What are your best, money-saving ideas/advice?

Question

I've heard of some extreme ways to save money and I'm curious to know yours, extreme or not. What are your best tips and how does it work for you and your family. Thanks!

Answer 1

Systimatic/automatic monthly funding.  Set up a online money market account (emigrants direct) and have $50 $100 or what ever amount deposited automatically from your checking into the money market account every month.  Treat it as a bill that you have to pay just like mortgage and utilities.  Its all pshcological.  You will learn to live without the money.  If savign for retirement the Roth IRA is the best vehicle.

Answer 2

Reduce, reuse and recycle.  I try as often as possible to find secondary and tertiary uses for common household items before I put them into recycle.  I make glass liquor bottles into dispensers for everything from olive oil to vinegar to dish soap to bath oil by adding whiskey pour spouts.  I started a harvest overproduction program in my neighborhood simply by sharing veggies, citrus and produce with my neighbors.  Now when they have an over production in their garden, they share with other neighbors, too. It saves us all money on produce.  I also started literally putting into a savings account the amount I save in coupons and sales items at the grocery.  This has funded our vacations, ski trips and overseas travel as well as a new mercedes for my hubby over the years.  I pay all of my big bills in full once a year to save the fees they charge on partial payments.  I put the amount I would pay per month into a savings account that earns interest until the payment is due.

Answer 3

You have to start thinking S-M-A-R-T. What kind of cutbacks can you make? For example: I drink bottled water. Now at $1 a bottle on something that covers over 65% of our planet is not smart. So I bought one of those water filters that s***w into your faucet. I have bottles that I refil over and over again. I take them to work. Do you have a lot of small appliances around that house that are always on? I cut my electronic bill almost in half by unplugging all the clock radios and night lights. I also bought some of those florescent bulbs that look a lot like a regular bulb. These things use 80% less electricity than regular bulbs. You would be surprised, but these small things add up. I know I was spending money on the water filter and energy efficient bulbs but these things will pay for themselves in a month providing they pertain to you. If you really need the money right away start cutting back on your food costs. Romain noodles cost a dime and they taste just as good as campbells chicken noodle that costs $130 a can. Ok no chicken in romain noodles, but you are probably just missing about 4 tiny pieces of chicken. Put a brick inside your toilet 'chamber'. You will use a little lesser water each time you flush..Before you know it you will be ahead. Wanna be creative? Find yourself leaving lights on? Buy a motion sensor switch, the lights will turn on when you enter the room and will turn off (by a set amount of time) when you leave the room. I have one, they cost $15 at HomeDepot. Need new windshield wipers for your car? Who says you have to buy 2? You only need the new one on the drivers side, leave the old wiper on the passenger side.  So remember you have to start thinking S-M-A-R-T! Yours truly seahorsehawrey.

Answer 4

The main thing when saving is to make a budget. If you don't have a budget then its virtually impossible to save money.. I would suggest reading some of Dave  Ramseys books.. I read them at the first of the year and it has greatly helped in my financial life.  But the main thing is to live under you means and save, save save.. But first you have to start with a budget to see what you need to get rid of and how much you can save. Best of luck