Saving Money: Part 2

Do you feel like you are starting to save a little money? I hope so…and if you aren’t seeing the effects yet, just hang tight. You will!

Here are 10 more ideas to get your wheels turning on how to save money:

1. Take a sack lunch to work. It sounds so good and easy to just go to the cafeteria, vending machine, or neighboring fast food place, doesn’t it? Though the ease of it may persuade you, think about the money you are spending. Even if you do this 3 times a week, spending 5 dollars each time, that is $15 a week and $60 each month. AND…not to mention, $720 a year! Yikes! You could go on vacation for that amount of money. Consider taking a sack lunch.

2. Unsubscribe from magazines and newspapers. It sounds so “anti-culture”, but it’s not. I am not saying stop reading these, but often you can either get them from the library, view them online for free, or borrow them from someone else. I know subscriptions may not be a budget breaker for you, but it may be worth taking a look at how much you spend each year on subscriptions!

3. Memberships. You may have a membership at a health club. What if you saved the money you spent each month at the health club and bought a machine that you use every time when you go, used? You would probably be surprised at what you can find for cheap when it comes to exercise equipment. Is it worth the membership? That is up to you. I recently found a basic elliptical machine for $50. No I can’t play games while I exercise on it because it is quite basic, but it gets the job done in the cold winters!

4. Don’t frequent the spa as often. Treating yourself may be a must for your sanity. I get that. Are there other options though? What if you did your nails with a friend? What if you went to a college where it costs half the price because the students are in training? (especially for massages). We sure have a lot of luxuries in our culture and it is easy to take advantage of them, yet forget how much they cost.

5. Make your own coffee. Again, sounds boring. There is something our culture enjoys I think, about the thrill of GOING somewhere to get coffee. Does it taste better? I don’t know. The thing is, with many coffee places now, you can buy their coffee at your local grocery store. When you look at the price of a Dunkin’ Donuts coffee bag, your eyes might bug out – but add up what you spend in a given day on coffee or in a week. You are spending more at the coffee shop, than if you bought it from the store and made it yourself. PLUS, you are saving TIME!

6. Take snacks along. Are you going to an event? Do you have a long car ride ahead of you? Instead of stopping for fast food or buying the concession stand food (which is WAY overpriced), take your own food along. It takes 5 minutes of extra prep, but again, it will save you time as well. Plus, you won’t be sitting in the car with a gut ache after indulging in some fast food.

7. Like bottled water? Filter your own. I honestly don’t really understand bottled water. I understand it if you can’t drink the water because it is contaminated. But to buy water, to be honest with you all, is very odd to me. If you love bottled water so much, try filtering your water to make it taste more “bottled.” Buying water, when you already pay for it in your taxes or get billed for it quarterly, seems like a double-up. Try a filter if you have to.

8. Buy energy-rated appliances. They are more expensive and it doesn’t seem like you would be saving money. Well, you would be surprised. We recently had to get a new refrigerator because ours was running constantly. We decided to pay an extra $75.00 and get one that was energy-efficient. The next month, our electrical bill was around $35.00 less. I know that this is an extreme case and this may not happen to everyone, but it will pay itself off in a few months!

9. Spend less than you make. Simple budget idea. Simple concept. Hard to apply. Do you know how much you spend in a month? Do you find yourself wondering at the end of each month “where did it all go?” Budgeting or at least writing down WHERE your money goes, can go a long way. Seeing areas where you may be spending too much, may help you in saving money. Seeing areas where you are doing needless spending, can help you save money too. Consider budgeting or writing down where your money is going.

10. Buy in bulk. It is not always cheaper, but it often is. The biggest thing to do is check the unit price on an item. If the unit price is lower with the bulk item, buy bulk (if you can use it all before it spoils). Buying bulk, though it takes up more space, can save you oodles. Is the item able to be frozen? If so, consider dividing food into more practical containers and taking out as needed. Be careful though – just because it is bigger, doesn’t mean it is better!

Stay tuned for more ideas on how to save money!