AUTOMOBILE
No doubt about it, we love our cars, but they can be a large drain on the wallet. Gas prices, maintenance issues and insurance costs are just a few of the ways cars can take your money.
1. Public Transportation – Depending on where you live, this can be a great alternative. Its cheaper than filling the car up with gas, is greater for the environment and can be better on your health. Catching up on reading or sleep during your commute can help improve your mood too.
2. Sell an Automobile – If you have an extra automobile, consider selling it. Again, there are all the cost savings, plus you can use the money to pay off debt or start a savings account.
3. Carpool – Depending on your work situation, try and share a ride with a coworker. This will reduce wear and tear on your car, saves money on gas, helps the environment and gives you someone to talk to during a long commute. Where I live there are HOV (High Occupancy Vehicle) lanes on the highway for vehicles with two or more passengers. These lanes always move quicker which can cut down your overall commute time. Also, my employer offers preferred parking for carpool vehicles.
4. Tires – It sounds silly, but keeping your tires properly inflated will improve your gas mileage which saves money.
ENERGY
There are many ways to reduce energy costs in your home.
5. Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs – CFLs have a longer life span and use less electricity. They cost more than traditional light bulbs but there will be long-term savings.
6. Programmable Thermostat – A programmable thermostat allows you to control the temperature in your home throughout the day. When you are not home, there is no need to heat or cool (depending on the season) to comfortable levels. This can provide significant savings over time.
7. Air Seal – Air Seal your home as much as possible. This will reduce the amount of drafts and add to the overall energy savings of the home.
8. Monthly Payment Plan – If your electric company offers this feature, it can help spread your energy costs throughout the year. My home has electric cooling but gas heat, so in the hot summer months my bills can get rather large. The energy company analyzed my energy usage and divided it over 12 months. This sets me up with a constant monthly payment instead of a “surprise” bill during the summer. Call your electric company and see what they offer.
ENTERTAINMENT
9. Exercise – Do you belong to a health club, a country club, etc? If you are not really using these services, you are throwing your money away. If you really are using these services, look for cheaper alternatives. You can exercise at home or outdoors with little to no equipment. You can also play golf at a community golf course for very little money. There are many ways to stay in shape without cost. Get creative!
10. Cable TV – Look at ways to reduce your cable package. You can eliminate expensive premium movie channels or even cancel your cable completely. You will find loads of free time if you stop watching TV. Maybe you can pick up a hobby that could eventually lead to extra income or even a full-time home based business.
11. Local Library – You can check out books, rent movies and CDs and read magazines from around the world. Your local library has many opportunities for you to be entertained as well as expand your knowledge.
12. Community Events – Many communities have various events especially during the summer months. Look for holiday festivals and concerts. Many of these are free or only require a small entry fee.
13. Shopping – Believe it or not, you can actually get paid to shop. Now, don’t believe the sales ads. You will not make thousands of dollars but you can earn a few bucks or at least have your purchases reimbursed. There are many mystery shopping companies out there and the work is legitimate. You just need to evaluate each shop assignment and verify that you will not lose money.
14. Newspapers & Magazines – Cancel these subscriptions. As stated above, many newspapers and magazines can be read at the local library or on the internet. Every newspaper has a website. Why pay for a printed copy when you can read everything online?
15. Dining Out – I will expand further on Food in the next topic but dining out can be a form of entertainment. You should try and eliminate dining out all together, but if you are like me, this may be something you really enjoy. Look for coupons or happy hour specials. Again, look at mystery shopping. You won’t be paid much if anything but your bill will be reimbursed.
16. Other – Do you have other monthly entertainment costs? Netflix, satellite radio? These costs can add up and are really not necessary.
FOOD
Ah, food. Everybody’s got to eat, but it can get expensive. Dining out is very expensive and should be avoided if possible, so try to cook at home. Below are ways to save money on food costs at home.
17. Pack a Lunch – Bringing your lunch to work will save a lot of money. You will avoid over-eating as well as over-spending. Dining out is expensive and most restaurants give you more food than you need. Save your wallet and your waistline.
18. More Fruits & Vegetables – Believe me, I am not advocating going vegetarian but meat is expensive. Most dieticians agree that our meals should be centered around grains, fruits and vegetables with only a small amount of meat protein. Frozen vegetables are very inexpensive and can be quickly steamed for a simple side dish. Fruit is a much cheaper and healthier alternative for snacking. A bag of fatty, salty potato chips can cost over $2.00. You could buy a whole bag of apples for that price.
19. Use Your Freezer – Freeze your meat. Look for sales on meat and stock up. Divide the meat into manageable portions and put them in the freezer. This can be easily thawed and used for tonight’s meal. You can freeze just about anything.
20. Buy in Bulk – This can be from a discount warehouse (which I happen to love) but buying non-perishable items in bulk can really save money. Look for deals on toilet paper, toothpaste, canned foods, anything with a long shelf life.
21. Dried Beans – I wanted to make this a separate category as it is a pet peeve of mine. Dried beans are WAY cheaper than canned beans and much better for you. An 8 oz can of COOKED beans can cost anywhere from $1 to $2. A 16 oz. bag of DRIED beans costs about $1. When beans are soaked then cooked they double in size, so 16 oz. dried will be 32 oz. cooked. You do the math. There is huge saving here. Also, by soaking dried beans you greatly reduce their gas-giving properties. Your family will thank you.
22. Buy Generic – This is pretty straightforward. Many products are available in a generic form for much less then their brand-name counterparts.
23. Slow Cooker – A slow cooker is a great way to make a large amount of food with minimal effort and cost. Chili is a great slow cooker meal that can be made very inexpensively and then frozen.
24.
Garden – Depending on where you live, this may not be possible. Growing your own food will save money and give you great, personal satisfaction. If you don’t have a yard, try growing herbs. Fresh herbs can be expensive at the grocery store but are easily grown in a pot on a window sill.
Healthy Urban Kitchen CookbookMISCELLANEOUS25. Telephone – Depending on your situation, look at reducing the number of telephones both land and cell. For many years I lived with only a cell phone. There are so many cell phone deals out there that a land line is not necessary. If you must have a land line for business or security reasons then look at ways to reduce your cell phone bill. Texting can add additional charges. Also look at the number of minutes you use. If you have many left over every month, maybe you can reduce your calling rate plan.
26. Services – Landscaping and housecleaning are two activities that you can do yourself. If you are paying someone to do this, cancel these services.
27. Laundry – Dry cleaning can be very expensive. Invest in an ironing board and an iron and learn to press your own clothes if needed. Avoid purchasing “dry clean only” clothing. Save dry cleaning for rare occasions when it is absolutely necessary.
28. Grooming – Try and reduce the number haircuts per year. For men, a barber is usually less expensive than a hair salon. Look at reducing manicures and pedicures or try doing them yourself.
29. Bad Habits – Smoking and drinking are expensive habits. Quitting smoking will not only save your budget but just might save your life. Excessive drinking can also be a money drain. Try to limit your drinking to only a few days a week.
