What tips do you have for saving money, cutting expenses?

Question

Thanks for any help.

Answer 1

i didn't put a PIN number on my debit card and mainly use cash...only have one credit card with a low limit!

Answer 2

This is something very hard to do in a "cashless" society but
it CAN be done.

1) take your own home -made lunches to work. Save lots of
money in this area
2) Buy petrol/gas on the cheapest day. Fill your tank up.

3) Invest in a solar heating

4) Purchase light-saving globes for your home.

5) Eat out once a month and use restaurant coupons - buy one
get one free.

6) Shop early for christmas - usually during New Years Sales

7) Make your own clothes.

8) Shop around at ebay for bargains.

9) Buy 2nd hand/ good quality furniture from reputable second-
hand furniture shops

10) Darn your own socks

11) Grow your own vegies/fruit

12) Keep a compost

13) Don't buy during a sale - chances are you don't really
need the garment/equipment anyway.

14) Don't join gyms/membership fees - take a walk in the fresh
air or run in the park with your kids or the dog.

15) Walk to work(save gas/petrol)

16) Invest in a bike.

17) Consolidate all debts.

18) Get rid of your credit card.

* * * * * HOPE THAT ALL HELPS * * * ** * *

Answer 3

I plan my meals for the week BEFORE I go grocery shopping. I use a covered bowl after each meal and save the few vegetables that are invariably always left. e.g. (green beans, corn, carrots, beans). At the end of the week, I add a few spices and other ingredients, usually stew meat and make a vegetable soup. This time of year it's great to have for drop-in company.

I also always cook in bulk. Used to a big family, now only three of us at home and haven't learned to shave back the recipes. I freeze whatever we don't eat at the meal. e.g. (chili, spaghetti, lasagna, etc.) I usually put these into single serving sizes, easy to pop in the microwave if someone needs a quick meal.

If you have a friend or family member who likes the sames foods as you, buy in bulk, then share the items.

Use lamps for light in your home with smaller wattage bulbs instead of large wattage overhead lights. ALWAYS turn off the light when room not in use.

Use your clothes dryer, dishwasher, or anything else that produces heat in the house whenever the heat is to your best advantage. e.g. (Don't use in the mid day in the summer, heats the house and makes air conditioner work harder. Do use in the mornings to heat the house after a cold night.)

Organize your refrigerator with easy to find snacks. If you buy finger food veggies, clean and prepare them, then place in see through bowls, baggies. Saves time standing with the refrigerator door open trying to find a nutritious snack.

Keep your freezer full. If not with frozen food, then with milk jugs or other containers with water frozen to ice. This will hold the 'cold' and won't make your freezer unit work so hard using more electricity.

When running errands, always make a list of what you must accomplish. Plan your stops in sequence, using less gas/fuel and less lost time backtracking.

Hope some of these tips help!

Answer 4

When my boyfriend and I moved in together we had to figure out the same thing. There is always somewhere you can cut a corner. You just have to look for them. We were eating out 5 times a week, now it's only once or twice. Go shopping together, so you know what you need and you aren't buying the same thing twice. It's okay to buy the store brands, they are usually just as good, plus a lot cheaper. you will save over a dollar on a loaf of bread. It adds up. Also, when I write a check or use my debit card, in my register I round up to the nearest dollar, say I spent 9.26, I would write down 10.00, that extra money is just sitting in my checking account. There are pleanty of ways to save... just think twice before spending your money... Good luck!

Answer 5

if you don't need it, don't buy it.
if you don't have the cash, don't buy it.

Put your change in a jar, and even save your pennies. ( my hubby throws them away, but I proved to him in a pinch you can roll all the pennies I collected over a six month - a year period and we had enough for groceries $ 200!!)

the money you find laying around in parking lot, throw that into the change jar.

make your own lunches for work, school...
cut down on eating out... learn to cook chineese at home, or make nuggets... I make a healthy version to MC Nuggets, and they taste better than the real fast food deal! I make ginger beef, noodles and rice, along with pot stickers for our night out and it tastes great! saves on half the cost of take out...

yes in some cases expensive is better, but not always... you can dress food up with spices, and dented cans may not look pleasing but the food inside is just as tasty...

consolidate loans if you can...
if you can't pay the bills, at least give something to each one... a little at a time is better than nothing at all.

Hope this helps...
Shannon

Answer 6

Since I dont know what your expenses are, that a little difficult. But I can give you a few pointers.
Lower your TV cable to basic. Nobody 'needs' the movie channels. Dont eat out so much. Plan your weekly meals and make a shopping list and stick to it. Take lunch to work. No more Starbucks ;).
You might have certain things you enjoy like clothes so limit your spending to what you need, not what you want. That oretty much goes for everything.
Just the basics.

Answer 7

Don't eat out.
No more Starbucks etc.
Stop buying cosmetics.
Stop buying shoes, clothes, bags or accessories.
Stop buying CDs, DVDs, books etc.
No shopping on-line.
Reduce your budget on gifts.
No more birthday parties.
No more chocolates, ice-creams and all other junk food.
Stop going to the hair salon every forthnight. Shampoo your own hair and keep shoulder length hair so you get the $10 haircuts.
No more manicures/pedicures, massages.
.

Answer 8

Consolidate loans
Pay off any credit cards with a loan (lower interest)
Do not eat out - left overs for lunch, bag lunch, etc.
Use coupons when you shop
2nd hand clothing stores
Public transit
pay yourself (savings) out of your paycheck before anything else gets paid.
goodluck

Answer 9

Get rid of all credit cards and Debit cards. Put your whole check in the bank and the only money you can take out to be yours to do what you want is the over time and any extra jobs you do.

Answer 10

by not being spoilt . buy must idems and not things you do not need anyone i know that has no money has leaks. so do without. make do. on other things you need check around for the cheapest fig. and on groceries study sale paper and buy when on sale. i do not shop unless i save 50% then i know i was on my toes. also join yahoo groups to learn about saving on stuff and buy on line if cheaper. fig what you got to have to make it and budget

Answer 11

Throw all your spare change in a jar. Come Christmastime you can have a nice chunk saved for whatever u need!