12 Convenient Ways to Save Immediately
Posted on April 27, 2007
Here are the 20 efficient ways to save money immediately without major lifestyle changes or living out of a cardboard box.
12. Get free checking. Seems obvious, but you would be surprised at how many people pay fees at their bank. Try a credit union.
11. Toss the mail order catalogs. Instant temptation. Why force your self to be disciplined in your own home?
10. Downsize your Internet connection.Do you need the 8Mbps connection or can the 1.5Mbps DSL work?
9. Always do a search for promotional codes before making an Internet purchase. Sites such as currentcodes.com and dealhunting.comoffer ways to search for coupon codes for online retailers.
8. Buy in bulk carefully. Buying at wholesale clubs like Sams and BJs offer savings, but can also lure you into buying much more than you can use. Take a look at what you can actually use in bulk. For us these are the things that fall in that category: olive oil, 10lb bag of frozen chicken, some common spices and seasonings, ground turkey, and splenda.
7. Make your own power bars. These quick and easy snacks have huge markups and can be made easily and with a huge cost savings. I have tried a few of these recipes and they come out much better than the store bought brands. These are also worth a try.
6. Grocery shop less often. Walking into and out of the grocery store more times gives that merchant more of an opportunity to lure you in with marketing and advertising.
5. Buy generic. At least try the generic version, you never know.
4. Buy whole foods. Cooking your own meal is healthier and cheaper almost every time.
3. Use the library. Most homeowners pay a fee in the form of property taxes each year for this service. Why not get your money’s worth. I just checked mine and I pay $39 each year for my county library. That may not seem like a lot until you add in the $20 or so of late fees I typically receive. (Trying to work on that one by renewing the books online. Save that for another post.)
2. Liquidate the home. I find it efficient to go through my stuff every six months or so and see what I can sell on eBay. I then get all the stuff together a do a decent photo shoot. Then sell all of it at once.
1. Learn to cook. In my opinion this has been one the single biggest money savers of the past year for me. I was never a great cook but by taking the time to do a little reading and experimenting I have become much more comfortable. By not going out to eat and maximizing my leftovers I have saved a tremendous amount of money the last year. The reason I am not nearly as tempted to go out is the quality of my girlfriend and my meals have improved so much that often times we are disappointed when we go out.
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5 Responses to “12 Convenient Ways to Save Immediately”
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Thanks for the listing on your blogroll!
I have to admit - I don’t really do any of these things. I should, but I don’t. I love to eat out, go to Starbucks, etc etc. All of the things the frugal financial planners tell you not to do, I do.
Except clothes - my wife and I do not spend extravagant amounts on clothes.
Long story short, my wife is much better at not spending on the little things.
I agree its a constant battle for me not to spend on the little things as well. I love to stop for coffee on the weekend mornings. In the afternoon when my girlfriend and I are running around I love to drop into a convenience store and get a diet coke.
retailmenot is my first stop for coupons- i’ve found codes here that no one else has:
http://www.retailmenot.com
[…] as I have said before learning to cook can be one of the biggest money savers out there. The NY Times had a great article about summer […]
[…] as I have said before learning to cook can be one of the biggest money savers out there. The NY Times had a great article about summer […]