1.Cook at home often- If both the husband and wife work, this is likely to be very difficult. Start with cooking at home once a week and slowly increase the days. Fast food restaurants are easy to find but hard to stay away from, so avoid fast food restaurants and start cooking at home.
2.Make a list before shopping- Say no to impulse buying. Human simply have a very tough time resisting the temptation to purchase extra things while shopping. Without a list you will buy items that you simply do not need, even worse is when you forget to purchase the actual item you went to the store for. Getting all that you need in one trip can help avoid another unnecessary trip and temptation.
3.Buy generic products- Does it really matter whether your cereal is made by Kellogg's or is the store brand? Does it matter if your milk is Oak Farms or the store brand? For a few things (like soda), I prefer brand name products but for others I don’t mind, if they can save me money then I’ll take it. Find what works better for you and switch to generic brands for at least half of your grocery list.
4.Use grocery bags as trash can bags- This may not work if you use a huge trash can but if you use a small size than the grocery bags are perfect for it. This not only helps us save money, but helps our environment.
5. Be aware of your bank balance and avoid over darft fees- If you use your checking account often or have some bills that are paid automatically from your checking account, be attentive of the balance and avoid overdraft fees.
6.Disconnect home phone line- Unless you have small kids in the house or older people to take care of, its necessary for house phone but it is more than likely that you will be able to survive with only the mobile phone and can get rid of the land line.
7.Instead of buying books, borrow books from the library- Apply for a free library card at your local library and borrow your books instead of buying them. Some libraries have available books that can be checked online. If there are some books that cannot be found in your local branch, then you can make a request online for it to be brought from one of the other branches to yours, which is very convenient.
8.Price check- Making sure of the price before you buy it, specially if items are expensive and you're on a budget. If scanners are too far from the location you are at, there's no worries because now you can download a scanner application straight from your cellular phone(android).Also, you can download coupon applications which makes it easier and better to save money.
9.Avoid vending machines- Almost everything that is dispensed via vending machines has a huge markup (and is rarely healthy). However, if you suffer from snack attacks at work, consider creating a secret stash of snacks. If you like drinking soda and have a fridge at the workplace, save a refrigerator pack in the fridge with a post-it with your name on it (it keeps hungry squeakers away). If you have a back and forth schedule, consider a stash for the car as well and avoid a quick drive-thru visit.
10.Checking motor vehicle ahead of time- Do not forget to do regular oil changes on your car, remember to check the air in your tires often, and use the grade of fuel that the owner’s manual recommends. These small acts can lengthen the life of your car, and giving you years of use.
11.Avoid buying a new car- When you buy a new car, see if you can make it with a pre-owned vehicle. A new car loses its value on that moment you drive it out the dealership. Is the small new car really worth thousands of dollars? Preowned cars are the best bargains. You can also purchase vehicles from an auction place that are in great conditions, inexpensive, and free off debts.
12.Ride your bike or carpool whenever possible- In many of the cities in the US it is hard to get by without a car but because you have a car does not mean you have to use it every day. Whenever possible, ride your bike or share a ride with a friend or spouse and save both on gas and reduce the environmental marks.
13.Addicted to DVD Movies? - Get memberships to online movie stores like Netflix or Blockbuster Online it can save you alot of money compared to buying DVDs or renting it from a local store. You need to wait once you order the movie, but if you watch a lot of movies at home, then you can easily get into ordering ahead of time so you always have something at home. If you are patient and your library has the resources, check to see if they have a movie section. You won't get anything very new, but they are free.
14.Movie theater person- If you really like watching movies in the theater with the big screen and the great sound effects then instead of paying $10 for the ticket, go before 6:00pm when the tickets are a little less expensive. Also, for movies that we dont absolutely go crazy for, wait until it appears on the discount theater where the tickets are $2. To avoid buying snacks at the theater, going after lunch or sometimes sneaking in our own snacks in the purse, are great ways to save money.
15.Control your electric use- When not in use, unplug electric appliances. Unplugging the television instead of just switching it off can save alot of electicity! In hot and cold weather use a programmable thermostat to control your A/C and heater usage.
16.Finally, sweet vacations, plan ahead of time- Vacations are a necessary part of saving our sanity in the busy lives that we lead. But vacations are also a huge consume on the family finances. You can cut the cost of a vacation by planning and booking ahead of time. It’s good to find inexpensive airfare, hotel, and etc. Make sure to book at least two weeks in advance.
