Using coupons can add up to big savings.
Are you stressed out because you regularly run out of money before you run out of month? Well, here are some ideas that can help you stretch your pay checks which, in turn can decrease that stress. It should be noted here, that I employ these ideas on a regular basis and they do indeed work.
Understand your Financial Limitations
The first thing you can do to help your situation is to admit ‘out loud’ that you are not rich. Say to your self, “I’m not made of money, so I only have so much to spend.” When you truly understand this, and decide to live as though you believe, then you will have won the first battle.
Save, Save, Save
This next idea is something that I was told over and over.\, long ago. PAY YOUR SELF FIRST!” This means that no matter how little, take some money out of your paycheck and sock it away in a savings account of some sort. It can be as little as $5.00 or $10.00 per week. This sounds as if it might be impossible since you often don’t even have that much left for a day or two prior to payday. Right? Well, trust me, if you follow my advice here, you will no longer have that problem.
Stop Burning Money
If you are a smoker, consider how much money you are burning each month. I did just that and figured out I was smoking somewhere in the range of $150.00 and $175.00 per month. I then realized that I could instead be paying my car insurance, and the cable bill with this money. Or, I could save up and buy a new computer or a scanner. I wasn’t sure what I’d do with the money I saved after quitting smoking, but you can be sure the money I saved our family just about made our budget look as if I got a part time job! So, my suggestion here is for you (if you’re a smoker) to stop burning your hard earned money.
Eat at Home
Limit eating out to 1 night per week or less. Eating out is much more expensive than eating at home. I realize that it’s difficult to keep a family happy with home cooking every night, and I also realize this is because there are only so many ways to cook chicken, hamburger meat and pork chops. So, I have a few suggestions in this area as well. First, you could invest in a cookbook with a variety of recipes, or you could look on the internet for some recipe ideas. There are many sights on the net you could go to, one of which is Cooks.com.
Save on Groceries
Shop smart, and keep clipping them coupons. Prior to heading out to the grocery store, compare prices in sales papers which are produced and circulated through the mail by your local grocers, then make a list of things you’re going shopping for. At my home, they usually arrive in the mail on Tuesday, with the sales beginning on Wednesday. These papers will highlight what products are on sale for the week. You can shop the advertised bargains in addition to using coupons to save a substantial amount of money.
Remember how your mom used to brag about saving money using coupons from the Sunday paper? Well, that practice can be performed today as well. Quite often, the Sunday paper will have inserts loaded with coupons ranging from cleaning supplies to toothpaste and tomato sauce. Why not take advantage of these and save money. You could even multiply the value of the coupons up to 3 times in some instances by knowing which stores double or even triple the value of those coupons.
Another idea is to buy the store brands. Many times, the store brand foods are virtually identical to the name brand products yet can cost substantially less. You can also save money by buying meats in bulk. For example, my grocer will often have 10 pound bags of chicken leg quarters for less than .50 cents per pound. I buy a bag, then at home separate them into several freezer bags. When I want chicken for dinner, all I have to do is grab one of those bags to thaw.
Another way you can save money is by obtaining your grocers “loyalty” card. Often, you can obtain additional savings by having the barcode on your card scanned with your purchases. These cards are free of charge, and often come with small versions you can put on your key chain so you’ll never be without it when you need it.
Save on Clothing
Shopping for clothing can be very expensive, so it’s important to implement strategies to lower the potential cost by shopping at less expensive outlets. First, you could shop second hand stores like Goodwill and the Salvation Army. Personally, I feel these are terrific recourses to use, and if they’re available, why not use them?
There are also many churches and other organization run thrift stores located in cities and town throughout the nation where you can often find unbelievable bargains. There is a thrift store right up the road from where I live, and my wife regularly goes in there then comes out with a $30.00 pair of jeans that she only paid $1.59 for.
Something else my wife does is uses her trained eye to spot the clearance racks in some of the more expensive department stores. Often she finds clothing that is upwards of 75% off the regular price. When she finds bargains like this, she is particularly proud of herself.
Save with Your Auto
Don’t be ashamed of your hoopty. That’s right, be proud of your ’86 Chevy… it’s paid for! Some people will argue that the maintenance will cost you as much as if you were buying a new car. Well, don’t let those people fool you. Although new vehicles usually have warranties, those warrantees don’t last for ever then you are stuck paying for more expensive replacement parts. In addition, new car buyers have a monthly car note, from $200.00 to $500.00 or more per month, and they are required to have “Full coverage” insurance policies that cost more than $100.00 per month. My wife drives a 92 Toyota that is totally paid for, and our insurance is $34.00 per month. Also, it’s important to note that when we pull into a parking space at the mall, we are just as ‘there’ as the guy driving the brand new Hummer!
Additionally, when fueling your vehicle, read your vehicles owners manual if you have one. In most cases, the manual will tell you that the lower octane gasoline is fine for your vehicle. Even if you don’t have your manual, try using 87 octane anyway; it costs less, so you’ll save money here.
You can also save money by not taking your vehicle to the car wash. Wash it at home. You can use the activity to spend quality time with your family by allowing them to help. You can then get even with one or more by soaking them with the water hose.
Save on Utilities
First, save on your phone bill. If your families long distance charges are substantial ($25.00 or more) you can request a plan from your phone company where you pay a set amount for your entire bill, long distance included, regardless of how much long distance you use. My bill runs about $70.00 per month with unlimited long distance. Prior to opting for this plan my total bill was easily running above $100.00.
Another thing, no one “needs” a cell phone for personal use. The monthly charges usually total more than anyone wants to pay. In addition, many cell phone service providers make you sign a contract binding you to 1 or more years of making those payments. So, if you get in a bind one month and can’t afford to pay that bill, you get charged late fees in addition to the regular bill. If you must have a cell phone, I recommend that you purchase a prepay phone then only use it as I do. I have a Virgin wireless phone that I use only for emergencies and when I’m out of town in the hospital. Using my phone this way, a $20.00 card will last me almost 3 months!
Save on your electric bill. You can save money by trying to utilize the best of what nature offers you in the way of weather. For example, as soon as I am able, I turn off the air conditioner and open the windows. In fact, I’ll do this even if I am slightly uncomfortable because of the warmth still in the house. I’ll set some fans in the windows and blow in some cool, fresh outside air. When the cold months arrive, I’ll keep the heat turned down to a minimum and wear a sweater in the house. I’ll also get some slippers for my feet.
Another thing you can do is apply to your electric company to receive levelized billing which is a standard cost you will pay throughout the year. The electric company figures this amount by estimating what you will pay for an entire year, then divides the result by 12. This means you will not be surprised by sudden huge summer or winter bills
Additionally, you can now purchase screw-in fluorescent light bulbs for regular bulb fixtures. These bulbs last longer than conventional bulbs, are just as bright yet cost a whole lot less to use. If you don’t want to go this route, than simply exchanging your current bulbs with lower wattage bulbs will save you money as well.
You might also be able to save money on your water bill. If you have a dripping bathtub or sink faucet, a simple replacement of rubber washers could stop the drip saving on water usage. It’s no doubt that all those drips add up to allot of wasted water.
One last idea for saving on your utilities is to pay your bills on time! Most utility companies charge at least 5.00 for a late fee. If you’re consistently late with 4 utilities, these fees can certainly add up.
Save on Housing
Another way you can save money, all-be-it in the long term, is to try and buy a place to live. Renting an apartment, in my opinion, is tantamount to throwing money away. I feel this way because you usually pay more, yet will never finish paying. Purchasing a home is the only purchase I can condone financing. Any other purchase that can’t be made with a check or cash, you need not have till you have the money to pay in full.
Miscellaneous Savings
You can also save money by purchasing a pair of electric hair clippers. If you can bear knowing that you didn’t spend $25.00 on a professional hair cut, then having someone cut your hair for you could save you big over the course of a year. Consider that you might pay that $25.00 every month. Multiply that by 12 and you come up with $300.00. That’s pretty good savings for the cost of a $15.00 pair of clippers. Clippers usually come with guards of various sizes, so getting a haircut at home can almost be as good as the professional cut. I understand all you ladies probably won’t go for this idea, but I bet most guys would consider it.
You ladies, as well as you guys could also check into your local beauty/cosmetology school to get prices on student services. Many of these type schools charge significantly less than their professional counterparts. Although you are taking a small risk having a student do your hair, usually the student will have a professional instructor standing by, and 9 times out of 10 you’ll get a good result.
Another way to keep from throwing money away is to refrain from rent to own deals! The interest on financing these types of purchases will end up costing you an arm and a leg. In addition, cut up all but one of your credit cards, then forget you even own that one till you need it in an emergency. Additionally, do not use that card unless you will be able to pay off the entire balance the following pay period.
As you can see, there are many different ways to save yourself and your family a substantial amount of money. By no means am I suggesting that every one of these ideas must be implemented, however, where possible it only makes sense to save money (no pun intended). Surprisingly, following these suggestions can make you feel as if you got yourself an extra job, so start saving and soon you’ll have more money than month.
No comments:
Post a Comment