Post by Honeylioness on Feb 23, 2009 11:39:22 GMT -5
Your Best Savings Tips for 2009
MP Dunleavey - 02/22/09 01:22 PM
OK, I know--do we talk about anything else, really? No. But these roundup threads of everyone's top savings tips are always so helpful. And given that this year is going to get harder before it gets easier, let's all share the wealth, so to say! If I can quote you, please email me at mpdunleavey@msn.com.
My favorite money-saving tips right now are:
1) Read through your bank statement with your spouse or a money buddy and track 3 big spending areas: groceries, gas, eating out, clothing, whatever. It's amazing how much info is in ONE bank statement. And as you read out each charge for Sunoco or Safeway, and your partner tallies each category on the calculator, you're totally going to have an OMG moment. And that's what helps me save!
2) Stay Out Of Stores. SOOS. Stay Away From Stores. SAFS. Pick your mantra and stick with it. You can't spend if you don't enter the halls of commerce!
***********************************
Honeylioness - 02/23/09 11:11 AM
Some of these may be repeats of other's comments, however here is my list:
1) Money: I never spend coins. All change is placed in a container in my kitchen that I roll every few months. Even with my cut back in spending at all I accumulate $200-$400 a year that I use for either Christmas gifts or towards my airline ticket to see my parents.
2) Statements: I always check bank and credit card statements to be sure I recognize the charge, occassionally some unknown "processing fee" or "warranty program" slips in because many companies purposely don't make it easy to know when you are defaulting to a sign-up mode.
3) Grocery store: I have several guidelines that work well.
4) Track: Keep a small notebook in your purse or briefcase and write down EVERY cent you spend for one month. This really helps bring into focus just where you are spending your money. And it's hard to rein this in if you have no idea where the areas are to be watched.
5) Plant: Grow what you can. I have containers on my front and back decks with simple herbs: garlic, dill, basil, oregano and mint. At the end of the season I dry the leaves and use them almost the rest of the year until the next planting season. Much cheaper than what you spend at the grocery store for herbs that are who knows how old.
6) Stores: Get over the idea that second-hand or used are dirty words. Freecyle.org, Craigslist, thrift stores and rummage sales can be great places to find gently used items that still have a lot of use and life in them. Cookware can be cleaned, furniture can be painted and by changing the buttons on a boring white blouse you can have a designer looking garment for a few dollars.
7) Stock-up: Consider buying in bulk. While this is not always the cheapest option, and some people may have issues with storage. There are really good deals to be had at warehouse stores.
For instance: At Costco I can get a 44 lb "cube" of their in-house brand scoopable cat litter for $8.50 - that's about $0.19 a pound. Even at discount stores 20 pounds of the same product will run you about $10-$11 - or $0.50-$0.55 a pound.
Now considering that I have three indoor cats I buy three to four cubes at a time and figured out that over a year I am saving over $150 a year just in cat litter, negating the $44 membership fee. I also buy the large quantities of paper towels and toilet paper. If you are not able to store 36 rolls of TP go in with a friend and split it. Not everything there though is a real bargain, but once you know what is in your area the savings can really accumulate.
8) Meals: Plan out your meals for a week so when you are shopping you are only purchasing what you will need for that week.
9) Freezer: If you have the room invest in a small or regular sized freezer. Mine is about 4 ft high and sits in my pantry. That way when the store puts frozen O.J. on sale at two for one - you can throw in a few extra cans into the freezer.
10) Clothes: For years I have made my own laundry detergent, primarily because I find it is gentler on fabric than most commercial blends, also it has no dyes and no fragrance. Average cost for a load $0.09. When I do use the dryer I have a jar with fabric softener in it and several re-cycled fabric sheets soaking in it. Take one out - wring it almost dry and toss it in. Much cheaper than using a new fabric sheet all the time.
I also installed in my laundry room a five line retractable close-line. From March to about November I rarely use my clothes dryer and will instead hang all my laundry. This room also houses the furnace so even in the late fall clothes are dry in a day. Plus, it is the dryer that really ages fabrics, so I feel as though I am extending the life of my garments - especially items with elastic like underwear.
11) Maintenance: Don't try to save money by being "cheap". Changing the oil in your car, cleaning the vents and grill of the fridge, yearly cleaning and inspection of the furnace - all these things can save you hundreds or thousands down the line.
Just a quick example. The woman who owns the condo/townhouse next to me has rented it out for several years. Her last tenents moved out in December and because she wanted to save some money while looking for new ones she did not turn the heat back on or even come to the unit for over a month. Even when the daily temps were barely making it into double digits. As could be predicted - the pipes froze and burst and flooded all three stories of the unit before it could be shut off. So in trying to "save" herself perhaps $100-$200 dollars over a two month period, she is now looking at $40,000+ to gut the entire unit and replace floors, drywall, cabinets, ceilings etc. Oh, and of COURSE she had no insurance because, and I quote, "But I don't live here I only rent it - why would I need insurance?"
12) Pick-your-own: Many areas have one or more PYO farms and orchards. Your State's website under agriculture should be able to provide you a listing. Every year I pick my own strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, apples and pears. The berries I turn into jams and other goodies for gifts and my own use. but they are also extremely easy to freeze.
Line a cookie sheet with a piece of waxed or parchment paper. Lay the berries in a single even layer then pop the sheet into the freezer overnight. Next morning transfer them to a re-sealable freezer bag or container then into my second freezer they go. I have "fresh" berries all winter long at a fraction of the price I would pay for them at the store, even in season. I also can my own pears and applesauce. Neither of which is as hard as people think. Not only does it taste better than store bought but there are no preservatives and I can control the amount of sugar.
13) Repair: A lot of household items can be easily repaired with some simple tools and a little time. Instead of throwing out that lamp that is constantly short circuiting and burning out bulbs - pick up a kit from the hardware store and re-wire it. You only need a bit of patience, a screwdriver, pliers and the ability to read directions.
14) Get re-acquainted with your local library. Many people have either forgotten the pleasures of reading, or don't realize that the library also has CDs and DVDs to lend.
MP Dunleavey - 02/22/09 01:22 PM
OK, I know--do we talk about anything else, really? No. But these roundup threads of everyone's top savings tips are always so helpful. And given that this year is going to get harder before it gets easier, let's all share the wealth, so to say! If I can quote you, please email me at mpdunleavey@msn.com.
My favorite money-saving tips right now are:
1) Read through your bank statement with your spouse or a money buddy and track 3 big spending areas: groceries, gas, eating out, clothing, whatever. It's amazing how much info is in ONE bank statement. And as you read out each charge for Sunoco or Safeway, and your partner tallies each category on the calculator, you're totally going to have an OMG moment. And that's what helps me save!
2) Stay Out Of Stores. SOOS. Stay Away From Stores. SAFS. Pick your mantra and stick with it. You can't spend if you don't enter the halls of commerce!
***********************************
Honeylioness - 02/23/09 11:11 AM
Some of these may be repeats of other's comments, however here is my list:
1) Money: I never spend coins. All change is placed in a container in my kitchen that I roll every few months. Even with my cut back in spending at all I accumulate $200-$400 a year that I use for either Christmas gifts or towards my airline ticket to see my parents.
2) Statements: I always check bank and credit card statements to be sure I recognize the charge, occassionally some unknown "processing fee" or "warranty program" slips in because many companies purposely don't make it easy to know when you are defaulting to a sign-up mode.
3) Grocery store: I have several guidelines that work well.
- Always work off a list
- Never go when you are hungry
- Coupons yes, but also check the store's bulletin board for any additional savings or rebates.
- Buy in season. Sure it would be great to have fresh blueberries in January - but not at $6-7 a pint.
- Buy whole poultry and cut it up and debone it yourself. This can save $3+ per pound than buying it already deboned.
4) Track: Keep a small notebook in your purse or briefcase and write down EVERY cent you spend for one month. This really helps bring into focus just where you are spending your money. And it's hard to rein this in if you have no idea where the areas are to be watched.
5) Plant: Grow what you can. I have containers on my front and back decks with simple herbs: garlic, dill, basil, oregano and mint. At the end of the season I dry the leaves and use them almost the rest of the year until the next planting season. Much cheaper than what you spend at the grocery store for herbs that are who knows how old.
6) Stores: Get over the idea that second-hand or used are dirty words. Freecyle.org, Craigslist, thrift stores and rummage sales can be great places to find gently used items that still have a lot of use and life in them. Cookware can be cleaned, furniture can be painted and by changing the buttons on a boring white blouse you can have a designer looking garment for a few dollars.
7) Stock-up: Consider buying in bulk. While this is not always the cheapest option, and some people may have issues with storage. There are really good deals to be had at warehouse stores.
For instance: At Costco I can get a 44 lb "cube" of their in-house brand scoopable cat litter for $8.50 - that's about $0.19 a pound. Even at discount stores 20 pounds of the same product will run you about $10-$11 - or $0.50-$0.55 a pound.
Now considering that I have three indoor cats I buy three to four cubes at a time and figured out that over a year I am saving over $150 a year just in cat litter, negating the $44 membership fee. I also buy the large quantities of paper towels and toilet paper. If you are not able to store 36 rolls of TP go in with a friend and split it. Not everything there though is a real bargain, but once you know what is in your area the savings can really accumulate.
8) Meals: Plan out your meals for a week so when you are shopping you are only purchasing what you will need for that week.
9) Freezer: If you have the room invest in a small or regular sized freezer. Mine is about 4 ft high and sits in my pantry. That way when the store puts frozen O.J. on sale at two for one - you can throw in a few extra cans into the freezer.
10) Clothes: For years I have made my own laundry detergent, primarily because I find it is gentler on fabric than most commercial blends, also it has no dyes and no fragrance. Average cost for a load $0.09. When I do use the dryer I have a jar with fabric softener in it and several re-cycled fabric sheets soaking in it. Take one out - wring it almost dry and toss it in. Much cheaper than using a new fabric sheet all the time.
I also installed in my laundry room a five line retractable close-line. From March to about November I rarely use my clothes dryer and will instead hang all my laundry. This room also houses the furnace so even in the late fall clothes are dry in a day. Plus, it is the dryer that really ages fabrics, so I feel as though I am extending the life of my garments - especially items with elastic like underwear.
11) Maintenance: Don't try to save money by being "cheap". Changing the oil in your car, cleaning the vents and grill of the fridge, yearly cleaning and inspection of the furnace - all these things can save you hundreds or thousands down the line.
Just a quick example. The woman who owns the condo/townhouse next to me has rented it out for several years. Her last tenents moved out in December and because she wanted to save some money while looking for new ones she did not turn the heat back on or even come to the unit for over a month. Even when the daily temps were barely making it into double digits. As could be predicted - the pipes froze and burst and flooded all three stories of the unit before it could be shut off. So in trying to "save" herself perhaps $100-$200 dollars over a two month period, she is now looking at $40,000+ to gut the entire unit and replace floors, drywall, cabinets, ceilings etc. Oh, and of COURSE she had no insurance because, and I quote, "But I don't live here I only rent it - why would I need insurance?"
12) Pick-your-own: Many areas have one or more PYO farms and orchards. Your State's website under agriculture should be able to provide you a listing. Every year I pick my own strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, apples and pears. The berries I turn into jams and other goodies for gifts and my own use. but they are also extremely easy to freeze.
Line a cookie sheet with a piece of waxed or parchment paper. Lay the berries in a single even layer then pop the sheet into the freezer overnight. Next morning transfer them to a re-sealable freezer bag or container then into my second freezer they go. I have "fresh" berries all winter long at a fraction of the price I would pay for them at the store, even in season. I also can my own pears and applesauce. Neither of which is as hard as people think. Not only does it taste better than store bought but there are no preservatives and I can control the amount of sugar.
13) Repair: A lot of household items can be easily repaired with some simple tools and a little time. Instead of throwing out that lamp that is constantly short circuiting and burning out bulbs - pick up a kit from the hardware store and re-wire it. You only need a bit of patience, a screwdriver, pliers and the ability to read directions.
14) Get re-acquainted with your local library. Many people have either forgotten the pleasures of reading, or don't realize that the library also has CDs and DVDs to lend.
