Please share your money saving tips

[canuk-gal]

Date: 6/21/2005 9:10:16 PM
Author: Patty
Buy I-1 clarity diamonds.

HI:

As usual Patty--great comedic timing.....LOL!!

cheers--Sharon

 

[Dancing Fire]

Date: 6/21/2005 8:56:49 PM
Author: tanuki
I just saved $800 by changing the collision deductibles on my two cars and the deductible on my homeowners from $500 to $1000.

i just cancel the collision coverage on my wife''s 10 yr old bmw and i save $344 per yr.i went from $500 to $5000 deductible on my homeowners and i save $520 per yr.

 

[Sparkster]

- Combine all your house and contents and car insurance bills (most agencies will give you a discount if you do this) We save ourselves heaps of money by doing this.

- Next time you buy an electric appliance/whitegoods, buy one which has a good energy efficiency star rating - it uses less electricity so it will cost less to run.

- When not using an appliance, switch it off at the power point. Items on standby still use electricity.

- If you can, install a water tank - it might cost you money at first but then think about the money you end up saving on water. Our tank is connected to the toilet and garden taps - I find it a terrible waste of water and money to use good drinking water to flush the toilets and water the garden (especially as how we are in stage 2 water restrictions in Melbourne). Even using a dual flush toilet will save you money.

- Make extra food at dinner and take it into lunch instead of buying it at work (I'm really bad at this because no matter how much I make, I eat it all during the evening and save none for lunch!!)

- Do a lot of study and find out which banks offer the best low interest credit cards.

- If possible, take public transport to work. It costs me $26 a week to use public transport as opposed to approx $55 weekly parking plus petrol.

There are so many ways to save money but lilke dieting, it takes discipline. I know that I am able to save heaps more but sometimes, I just HAVE to buy that new suit/shoes/book........

 

[mightyred]

I have a few....

Try googling for discount codes.....here are some sites to check for deals.....

http://forums.slickdeals.net/archive/index.php/f-10-p-11.html

http://www.dealtaker.com/AlexBlake-coupon-code-a621-c.html

http://happycoupons.com/

http://mrrebates.com/

I watched Oprah recently talk about Spanx underwear stuff and I googled spanx discount and at the time got a 50% discount from skickdeals (above)! Alas, it''s over now but googling it again I found American Beauty Pageant and got $10 off!

If you have a CVS locally check their website or coupons in your local paper on Sunday.....they often have buy one get one free deals....I have bought everything from Claritin Allergy medicine to cashew nuts to make up and save each time! Buying in bulk means you shop less which in itself saves money - less temptation!

If you have Macys or Filenes and need clothes etc check local listing as they often have coupon/double coupon days!

Sign up for savvy surveys or e rewards....you won''t save money but by filling in online surveys you will make money! Slow but in my view it at least pays for my DSL!

If you drive check http://www.gaspricewatch.com/usgas_index.asp or other sites for the lowest gas prices in your area.

Watch Suze Orman’s show!! She has a great web site.

Don''t toss loose change...save it in a box each day...it is amazing how quickly it adds up to a few hundred dollars - put it in a savings account!

Adjust your thermostat by a few degrees.

Pack our own lunch. So much cheaper.

If you eat out (sorry to all those who say not to but we need someone to cook for us at least once a week as a treat but we don''t have kids/dogs so it''s our indulgence!) and have leftovers then take home doggy bags and use for lunch the next day.

Treat savings like a bill and take it out as soon as you get paid.

God...I sound such a tightwad...but honestly I never feel like I am deprived,......if I want something, really want it I get it and just make savings in other places. I love the feeling that I get when I''ve got a good deal!!

 

[Mara]

speaking of eating out or in..

we got a maggianos here in santana row last year (or year before, can''t remember). anyway their portions are HUGE...just insane.

i discovered that i could go and get the large spaghetti and meatballs, which is very good, for $14.00 and it would literally serve both greg and i for 3 nights straight. of course by then we were sick of it, but sometimes when i want pasta i figure..why not! it saves us money for a few days...the amortization for both of us over 3 nights is sweet. hehehee. oh and they give a full small baguette for takeout orders too. woo hoo.

so sometimes eating out can be cheap for good food.

 

[Lorelei]

Date: 6/21/2005 9:10:16 PM
Author: Patty
Buy I-1 clarity diamonds.

Didn''t you get a great I1 recently Patty? I have one too and it is beautiful, sparkly and eyeclean. They can be a great moneysaver as all the I1 fans know and mine is even prettier than my S12.

 

[strmrdr]

buy colored gemstones and add some color to your life! and save money over buying diamonds.
Just dont buy the ones I want!

 

[Nicrez]

Budget and stick to it. Start out with making a very accurate list of everything you spend. My friend has a pocket organizer (Palm pilot thing) which he uses an Excel spreadsheet to keep track of what is spent and when as it is paid for. In the end you know where you spend the most, so you can star to cut your unfixed costs by determining WHERE your money goes and if so much of it should be going there!

I can imagine what my list would look like, but I would rather not. Instead to save money I eat in more often, and have cut down on the "upkeep", like hair, manis/pedis, waxing, eyebrows, eyelash curling (I am ADDICTED!), and make sure that they are not AS frequent. Believe it or not, I save every piece of change I get and throw it in a little piggy bank, along with DF. In about four months I swear I had over $235, just in quarters I had over $180! he calls it my Wild money, so I can do whatever I please with it... I like that.

Try it...

 

[Patty]

Date: 6/21/2005 9:13:57 PM
Author: canuk-gal

Date: 6/21/2005 9:10:16 PM
Author: Patty
Buy I-1 clarity diamonds.

HI:

As usual Patty--great comedic timing.....LOL!!

cheers--Sharon

Why thank you, Sharon!

 

[Patty]

Date: 6/22/2005 2:23:22 AM
Author: Lorelei

Date: 6/21/2005 9:10:16 PM
Author: Patty
Buy I-1 clarity diamonds.

Didn''t you get a great I1 recently Patty? I have one too and it is beautiful, sparkly and eyeclean. They can be a great moneysaver as all the I1 fans know and mine is even prettier than my S12.

Yes, Lorelei, I got my second I-1 stone last August and had it set last fall. It is eye clean as far as I can tell. When I met Ame for lunch a couple of weeks ago, she could not find the inclusions at all. Not even with her loupe!

My other I-1 has a crystal under the table and it can be seen at certain angles.

 

[fire&ice]

Date: 6/21/2005 11:28:49 PM
Author: Mara
speaking of eating out or in..

we got a maggianos here in santana row last year (or year before, can't remember). anyway their portions are HUGE...just insane.

Yes, their portions are huge. My nephew's trick is order their family style dining. Since it's all you can eat, he orders "extra" eats 1/2 and takes the rest home. He's got diner for a few days. It drives me nuts as Mag's isn't in the subsidizing business - but he's college kid - what can I say?

 

[Joane]

I know we laugh but I believe there is some virtue in buying diamonds and precious metals to save money! I used to buy a lot of costume jewelry. By having a few pieces of good jewelry I really love and enjoy wearing every day, it eliminated a whole category of spending. Other than that, I use public transportation, cook more at home avoiding restaurants except for special occasions, and have a smallish wardrobe of classic good-quality clothing that can last a long time.

 

[Diamonds4Me]

I make a list before I go to the grocery store and I stick to it. Also, my day planner has an expenses list and I write down EVERYTHING I spend money on. It'll freak you out how much you really spend. I did that for an entire month to just try it out and almost cried at all the junk I bought and didn't need. I don't even USE half the junk I bought. Argh! The best part is I've really cut back on my ink pen addiction.

 

[lost on 5th]

i spend more time on pricescope and less time on e-bay !

other than that, i track where my money goes. i watch everything.

- try not to carry cash (cash spends too fast and i have no record)
- try to not take taxi''s unless expensed (can easily blow $100 a month on taxi''s i really dont need)
- only buy groceries for what i need that day. (grocery on my block, so i can get away with that) i find myself throwing away 25 to 30 a month is spoiled food otherwise.

.....always looking for more tho

 

[MissAva]

There have been a few great articles on MSN Money I particurly enjoyed the ones about the 60% saving Solution here this doesnt work for everyone I know esp since we all have our own ideas on what basic food and clothind needs are but overall I think it was helpful. Also I have heard great things about How to pinch a penny but that alot of it is one time learning so it may be better to check this one out then to buy it....

 

[Erin]

cut down on the ''upkeep'', like hair, manis/pedis, waxing, eyebrows, eyelash curling (I am ADDICTED!), and make sure that they are not AS frequent

Last year for my birthday Mark got me a full service gift cert for mani/pedi/waxing/facial/and massage. It was a very relaxing day for me but I can do those things for myself with the same end results. It''s been almost a year and I haven''t had any of those things ''professionally'' done since. Plus my mother always viewed services you can do yourself as frivelous and luxurious.

 

[MichelleCarmen]

Date: 6/21/2005 3:21:53 PM
Author: kaleigh
Give up your starbucks coffee,

Cutting out Starbucks is where my husband and I have saved *A FORTUNE*. We had spent AT LEAST $350-400 a month there for over a year

! What we did was invest in an excellent-quality espresso machine with a high-quality grinder and found that our lattes taste ten times better than Starbucks!

 

[MichelleCarmen]

Date: 6/21/2005 9:46:58 PM
Author: Sparkster
- Combine all your house and contents and car insurance bills (most agencies will give you a discount if you do this) We save ourselves heaps of money by doing this.

YES! We just combined our insurance expenses and saved $2000 per year!

Oh, and F&I mentioned keeping a water jug in her car. . .this is an extremely easy way to save $. I ususally buy flats of purified water from either Costco or Target and keep bottles of water in my car at all times.

 

[Kamuelamom]

Limit eating out, limit visits to Starbucks, cut coupons, stay away from name brands (shop at Ross & Walmart), and buy my food and gas at Costco whenever possible.

Who can beat $2.89/gal for regular gas? And nearly $5.00/gal for milk? Anyone?

I know that I live in Paradise, but geezzz, things can''t be more costly than it is here. There definitely *IS* a price for Paradise. At prices like these for necessities, I really need to bargain hunt and cut cost where ever I can.

 

[Kamuelamom]

Date: 6/21/2005 9:10:16 PM
Author: Patty
Buy I-1 clarity diamonds.

Patty, LOL!