these heartier meals that produce lots of leftovers, like lasagna or chili, etc. You can freeze leftovers and microwave them at work the next day to save $$ on lunch, by bringing your own lunch instead of going out.

4) Watch your miles and map your errands. This seems silly to think about, but so many people waste so much gas (and time!) not planning errand runs. You can save a tank of gas per month by carefully planning your errands and the route you take. GROUP your errands – i.e. if you have to go to the post office, bank, drycleaner, store, etc… think about finding a one-stop shop mini-mall where you can do all this in one close location. Or if you live on the outskirts of a big city… pre-plan your errand run for one day and do it in the order that saves you the most miles – like going to the farthest location first and on your way back hit everything else you need to do before arriving home.

5) Multi-task your social schedule and try to entertain at home. Instead of going out 3-5 times to meet individually with one friend here and another friend there, plan one get together a week. Maybe make it a potluck at home with all your friends, with everyone bringing something. Not only is this more fun to do group functions, you can see everyone at one time, save money, and create a once-a-week gathering that everyone can look forward to. And everyone saves. Each week someone else in the group can host.

6) Recycle. Yes, being green gets you more green. Cans, plastic, glass, newspaper – it all adds up. Check your local recycling center – some places give more cash than others.

7) Use the most cost-effective and efficient communication. If you are reading this, you obviously have Internet access. And if this is the case, you know emailing costs less than phone calls and texting (which adds up). Otherwise, contact your phone company and change your plan to work within your reduced needs and budget constraints.

8) Cut back on indulgences. Where do you frivolously spend $$? Is it a $5 latte everyday? Try brewing coffee at home and taking it in a thermos. Instead of spending $35 a week on this coffee, you’ll save a whopping $140 a month and instead only spend $7-12 a month brewing at home. Go to the movies every weekend? Cut back to every other weekend instead and the other two weekends per month, rent a video instead. You’ll save $30 a month.

9) Stop buying bottled water. It’s expensive. Use a Brita filter at home and filter your own tap.

10) Stay healthy. Eat right, get sleep, exercise (even if it’s 20 min. of jumping jacks and pushups at home) and wash your hands. Staying healthy means saving money on cough syrup, cold remedies and doctor visits. An apple a day does keep the doctor away and it’s cheaper and healthier than a Happy Meal!

11) READ. Believe it or not, most people don’t get the benefit of saving money because they don’t bother to read… read about local savings, read expiration dates (which can make you sick if it’s food or spend more money if it’s a coupon). Taking time to read about what’s going on in your own hometown and local area – can help save you cash. This includes reading monthly utility bills, credit card statements – watch for things you can do, promotions going on and ways you can save money.

12) Exchange favors. This may sound silly, but honestly exchanging favors can save you cash. Talk to your friends, family and neighbors – something as simple as helping out doing something can save big dollars in the long run and make sense in the interim. Maybe exchange help moving/packing, gardening, car cleaning or pet sitting favors. You get the idea. Sometimes exchanging favors/bartering time, can save both of you cash once a month.

13) Keep inventory. Clean out your closet, drawers, cabinets. Do you stock-pile items? Maybe you keep buying something because you think you don’t have it, but if you look in the back of your closet, drawer or cabinet, you’ll see you’ve got two or three of the same thing. Stop the madness. Stop overspending. Use what you have. You don’t need 5 packages of ball point pens or 3 jars of the same ___fill in the blank. Be aware of what you have and ‘make do’ with what you currently have in inventory.

14) Stay on top of maintenance. So when money is tight people neglect maintenance on things… like their cars or computers or whatever. Can you really afford to spend the big bucks when these things break? Spending a little now before things go completely into the deep end can actually save you money in the long run. This goes back to item #1 and some of the other items on this list. If you know what you’re spending, you’ll know where you can cut back and save. This money will be there now to do maintenance on bigger ticket items which may cost you more later. If your car or your computer are important to say…uh, staying employed, then these obviously take priority over all your other habits.

15) Get creative for the holidays. Instead of exchanging material gifts, arrange with family and friends to do something together instead. Not only will you save on gas, parking, wrapping paper, ribbon, tissue, gift tags, cards and also help the environment, doing something together can cost less. Maybe your family and friends may want to help out at a charity event, an animal shelter, visit a children’s hospital, help out at a soup kitchen. Not only is this representative of the holiday spirit and what it’s all about, it gives you something memorable to do together in the spirit of the season…. And you happen to save $$ while you’re at it.

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