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 What is your best money-saving tip? (Page 4)
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| Author | Topic: What is your best money-saving tip? |
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kbmello Housemate |
posted 03-20-2003 08:10 AM
   
thanks gals. yam's right, i have to tackle the big things. part of the problem is that i moved to nyc seven months ago and my so only has sporadic freelance work. so i'm really supporting two on one paycheck. being a vegetarian helps, as you mentioned kena. and i do all my own baking which certainly helps, as the boy loves his baked goods! thanks, again. IP: Logged |
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Merimoo Housemate |
posted 03-20-2003 12:39 PM
A bread machine is a good investment if you use it regularly. My parents gave me one in college and I didn't buy bread for about 2 years. You can get one for $40-$50 and recoup the initial investment within a year if you buy bread often. IP: Logged |
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Diaphanous Subletter |
posted 03-23-2003 09:57 PM
A few things I have done... I make all of my long distance phone calls on my cell phone. My family lives on the other side of the country, and I regularly spend at least an hour a week on the phone with my parents. My cell phone plan has free long distance, and unlimited minutes on nights and weekends. My cell phone bill comes to about $35 a month after they tack on all the taxes, which is way lower than my long distance bill on my regular phone would be. I pay all of my bills online or via phone. Saves the cost of stamps! Check with the companies before you do this, though - some, like my car financer, do charge a nominal fee, around $.50 or so. However, since I regularly forget that a bill is due until right before it is, I wouldn't have time for a check to reach them via regular mail, so even with a very small fee it still saves me money. A credit card tip - either make your payment as early in the billing cycle as you can, or break up your payment into two chunks, paying one super early and the other chunk when you normally would. Credit card companies charge interest based on your average daily balance, not what your balance is after you make that last payment. So the earlier you can get your balance lower, the less your average daily balance will be, thus the lower your interest charge will be. Samples! Samples, samples, samples! Do a Google search for the phrase "free sample" or even just the word sample. You will find a ton of manufacturers websites that will send you samples of thier products. I have a cabinet full of bathroom products that I got this way - shampoo, makeup remover, foundation, toothpaste, etc. It isn't enough to carry you for a long time, but it still is product that you didn't have to pay for, and is great for when you run out of something - that way you don't have to make an emergency trip to the drugstore, wasting gas. You can use your sample and then shop when you normally would. That brings me to running errands. Plan your route so that you aren't running back and forth across town, and do as many in one car trip as you can. You will save a lot of gas this way. I also discovered accidentally that I actually save gas when I work later! Rush hour traffic here is horrendous, so if I leave work earlier than 6PM I will be sitting intraffic with my engine idling for an hour, when the trip usually should take only 20 minutes. Since I am more productive in the later afternoon anyway, I work later then am able to miss the traffic and save gas since I'm not idling! Shop your discount clothing stores like Ross, Marshalls, and TJ Maxx. You often have to spend a while looking through the racks, but I have found some amazing things there - for example, a first quality Ralph Lauren swimsuit for $17.99 which still had the department store tag on it that read $115. Ross also carries quite a bit of clothing from Express. I am a smoker and am not ready to quit, so that does eat into my fun money quite a bit. I have found that by buying cartons I save so much money - over a dollar a pack than what I would spend if I nought singly. One of the convenience stores in my city has had a deal running for several months for cartons of Marlboros for $32, while if you buy the packs singly they cost about $4.75 citywide - work out the math and I am saving $15 every 10 packs of smokes. We have free coffee at my office, so I never buy from the cafe downstairs - I always drink the free stuff. I limit my latte spending to Sundays, when I indulge at my corner coffeeshop with a large iced cafe mocha and a book. It actually is a more enjoyable experience that way - I savor it as my end-of-the-week treat to myself. IP: Logged |
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ralphyr Housemate |
posted 04-02-2003 05:42 PM
This week I have saved $25 ($5 a day) this week from baking my own muffins and using the tea facilities at work. I brought my own lunch so saved about $40. Cooked at home every night so might have saved about $40. My sister sent me a bra in the post so saved $30. $135 extra without much effort. And the bonus is a work trip for which I get frequent flyers (I'll be doing a return to Perth twice this month = lots a FF). My credit card gives me FF too so I'll wrap them all together for a nice free flight. IP: Logged |
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maddytrue Housemate |
posted 04-02-2003 09:59 PM
I've been putting 10% of every paycheck and a good majority of my cash tips into my savings account. After working where I do for almost 4 months, I've saved almost $3,000! And since I don't really have to go to the ATM any more...I'm quite the happy girl right now. (Money-wise.) IP: Logged |
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heather Housemate |
posted 04-09-2003 10:02 AM
I will now buy all of my groceries at the WalMart Super Center. I hate Wal Mart for other things but damn their groceries are cheap! I got cereal for $1.98 versus the usual $3.50-4.50. It's cheap all the time - no need to wait for a sale!  Even their jelly is a lot cheaper than my usual store. I think I'll hit the usual place for milk since I go through milk like water but for big shopping I'll head to the Super Center! IP: Logged |
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cablejunkie Housemate |
posted 04-09-2003 11:50 AM
This tip is more a spending-deterent than a money saver: Buy a bottle of good leather conditioner. Every so often, I look at my leather shoes and think, "Hm, these are a bit beat-up looking. Maybe it's time for another pair." But conditioning your leather shoes (and purses and jacket) will make them last longer, not to mention look almost new again. I also love touching newly conditioned leather--so soft. [This message has been edited by cablejunkie (edited 04-09-2003).] IP: Logged |
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amie Housemate |
posted 06-29-2003 04:12 PM
*bump* *bump* for fluffygurl! IP: Logged |
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fluffygurl Housesitter |
posted 06-30-2003 04:20 AM
Thanks Amie! Ive decided as well that when I have my bill paid off Im gonna start paying more money into my savings a/c every month. 100 EUR a month is not very much to be saving especially since Ill be living with the folks and wont have to pay any bills apart from the internet and some food. Theres no excuse. So which is better bank or credit union? Ive also decided that instead of buying new clothes at the size I am now I will just lose the weight and wear the pre fat clothes ( which I still have packrat that I am!) Hopefully Ill have enough saved to splurge a little bit for my Friends wedding! IP: Logged |
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geekprincess Housemate |
posted 06-30-2003 11:10 AM
The most significant way that I have found to save money is to integrate the things that you spend money on/do into other aspects of your life. I like food and coffee a lot. Eating out, cooking, entertaining, etc. I have my office job, and I also work part-time in a cafe. I get 2lbs of free coffee a month, plus tons of leftover bread, baked goods and veggies from the kitchen. I can eat there for 1/2 off, even when not working. I've also made friends with workers/owners of a lot of other local restaurants from that job, resulting in bargains at their establishments. I also volunteer at a food co-op. This gives me a discount on products, and also first crack at the markdowns, bargains and free stuff. My roomate is addicted to music. She works part-time at a record store and gets free promos, discounts, and often free concert tickets. My boyfriend works in a hardware store, giving him an employee discount on his hobbies of building stuff & repairs. IP: Logged |
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ilovenoodles Housemate |
posted 06-30-2003 07:22 PM
wow! these are great tips... i tend to carry a bottle of water w/ me where everywhere i go , and yes i refill them.. they can add up if you're always having to buy one on the road or on a trip. btw .. quote:
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myatia Subletter |
posted 07-01-2003 12:59 PM
When a telemarketer calls to ask you to switch long distance carriers, do it! The companies start competing for your business, you get a better rate, and sometimes other perks (AT&T once paid me $90 cash, no strings, to switch...I switched back to MCI a week later, got an even lower rate, and kept AT&T's 90 bucks). The good deals you get are usually only temporary, though (six months). Make sure you know when they're going to run out. Also, just because you have a 5 cents/minute rate doesn't mean that's what you're actually paying. Take a good look at your statement and see how much you're actually paying a minute including taxes, surcharges, and monthly plan fees. For me, these charges weren't too bad when I could split them three ways with roommates, but now that I'm on my own, it's just too much. I stopped using long distance carriers altogether and just use phone cards. I got a 215 minute phone card at Target on sale for $10.70 with tax (which comes out to 0.428 cents a minute). I don't know where you can do much better than that (although if anyone knows, I'd like to hear about it). IP: Logged |
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Merimoo Housemate |
posted 07-01-2003 01:47 PM
I use ZoneLD for long distance - rates of $0.045 per minute, plus $0.040 per minute to CA, NH, PA, RI, WA. Let me know if you're interested - I can get referral bonuses... http://my.zoneld.com/zoneprod/SilverStream/Pages/ZoneLD.html IP: Logged |
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Beach Housemate |
posted 07-01-2003 01:49 PM
Except when you agree to change phone companies and the new company signs you up for the wrong program and you spend months arguing with them and refusing to pay the massive bill that resulted in you not being on the plan you asked to be on - so you tell them to screw off and you go back to your old company. Not that I'm bitter. My little money saving tip: I never order drinks when I eat out. Ever. I never buy drinks at all actually. It's water all the way. Better for me and my wallet. (I mean pop/soda drinks, not DRINK drinks.) IP: Logged |
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fluffygurl Housesitter |
posted 07-02-2003 02:20 AM
If you are broke or trying to save money, dont go window shopping or near a shop at all. Window shopping leaves very few people satisfied. And this old advice but good. If you are going grocery shopping eat well before you go. This makes it less likely that you will just buy any old thing to get out fast cos your starving IP: Logged |
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KirstenL4W Housemate |
posted 07-02-2003 10:29 AM
For long distance, when I had my condo my cable company had a great deal. Since I already had other services with them, I paid 7 1/2 cents per minute to anywhere in the US. This was 24 hours a day, there were no monthly fees, and no minimum. There was at least one month when I didnt get a bill or had no balance due. And, the deal didnt expire. A lot of cable companies are offering long distance, so check with them to see if they have anything. The big 3 (AT&T, MCI, Sprint) are generally ripoffs unless you are gonna pull the switching all the time game, which can get confusing. Another trick I used to use to keep my long distance bill down is to call someone when I know they arent home (like my mom-she's a real talker) and leave a message so they will have to call me back. I'd usually call my mom about 10 minutes before she got home from work and she'd call be back. My uncles do this to her too. IP: Logged |
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quarkiegirl Housemate |
posted 07-02-2003 11:34 AM
quote: that's so funny! does your mom know what you and your uncle are pulling? IP: Logged |
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amie Housemate |
posted 07-02-2003 02:50 PM
8i do the scoth calling to my parents as well - i call them on their mobile phones (cell?), let it ring once, and they cxall me back. They don't mind, anything to help me keep my bills down .I'm not doing too badly - still so over this whole budgeting thing but forcing myself! IP: Logged |
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Specs Housemate |
posted 07-02-2003 04:49 PM
Some of my money-saving strategies include: 1) Emptying my change into a jar every day.. I'm sure I've got close to $200 in there right now. Saving up for vacation! 2) Using an automatic savings plan with my bank. I get them to withdraw $10 from each paycheque into a no-fee account.. it adds up fast! 3) Take lunch to work! It's amazing how much I save by not eating out as often. That, and drinking coffee at work instead of buying it at the coffee house saves the bux as well. 4) Parking downtown is incredibly expensive, so I walk to and from work every day. Saves on gas and gives me a bit of a workout too. Those are just a few.. but they work for me! IP: Logged |
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chitowngal Housesitter |
posted 07-03-2003 10:23 AM
I get all of my toilet paper/paper towels/napkins at Costco. Luckily I have the account through my mom's business so I don't have to pay for it. It saves me trips to the store when I can just stock up on it for a lot less. I also buy a lot of canned goods there, like soups or other things and I can take them into work and let them just sit there for when I need lunch and didn't have time to make myself one. Cereals also, soap, and feminine type products. These are all things that I know I'll have to buy at some point, if I can get 3 months supply in one trip than I've saved time & gas money as well as just the bulk discount. Its also great for when I'm throwing a party. I usually go the day of the party and get the stuff that is "sell by" on that date, a lot of times you get a discount, and since I know it will be cooked or eaten that night I know its not a waste. I try coupons but I always forget to take them with me, so I just stopped buying the Sunday paper since that was all I used it for anyway (can get the news online) IP: Logged |
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jazzberry Housemate |
posted 07-03-2003 12:01 PM
quote: That is SUCH a good idea! I'll have to remember that next time I have a party. Oh wait, I don't throw parties...never mind IP: Logged |
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bassoongrlspam Housemate |
posted 07-03-2003 03:01 PM
take a calculator and a preset dollar limit with you and a shopping list to the grocery store. It helped me today to know that I had 15 dollars to spend for the next two weeks, so if I wanted an impulse item, I had to scrimp elsewhere (note I got out of there for 14.97$ with said impulse item - a coke) it really works guys. IP: Logged |
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amie Housemate |
posted 07-03-2003 07:27 PM
quote: hehe me either jazzberry! I'm a bit of a hopeless socialiser - I like to think i'm all "partygirl" but i'm just, um, not. basoongrlspam - great idea on the calculator. I like that one. On msnmoney I read about how you should committ 60% of your salary to essentials and then divide it up 20% to savings (long-term and short-term), 10% to irregulars, and 10% to fun money. I worked that out but it seems so small! I don't like the idea of only about about $15 a week for fun! I like to have more fun than that! edited to add that last night I convinced a girlfriend to stay inside instead of going out into the cold, and we shared a pot of peppermint tea for a miniscule amount. Well, compared to what it would have cost pay for a pot in a pretentious cafe. yay for budgeting! [This message has been edited by amie (edited 07-08-2003).] IP: Logged |
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amie Housemate |
posted 07-03-2003 08:31 PM
deleted for stupidity. sorry all. [This message has been edited by amie (edited 07-08-2003).] IP: Logged |
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Sabriel Housemate |
posted 07-10-2003 06:26 AM
Pack your breakfast/lunches to work. It takes a bit of time to prepare your meals for work but my goodness I've found it is incredibly cheaper than spending $5-$10 dollars a day buying food. This goes for coffee, drinks, etc. It really adds up fast over time! If you have to buy fast food, look for bargains. For an example, the food on Dollar Menu at McDonald's is amazingly cheap! You can spend like $2 on your lunch and feel satisfied and full at the end. IP: Logged |
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zippycar Housemate |
posted 07-10-2003 07:32 AM
We just got 99 Cents Only stores in Houston and they do have some amazing bargains! I'm going to try and shop there before going to Wal-mart or Kroger where I spend far too much money. One thing I have started doing is going to the smaller, unimproved Wal-Marts and Kroger stores that have much less fabulous merchandise for me to grab on impulse. In the last month this has saved me untold amounts of money. IP: Logged |
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Sabriel Housemate |
posted 07-11-2003 05:32 AM
Also, don't carry cash with you. When I do that, I find myself having no choice but to avoid buying snacks and drinks. IP: Logged |
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amie Housemate |
posted 07-14-2003 07:27 PM
this is my favourite thing to do but some people may be against this for various reasons - anyway. I go to borders and read. I am a total magazine junkie but have had to majorly scale back my purchases so I'm just trying to go to borders whenevre the urge to buy strikes, and sit and read. Someone once told me this was 'stealing', so I always feel a bit guilty even though I know that's why they provide couches there! I do end up buying something from there reasonably regularly anyway (presents etc). IP: Logged |
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jazzberry Housemate |
posted 07-14-2003 08:58 PM
nah, I wouldn't worry, amie. I figure if it's a big company, they're not losing anything, especially with magazines, since they rarely ever sell them all anyway. Chapters, a humongous chain in Canada, used to have lots of big comfy seats, but have since removed them cuz of people sitting and reading for hours. When I'm previewing a book, I sit on the floor IP: Logged |
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zippycar Housemate |
posted 07-16-2003 01:09 PM
quote: I can feel you on the "stealing" issue. Once I took a magazine over to the copy machine in the grocery store, copied the article I wanted to read and put the magazine back on the shelf (cringe) it wasn't something I set out to do that day, I had an uncontrollable urge to not spend 4.oo plus on a magazine that I only wanted to read one article out of. Since then I have done this several times at the public library. I don't feel bad about doing it there. IP: Logged |
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ralphyr Housemate |
posted 07-17-2003 01:09 AM
Zippycar, that is a fantastic moneysaving tip. Extensions of that would be to pickup a 6 pack of say softdrinks take one out and ask to pay one sixth of the price. My recent money saving tip is to move to a cheaper state. IP: Logged |
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zippycar Housemate |
posted 07-17-2003 06:05 AM
Yeah, looking back it was cheesy, I didn't even stop to think before I did it. However, moving is not an option for me. IP: Logged |
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mabel Subletter |
posted 07-17-2003 08:00 AM
I live in New York, and someone I met last week actually laughed in my face when I told her I was trying to save money. Whatever. I have to disagree with not carrying cash. I ALWAYS have cash in my wallet. And I always know exactly how much is in there. It helps me budget, because I'm like, okay there's $40 in my wallet, and that has to last me until Friday, so can afford these sunglasses, even if they're only $5? Nope. Everything I do is budgeted ahead of time. When I go out to a bar or restaurant (or the grocery store), I know my dollar limit before I get there. I try to be the person who initiates activities with my friends (who all make more than I) so that I can suggest something fun that's cheaper than what they'd suggest. Like going to a free movie in the park or a long bike ride. Dinner parties mean bringing the requisite bottle of wine. I have yet to find any good deals on wine in NY, so I stock up on like 10 bottles when I visit my parents near Rochester. They have a killer discount wine store there. I also go to the Salvation Army near my parents' house. Much better stuff than the SalVals in NYC and cheaper. Ever gone to a "thrift" store in NYC? What a joke. I know a gal who stocks a flask with her own alcohol and takes it to bars. You could always buy a Coke and mix. Don't know if I'm brave enough for this, but I may just be desperate enough... IP: Logged |
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ericameredith Housemate |
posted 07-17-2003 08:09 AM
i agree with carrying small amounts of cash and knowing that is IT for the week. makes me prioritize my spending better. also, my roommate and i are both on pretty tight budgets but we love to hang out with our friends, so we bring the people to US - hosting parties where everyone is asked to bring their favorite snack/dessert/drink is so much better than going out to dinner or for drinks. it not only ends up being cheaper, but more fun. IP: Logged |
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fluffygurl Housesitter |
posted 07-21-2003 10:08 AM
MSN have an interesting article on spending blunders here IP: Logged |
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ralphyr Housemate |
posted 07-21-2003 07:41 PM
I have been doing the cash in my pocket and find that I'm saving more. Get it friday and know that if I have a big weekend then it is noodles for the week. The MSN article has a point about buying in bulk. We were throwing out so much spoiled food when we did a big shop that it is cheaper to buy my veggies locally even though they are more expensive than the supermarket. IP: Logged |
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Merimoo Housemate |
posted 07-21-2003 09:07 PM
I tried that with the veggies, but then I wasn't eating any at all. Maybe I just need a sign that says "Eat your veggies, 'tupidface!" IP: Logged |
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ralphyr Housemate |
posted 07-27-2003 04:52 PM
Free Magazines - Yesterday I picked a few out of our block's paper recycling bin. Now that is saving money. They were only last week's editions. IP: Logged |
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zippycar Housemate |
posted 07-28-2003 07:39 AM
We have a box at my office where several of us toss our paperback books after we've read them, it serves as a very informal library. IP: Logged |
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bird8382 Housemate |
posted 07-30-2003 12:58 PM
A lot of times, if you go to the website for a company you like, there will be some kind of coupon or promotional deal. I have gotten quite a few deals this way. IP: Logged |
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