Thursday, September 8, 2011

Practical Money Saving Tips

Saving money can be difficult but NOT impossible. Sometimes having somewhere to start is a great way to saving money in all areas of our lives.

Here are some tips I thought may help my readers out:

The Best tip I can offer anyone is to sit and chat with an older person, age 60 and older. They lived against great odds and came from their situation unscathed. They truly know what it takes to not only save money but to SURVIVE. Write down their suggestions and put them to practice.

#2: Lower Expectations! Can't be a Champagne lover on a Beer budget! Buy beef instead of steak, 1 or 2% milk rather than whole, and even plain oatmeal instead of the instant kind; just buy a pack of raisins or dry fruit to add. Avoid the salon and do your own hair and nails.

#3: Wash clothing in cold water at night. Its cheaper, both the water and the electric used to run the washer. Many folks dont know that the water rates are cheaper at night than during the day. Look at your water bill to see the difference!

#4: Learn to make your own clothes or at least learn to sew. Start off by taking a beginners class at Jo-Anns or Micheals. Yes, it may cost $60 up front, but that money will pay for its self quickly. Just learning to make dresses, night gowns, curtains and sheets will save you money or even just earning to mend clothes. Why buy a brand new pair of jeans for $40 when you can just fix them with a $1.00 needle/tread and some invested time. It also can be a great stress reliever; which also saves money in medical bills and prescription costs.

#5: Find an inexpensive but relaxing hobby. It can be reading books, crocheting, scraping booking, or puzzles; all of which are found at the dollar store. Overspending sometimes occur because some people are bored, stressed, and unstable in their lives. Having one of these hobbies eliminates the need to shop all the time, can help us become better prepared in all areas of our lives and gives us an outlet to release stress rather than at the Coach or GAP OutletS.

#6: Sign-up with your credit or debit card Rewards Program. Many cards, nowadays, have these types of options in place that will reward you with a point or 2 for every dollar you spend. Since most of us mainly purchase the same things every month, you can accumulate points very quickly! My husband and I will receive $125 in gift cards (this month) from one card's rewards program alone!

#7: Don't be afraid of "Sell-by" or "Use-by" dates on products. Milk, meat, eggs, cheese,and bread stored in a well cooled refrigerator or freezer can last, minimum, a week after the date stamped on the product. Stores sometimes sell these products at a discount to unload it from the store; go ahead and take advantage of those clearance sales and save yourself some money.

#8: Change up your routine. Often time, doing the same things, day in and out, causes some folks to head out to the store, mall, outlet or any other retailer just because they want "something different". Create some spark at home by having Movie, Game, Dessert or even Video Game Night. You can involve the kids too! Everyone will have fun and your wallet can keep the money it has, inside it.

#9: Try different recipes! Buy a good cook book and try the meal ideas inside it. Create your favorite restaurant meals at home for a fraction of the cost. Start at thrift or consignment stores first, to get the cookbook at a deeply discounted price.

#10: Compare prices and dont claim any store loyalty. After all, they are out to make money! Dont forget, they are a business. With that in mind, use your hard earned money in places it will stretch the farthest; where you can get the best deal. It may take going to 3 or 4 stores, but if done all at one time (take a snack in case you get hungry), it'll save you money, time, and GAS!

2 comments:

Jenny said...

Great tips. I especially like the first one. I generation of people who are 75+ is the best generation. They have lived through so much and their stories are wonderful!

Katrina said...

I really enjoyed your post. I came across the site stilltasty.com today, it would help with your tip #7. In today's economy, we all need as many money-saving tips we can get our hands on. I wish I had someone older to talk to, as you referred to in tip #1 but since I don't I enjoy reading things like your post today. Thanks for sharing.