What are some good money saving tips?

Answer 1

The first thing you do is keep an exact record of every cent you spend. Buy a small notepad and keep it with you so you can easily record things as they happen. After a month or so, go through your notes, your checkbook, and your credit card statements and organize your expenses into categories. Some are obvious - utilities, food, car expenses, insurance, etc. Don't use "miscellaneous" - make sure you have a named category for every expense. This is critical to seeing where your money is already going.

Now look at your paycheck stub and see what your deductions are, and add those amounts to your spending categories. If you have yearly or quarterly expenses like car insurance, remember to add the appropriate amounts even if you didn't actually have that expense in the month you were tracking.

At this point you have a complete record of every cent you took in and paid out for the month. Does anything jump out at you? You might see that you could easily cut back on one or two categories like bringing a lunch instead of eating out, or skipping Starbucks, buying less new clothing, not going out every weekend or cutting back on your cable bill for example. Now go to the next step - for the expenses you can't avoid, can you reduce them? For example, do you get a big income tax refund every year? If you do, have your payroll department reduce the amount of withhholding on your paycheck, and figure on putting that money in savings.

Are you paying credit card interest? That's not good - cut back on whatever you can until you pay them off in full, even if you have to sacrifice temporarily to do it. Credit card interest is an expense to be avoided.

Most people, once they have carefully examined their spending, can find a few areas where they can cut back without a lot of pain. Make sure you are looking at things realistically because you need to make sure your plan is doable. If you need to spend $200/month on food, don't tell yourself you are only going to spend $50. You know that's never going to work.

Now add up all the savings you found. Let's say it comes to $40 a week. Open a savings account at your bank and see if they can transfer $40 a week from your checking to your savings account. In a year's time, that's over $2000!

This is a system that works for most people IF they really want to do it, and IF they have the self-discipline to live within the budget they established.

If you aren't willing to make changes, no system or suggestion is going to work. But once a few months have gone by and you see that savings account growing and growing, you'll be encouraged to stay on the path.

Answer 2

Well, the reception is the biggest cost of a wedding.. Have an earlier, think early afternoon (2:00), Saturday wedding at a beautiful park or botanical garden. That way there are already plenty of flower & gorgeous scenery! At the reception nobody will want heavy food or drink much at that time of the day so serve horsdevores and just a single signature cocktail or just champagne & sodas. You can't scratch the dj and opt for a string trio which would could much less, especially this early in the day. It would be very elegant alternative!

Answer 3

I think the best way is to have a savings account set up and have a certain amount of your paycheck get direct deposited into it. You don't miss it as much if you never see it to begin with.

Also, buy generic food when possible. The foods are made by some reputable company, you just don't know which one. Coupons are good too, but only for the items/brands you would normally buy.

Answer 4

Buy your food for the week, and dont eat out. But store brand food instead of name brand.(you will save probably around $15-$20 doing that alone) dont buy soda or drinks, just get a brita and keeping getting water from the tap. Always shut the lights and fans off if you are not in the room. Dont drive anywhere you dont have too, saves on gas, run or workout at home(dont pay for gym membership).dont buy anything unless you really need it.

Answer 5

Get a saving account that have a good rate of return. Also remember you have to live, so give,spend and save. If you have a older car, change your insurance to liability. If you are paying your own health insurance, change your deductible (higher), your premium will go down. Buy your clothes on sell or clearance. There are alot of ways to save money

Answer 6

Don't buy nothing you don't need.

Groceries: Buy meat only on sale.
all other groceries try to buy at Aldi's are a box store.

Try to drive smaller vehicles less gasoline.

Shop for your clothes detg,dish soap,toilet tissue,paper towels,
paper plates,shampoo, conditioner
all these sort of things at a Dallor General.

Save all your change in a big jar or plastic trash can,,,you will never have to worry about Christmas...cash it in... in December.

I could get you many more tips but will let the next have a turn.
~~~Good Luck~~~

Answer 7

open a regular savings account, the sort where you cannot touch the money at all for 1-5 years

Answer 8

To save money you just need to put it in the bank

Answer 9

We have implemented the bring your lunch from leftovers. We were wasting so much food that just sat in fridge, and paying for food out at lunch that it was like paying twice. Amazing how little grocery bill has increased and how much spending has decreased. I would say we are saving $200 monthly, and that includes eating out Friday lunches.

Answer 10

Well if u have a job, i would put half in the bank and keep half or urself. I did that wen i had a job, and i realized i had saved up alot by doing that wen i got my check! It really works...but u cannot touch that money in the bank!