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Archive for the ‘Saving Money’ Category

We think we are saving money, but we’ve never actually sat down and done the math. You could be surprised if you did.

Here are the top five money saving myths that we fall for:

1. Savings accounts save us money

Having money in a savings account for emergencies is a good idea. It’s easy to get to, but not too easy. But if you are looking to save money or make your money work for you, an old-fashioned savings account isn’t necessarily the best way to go. First, you have to look at what you are paying out in interest rates. For example, if you have a student loan with a 5% interest rate and a savings account making 3% interest rate, your savings are costing you approximately 2%. You would be better off paying off that student loan with your savings account.

It goes the other way around too. If your debt has less of an interest rate than your savings, your money is working better in the savings. But with today’s interest rates being so low, your debt is probably higher than the amount of interest you are earning on your savings account. That means you are actually losing money.

2. Sales shopping saves money

I used to be a shopaholic, and sales were my drug of choice. Let me tell you that you aren’t always saving money. Yes, if you really needed the item, then you are saving money. But sales often lead to the purchase of items that normally wouldn’t be purchased. And you usually buy twice as much because it’s on sale. So you haven’t saved any money.

Then if you never use the item, you’ve actually wasted money. This can also apply to bargain shopping and shopping in bulk. It doesn’t matter if you bought your daughter 35 pairs of shoes at garage sales for $ 1 each. If she only wore two pairs of them, you just wasted $ 33.

3. Refinancing your home pays off

When you refinance your home, you aren’t necessarily saving that much money in the long run. Yes, your monthly payments are smaller, but you have refinanced for another 30-year term. This means that if you have already paid 10 years of mortgage, then refinance for another 30, you have basically extended your loan to a 40-year mortgage. Sit and do the math and you’ll see if you are really saving anything.

If you really want to save money, refinance for a lower rate and a shorter term. Your monthly payment may not go down, but your overall repayment may.

4. Zero percent interest saves money

When you take out a card with a zero percent repayment term, you aren’t saving money. You are just delaying paying for items. You don’t save and you don’t spend more. But if you don’t pay the money back within the zero percent period, you’ll be paying interest on those items. That costs you money.

5. Savings is dependent on income

No matter how much you make, you can save money. You simply have to spend less than you make. If you make more money and spend more money, you aren’t saving anything. In fact, you could even be spending more. Don’t wait until you have more money to start saving. You have to start now.

Martin Lukac represents RateTake Refinance Loan marketplace. RateTake matches consumers with multiple lenders offering low rates. Got too much credit debt? Get Debt help and you’d be surprised what we can do together.

More Save Money Articles

Slow Down Your Internet Service. Move to the slower internet service option with your cable company. You may never see a difference in speed.

Combine your cable, internet and telephone service. Companies now offer combined services that not only cost less, but offer the convenience of a single bill.

Brown bag it to work. Be sure to include snack foods like muffins, fruit and cookies for morning and afternoon breaks as well as a lunch. If you also drink the office brew or bring a thermos of coffee, you can save $ 5 a day. If there’s no lunchroom at work, eat and read the paper at your desk or take your lunch to the park. You’ll be healthier as well as richer.

Take public transit or car pool instead of driving to work. Depending on where you live and how far you commute, you’ll save money on gas, parking, insurance and wear-and-tear on your car. And cutting out the daily drive to work and back will cause less stress on the environment – and you.

Go out for dinner just once a month and eliminate take-out foods from your menu. Cook roasts, casseroles and stews that will last a couple of evenings, and keep some frozen dinners, canned soups and pasta sauce on hand for evenings when you are tired and short of time. Cutting back on eating out and ordering in can save you as much as $ 200 per month. Try BBQ’s they are fun and in-expensive.

Get rid of your cell phone or your home phone. Switch to a pay-as-you-go plan and use the phone only when absolutely necessary. By eliminating or severely restricting your use of your cell phone, you can save about $ 35 a month, depending on your current plan and use patterns. (Or get rid of your home phone)

Cancel subscriptions to magazines you don’t read and cable or satellite TV services you don’t watch regularly. Cutting back to the magazines and channels that are essential to you can save you $ 100 or more per year. You can save even more by cutting your newspaper subscription back to weekends only and getting your news at work, on TV or online during the week.

Convert to a gas water heater. They are more efficient and will save you money in the long run.

Send away for and follow up on rebates. After you buy a product with a rebate, send in the form that day. Then mark your calendar to remind yourself to follow up with the rebate company if the check hasn’t show up.

Request a reduction in the interest rate for your home equity line of credit.

Request a reduction in the interest rate on your credit cards. As with home equity loans, credit card companies sometimes are willing to reduce the interest rate. It can’t hurt to ask.

Get rid of Private Mortgage Insurance. If your down payment was less than 20%, you are probably paying PMI. Once you have a 20% cushion through reducing your debt and home appreciation (yes, prices do go up from time to time), contact your mortgage company to start the process of removing the PMI.

Get your books from the library. I love books and read every day. While I buy some of the books I read, most come from the library. Simply put, it’s hard to beat free.

Get DVDs from the library. Many libraries now have movies on DVD that can be checked out. If your library offers this service, it sure beats paying Blockbuster or Netflix.

Get DVDs from Red Box. If your library doesn’t offer DVDs, get your moves from Red Box. It costs just one dollar per night.

Read magazines at the library or online. Too many magazines can cost a fortune. And how many times have you bought a magazine based on the cover and been disappointed by the lack of substance. At the library you can read magazines for free. And many magazines now offer their content for free online.

Subscribe only to magazines you just can not live without. If you must have a certain magazine each month, subscribe. Subscriptions offer substantial savings over the cost at the newsstand.

Request a discount on trash service. For some reason this is a highly competitive business. If you get a better offer in the mail for trash service, call your current trash company and ask them to beat the offer. My trash service has reduced its rates twice in six months to match competing offers.

Never pay checking account fees. I hate bank fees. With so many free checking account plans available, there’s no reason to pay a fee. And if the bank happens to charge you one, ask them to reverse the fee or take your business to another bank.

Get a rewards card. There are many reward cards that pay our in cash or points that can be redeemed for travel or products. Many of these cards don’t have an annual fee. I recently traveled to my college reunion for free using points earned from a credit card. Some favorite reward cards are Best Buy and American Express Gold Card.

Don’t pay interest on credit cards. This is obvious, but I soon as you fail to pay off the credit card in full, the high interest payments start to eat away at your monthly budget. If the temptation to spend more than you can pay on a credit card is to great, get rid of the credit card (and ignore the previous tip!).

Take advantage of 0% credit card offers. Again, as long as the cards won’t cause you to spend more, they can offer substantial savings. Make sure, however, that you keep an eye on the balance transfer fee, which can wipe out your savings. Remember bank fees are deductible interest is not.

Replace incandescent bulbs with compact fluorescent light (CFLs) bulbs. These bulbs use 75% less energy and last 10 times longer. They do take some getting used to, and they won’t work in every light fixture. But use them where it makes sense and save energy and money.

Drive your car longer. The buy new versus used debate often overlooks the most important factor–how long you own your car. Drive it as long as you safely can for substantial savings. Buy a new or used car when your old car begins costing to much in repairs.

Pay your life insurance annually. Insurance companies charge you more if you pay monthly, quarterly or semi-annually. Pay once a year and you’ll pay less.

Pay car insurance semi-annually. At least with my car insurance, they offer quarterly and semi-annual payment options. It costs more to pay quarterly, and twice a year is more convenient anyway.

Increase insurance deductibles. Most of us don’t need to be insured for all losses over $ 100 on our car, for example. Although we wouldn’t want to pay a $ 250 or even $ 500 deductible, we could. If that’s you, find out how much you’d save from raising your deductible. I’ve raised my deductibles on my auto insurance and home owner’s insurance and saved a considerable amount. Shop, shop, shop for the best price.

Think before submitting an insurance claim. My rule of thumb is that I won’t submit a claim on a loss that is less than twice my deductible. So for a $ 250 deductible on an auto loss, I’ll pay out of pocket any loss up to $ 500. Why? The $ 250 I’d receive from my insurance company is not worth the increased premiums I’m likely to pay. You may want to call your insurance agent to find out how a claim will impact your premiums before filing the claim.

Shut vents in unused rooms. This isn’t advisable if you have forced air heating, but shutting vents in unused rooms can save on your heating and cooling bill.

Check the insulation in your home. Extra insulation can easily pay for itself in one or two years, and it helps save the environment, too. Take a smoke pencil and place it next to your cooling and/or heating systems and vents to detect leaks. Seal leaks immediately.

Buy Energy Efficient Appliances. Look for the Energy Star on appliances and consider the annual energy cost before buying. More efficient appliances cost more, but you make up the extra cost and then some over the life of the product.

Agree to limit gift giving. At Christmas our extended family and we go overboard when it comes to gift giving. Agree in advance to limit the gifts and save everybody some money.

Cancel the health club membership. Less expensive options may include a gym at your work or a gym at your local parks and recreation center. Some offer pay as you go options rather than monthly fees, which can be great for those of us who aren’t as consistent in our routines as we’d like to be.

Do not purchase extended warranties unless the item is over $ 500 Even then you may want to pass on this option.

Take advantage of employer 401(k) matches. If your employer matches 401(k) contributions, do everything you can to take full advantage of that match.

Use flexible spending accounts. FSAs allow you to pay certain medical, dental and child care expenses using pre-tax dollars. If your not taking advantage of these accounts, you’re wasting money. Enrollment at many companies is occurring now, so check with your HR department if you have any questions about FSAs.

Get tires from Costco or other wholesale clubs. Simply put, they cost a lot less than buying them at the dealer or even a chain tire store.

Keep tires properly inflated. It keeps you safe and costs less on gas.

Stop smoking. Bad for your health. Bad for your wallet.

Drink less alcohol. It costs money, adds calories and causes acid reflux.

Buy term life insurance. Any other life insurance product is just not worth the extra cost.

Buy generic over-the-counter medicines. They are similar as their branded counterparts and cost less. Be aware that some generic fillers can make you feel sick.

Get organized and avoid missed payments. I’ve missed a payment or two because the bill got buried beneath a stack of papers. Get organized and avoid those late payment penalties. If you do miss a payment, call your creditor and ask to have the penalty removed. They’ll usually accommodate the request, at least the first time.

Buy online when it saves you money. I’ve used Amazon to buy many items. Plus in most cases there is no tax.

Use Open Source software when possible. Use GIMP instead of Photoshop. GIMP is free; Photoshop is not free.

Stay married. I know that some marriages end because of abuse and other extreme circumstances. If you are in a fairly healthy relationship work on staying together. Divorce can wreck yours and your spouse’s finances.

Buy In Bulk The cost of food has risen considerably in the past few years and buying in bulk can see you reduce your food bills dramatically. Although these warehouses were generally developed to serve business, families can take advantage of their lower prices as well. An ideal solution to maximizing the benefit of buying in bulk is to join a local buying group. That way not only do you save by buying large quantities but the cost is split according to your share of the bulk purchases.

Farmers Markets Buying direct from the provider can prove to be less expensive than from a supermarket as you are cutting out the middle man. Many stall holders will even be prepared to negotiate discounts with you, especially if you buy large quantities. Best of all you are guaranteed fresh produce and you are supporting your local community.

Wise Supermarket Shopping Even if you prefer the convenience of doing your weekly shopping at the local supermarket, there are still ways to save money. Swapping your favorite brand for the supermarket’s own brand can save you valuable pounds and often the quality is just as good. Look out for special deals and use the promotional coupons often found in magazines. The best way to avoid spending money unnecessarily is to make a shopping list before you go to the shops, and then stick to it.

Avoid Main Street Prices Instead of shopping on the main street, try factory outlets which offer the same types of clothes but at far better prices. Better still; try shopping at a charity shop. It may conjure up images of old, poor quality second hand clothes but generally the quality is very good and you can find some really unique items in these shops.

Dining Out Cheaply You can still entertain business colleagues or treat your loved one to a nice dinner out even if you are watching the pennies. Most restaurants run promotions to entice diners to their establishments, keep a look out for advertisements in newspapers promoting restaurant deals. There are also several websites which offer special deals at popular restaurants. Just make sure you read the fine print on the voucher as some of these deals are only available on certain days, or between certain hours.

Saving Money On Gas A good way to save money is to ensure that you fill up at the cheapest gas stations. Also you can purchase the Vehicle Fuel Efficiency Booster. This little device can add 20% to your gas mileage. If you drive a lot this is a must have. get it at www.hammacher.com

Drive smoothly. Accelerate smoothly and at a reasonable rate, try to coast to a stop as often as possible. Also use cruise control on the highway.

Ink Print Cartridges Instead of buying new try using refill cartridges or generic replacement cartridges. Companies in particular will benefit from buying in bulk as the more you buy, the less it costs per cartridge.

Switch Utility Companies Residents in the UK and US enjoy a free market in gas and electricity suppliers, it is highly competitive and deals are constantly being offered to the public. Shop around for the best deals and switch. Some may even offer you a cash-back deal which means you could end up with money in your pocket just by changing providers.

Replace Your Light Bulbs Replacing your old light bulbs with energy saving light bulbs can save you money on long term replacement and helps to lower your energy bills. These light bulbs can last up to ten times longer than regular light bulbs and as they are energy-efficient, they also help you reduce your carbon footprint while decreasing your energy consumption. Install CFLs to save energy. Compact fluorescent lights use about a quarter of the electricity of normal incandescent bulbs. They also need replaced much less often.

Transfer Credit card Balances If you have a credit card with a relatively large balance, it may be a good idea to transfer the balance to a new provider and save on interest repayments. Many credit card companies offer an interest free period if you bring transfer your debt from your current provider to them. This will give you a chance to pay off the balance, however check to see if there are any fees to pay for the initial transfer before signing any agreements. Try not to use more than 50% of your available credit per account.

Pay Bills By Direct Debits Or Online If you are still paying your bills by checks or bank transfers, consider switching to direct debits. Most companies actually prefer you to pay by direct debit and offer discounts as an incentive to change your payment method. Not only this but you will also save by avoiding late payment penalty fees and you may even find yourself eligible for additional early payment discounts. Online payments insure that payments are made on time.

Use a programmable thermostat. Programmable thermostats save you an estimated 10-20% on your heating and cooling bills. When we aren’t home, or we are sleeping, our house is quite a bit warmer or cooler, depending on the season. Save a substantial amount on your utilities.

Use NEW ceiling fans, floor fans, and space heaters. Old appliances suck energy. Try to put your TV, VCR ect on energy strips that can be turned off when the device is not in use.

Plan and research major purchases. A little planning can save you thousands of dollars.

Buy Quality Products. Quality items may cost more up front, but they last longer and generally provide better results than cheaper, inferior products.

Use Coupons And Rebates. We use coupons for oil changes, groceries, books, on-line purchases, and just about anything else we can find. A great on-line resource is www.Ebates.com, which is an on-line rebate company. Ebates is free to join, and you can get great savings on on-line purchases.

Use store rewards cards. Many stores will send you cash certificates to use

Eat Leftovers. You can save a minimum of $ 20 a week by eating leftovers.

Take Care Of Things. I treat things I own with respect and take good care of them. This includes doing things such as cleaning our house, washing our cars, ect, ect. Things last much longer when you take good care of them.

Avoid credit card debt. If you do not have the money to pay for what you are buying, DON”T buy it.

Fill Your Fridge. Lower your electricity bills by stocking your fridge. The less empty space you have in your fridge, the less cold air will escape whenever you open it.

Cover windows in the winter. Have 1/4? sheets of Plexiglas cut to the size of your windows; during the winter install on the inside of your windows with an air gap (created by using foam insulation strips) in between. Use wood strips to hold in place. It minimizes loss of heat and it is a great sound barrier!

Wait before purchasing. Wait at least 30 days before making major purchasing decisions. It will help you truly think about if you need it or should buy something.

Install an energy system. Install a Climate Energy free watt System installed. It’s a combined heat and power system for the home and it saves a bundle on electricity.

Save your coins. We empty our pockets every day and put any and all change in a jar. Have a “spend no coins” rule in your household. Roll your own coins at the end of 6 months and buy yourself a present

Hang Clothes Out To Dry. You can totally offset your electric bill by choosing not to use your dryer. Not only will it save you money, but you can enjoy being out in the fresh air! Also doing your laundry at night can save money on your air conditioning bill.

Have garage sales or use Craigslist to sell things

Buy Groceries On Sale And Stockpile Them Doing this one simple thing can save you hundreds throughout the year.

Use 1/2 Detergent Use less detergent. You can often use half the amount of detergent that’s “recommended” and still get your clothes clean.

Make Your Own Foam Soap Use 1/4 regular liquid soap to 3/4 water. Use foam pump.

Skip The Theater Instead get a movie at redbox.

Water down juices. When you open a new apple juice for your kids pour up half in the glass and add about 1/4 – 1/2 container of water. This makes each new bottle last twice as longer, and dilutes the grams of sugar your kids are drinking. Maximum sugar intake per day is 50 grams.

Don’t run water when shaving or brushing teeth. This practice can save up to 5 gallons per visit to the sink.

Sign up for budget billing with utility company. This won’t necessarily save you money, but it certainly helps the budgeting process by smoothing out highs and lows in your utility bills. Most companies offer this “level billing” service after you have 12 months of history to compute an average.

If you are having a hard time making your credit card payments or you have high interest rates, you may want to consult with a debt solutions firm. A+ Rated Debt Free Options can help. Debt Free Options can provide you with professional help and resources designed to help you get out of debt fast.(Click Here for your Free Instant Online Quote) or go to their website www.debtsolutionsusa.com or call them Toll Free at 1.888.747.8683

In order to save money and stop spending uncontrollably, a person needs to set up a budget so he can gain a better understanding of how much money they have to spend. Gain a better understanding of where an individual’s income is going with help from a financial services specialist in this free video on saving money. Expert: William Rae Contact: www.hbwfl.com Bio: William Rae has been licensed in the insurance and financial fields for over 30 years. Filmmaker: Christopher Rokosz
Video Rating: 4 / 5

Slow Down Your Internet Service. Move to the slower internet service option with your cable company. You may never see a difference in speed.

Combine your cable, internet and telephone service. Companies now offer combined services that not only cost less, but offer the convenience of a single bill.

Brown bag it to work. Be sure to include snack foods like muffins, fruit and cookies for morning and afternoon breaks as well as a lunch. If you also drink the office brew or bring a thermos of coffee, you can save $ 5 a day. If there’s no lunchroom at work, eat and read the paper at your desk or take your lunch to the park. You’ll be healthier as well as richer.

Take public transit or car pool instead of driving to work. Depending on where you live and how far you commute, you’ll save money on gas, parking, insurance and wear-and-tear on your car. And cutting out the daily drive to work and back will cause less stress on the environment – and you.

Go out for dinner just once a month and eliminate take-out foods from your menu. Cook roasts, casseroles and stews that will last a couple of evenings, and keep some frozen dinners, canned soups and pasta sauce on hand for evenings when you are tired and short of time. Cutting back on eating out and ordering in can save you as much as $ 200 per month. Try BBQ’s they are fun and in-expensive.

Get rid of your cell phone or your home phone. Switch to a pay-as-you-go plan and use the phone only when absolutely necessary. By eliminating or severely restricting your use of your cell phone, you can save about $ 35 a month, depending on your current plan and use patterns. (Or get rid of your home phone)

Cancel subscriptions to magazines you don’t read and cable or satellite TV services you don’t watch regularly. Cutting back to the magazines and channels that are essential to you can save you $ 100 or more per year. You can save even more by cutting your newspaper subscription back to weekends only and getting your news at work, on TV or online during the week.

Convert to a gas water heater. They are more efficient and will save you money in the long run.

Send away for and follow up on rebates. After you buy a product with a rebate, send in the form that day. Then mark your calendar to remind yourself to follow up with the rebate company if the check hasn’t show up.

Request a reduction in the interest rate for your home equity line of credit.

Request a reduction in the interest rate on your credit cards. As with home equity loans, credit card companies sometimes are willing to reduce the interest rate. It can’t hurt to ask.

Get rid of Private Mortgage Insurance. If your down payment was less than 20%, you are probably paying PMI. Once you have a 20% cushion through reducing your debt and home appreciation (yes, prices do go up from time to time), contact your mortgage company to start the process of removing the PMI.

Get your books from the library. I love books and read every day. While I buy some of the books I read, most come from the library. Simply put, it’s hard to beat free.

Get DVDs from the library. Many libraries now have movies on DVD that can be checked out. If your library offers this service, it sure beats paying Blockbuster or Netflix.

Get DVDs from Red Box. If your library doesn’t offer DVDs, get your moves from Red Box. It costs just one dollar per night.

Read magazines at the library or online. Too many magazines can cost a fortune. And how many times have you bought a magazine based on the cover and been disappointed by the lack of substance. At the library you can read magazines for free. And many magazines now offer their content for free online.

Subscribe only to magazines you just can not live without. If you must have a certain magazine each month, subscribe. Subscriptions offer substantial savings over the cost at the newsstand.

Request a discount on trash service. For some reason this is a highly competitive business. If you get a better offer in the mail for trash service, call your current trash company and ask them to beat the offer. My trash service has reduced its rates twice in six months to match competing offers.

Never pay checking account fees. I hate bank fees. With so many free checking account plans available, there’s no reason to pay a fee. And if the bank happens to charge you one, ask them to reverse the fee or take your business to another bank.

Get a rewards card. There are many reward cards that pay our in cash or points that can be redeemed for travel or products. Many of these cards don’t have an annual fee. I recently traveled to my college reunion for free using points earned from a credit card. Some favorite reward cards are Best Buy and American Express Gold Card.

Don’t pay interest on credit cards. This is obvious, but I soon as you fail to pay off the credit card in full, the high interest payments start to eat away at your monthly budget. If the temptation to spend more than you can pay on a credit card is to great, get rid of the credit card (and ignore the previous tip!).

Take advantage of 0% credit card offers. Again, as long as the cards won’t cause you to spend more, they can offer substantial savings. Make sure, however, that you keep an eye on the balance transfer fee, which can wipe out your savings. Remember bank fees are deductible interest is not.

Replace incandescent bulbs with compact fluorescent light (CFLs) bulbs. These bulbs use 75% less energy and last 10 times longer. They do take some getting used to, and they won’t work in every light fixture. But use them where it makes sense and save energy and money.

Drive your car longer. The buy new versus used debate often overlooks the most important factor–how long you own your car. Drive it as long as you safely can for substantial savings. Buy a new or used car when your old car begins costing to much in repairs.

Pay your life insurance annually. Insurance companies charge you more if you pay monthly, quarterly or semi-annually. Pay once a year and you’ll pay less.

Pay car insurance semi-annually. At least with my car insurance, they offer quarterly and semi-annual payment options. It costs more to pay quarterly, and twice a year is more convenient anyway.

Increase insurance deductibles. Most of us don’t need to be insured for all losses over $ 100 on our car, for example. Although we wouldn’t want to pay a $ 250 or even $ 500 deductible, we could. If that’s you, find out how much you’d save from raising your deductible. I’ve raised my deductibles on my auto insurance and home owner’s insurance and saved a considerable amount. Shop, shop, shop for the best price.

Think before submitting an insurance claim. My rule of thumb is that I won’t submit a claim on a loss that is less than twice my deductible. So for a $ 250 deductible on an auto loss, I’ll pay out of pocket any loss up to $ 500. Why? The $ 250 I’d receive from my insurance company is not worth the increased premiums I’m likely to pay. You may want to call your insurance agent to find out how a claim will impact your premiums before filing the claim.

Shut vents in unused rooms. This isn’t advisable if you have forced air heating, but shutting vents in unused rooms can save on your heating and cooling bill.

Check the insulation in your home. Extra insulation can easily pay for itself in one or two years, and it helps save the environment, too. Take a smoke pencil and place it next to your cooling and/or heating systems and vents to detect leaks. Seal leaks immediately.

Buy Energy Efficient Appliances. Look for the Energy Star on appliances and consider the annual energy cost before buying. More efficient appliances cost more, but you make up the extra cost and then some over the life of the product.

Agree to limit gift giving. At Christmas our extended family and we go overboard when it comes to gift giving. Agree in advance to limit the gifts and save everybody some money.

Cancel the health club membership. Less expensive options may include a gym at your work or a gym at your local parks and recreation center. Some offer pay as you go options rather than monthly fees, which can be great for those of us who aren’t as consistent in our routines as we’d like to be.

Do not purchase extended warranties unless the item is over $ 500 Even then you may want to pass on this option.

Take advantage of employer 401(k) matches. If your employer matches 401(k) contributions, do everything you can to take full advantage of that match.

Use flexible spending accounts. FSAs allow you to pay certain medical, dental and child care expenses using pre-tax dollars. If your not taking advantage of these accounts, you’re wasting money. Enrollment at many companies is occurring now, so check with your HR department if you have any questions about FSAs.

Get tires from Costco or other wholesale clubs. Simply put, they cost a lot less than buying them at the dealer or even a chain tire store.

Keep tires properly inflated. It keeps you safe and costs less on gas.

Stop smoking. Bad for your health. Bad for your wallet.

Drink less alcohol. It costs money, adds calories and causes acid reflux.

Buy term life insurance. Any other life insurance product is just not worth the extra cost.

Buy generic over-the-counter medicines. They are similar as their branded counterparts and cost less. Be aware that some generic fillers can make you feel sick.

Get organized and avoid missed payments. I’ve missed a payment or two because the bill got buried beneath a stack of papers. Get organized and avoid those late payment penalties. If you do miss a payment, call your creditor and ask to have the penalty removed. They’ll usually accommodate the request, at least the first time.

Buy online when it saves you money. I’ve used Amazon to buy many items. Plus in most cases there is no tax.

Use Open Source software when possible. Use GIMP instead of Photoshop. GIMP is free; Photoshop is not free.

Stay married. I know that some marriages end because of abuse and other extreme circumstances. If you are in a fairly healthy relationship work on staying together. Divorce can wreck yours and your spouse’s finances.

Buy In Bulk The cost of food has risen considerably in the past few years and buying in bulk can see you reduce your food bills dramatically. Although these warehouses were generally developed to serve business, families can take advantage of their lower prices as well. An ideal solution to maximizing the benefit of buying in bulk is to join a local buying group. That way not only do you save by buying large quantities but the cost is split according to your share of the bulk purchases.

Farmers Markets Buying direct from the provider can prove to be less expensive than from a supermarket as you are cutting out the middle man. Many stall holders will even be prepared to negotiate discounts with you, especially if you buy large quantities. Best of all you are guaranteed fresh produce and you are supporting your local community.

Wise Supermarket Shopping Even if you prefer the convenience of doing your weekly shopping at the local supermarket, there are still ways to save money. Swapping your favorite brand for the supermarket’s own brand can save you valuable pounds and often the quality is just as good. Look out for special deals and use the promotional coupons often found in magazines. The best way to avoid spending money unnecessarily is to make a shopping list before you go to the shops, and then stick to it.

Avoid Main Street Prices Instead of shopping on the main street, try factory outlets which offer the same types of clothes but at far better prices. Better still; try shopping at a charity shop. It may conjure up images of old, poor quality second hand clothes but generally the quality is very good and you can find some really unique items in these shops.

Dining Out Cheaply You can still entertain business colleagues or treat your loved one to a nice dinner out even if you are watching the pennies. Most restaurants run promotions to entice diners to their establishments, keep a look out for advertisements in newspapers promoting restaurant deals. There are also several websites which offer special deals at popular restaurants. Just make sure you read the fine print on the voucher as some of these deals are only available on certain days, or between certain hours.

Saving Money On Gas A good way to save money is to ensure that you fill up at the cheapest gas stations. Also you can purchase the Vehicle Fuel Efficiency Booster. This little device can add 20% to your gas mileage. If you drive a lot this is a must have. get it at www.hammacher.com

Drive smoothly. Accelerate smoothly and at a reasonable rate, try to coast to a stop as often as possible. Also use cruise control on the highway.

Ink Print Cartridges Instead of buying new try using refill cartridges or generic replacement cartridges. Companies in particular will benefit from buying in bulk as the more you buy, the less it costs per cartridge.

Switch Utility Companies Residents in the UK and US enjoy a free market in gas and electricity suppliers, it is highly competitive and deals are constantly being offered to the public. Shop around for the best deals and switch. Some may even offer you a cash-back deal which means you could end up with money in your pocket just by changing providers.

Replace Your Light Bulbs Replacing your old light bulbs with energy saving light bulbs can save you money on long term replacement and helps to lower your energy bills. These light bulbs can last up to ten times longer than regular light bulbs and as they are energy-efficient, they also help you reduce your carbon footprint while decreasing your energy consumption. Install CFLs to save energy. Compact fluorescent lights use about a quarter of the electricity of normal incandescent bulbs. They also need replaced much less often.

Transfer Credit card Balances If you have a credit card with a relatively large balance, it may be a good idea to transfer the balance to a new provider and save on interest repayments. Many credit card companies offer an interest free period if you bring transfer your debt from your current provider to them. This will give you a chance to pay off the balance, however check to see if there are any fees to pay for the initial transfer before signing any agreements. Try not to use more than 50% of your available credit per account.

Pay Bills By Direct Debits Or Online If you are still paying your bills by checks or bank transfers, consider switching to direct debits. Most companies actually prefer you to pay by direct debit and offer discounts as an incentive to change your payment method. Not only this but you will also save by avoiding late payment penalty fees and you may even find yourself eligible for additional early payment discounts. Online payments insure that payments are made on time.

Use a programmable thermostat. Programmable thermostats save you an estimated 10-20% on your heating and cooling bills. When we aren’t home, or we are sleeping, our house is quite a bit warmer or cooler, depending on the season. Save a substantial amount on your utilities.

Use NEW ceiling fans, floor fans, and space heaters. Old appliances suck energy. Try to put your TV, VCR ect on energy strips that can be turned off when the device is not in use.

Plan and research major purchases. A little planning can save you thousands of dollars.

Buy Quality Products. Quality items may cost more up front, but they last longer and generally provide better results than cheaper, inferior products.

Use Coupons And Rebates. We use coupons for oil changes, groceries, books, on-line purchases, and just about anything else we can find. A great on-line resource is www.Ebates.com, which is an on-line rebate company. Ebates is free to join, and you can get great savings on on-line purchases.

Use store rewards cards. Many stores will send you cash certificates to use

Eat Leftovers. You can save a minimum of $ 20 a week by eating leftovers.

Take Care Of Things. I treat things I own with respect and take good care of them. This includes doing things such as cleaning our house, washing our cars, ect, ect. Things last much longer when you take good care of them.

Avoid credit card debt. If you do not have the money to pay for what you are buying, DON”T buy it.

Fill Your Fridge. Lower your electricity bills by stocking your fridge. The less empty space you have in your fridge, the less cold air will escape whenever you open it.

Cover windows in the winter. Have 1/4? sheets of Plexiglas cut to the size of your windows; during the winter install on the inside of your windows with an air gap (created by using foam insulation strips) in between. Use wood strips to hold in place. It minimizes loss of heat and it is a great sound barrier!

Wait before purchasing. Wait at least 30 days before making major purchasing decisions. It will help you truly think about if you need it or should buy something.

Install an energy system. Install a Climate Energy free watt System installed. It’s a combined heat and power system for the home and it saves a bundle on electricity.

Save your coins. We empty our pockets every day and put any and all change in a jar. Have a “spend no coins” rule in your household. Roll your own coins at the end of 6 months and buy yourself a present

Hang Clothes Out To Dry. You can totally offset your electric bill by choosing not to use your dryer. Not only will it save you money, but you can enjoy being out in the fresh air! Also doing your laundry at night can save money on your air conditioning bill.

Have garage sales or use Craigslist to sell things

Buy Groceries On Sale And Stockpile Them Doing this one simple thing can save you hundreds throughout the year.

Use 1/2 Detergent Use less detergent. You can often use half the amount of detergent that’s “recommended” and still get your clothes clean.

Make Your Own Foam Soap Use 1/4 regular liquid soap to 3/4 water. Use foam pump.

Skip The Theater Instead get a movie at redbox.

Water down juices. When you open a new apple juice for your kids pour up half in the glass and add about 1/4 – 1/2 container of water. This makes each new bottle last twice as longer, and dilutes the grams of sugar your kids are drinking. Maximum sugar intake per day is 50 grams.

Don’t run water when shaving or brushing teeth. This practice can save up to 5 gallons per visit to the sink.

Sign up for budget billing with utility company. This won’t necessarily save you money, but it certainly helps the budgeting process by smoothing out highs and lows in your utility bills. Most companies offer this “level billing” service after you have 12 months of history to compute an average.

If you are having a hard time making your credit card payments or you have high interest rates, you may want to consult with a debt solutions firm. A+ Rated Debt Free Options can help. Debt Free Options can provide you with professional help and resources designed to help you get out of debt fast.(Click Here for your Free Instant Online Quote) or go to their website www.debtsolutionsusa.com or call them Toll Free at 1.888.747.8683

Slow Down Your Internet Service. Move to the slower internet service option with your cable company. You may never see a difference in speed.

Combine your cable, internet and telephone service. Companies now offer combined services that not only cost less, but offer the convenience of a single bill.

Brown bag it to work. Be sure to include snack foods like muffins, fruit and cookies for morning and afternoon breaks as well as a lunch. If you also drink the office brew or bring a thermos of coffee, you can save $ 5 a day. If there’s no lunchroom at work, eat and read the paper at your desk or take your lunch to the park. You’ll be healthier as well as richer.

Take public transit or car pool instead of driving to work. Depending on where you live and how far you commute, you’ll save money on gas, parking, insurance and wear-and-tear on your car. And cutting out the daily drive to work and back will cause less stress on the environment – and you.

Go out for dinner just once a month and eliminate take-out foods from your menu. Cook roasts, casseroles and stews that will last a couple of evenings, and keep some frozen dinners, canned soups and pasta sauce on hand for evenings when you are tired and short of time. Cutting back on eating out and ordering in can save you as much as $ 200 per month. Try BBQ’s they are fun and in-expensive.

Get rid of your cell phone or your home phone. Switch to a pay-as-you-go plan and use the phone only when absolutely necessary. By eliminating or severely restricting your use of your cell phone, you can save about $ 35 a month, depending on your current plan and use patterns. (Or get rid of your home phone)

Cancel subscriptions to magazines you don’t read and cable or satellite TV services you don’t watch regularly. Cutting back to the magazines and channels that are essential to you can save you $ 100 or more per year. You can save even more by cutting your newspaper subscription back to weekends only and getting your news at work, on TV or online during the week.

Convert to a gas water heater. They are more efficient and will save you money in the long run.

Send away for and follow up on rebates. After you buy a product with a rebate, send in the form that day. Then mark your calendar to remind yourself to follow up with the rebate company if the check hasn’t show up.

Request a reduction in the interest rate for your home equity line of credit.

Request a reduction in the interest rate on your credit cards. As with home equity loans, credit card companies sometimes are willing to reduce the interest rate. It can’t hurt to ask.

Get rid of Private Mortgage Insurance. If your down payment was less than 20%, you are probably paying PMI. Once you have a 20% cushion through reducing your debt and home appreciation (yes, prices do go up from time to time), contact your mortgage company to start the process of removing the PMI.

Get your books from the library. I love books and read every day. While I buy some of the books I read, most come from the library. Simply put, it’s hard to beat free.

Get DVDs from the library. Many libraries now have movies on DVD that can be checked out. If your library offers this service, it sure beats paying Blockbuster or Netflix.

Get DVDs from Red Box. If your library doesn’t offer DVDs, get your moves from Red Box. It costs just one dollar per night.

Read magazines at the library or online. Too many magazines can cost a fortune. And how many times have you bought a magazine based on the cover and been disappointed by the lack of substance. At the library you can read magazines for free. And many magazines now offer their content for free online.

Subscribe only to magazines you just can not live without. If you must have a certain magazine each month, subscribe. Subscriptions offer substantial savings over the cost at the newsstand.

Request a discount on trash service. For some reason this is a highly competitive business. If you get a better offer in the mail for trash service, call your current trash company and ask them to beat the offer. My trash service has reduced its rates twice in six months to match competing offers.

Never pay checking account fees. I hate bank fees. With so many free checking account plans available, there’s no reason to pay a fee. And if the bank happens to charge you one, ask them to reverse the fee or take your business to another bank.

Get a rewards card. There are many reward cards that pay our in cash or points that can be redeemed for travel or products. Many of these cards don’t have an annual fee. I recently traveled to my college reunion for free using points earned from a credit card. Some favorite reward cards are Best Buy and American Express Gold Card.

Don’t pay interest on credit cards. This is obvious, but I soon as you fail to pay off the credit card in full, the high interest payments start to eat away at your monthly budget. If the temptation to spend more than you can pay on a credit card is to great, get rid of the credit card (and ignore the previous tip!).

Take advantage of 0% credit card offers. Again, as long as the cards won’t cause you to spend more, they can offer substantial savings. Make sure, however, that you keep an eye on the balance transfer fee, which can wipe out your savings. Remember bank fees are deductible interest is not.

Replace incandescent bulbs with compact fluorescent light (CFLs) bulbs. These bulbs use 75% less energy and last 10 times longer. They do take some getting used to, and they won’t work in every light fixture. But use them where it makes sense and save energy and money.

Drive your car longer. The buy new versus used debate often overlooks the most important factor–how long you own your car. Drive it as long as you safely can for substantial savings. Buy a new or used car when your old car begins costing to much in repairs.

Pay your life insurance annually. Insurance companies charge you more if you pay monthly, quarterly or semi-annually. Pay once a year and you’ll pay less.

Pay car insurance semi-annually. At least with my car insurance, they offer quarterly and semi-annual payment options. It costs more to pay quarterly, and twice a year is more convenient anyway.

Increase insurance deductibles. Most of us don’t need to be insured for all losses over $ 100 on our car, for example. Although we wouldn’t want to pay a $ 250 or even $ 500 deductible, we could. If that’s you, find out how much you’d save from raising your deductible. I’ve raised my deductibles on my auto insurance and home owner’s insurance and saved a considerable amount. Shop, shop, shop for the best price.

Think before submitting an insurance claim. My rule of thumb is that I won’t submit a claim on a loss that is less than twice my deductible. So for a $ 250 deductible on an auto loss, I’ll pay out of pocket any loss up to $ 500. Why? The $ 250 I’d receive from my insurance company is not worth the increased premiums I’m likely to pay. You may want to call your insurance agent to find out how a claim will impact your premiums before filing the claim.

Shut vents in unused rooms. This isn’t advisable if you have forced air heating, but shutting vents in unused rooms can save on your heating and cooling bill.

Check the insulation in your home. Extra insulation can easily pay for itself in one or two years, and it helps save the environment, too. Take a smoke pencil and place it next to your cooling and/or heating systems and vents to detect leaks. Seal leaks immediately.

Buy Energy Efficient Appliances. Look for the Energy Star on appliances and consider the annual energy cost before buying. More efficient appliances cost more, but you make up the extra cost and then some over the life of the product.

Agree to limit gift giving. At Christmas our extended family and we go overboard when it comes to gift giving. Agree in advance to limit the gifts and save everybody some money.

Cancel the health club membership. Less expensive options may include a gym at your work or a gym at your local parks and recreation center. Some offer pay as you go options rather than monthly fees, which can be great for those of us who aren’t as consistent in our routines as we’d like to be.

Do not purchase extended warranties unless the item is over $ 500 Even then you may want to pass on this option.

Take advantage of employer 401(k) matches. If your employer matches 401(k) contributions, do everything you can to take full advantage of that match.

Use flexible spending accounts. FSAs allow you to pay certain medical, dental and child care expenses using pre-tax dollars. If your not taking advantage of these accounts, you’re wasting money. Enrollment at many companies is occurring now, so check with your HR department if you have any questions about FSAs.

Get tires from Costco or other wholesale clubs. Simply put, they cost a lot less than buying them at the dealer or even a chain tire store.

Keep tires properly inflated. It keeps you safe and costs less on gas.

Stop smoking. Bad for your health. Bad for your wallet.

Drink less alcohol. It costs money, adds calories and causes acid reflux.

Buy term life insurance. Any other life insurance product is just not worth the extra cost.

Buy generic over-the-counter medicines. They are similar as their branded counterparts and cost less. Be aware that some generic fillers can make you feel sick.

Get organized and avoid missed payments. I’ve missed a payment or two because the bill got buried beneath a stack of papers. Get organized and avoid those late payment penalties. If you do miss a payment, call your creditor and ask to have the penalty removed. They’ll usually accommodate the request, at least the first time.

Buy online when it saves you money. I’ve used Amazon to buy many items. Plus in most cases there is no tax.

Use Open Source software when possible. Use GIMP instead of Photoshop. GIMP is free; Photoshop is not free.

Stay married. I know that some marriages end because of abuse and other extreme circumstances. If you are in a fairly healthy relationship work on staying together. Divorce can wreck yours and your spouse’s finances.

Buy In Bulk The cost of food has risen considerably in the past few years and buying in bulk can see you reduce your food bills dramatically. Although these warehouses were generally developed to serve business, families can take advantage of their lower prices as well. An ideal solution to maximizing the benefit of buying in bulk is to join a local buying group. That way not only do you save by buying large quantities but the cost is split according to your share of the bulk purchases.

Farmers Markets Buying direct from the provider can prove to be less expensive than from a supermarket as you are cutting out the middle man. Many stall holders will even be prepared to negotiate discounts with you, especially if you buy large quantities. Best of all you are guaranteed fresh produce and you are supporting your local community.

Wise Supermarket Shopping Even if you prefer the convenience of doing your weekly shopping at the local supermarket, there are still ways to save money. Swapping your favorite brand for the supermarket’s own brand can save you valuable pounds and often the quality is just as good. Look out for special deals and use the promotional coupons often found in magazines. The best way to avoid spending money unnecessarily is to make a shopping list before you go to the shops, and then stick to it.

Avoid Main Street Prices Instead of shopping on the main street, try factory outlets which offer the same types of clothes but at far better prices. Better still; try shopping at a charity shop. It may conjure up images of old, poor quality second hand clothes but generally the quality is very good and you can find some really unique items in these shops.

Dining Out Cheaply You can still entertain business colleagues or treat your loved one to a nice dinner out even if you are watching the pennies. Most restaurants run promotions to entice diners to their establishments, keep a look out for advertisements in newspapers promoting restaurant deals. There are also several websites which offer special deals at popular restaurants. Just make sure you read the fine print on the voucher as some of these deals are only available on certain days, or between certain hours.

Saving Money On Gas A good way to save money is to ensure that you fill up at the cheapest gas stations. Also you can purchase the Vehicle Fuel Efficiency Booster. This little device can add 20% to your gas mileage. If you drive a lot this is a must have. get it at www.hammacher.com

Drive smoothly. Accelerate smoothly and at a reasonable rate, try to coast to a stop as often as possible. Also use cruise control on the highway.

Ink Print Cartridges Instead of buying new try using refill cartridges or generic replacement cartridges. Companies in particular will benefit from buying in bulk as the more you buy, the less it costs per cartridge.

Switch Utility Companies Residents in the UK and US enjoy a free market in gas and electricity suppliers, it is highly competitive and deals are constantly being offered to the public. Shop around for the best deals and switch. Some may even offer you a cash-back deal which means you could end up with money in your pocket just by changing providers.

Replace Your Light Bulbs Replacing your old light bulbs with energy saving light bulbs can save you money on long term replacement and helps to lower your energy bills. These light bulbs can last up to ten times longer than regular light bulbs and as they are energy-efficient, they also help you reduce your carbon footprint while decreasing your energy consumption. Install CFLs to save energy. Compact fluorescent lights use about a quarter of the electricity of normal incandescent bulbs. They also need replaced much less often.

Transfer Credit card Balances If you have a credit card with a relatively large balance, it may be a good idea to transfer the balance to a new provider and save on interest repayments. Many credit card companies offer an interest free period if you bring transfer your debt from your current provider to them. This will give you a chance to pay off the balance, however check to see if there are any fees to pay for the initial transfer before signing any agreements. Try not to use more than 50% of your available credit per account.

Pay Bills By Direct Debits Or Online If you are still paying your bills by checks or bank transfers, consider switching to direct debits. Most companies actually prefer you to pay by direct debit and offer discounts as an incentive to change your payment method. Not only this but you will also save by avoiding late payment penalty fees and you may even find yourself eligible for additional early payment discounts. Online payments insure that payments are made on time.

Use a programmable thermostat. Programmable thermostats save you an estimated 10-20% on your heating and cooling bills. When we aren’t home, or we are sleeping, our house is quite a bit warmer or cooler, depending on the season. Save a substantial amount on your utilities.

Use NEW ceiling fans, floor fans, and space heaters. Old appliances suck energy. Try to put your TV, VCR ect on energy strips that can be turned off when the device is not in use.

Plan and research major purchases. A little planning can save you thousands of dollars.

Buy Quality Products. Quality items may cost more up front, but they last longer and generally provide better results than cheaper, inferior products.

Use Coupons And Rebates. We use coupons for oil changes, groceries, books, on-line purchases, and just about anything else we can find. A great on-line resource is www.Ebates.com, which is an on-line rebate company. Ebates is free to join, and you can get great savings on on-line purchases.

Use store rewards cards. Many stores will send you cash certificates to use

Eat Leftovers. You can save a minimum of $ 20 a week by eating leftovers.

Take Care Of Things. I treat things I own with respect and take good care of them. This includes doing things such as cleaning our house, washing our cars, ect, ect. Things last much longer when you take good care of them.

Avoid credit card debt. If you do not have the money to pay for what you are buying, DON”T buy it.

Fill Your Fridge. Lower your electricity bills by stocking your fridge. The less empty space you have in your fridge, the less cold air will escape whenever you open it.

Cover windows in the winter. Have 1/4? sheets of Plexiglas cut to the size of your windows; during the winter install on the inside of your windows with an air gap (created by using foam insulation strips) in between. Use wood strips to hold in place. It minimizes loss of heat and it is a great sound barrier!

Wait before purchasing. Wait at least 30 days before making major purchasing decisions. It will help you truly think about if you need it or should buy something.

Install an energy system. Install a Climate Energy free watt System installed. It’s a combined heat and power system for the home and it saves a bundle on electricity.

Save your coins. We empty our pockets every day and put any and all change in a jar. Have a “spend no coins” rule in your household. Roll your own coins at the end of 6 months and buy yourself a present

Hang Clothes Out To Dry. You can totally offset your electric bill by choosing not to use your dryer. Not only will it save you money, but you can enjoy being out in the fresh air! Also doing your laundry at night can save money on your air conditioning bill.

Have garage sales or use Craigslist to sell things

Buy Groceries On Sale And Stockpile Them Doing this one simple thing can save you hundreds throughout the year.

Use 1/2 Detergent Use less detergent. You can often use half the amount of detergent that’s “recommended” and still get your clothes clean.

Make Your Own Foam Soap Use 1/4 regular liquid soap to 3/4 water. Use foam pump.

Skip The Theater Instead get a movie at redbox.

Water down juices. When you open a new apple juice for your kids pour up half in the glass and add about 1/4 – 1/2 container of water. This makes each new bottle last twice as longer, and dilutes the grams of sugar your kids are drinking. Maximum sugar intake per day is 50 grams.

Don’t run water when shaving or brushing teeth. This practice can save up to 5 gallons per visit to the sink.

Sign up for budget billing with utility company. This won’t necessarily save you money, but it certainly helps the budgeting process by smoothing out highs and lows in your utility bills. Most companies offer this “level billing” service after you have 12 months of history to compute an average.

If you are having a hard time making your credit card payments or you have high interest rates, you may want to consult with a debt solutions firm. A+ Rated Debt Free Options can help. Debt Free Options can provide you with professional help and resources designed to help you get out of debt fast.(Click Here for your Free Instant Online Quote) or go to their website www.debtsolutionsusa.com or call them Toll Free at 1.888.747.8683

Slow Down Your Internet Service. Move to the slower internet service option with your cable company. You may never see a difference in speed.

Combine your cable, internet and telephone service. Companies now offer combined services that not only cost less, but offer the convenience of a single bill.

Brown bag it to work. Be sure to include snack foods like muffins, fruit and cookies for morning and afternoon breaks as well as a lunch. If you also drink the office brew or bring a thermos of coffee, you can save $ 5 a day. If there’s no lunchroom at work, eat and read the paper at your desk or take your lunch to the park. You’ll be healthier as well as richer.

Take public transit or car pool instead of driving to work. Depending on where you live and how far you commute, you’ll save money on gas, parking, insurance and wear-and-tear on your car. And cutting out the daily drive to work and back will cause less stress on the environment – and you.

Go out for dinner just once a month and eliminate take-out foods from your menu. Cook roasts, casseroles and stews that will last a couple of evenings, and keep some frozen dinners, canned soups and pasta sauce on hand for evenings when you are tired and short of time. Cutting back on eating out and ordering in can save you as much as $ 200 per month. Try BBQ’s they are fun and in-expensive.

Get rid of your cell phone or your home phone. Switch to a pay-as-you-go plan and use the phone only when absolutely necessary. By eliminating or severely restricting your use of your cell phone, you can save about $ 35 a month, depending on your current plan and use patterns. (Or get rid of your home phone)

Cancel subscriptions to magazines you don’t read and cable or satellite TV services you don’t watch regularly. Cutting back to the magazines and channels that are essential to you can save you $ 100 or more per year. You can save even more by cutting your newspaper subscription back to weekends only and getting your news at work, on TV or online during the week.

Convert to a gas water heater. They are more efficient and will save you money in the long run.

Send away for and follow up on rebates. After you buy a product with a rebate, send in the form that day. Then mark your calendar to remind yourself to follow up with the rebate company if the check hasn’t show up.

Request a reduction in the interest rate for your home equity line of credit.

Request a reduction in the interest rate on your credit cards. As with home equity loans, credit card companies sometimes are willing to reduce the interest rate. It can’t hurt to ask.

Get rid of Private Mortgage Insurance. If your down payment was less than 20%, you are probably paying PMI. Once you have a 20% cushion through reducing your debt and home appreciation (yes, prices do go up from time to time), contact your mortgage company to start the process of removing the PMI.

Get your books from the library. I love books and read every day. While I buy some of the books I read, most come from the library. Simply put, it’s hard to beat free.

Get DVDs from the library. Many libraries now have movies on DVD that can be checked out. If your library offers this service, it sure beats paying Blockbuster or Netflix.

Get DVDs from Red Box. If your library doesn’t offer DVDs, get your moves from Red Box. It costs just one dollar per night.

Read magazines at the library or online. Too many magazines can cost a fortune. And how many times have you bought a magazine based on the cover and been disappointed by the lack of substance. At the library you can read magazines for free. And many magazines now offer their content for free online.

Subscribe only to magazines you just can not live without. If you must have a certain magazine each month, subscribe. Subscriptions offer substantial savings over the cost at the newsstand.

Request a discount on trash service. For some reason this is a highly competitive business. If you get a better offer in the mail for trash service, call your current trash company and ask them to beat the offer. My trash service has reduced its rates twice in six months to match competing offers.

Never pay checking account fees. I hate bank fees. With so many free checking account plans available, there’s no reason to pay a fee. And if the bank happens to charge you one, ask them to reverse the fee or take your business to another bank.

Get a rewards card. There are many reward cards that pay our in cash or points that can be redeemed for travel or products. Many of these cards don’t have an annual fee. I recently traveled to my college reunion for free using points earned from a credit card. Some favorite reward cards are Best Buy and American Express Gold Card.

Don’t pay interest on credit cards. This is obvious, but I soon as you fail to pay off the credit card in full, the high interest payments start to eat away at your monthly budget. If the temptation to spend more than you can pay on a credit card is to great, get rid of the credit card (and ignore the previous tip!).

Take advantage of 0% credit card offers. Again, as long as the cards won’t cause you to spend more, they can offer substantial savings. Make sure, however, that you keep an eye on the balance transfer fee, which can wipe out your savings. Remember bank fees are deductible interest is not.

Replace incandescent bulbs with compact fluorescent light (CFLs) bulbs. These bulbs use 75% less energy and last 10 times longer. They do take some getting used to, and they won’t work in every light fixture. But use them where it makes sense and save energy and money.

Drive your car longer. The buy new versus used debate often overlooks the most important factor–how long you own your car. Drive it as long as you safely can for substantial savings. Buy a new or used car when your old car begins costing to much in repairs.

Pay your life insurance annually. Insurance companies charge you more if you pay monthly, quarterly or semi-annually. Pay once a year and you’ll pay less.

Pay car insurance semi-annually. At least with my car insurance, they offer quarterly and semi-annual payment options. It costs more to pay quarterly, and twice a year is more convenient anyway.

Increase insurance deductibles. Most of us don’t need to be insured for all losses over $ 100 on our car, for example. Although we wouldn’t want to pay a $ 250 or even $ 500 deductible, we could. If that’s you, find out how much you’d save from raising your deductible. I’ve raised my deductibles on my auto insurance and home owner’s insurance and saved a considerable amount. Shop, shop, shop for the best price.

Think before submitting an insurance claim. My rule of thumb is that I won’t submit a claim on a loss that is less than twice my deductible. So for a $ 250 deductible on an auto loss, I’ll pay out of pocket any loss up to $ 500. Why? The $ 250 I’d receive from my insurance company is not worth the increased premiums I’m likely to pay. You may want to call your insurance agent to find out how a claim will impact your premiums before filing the claim.

Shut vents in unused rooms. This isn’t advisable if you have forced air heating, but shutting vents in unused rooms can save on your heating and cooling bill.

Check the insulation in your home. Extra insulation can easily pay for itself in one or two years, and it helps save the environment, too. Take a smoke pencil and place it next to your cooling and/or heating systems and vents to detect leaks. Seal leaks immediately.

Buy Energy Efficient Appliances. Look for the Energy Star on appliances and consider the annual energy cost before buying. More efficient appliances cost more, but you make up the extra cost and then some over the life of the product.

Agree to limit gift giving. At Christmas our extended family and we go overboard when it comes to gift giving. Agree in advance to limit the gifts and save everybody some money.

Cancel the health club membership. Less expensive options may include a gym at your work or a gym at your local parks and recreation center. Some offer pay as you go options rather than monthly fees, which can be great for those of us who aren’t as consistent in our routines as we’d like to be.

Do not purchase extended warranties unless the item is over $ 500 Even then you may want to pass on this option.

Take advantage of employer 401(k) matches. If your employer matches 401(k) contributions, do everything you can to take full advantage of that match.

Use flexible spending accounts. FSAs allow you to pay certain medical, dental and child care expenses using pre-tax dollars. If your not taking advantage of these accounts, you’re wasting money. Enrollment at many companies is occurring now, so check with your HR department if you have any questions about FSAs.

Get tires from Costco or other wholesale clubs. Simply put, they cost a lot less than buying them at the dealer or even a chain tire store.

Keep tires properly inflated. It keeps you safe and costs less on gas.

Stop smoking. Bad for your health. Bad for your wallet.

Drink less alcohol. It costs money, adds calories and causes acid reflux.

Buy term life insurance. Any other life insurance product is just not worth the extra cost.

Buy generic over-the-counter medicines. They are similar as their branded counterparts and cost less. Be aware that some generic fillers can make you feel sick.

Get organized and avoid missed payments. I’ve missed a payment or two because the bill got buried beneath a stack of papers. Get organized and avoid those late payment penalties. If you do miss a payment, call your creditor and ask to have the penalty removed. They’ll usually accommodate the request, at least the first time.

Buy online when it saves you money. I’ve used Amazon to buy many items. Plus in most cases there is no tax.

Use Open Source software when possible. Use GIMP instead of Photoshop. GIMP is free; Photoshop is not free.

Stay married. I know that some marriages end because of abuse and other extreme circumstances. If you are in a fairly healthy relationship work on staying together. Divorce can wreck yours and your spouse’s finances.

Buy In Bulk The cost of food has risen considerably in the past few years and buying in bulk can see you reduce your food bills dramatically. Although these warehouses were generally developed to serve business, families can take advantage of their lower prices as well. An ideal solution to maximizing the benefit of buying in bulk is to join a local buying group. That way not only do you save by buying large quantities but the cost is split according to your share of the bulk purchases.

Farmers Markets Buying direct from the provider can prove to be less expensive than from a supermarket as you are cutting out the middle man. Many stall holders will even be prepared to negotiate discounts with you, especially if you buy large quantities. Best of all you are guaranteed fresh produce and you are supporting your local community.

Wise Supermarket Shopping Even if you prefer the convenience of doing your weekly shopping at the local supermarket, there are still ways to save money. Swapping your favorite brand for the supermarket’s own brand can save you valuable pounds and often the quality is just as good. Look out for special deals and use the promotional coupons often found in magazines. The best way to avoid spending money unnecessarily is to make a shopping list before you go to the shops, and then stick to it.

Avoid Main Street Prices Instead of shopping on the main street, try factory outlets which offer the same types of clothes but at far better prices. Better still; try shopping at a charity shop. It may conjure up images of old, poor quality second hand clothes but generally the quality is very good and you can find some really unique items in these shops.

Dining Out Cheaply You can still entertain business colleagues or treat your loved one to a nice dinner out even if you are watching the pennies. Most restaurants run promotions to entice diners to their establishments, keep a look out for advertisements in newspapers promoting restaurant deals. There are also several websites which offer special deals at popular restaurants. Just make sure you read the fine print on the voucher as some of these deals are only available on certain days, or between certain hours.

Saving Money On Gas A good way to save money is to ensure that you fill up at the cheapest gas stations. Also you can purchase the Vehicle Fuel Efficiency Booster. This little device can add 20% to your gas mileage. If you drive a lot this is a must have. get it at www.hammacher.com

Drive smoothly. Accelerate smoothly and at a reasonable rate, try to coast to a stop as often as possible. Also use cruise control on the highway.

Ink Print Cartridges Instead of buying new try using refill cartridges or generic replacement cartridges. Companies in particular will benefit from buying in bulk as the more you buy, the less it costs per cartridge.

Switch Utility Companies Residents in the UK and US enjoy a free market in gas and electricity suppliers, it is highly competitive and deals are constantly being offered to the public. Shop around for the best deals and switch. Some may even offer you a cash-back deal which means you could end up with money in your pocket just by changing providers.

Replace Your Light Bulbs Replacing your old light bulbs with energy saving light bulbs can save you money on long term replacement and helps to lower your energy bills. These light bulbs can last up to ten times longer than regular light bulbs and as they are energy-efficient, they also help you reduce your carbon footprint while decreasing your energy consumption. Install CFLs to save energy. Compact fluorescent lights use about a quarter of the electricity of normal incandescent bulbs. They also need replaced much less often.

Transfer Credit card Balances If you have a credit card with a relatively large balance, it may be a good idea to transfer the balance to a new provider and save on interest repayments. Many credit card companies offer an interest free period if you bring transfer your debt from your current provider to them. This will give you a chance to pay off the balance, however check to see if there are any fees to pay for the initial transfer before signing any agreements. Try not to use more than 50% of your available credit per account.

Pay Bills By Direct Debits Or Online If you are still paying your bills by checks or bank transfers, consider switching to direct debits. Most companies actually prefer you to pay by direct debit and offer discounts as an incentive to change your payment method. Not only this but you will also save by avoiding late payment penalty fees and you may even find yourself eligible for additional early payment discounts. Online payments insure that payments are made on time.

Use a programmable thermostat. Programmable thermostats save you an estimated 10-20% on your heating and cooling bills. When we aren’t home, or we are sleeping, our house is quite a bit warmer or cooler, depending on the season. Save a substantial amount on your utilities.

Use NEW ceiling fans, floor fans, and space heaters. Old appliances suck energy. Try to put your TV, VCR ect on energy strips that can be turned off when the device is not in use.

Plan and research major purchases. A little planning can save you thousands of dollars.

Buy Quality Products. Quality items may cost more up front, but they last longer and generally provide better results than cheaper, inferior products.

Use Coupons And Rebates. We use coupons for oil changes, groceries, books, on-line purchases, and just about anything else we can find. A great on-line resource is www.Ebates.com, which is an on-line rebate company. Ebates is free to join, and you can get great savings on on-line purchases.

Use store rewards cards. Many stores will send you cash certificates to use

Eat Leftovers. You can save a minimum of $ 20 a week by eating leftovers.

Take Care Of Things. I treat things I own with respect and take good care of them. This includes doing things such as cleaning our house, washing our cars, ect, ect. Things last much longer when you take good care of them.

Avoid credit card debt. If you do not have the money to pay for what you are buying, DON”T buy it.

Fill Your Fridge. Lower your electricity bills by stocking your fridge. The less empty space you have in your fridge, the less cold air will escape whenever you open it.

Cover windows in the winter. Have 1/4? sheets of Plexiglas cut to the size of your windows; during the winter install on the inside of your windows with an air gap (created by using foam insulation strips) in between. Use wood strips to hold in place. It minimizes loss of heat and it is a great sound barrier!

Wait before purchasing. Wait at least 30 days before making major purchasing decisions. It will help you truly think about if you need it or should buy something.

Install an energy system. Install a Climate Energy free watt System installed. It’s a combined heat and power system for the home and it saves a bundle on electricity.

Save your coins. We empty our pockets every day and put any and all change in a jar. Have a “spend no coins” rule in your household. Roll your own coins at the end of 6 months and buy yourself a present

Hang Clothes Out To Dry. You can totally offset your electric bill by choosing not to use your dryer. Not only will it save you money, but you can enjoy being out in the fresh air! Also doing your laundry at night can save money on your air conditioning bill.

Have garage sales or use Craigslist to sell things

Buy Groceries On Sale And Stockpile Them Doing this one simple thing can save you hundreds throughout the year.

Use 1/2 Detergent Use less detergent. You can often use half the amount of detergent that’s “recommended” and still get your clothes clean.

Make Your Own Foam Soap Use 1/4 regular liquid soap to 3/4 water. Use foam pump.

Skip The Theater Instead get a movie at redbox.

Water down juices. When you open a new apple juice for your kids pour up half in the glass and add about 1/4 – 1/2 container of water. This makes each new bottle last twice as longer, and dilutes the grams of sugar your kids are drinking. Maximum sugar intake per day is 50 grams.

Don’t run water when shaving or brushing teeth. This practice can save up to 5 gallons per visit to the sink.

Sign up for budget billing with utility company. This won’t necessarily save you money, but it certainly helps the budgeting process by smoothing out highs and lows in your utility bills. Most companies offer this “level billing” service after you have 12 months of history to compute an average.

If you are having a hard time making your credit card payments or you have high interest rates, you may want to consult with a debt solutions firm. A+ Rated Debt Free Options can help. Debt Free Options can provide you with professional help and resources designed to help you get out of debt fast.(Click Here for your Free Instant Online Quote) or go to their website www.debtsolutionsusa.com or call them Toll Free at 1.888.747.8683

Related Save Money Articles

Slow Down Your Internet Service. Move to the slower internet service option with your cable company. You may never see a difference in speed.

Combine your cable, internet and telephone service. Companies now offer combined services that not only cost less, but offer the convenience of a single bill.

Brown bag it to work. Be sure to include snack foods like muffins, fruit and cookies for morning and afternoon breaks as well as a lunch. If you also drink the office brew or bring a thermos of coffee, you can save $ 5 a day. If there’s no lunchroom at work, eat and read the paper at your desk or take your lunch to the park. You’ll be healthier as well as richer.

Take public transit or car pool instead of driving to work. Depending on where you live and how far you commute, you’ll save money on gas, parking, insurance and wear-and-tear on your car. And cutting out the daily drive to work and back will cause less stress on the environment – and you.

Go out for dinner just once a month and eliminate take-out foods from your menu. Cook roasts, casseroles and stews that will last a couple of evenings, and keep some frozen dinners, canned soups and pasta sauce on hand for evenings when you are tired and short of time. Cutting back on eating out and ordering in can save you as much as $ 200 per month. Try BBQ’s they are fun and in-expensive.

Get rid of your cell phone or your home phone. Switch to a pay-as-you-go plan and use the phone only when absolutely necessary. By eliminating or severely restricting your use of your cell phone, you can save about $ 35 a month, depending on your current plan and use patterns. (Or get rid of your home phone)

Cancel subscriptions to magazines you don’t read and cable or satellite TV services you don’t watch regularly. Cutting back to the magazines and channels that are essential to you can save you $ 100 or more per year. You can save even more by cutting your newspaper subscription back to weekends only and getting your news at work, on TV or online during the week.

Convert to a gas water heater. They are more efficient and will save you money in the long run.

Send away for and follow up on rebates. After you buy a product with a rebate, send in the form that day. Then mark your calendar to remind yourself to follow up with the rebate company if the check hasn’t show up.

Request a reduction in the interest rate for your home equity line of credit.

Request a reduction in the interest rate on your credit cards. As with home equity loans, credit card companies sometimes are willing to reduce the interest rate. It can’t hurt to ask.

Get rid of Private Mortgage Insurance. If your down payment was less than 20%, you are probably paying PMI. Once you have a 20% cushion through reducing your debt and home appreciation (yes, prices do go up from time to time), contact your mortgage company to start the process of removing the PMI.

Get your books from the library. I love books and read every day. While I buy some of the books I read, most come from the library. Simply put, it’s hard to beat free.

Get DVDs from the library. Many libraries now have movies on DVD that can be checked out. If your library offers this service, it sure beats paying Blockbuster or Netflix.

Get DVDs from Red Box. If your library doesn’t offer DVDs, get your moves from Red Box. It costs just one dollar per night.

Read magazines at the library or online. Too many magazines can cost a fortune. And how many times have you bought a magazine based on the cover and been disappointed by the lack of substance. At the library you can read magazines for free. And many magazines now offer their content for free online.

Subscribe only to magazines you just can not live without. If you must have a certain magazine each month, subscribe. Subscriptions offer substantial savings over the cost at the newsstand.

Request a discount on trash service. For some reason this is a highly competitive business. If you get a better offer in the mail for trash service, call your current trash company and ask them to beat the offer. My trash service has reduced its rates twice in six months to match competing offers.

Never pay checking account fees. I hate bank fees. With so many free checking account plans available, there’s no reason to pay a fee. And if the bank happens to charge you one, ask them to reverse the fee or take your business to another bank.

Get a rewards card. There are many reward cards that pay our in cash or points that can be redeemed for travel or products. Many of these cards don’t have an annual fee. I recently traveled to my college reunion for free using points earned from a credit card. Some favorite reward cards are Best Buy and American Express Gold Card.

Don’t pay interest on credit cards. This is obvious, but I soon as you fail to pay off the credit card in full, the high interest payments start to eat away at your monthly budget. If the temptation to spend more than you can pay on a credit card is to great, get rid of the credit card (and ignore the previous tip!).

Take advantage of 0% credit card offers. Again, as long as the cards won’t cause you to spend more, they can offer substantial savings. Make sure, however, that you keep an eye on the balance transfer fee, which can wipe out your savings. Remember bank fees are deductible interest is not.

Replace incandescent bulbs with compact fluorescent light (CFLs) bulbs. These bulbs use 75% less energy and last 10 times longer. They do take some getting used to, and they won’t work in every light fixture. But use them where it makes sense and save energy and money.

Drive your car longer. The buy new versus used debate often overlooks the most important factor–how long you own your car. Drive it as long as you safely can for substantial savings. Buy a new or used car when your old car begins costing to much in repairs.

Pay your life insurance annually. Insurance companies charge you more if you pay monthly, quarterly or semi-annually. Pay once a year and you’ll pay less.

Pay car insurance semi-annually. At least with my car insurance, they offer quarterly and semi-annual payment options. It costs more to pay quarterly, and twice a year is more convenient anyway.

Increase insurance deductibles. Most of us don’t need to be insured for all losses over $ 100 on our car, for example. Although we wouldn’t want to pay a $ 250 or even $ 500 deductible, we could. If that’s you, find out how much you’d save from raising your deductible. I’ve raised my deductibles on my auto insurance and home owner’s insurance and saved a considerable amount. Shop, shop, shop for the best price.

Think before submitting an insurance claim. My rule of thumb is that I won’t submit a claim on a loss that is less than twice my deductible. So for a $ 250 deductible on an auto loss, I’ll pay out of pocket any loss up to $ 500. Why? The $ 250 I’d receive from my insurance company is not worth the increased premiums I’m likely to pay. You may want to call your insurance agent to find out how a claim will impact your premiums before filing the claim.

Shut vents in unused rooms. This isn’t advisable if you have forced air heating, but shutting vents in unused rooms can save on your heating and cooling bill.

Check the insulation in your home. Extra insulation can easily pay for itself in one or two years, and it helps save the environment, too. Take a smoke pencil and place it next to your cooling and/or heating systems and vents to detect leaks. Seal leaks immediately.

Buy Energy Efficient Appliances. Look for the Energy Star on appliances and consider the annual energy cost before buying. More efficient appliances cost more, but you make up the extra cost and then some over the life of the product.

Agree to limit gift giving. At Christmas our extended family and we go overboard when it comes to gift giving. Agree in advance to limit the gifts and save everybody some money.

Cancel the health club membership. Less expensive options may include a gym at your work or a gym at your local parks and recreation center. Some offer pay as you go options rather than monthly fees, which can be great for those of us who aren’t as consistent in our routines as we’d like to be.

Do not purchase extended warranties unless the item is over $ 500 Even then you may want to pass on this option.

Take advantage of employer 401(k) matches. If your employer matches 401(k) contributions, do everything you can to take full advantage of that match.

Use flexible spending accounts. FSAs allow you to pay certain medical, dental and child care expenses using pre-tax dollars. If your not taking advantage of these accounts, you’re wasting money. Enrollment at many companies is occurring now, so check with your HR department if you have any questions about FSAs.

Get tires from Costco or other wholesale clubs. Simply put, they cost a lot less than buying them at the dealer or even a chain tire store.

Keep tires properly inflated. It keeps you safe and costs less on gas.

Stop smoking. Bad for your health. Bad for your wallet.

Drink less alcohol. It costs money, adds calories and causes acid reflux.

Buy term life insurance. Any other life insurance product is just not worth the extra cost.

Buy generic over-the-counter medicines. They are similar as their branded counterparts and cost less. Be aware that some generic fillers can make you feel sick.

Get organized and avoid missed payments. I’ve missed a payment or two because the bill got buried beneath a stack of papers. Get organized and avoid those late payment penalties. If you do miss a payment, call your creditor and ask to have the penalty removed. They’ll usually accommodate the request, at least the first time.

Buy online when it saves you money. I’ve used Amazon to buy many items. Plus in most cases there is no tax.

Use Open Source software when possible. Use GIMP instead of Photoshop. GIMP is free; Photoshop is not free.

Stay married. I know that some marriages end because of abuse and other extreme circumstances. If you are in a fairly healthy relationship work on staying together. Divorce can wreck yours and your spouse’s finances.

Buy In Bulk The cost of food has risen considerably in the past few years and buying in bulk can see you reduce your food bills dramatically. Although these warehouses were generally developed to serve business, families can take advantage of their lower prices as well. An ideal solution to maximizing the benefit of buying in bulk is to join a local buying group. That way not only do you save by buying large quantities but the cost is split according to your share of the bulk purchases.

Farmers Markets Buying direct from the provider can prove to be less expensive than from a supermarket as you are cutting out the middle man. Many stall holders will even be prepared to negotiate discounts with you, especially if you buy large quantities. Best of all you are guaranteed fresh produce and you are supporting your local community.

Wise Supermarket Shopping Even if you prefer the convenience of doing your weekly shopping at the local supermarket, there are still ways to save money. Swapping your favorite brand for the supermarket’s own brand can save you valuable pounds and often the quality is just as good. Look out for special deals and use the promotional coupons often found in magazines. The best way to avoid spending money unnecessarily is to make a shopping list before you go to the shops, and then stick to it.

Avoid Main Street Prices Instead of shopping on the main street, try factory outlets which offer the same types of clothes but at far better prices. Better still; try shopping at a charity shop. It may conjure up images of old, poor quality second hand clothes but generally the quality is very good and you can find some really unique items in these shops.

Dining Out Cheaply You can still entertain business colleagues or treat your loved one to a nice dinner out even if you are watching the pennies. Most restaurants run promotions to entice diners to their establishments, keep a look out for advertisements in newspapers promoting restaurant deals. There are also several websites which offer special deals at popular restaurants. Just make sure you read the fine print on the voucher as some of these deals are only available on certain days, or between certain hours.

Saving Money On Gas A good way to save money is to ensure that you fill up at the cheapest gas stations. Also you can purchase the Vehicle Fuel Efficiency Booster. This little device can add 20% to your gas mileage. If you drive a lot this is a must have. get it at www.hammacher.com

Drive smoothly. Accelerate smoothly and at a reasonable rate, try to coast to a stop as often as possible. Also use cruise control on the highway.

Ink Print Cartridges Instead of buying new try using refill cartridges or generic replacement cartridges. Companies in particular will benefit from buying in bulk as the more you buy, the less it costs per cartridge.

Switch Utility Companies Residents in the UK and US enjoy a free market in gas and electricity suppliers, it is highly competitive and deals are constantly being offered to the public. Shop around for the best deals and switch. Some may even offer you a cash-back deal which means you could end up with money in your pocket just by changing providers.

Replace Your Light Bulbs Replacing your old light bulbs with energy saving light bulbs can save you money on long term replacement and helps to lower your energy bills. These light bulbs can last up to ten times longer than regular light bulbs and as they are energy-efficient, they also help you reduce your carbon footprint while decreasing your energy consumption. Install CFLs to save energy. Compact fluorescent lights use about a quarter of the electricity of normal incandescent bulbs. They also need replaced much less often.

Transfer Credit card Balances If you have a credit card with a relatively large balance, it may be a good idea to transfer the balance to a new provider and save on interest repayments. Many credit card companies offer an interest free period if you bring transfer your debt from your current provider to them. This will give you a chance to pay off the balance, however check to see if there are any fees to pay for the initial transfer before signing any agreements. Try not to use more than 50% of your available credit per account.

Pay Bills By Direct Debits Or Online If you are still paying your bills by checks or bank transfers, consider switching to direct debits. Most companies actually prefer you to pay by direct debit and offer discounts as an incentive to change your payment method. Not only this but you will also save by avoiding late payment penalty fees and you may even find yourself eligible for additional early payment discounts. Online payments insure that payments are made on time.

Use a programmable thermostat. Programmable thermostats save you an estimated 10-20% on your heating and cooling bills. When we aren’t home, or we are sleeping, our house is quite a bit warmer or cooler, depending on the season. Save a substantial amount on your utilities.

Use NEW ceiling fans, floor fans, and space heaters. Old appliances suck energy. Try to put your TV, VCR ect on energy strips that can be turned off when the device is not in use.

Plan and research major purchases. A little planning can save you thousands of dollars.

Buy Quality Products. Quality items may cost more up front, but they last longer and generally provide better results than cheaper, inferior products.

Use Coupons And Rebates. We use coupons for oil changes, groceries, books, on-line purchases, and just about anything else we can find. A great on-line resource is www.Ebates.com, which is an on-line rebate company. Ebates is free to join, and you can get great savings on on-line purchases.

Use store rewards cards. Many stores will send you cash certificates to use

Eat Leftovers. You can save a minimum of $ 20 a week by eating leftovers.

Take Care Of Things. I treat things I own with respect and take good care of them. This includes doing things such as cleaning our house, washing our cars, ect, ect. Things last much longer when you take good care of them.

Avoid credit card debt. If you do not have the money to pay for what you are buying, DON”T buy it.

Fill Your Fridge. Lower your electricity bills by stocking your fridge. The less empty space you have in your fridge, the less cold air will escape whenever you open it.

Cover windows in the winter. Have 1/4? sheets of Plexiglas cut to the size of your windows; during the winter install on the inside of your windows with an air gap (created by using foam insulation strips) in between. Use wood strips to hold in place. It minimizes loss of heat and it is a great sound barrier!

Wait before purchasing. Wait at least 30 days before making major purchasing decisions. It will help you truly think about if you need it or should buy something.

Install an energy system. Install a Climate Energy free watt System installed. It’s a combined heat and power system for the home and it saves a bundle on electricity.

Save your coins. We empty our pockets every day and put any and all change in a jar. Have a “spend no coins” rule in your household. Roll your own coins at the end of 6 months and buy yourself a present

Hang Clothes Out To Dry. You can totally offset your electric bill by choosing not to use your dryer. Not only will it save you money, but you can enjoy being out in the fresh air! Also doing your laundry at night can save money on your air conditioning bill.

Have garage sales or use Craigslist to sell things

Buy Groceries On Sale And Stockpile Them Doing this one simple thing can save you hundreds throughout the year.

Use 1/2 Detergent Use less detergent. You can often use half the amount of detergent that’s “recommended” and still get your clothes clean.

Make Your Own Foam Soap Use 1/4 regular liquid soap to 3/4 water. Use foam pump.

Skip The Theater Instead get a movie at redbox.

Water down juices. When you open a new apple juice for your kids pour up half in the glass and add about 1/4 – 1/2 container of water. This makes each new bottle last twice as longer, and dilutes the grams of sugar your kids are drinking. Maximum sugar intake per day is 50 grams.

Don’t run water when shaving or brushing teeth. This practice can save up to 5 gallons per visit to the sink.

Sign up for budget billing with utility company. This won’t necessarily save you money, but it certainly helps the budgeting process by smoothing out highs and lows in your utility bills. Most companies offer this “level billing” service after you have 12 months of history to compute an average.

If you are having a hard time making your credit card payments or you have high interest rates, you may want to consult with a debt solutions firm. A+ Rated Debt Free Options can help. Debt Free Options can provide you with professional help and resources designed to help you get out of debt fast.(Click Here for your Free Instant Online Quote) or go to their website www.debtsolutionsusa.com or call them Toll Free at 1.888.747.8683

Slow Down Your Internet Service. Move to the slower internet service option with your cable company. You may never see a difference in speed.

Combine your cable, internet and telephone service. Companies now offer combined services that not only cost less, but offer the convenience of a single bill.

Brown bag it to work. Be sure to include snack foods like muffins, fruit and cookies for morning and afternoon breaks as well as a lunch. If you also drink the office brew or bring a thermos of coffee, you can save $ 5 a day. If there’s no lunchroom at work, eat and read the paper at your desk or take your lunch to the park. You’ll be healthier as well as richer.

Take public transit or car pool instead of driving to work. Depending on where you live and how far you commute, you’ll save money on gas, parking, insurance and wear-and-tear on your car. And cutting out the daily drive to work and back will cause less stress on the environment – and you.

Go out for dinner just once a month and eliminate take-out foods from your menu. Cook roasts, casseroles and stews that will last a couple of evenings, and keep some frozen dinners, canned soups and pasta sauce on hand for evenings when you are tired and short of time. Cutting back on eating out and ordering in can save you as much as $ 200 per month. Try BBQ’s they are fun and in-expensive.

Get rid of your cell phone or your home phone. Switch to a pay-as-you-go plan and use the phone only when absolutely necessary. By eliminating or severely restricting your use of your cell phone, you can save about $ 35 a month, depending on your current plan and use patterns. (Or get rid of your home phone)

Cancel subscriptions to magazines you don’t read and cable or satellite TV services you don’t watch regularly. Cutting back to the magazines and channels that are essential to you can save you $ 100 or more per year. You can save even more by cutting your newspaper subscription back to weekends only and getting your news at work, on TV or online during the week.

Convert to a gas water heater. They are more efficient and will save you money in the long run.

Send away for and follow up on rebates. After you buy a product with a rebate, send in the form that day. Then mark your calendar to remind yourself to follow up with the rebate company if the check hasn’t show up.

Request a reduction in the interest rate for your home equity line of credit.

Request a reduction in the interest rate on your credit cards. As with home equity loans, credit card companies sometimes are willing to reduce the interest rate. It can’t hurt to ask.

Get rid of Private Mortgage Insurance. If your down payment was less than 20%, you are probably paying PMI. Once you have a 20% cushion through reducing your debt and home appreciation (yes, prices do go up from time to time), contact your mortgage company to start the process of removing the PMI.

Get your books from the library. I love books and read every day. While I buy some of the books I read, most come from the library. Simply put, it’s hard to beat free.

Get DVDs from the library. Many libraries now have movies on DVD that can be checked out. If your library offers this service, it sure beats paying Blockbuster or Netflix.

Get DVDs from Red Box. If your library doesn’t offer DVDs, get your moves from Red Box. It costs just one dollar per night.

Read magazines at the library or online. Too many magazines can cost a fortune. And how many times have you bought a magazine based on the cover and been disappointed by the lack of substance. At the library you can read magazines for free. And many magazines now offer their content for free online.

Subscribe only to magazines you just can not live without. If you must have a certain magazine each month, subscribe. Subscriptions offer substantial savings over the cost at the newsstand.

Request a discount on trash service. For some reason this is a highly competitive business. If you get a better offer in the mail for trash service, call your current trash company and ask them to beat the offer. My trash service has reduced its rates twice in six months to match competing offers.

Never pay checking account fees. I hate bank fees. With so many free checking account plans available, there’s no reason to pay a fee. And if the bank happens to charge you one, ask them to reverse the fee or take your business to another bank.

Get a rewards card. There are many reward cards that pay our in cash or points that can be redeemed for travel or products. Many of these cards don’t have an annual fee. I recently traveled to my college reunion for free using points earned from a credit card. Some favorite reward cards are Best Buy and American Express Gold Card.

Don’t pay interest on credit cards. This is obvious, but I soon as you fail to pay off the credit card in full, the high interest payments start to eat away at your monthly budget. If the temptation to spend more than you can pay on a credit card is to great, get rid of the credit card (and ignore the previous tip!).

Take advantage of 0% credit card offers. Again, as long as the cards won’t cause you to spend more, they can offer substantial savings. Make sure, however, that you keep an eye on the balance transfer fee, which can wipe out your savings. Remember bank fees are deductible interest is not.

Replace incandescent bulbs with compact fluorescent light (CFLs) bulbs. These bulbs use 75% less energy and last 10 times longer. They do take some getting used to, and they won’t work in every light fixture. But use them where it makes sense and save energy and money.

Drive your car longer. The buy new versus used debate often overlooks the most important factor–how long you own your car. Drive it as long as you safely can for substantial savings. Buy a new or used car when your old car begins costing to much in repairs.

Pay your life insurance annually. Insurance companies charge you more if you pay monthly, quarterly or semi-annually. Pay once a year and you’ll pay less.

Pay car insurance semi-annually. At least with my car insurance, they offer quarterly and semi-annual payment options. It costs more to pay quarterly, and twice a year is more convenient anyway.

Increase insurance deductibles. Most of us don’t need to be insured for all losses over $ 100 on our car, for example. Although we wouldn’t want to pay a $ 250 or even $ 500 deductible, we could. If that’s you, find out how much you’d save from raising your deductible. I’ve raised my deductibles on my auto insurance and home owner’s insurance and saved a considerable amount. Shop, shop, shop for the best price.

Think before submitting an insurance claim. My rule of thumb is that I won’t submit a claim on a loss that is less than twice my deductible. So for a $ 250 deductible on an auto loss, I’ll pay out of pocket any loss up to $ 500. Why? The $ 250 I’d receive from my insurance company is not worth the increased premiums I’m likely to pay. You may want to call your insurance agent to find out how a claim will impact your premiums before filing the claim.

Shut vents in unused rooms. This isn’t advisable if you have forced air heating, but shutting vents in unused rooms can save on your heating and cooling bill.

Check the insulation in your home. Extra insulation can easily pay for itself in one or two years, and it helps save the environment, too. Take a smoke pencil and place it next to your cooling and/or heating systems and vents to detect leaks. Seal leaks immediately.

Buy Energy Efficient Appliances. Look for the Energy Star on appliances and consider the annual energy cost before buying. More efficient appliances cost more, but you make up the extra cost and then some over the life of the product.

Agree to limit gift giving. At Christmas our extended family and we go overboard when it comes to gift giving. Agree in advance to limit the gifts and save everybody some money.

Cancel the health club membership. Less expensive options may include a gym at your work or a gym at your local parks and recreation center. Some offer pay as you go options rather than monthly fees, which can be great for those of us who aren’t as consistent in our routines as we’d like to be.

Do not purchase extended warranties unless the item is over $ 500 Even then you may want to pass on this option.

Take advantage of employer 401(k) matches. If your employer matches 401(k) contributions, do everything you can to take full advantage of that match.

Use flexible spending accounts. FSAs allow you to pay certain medical, dental and child care expenses using pre-tax dollars. If your not taking advantage of these accounts, you’re wasting money. Enrollment at many companies is occurring now, so check with your HR department if you have any questions about FSAs.

Get tires from Costco or other wholesale clubs. Simply put, they cost a lot less than buying them at the dealer or even a chain tire store.

Keep tires properly inflated. It keeps you safe and costs less on gas.

Stop smoking. Bad for your health. Bad for your wallet.

Drink less alcohol. It costs money, adds calories and causes acid reflux.

Buy term life insurance. Any other life insurance product is just not worth the extra cost.

Buy generic over-the-counter medicines. They are similar as their branded counterparts and cost less. Be aware that some generic fillers can make you feel sick.

Get organized and avoid missed payments. I’ve missed a payment or two because the bill got buried beneath a stack of papers. Get organized and avoid those late payment penalties. If you do miss a payment, call your creditor and ask to have the penalty removed. They’ll usually accommodate the request, at least the first time.

Buy online when it saves you money. I’ve used Amazon to buy many items. Plus in most cases there is no tax.

Use Open Source software when possible. Use GIMP instead of Photoshop. GIMP is free; Photoshop is not free.

Stay married. I know that some marriages end because of abuse and other extreme circumstances. If you are in a fairly healthy relationship work on staying together. Divorce can wreck yours and your spouse’s finances.

Buy In Bulk The cost of food has risen considerably in the past few years and buying in bulk can see you reduce your food bills dramatically. Although these warehouses were generally developed to serve business, families can take advantage of their lower prices as well. An ideal solution to maximizing the benefit of buying in bulk is to join a local buying group. That way not only do you save by buying large quantities but the cost is split according to your share of the bulk purchases.

Farmers Markets Buying direct from the provider can prove to be less expensive than from a supermarket as you are cutting out the middle man. Many stall holders will even be prepared to negotiate discounts with you, especially if you buy large quantities. Best of all you are guaranteed fresh produce and you are supporting your local community.

Wise Supermarket Shopping Even if you prefer the convenience of doing your weekly shopping at the local supermarket, there are still ways to save money. Swapping your favorite brand for the supermarket’s own brand can save you valuable pounds and often the quality is just as good. Look out for special deals and use the promotional coupons often found in magazines. The best way to avoid spending money unnecessarily is to make a shopping list before you go to the shops, and then stick to it.

Avoid Main Street Prices Instead of shopping on the main street, try factory outlets which offer the same types of clothes but at far better prices. Better still; try shopping at a charity shop. It may conjure up images of old, poor quality second hand clothes but generally the quality is very good and you can find some really unique items in these shops.

Dining Out Cheaply You can still entertain business colleagues or treat your loved one to a nice dinner out even if you are watching the pennies. Most restaurants run promotions to entice diners to their establishments, keep a look out for advertisements in newspapers promoting restaurant deals. There are also several websites which offer special deals at popular restaurants. Just make sure you read the fine print on the voucher as some of these deals are only available on certain days, or between certain hours.

Saving Money On Gas A good way to save money is to ensure that you fill up at the cheapest gas stations. Also you can purchase the Vehicle Fuel Efficiency Booster. This little device can add 20% to your gas mileage. If you drive a lot this is a must have. get it at www.hammacher.com

Drive smoothly. Accelerate smoothly and at a reasonable rate, try to coast to a stop as often as possible. Also use cruise control on the highway.

Ink Print Cartridges Instead of buying new try using refill cartridges or generic replacement cartridges. Companies in particular will benefit from buying in bulk as the more you buy, the less it costs per cartridge.

Switch Utility Companies Residents in the UK and US enjoy a free market in gas and electricity suppliers, it is highly competitive and deals are constantly being offered to the public. Shop around for the best deals and switch. Some may even offer you a cash-back deal which means you could end up with money in your pocket just by changing providers.

Replace Your Light Bulbs Replacing your old light bulbs with energy saving light bulbs can save you money on long term replacement and helps to lower your energy bills. These light bulbs can last up to ten times longer than regular light bulbs and as they are energy-efficient, they also help you reduce your carbon footprint while decreasing your energy consumption. Install CFLs to save energy. Compact fluorescent lights use about a quarter of the electricity of normal incandescent bulbs. They also need replaced much less often.

Transfer Credit card Balances If you have a credit card with a relatively large balance, it may be a good idea to transfer the balance to a new provider and save on interest repayments. Many credit card companies offer an interest free period if you bring transfer your debt from your current provider to them. This will give you a chance to pay off the balance, however check to see if there are any fees to pay for the initial transfer before signing any agreements. Try not to use more than 50% of your available credit per account.

Pay Bills By Direct Debits Or Online If you are still paying your bills by checks or bank transfers, consider switching to direct debits. Most companies actually prefer you to pay by direct debit and offer discounts as an incentive to change your payment method. Not only this but you will also save by avoiding late payment penalty fees and you may even find yourself eligible for additional early payment discounts. Online payments insure that payments are made on time.

Use a programmable thermostat. Programmable thermostats save you an estimated 10-20% on your heating and cooling bills. When we aren’t home, or we are sleeping, our house is quite a bit warmer or cooler, depending on the season. Save a substantial amount on your utilities.

Use NEW ceiling fans, floor fans, and space heaters. Old appliances suck energy. Try to put your TV, VCR ect on energy strips that can be turned off when the device is not in use.

Plan and research major purchases. A little planning can save you thousands of dollars.

Buy Quality Products. Quality items may cost more up front, but they last longer and generally provide better results than cheaper, inferior products.

Use Coupons And Rebates. We use coupons for oil changes, groceries, books, on-line purchases, and just about anything else we can find. A great on-line resource is www.Ebates.com, which is an on-line rebate company. Ebates is free to join, and you can get great savings on on-line purchases.

Use store rewards cards. Many stores will send you cash certificates to use

Eat Leftovers. You can save a minimum of $ 20 a week by eating leftovers.

Take Care Of Things. I treat things I own with respect and take good care of them. This includes doing things such as cleaning our house, washing our cars, ect, ect. Things last much longer when you take good care of them.

Avoid credit card debt. If you do not have the money to pay for what you are buying, DON”T buy it.

Fill Your Fridge. Lower your electricity bills by stocking your fridge. The less empty space you have in your fridge, the less cold air will escape whenever you open it.

Cover windows in the winter. Have 1/4? sheets of Plexiglas cut to the size of your windows; during the winter install on the inside of your windows with an air gap (created by using foam insulation strips) in between. Use wood strips to hold in place. It minimizes loss of heat and it is a great sound barrier!

Wait before purchasing. Wait at least 30 days before making major purchasing decisions. It will help you truly think about if you need it or should buy something.

Install an energy system. Install a Climate Energy free watt System installed. It’s a combined heat and power system for the home and it saves a bundle on electricity.

Save your coins. We empty our pockets every day and put any and all change in a jar. Have a “spend no coins” rule in your household. Roll your own coins at the end of 6 months and buy yourself a present

Hang Clothes Out To Dry. You can totally offset your electric bill by choosing not to use your dryer. Not only will it save you money, but you can enjoy being out in the fresh air! Also doing your laundry at night can save money on your air conditioning bill.

Have garage sales or use Craigslist to sell things

Buy Groceries On Sale And Stockpile Them Doing this one simple thing can save you hundreds throughout the year.

Use 1/2 Detergent Use less detergent. You can often use half the amount of detergent that’s “recommended” and still get your clothes clean.

Make Your Own Foam Soap Use 1/4 regular liquid soap to 3/4 water. Use foam pump.

Skip The Theater Instead get a movie at redbox.

Water down juices. When you open a new apple juice for your kids pour up half in the glass and add about 1/4 – 1/2 container of water. This makes each new bottle last twice as longer, and dilutes the grams of sugar your kids are drinking. Maximum sugar intake per day is 50 grams.

Don’t run water when shaving or brushing teeth. This practice can save up to 5 gallons per visit to the sink.

Sign up for budget billing with utility company. This won’t necessarily save you money, but it certainly helps the budgeting process by smoothing out highs and lows in your utility bills. Most companies offer this “level billing” service after you have 12 months of history to compute an average.

If you are having a hard time making your credit card payments or you have high interest rates, you may want to consult with a debt solutions firm. A+ Rated Debt Free Options can help. Debt Free Options can provide you with professional help and resources designed to help you get out of debt fast.(Click Here for your Free Instant Online Quote) or go to their website www.debtsolutionsusa.com or call them Toll Free at 1.888.747.8683

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1. Gift Wrapping Papers

Why buy expensive gift wrapping papers from the market, if you can make them at home? Plain brown grocery paper bags are what you can begin with. Take out your painting brush and craft paints. Give your imagination a free run. Remember that the sky is the limit, so far as your creativity and imagination go. Paint any design and rest assured that your effort would be well appreciated by those who receive your gift. You can paint flowers, trees, butterflies, bees, birds or whatever fancies you.

2. Saving on Gifts

Everyone loves receiving and giving gifts. If you have a large family, you may end up spending a lot of money buying gifts for each member, and receiving gifts you may have no need for. You may talk to your family members and come to an understanding to limit the giving of gifts to children only. This way you keep the children, who love to receive gifts, happy, and save a substantial amount of money too.

3. Homemade Gifts

Everyone loves receiving gifts. A homemade gift is any day more appreciated than gifts purchased from the market. One can actually feel the warmth that is associated with homemade gifts. If you have time on hand then there is no dearth of opportunities to exhibit your skills. You can make gifts for birthdays, anniversaries, weddings, Christmas gifts, babies and more.

You can knit a sweater or a pair of booties for a little baby; make cakes for occasions, or weave baskets. There is no end to what you can create at home. Wrap your gifts with homemade packaging and tie it with a bow.

4. Movie Shows

If you are a movie buff, you must know that matinee and late afternoon shows are cheaper than nighttime or late night shows. If you are planning to treat your family to a movie, take them during the day. The savings could well be more than half of what you normally spend. It is as good as seeing two movies at the cost of one nighttime movie.

Eateries inside the movie theater offer food at prices that can burn a big hole in your pocket. It would be a great idea if you carry some homemade popcorns, and candies along with you to munch inside while watching the movie. Some movie tickets come at discounted prices. Check online and you will get to save money on that account too. So, you know now how to save good money while taking your family out to see a movie.

5. Saving at Home

Make everyone in your family participate in making savings wherever they can. Inculcate a habit of turning off the lights when leaving the room. Initially, you or your kids may forget to do so. Fix a fun-punishment for those who break this rule. Water heaters may be run on low settings, if warm water is the need. Higher settings consume more power. If the air outside is cooler, you may open the windows to let in fresh and cool air. This way you can save significantly on your air conditioning. All these little things done consciously can make a huge contribution to your saving.

6. Reward Scheme

Start a reward scheme at home encouraging all your family members to become conscientious savers. Achievers may be rewarded with stuff they want. If you want to avoid expenses on taxis, encourage them to use public transport. The savings that are made on this account can be used to finance different needs of individuals in the family. You may also spend the amount saved on a family outing.

7. Right Attitude

It is important to develop the right attitude towards saving. In fact, the entire family needs to have a healthy view on saving. You need to develop a habit of not wasting resources and being aware of the need of saving. Do not think that you cannot save, because if you make a conscious effort, you certainly can.

8. Not All Unused Stuff is Useless

Teach your children the concept and importance of saving. Tell them not to throw away things they do not need. It is often seen that teenagers throw away things that are of no need to them without realizing that what is not good for them may be good for some other family member. You may check a few times with your children the stuff that they consider of no use to them, and make them realize how important it may be for someone in the house. Unused gum tubes, make up, clothes, accessories etc. may come in handy. So, these should not be thrown away.

9. Family Saving Plan

Get your family together and let them participate in the family saving plan. Ask for their ideas on how to make savings. Let your teenaged kids come forward and suggest ways to save on the telephone bill. If you give them responsibility, they will act consciously. Discuss other saving matters with them, making them aware of what needs to be done, and how wasteful expenditure can be curtailed.

10. Buffets and Money Saving

When you are on an outing with your family, you can have your lunch or dinner in a restaurant that offers buffet.

11. Vacationing

Plan your vacations in advance, and plan them for the off-season. Prices all-round are considerably lower during the off-season. You will find hotel accommodation, cars and airfare at heavily discounted prices. That is a lot in terms of saving when you are traveling with your family.

If you happen to be the kind that loves solitude and peace, then there is nothing like an off-season holiday. You may also plan to book your hotel accommodation just one day in advance to the start of the holiday season. This one day translates into substantial saving for you.You can save a lot of money that way. If your child is young, you can share your meals. Moreover, buffets offer a wide range of menus to select from. Buffets are a win-win situation from the point of view of food and saving.

12. Networking

If you have two computers in different rooms in your house, it is best to have them networked. There is no point paying twice over and have two high-speed cable connections for both the computers. Arrange your computers in such a way that one of them acts as a primary computer and the other as the backup. Under such an arrangement, you can have a single high-speed internet cable connection and pay a nominal amount extra for the second computer. That is a lot of saving.

13. Economy Haircuts

Many haircutting saloons offer economy haircut packages for families. These work out to be cheaper than going for individual haircuts.

Some families normally do haircuts for kids at home, and make good savings on that account. The money saved can be utilized for other purposes.

14. Recycling Stuff at Home

When we talk of recycling, the first thing that strikes us is utilization of the waste. You can actually save money by applying recycling in your life. For instance, you can create a nice gift for your friend with the things around you. Avoid buying expensive showpieces or gifts, and go for things around you and try to create something innovative. See the smile on your friend’s face.

15. Managing Your Utilities

Always take care that the rooms you are not using should be closed. If you are heating or cooling the entire house then you are simply wasting money. Thus, close all the unused rooms or garage, as there is no need of any kinds of utilities there. This act can save a lot of your money.

16. Check Your Bills

Always keep in mind to check the details of your bills. It could be credit card statements, bank statement, telephone or electricity bills or even the receipt of grocery. If you pay attention to them and go through the details minutely, you may find some errors, which might be huge. These errors can be immediately corrected. After the correction, a statement for the right amount be generated. Thus, your presence of mind can save you money.

17. Time Costs Money

Always try to pay your bills or any other payments on time. All of us know that not paying a bill on time means paying penalty for late payment. This unnecessary wastage of money is because of our laziness and negligence. So, make it a point to pay your bills on time and avoid wastage of money.

18. Discipline

Discipline makes a person perfect. Maintaining discipline in your life means organizing your life completely. If your life is organized that means you are saving a lot of money. Is it possible? Yes! Suppose, you are paying all your bills on their due date that means you are saving a lot of money. Thus, you can save your hard-earned money all through proper organization. All it demands is a little discipline and your money will be safe in your pocket.

19. Spend on Needs

It is very necessary to differentiate between wants and needs. There is a small degree of difference between the two.

Make all your purchases need-based, occasionally making allowance for want-based shopping. If you base your purchasing on needs, you will see that you can cut down on a whole lot of needless purchasing. And save a substantial amount.

20. Save gas

If you act a little responsibly then you can save a lot of money. For instance, try to stay in such an area where all the essentials are in the same local area. This kind of organization can help you in saving a lot of gas. Once in a week go for a small drive, and complete all your errands.

21. Maintaining Your Garden

If you are looking to add more plants to your garden, you will find that buying plants can be quite expensive. Look around your garden and see if you can split some existing plants and use them where you want them. You may even ask your friends or neighbors, if they can spare some surplus plants or split them for you.

If you are planning to buy a lawnmower, buy one that mulches leaves. This will save you money in terms of buying mulch for your plants and flowerbeds.

22. Sharing a Ride

All of us want to live in an environment friendly atmosphere. But, there are so many vehicles that are causing air pollution. We are inhaling a lot of poisonous smoke and killing ourselves gradually. Thus, we should think about this growing danger and go for carpool. Carpool is not only useful in reducing pollution, but also saves a lot of money. So, look out for the neighbors, who share the same route or any of your co-workers and enjoy the ride together. By opting for carpool, you are acting as a responsible citizen and incrementing your savings.

23. Minimize the Subscriptions

Receiving your favorite storybooks or monthly magazines through mail is really fun. However, subscribing to several magazines at a time is nothing but wastage. Thus, act intelligently and cancel most of the subscriptions. Select one or two of your favorite magazines and continue their subscriptions. Thus, you can enjoy the magazines and will be able to save money also.

24. Fashion and Accessories

Most of us want to be with the trend and look fashionable. To acquire these fashionable clothes we spent a lot of money. Is it reasonable? You can act intelligently by dressing casually, i.e. in your normal clothes and you can enhance the looks of these normal clothes by adding trendy accessories to it. This act will serve your purpose of being trendy. Moreover, you will be able to save money.

25. Herbal Remedies

One can save a lot of money by using certain home remedies while facing some health problems. There is no need of rushing to the doctor for a sore throat. Instead of paying for his consultation and medicines, make a paste of butter mixed with ginger and sugar and take it.

Hot teddy is a sure treatment for severe colds. Take it before going to bed. These small tricks or herbs can prove to be quite beneficial in saving your money. Try to gather maximum information about these home remedies and save money.

26. Proper Insulation at Home

Due to improper insulation, an average home is wasting hundreds of dollars of their hard-earned money. Just, take few steps and you can prevent this wastage. Take care that there should not be any entry of drafts through windows, doors or the fireplace. Your house needs perfect insulation. Once insulation of your house is in order, you will see a considerable deduction in your utility bill.

27. Hobbies Can Become a Profession

All of us have some hidden skills. It could be singing, dancing, knitting, cooking, painting, woodworking or anything. You can enjoy your hobby and at the same time earn from it. For Instance, if your hobby is knitting you can sell your knitted goods and earn from it. If you have skills in dancing, singing, or an expertise in any language then you can also earn by taking classes in the local community college. It is a nice way of earning money, as you are enjoying what you are doing while earning.

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BUYING textbooks? Heresy. While it’s not the ideal choice, sometimes there are no better options.

Campus store
I’d advise against buying from the campus store in most cases. It’s usually more expensive than you’ll find elsewhere. Sometimes you might need to get books specific to one class/school at the bookstore though. Amazon.com
Amazon can be a good place to pick up books new or used. Check the used and new lists — the price listed at the top is just the price Amazon’s official seller lists the books as. Read the descriptions of the books; they may or may not have highlighting/notes in them. (Don’t be afraid of a book with markings in it though. Other peoples’ notes can help sometimes.)

Another big thing Amazon has going for it is its buyback feature. Under the used and new prices on some textbooks, Amazon lists a buyback price and date that they will buy the book back by. From what I’ve seen, they give quite a good percentage of the original price. In addition, they will buy books back whether you bouht them from Amazon initially or not. There are a couple drawbacks I saw in the fine print though:
It looks like they can change the buyback price (or refuse to buy the books back) as they take in their quotas.
Depending on how stringent they are about it, they might not accept books with a different ISBN, even if the books’ content are the same. According to Amazon, “‘Incorrect’ items are items that do not match the exact version displayed in the Trade-In store.” Then they ship the “incorrect” items back to you at no charge. It’s not a horrible consequence, but it’s not nice if you were counting on $ 120 or so buyback.
Here’s a picture illustrating the price, used/new prices, and the buyback prices, just in case you have trouble finding them. It’s worth noting that I haven’t actually sold a book via Amazon’s buyback policy before. I have yet to buy a book costing more than $ 40, so I never bothered to sell any. Despite my doubts, Amazon’s buyback does look quite promising.

Craigslist.org
Craigslist can be a good resourse. I got a book on Craigslist once last year. It was a workbook written by a teacher on campus and used only on campus, so I couldn’t find it on Amazon. I checked Craigslist and found a new one for sale best offer. Half price (of $ 40) seemed like a good price; the other person agreed. I walked down to her place, bought the book and came back. Good deal. (Though I later decided that my 20 units were a bit much when I had a job at the same time. I ended up dropping the class and selling the book to someone else for the same price. I just waited in front of the class and sold the book to someone who hadn’t yet bought the book.)

Anyway, try Craigslist if you can’t find your book elsewhere. It’s kind of a special case thing, but it can work. Start your offers at 25-50% of the current going price on Amazon.

Previous students
You may or may not have luck with this at your school/situation, but you can track down previous students to buy books from.
You can go to one of the last classes during the quarter before you take the class and find people who want to get rid of their books. This does require that you know what classes you will be taking in advance though.
A couple of my teachers have emailed all of the new students when old students want to sell their books at the beginning of the quarter. You could ask your professors to send out an email asking for book exchanges to their old students. (On the flip side of things, you can try asking your professor at the END of the class to sell yours to the new students. Be sure to do it as soon as classes start!)
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For other helpful ideas for saving money on books, see my site at http://dillonchi.com/Chris/home.html

Expand the description and view the text of the steps for this how-to video. Check out Howcast for other do-it-yourself videos from BARKBARK and more videos in the General Personal Finance category. You can contribute too! Create your own DIY guide at www.howcast.com or produce your own Howcast spots with the Howcast Filmmakers Program at www.howcast.com Check out these relatively painless ways to cut back on your expenses. To complete this How-To you will need: Self-discipline Sacrifice Open-mindedness Step 1: Ditch the paper Stop buying unnecessary paper products. Use cloth napkins, mop up spills with dishcloths and rags, write shopping lists on the back of junk-mail envelopes, (and stick your coupons inside). Step 2: Give up bottled water Give up bottled water; almost 40 percent of it comes out of the tap anyway. If you don’t like the taste of your local water, use a filter. Step 3: Buy less food Buy less food. The average American throws out 25 percent of the food they buy. Start monitoring what you’re trashing so you can make better choices when you shop, and make an effort to eat food before it goes bad. Step 4: Cut the phone line Get rid of your home phone if you have a cell phone. Step 5: Cancel your gym membership Cancel your gym membership. Jogging, stair-climbing, jump-roping, hula-hooping, and dancing are all free, and that’s just a partial list of what you can do to stay fit. Tip: Canned goods and old milk jugs or detergent bottles filled with water all make …
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