Money Saving Tips - how to stretch a dollar

Sew your own clothes and buy from garage sales: I recently started doing this and not only am I saving a fortune by not having someone else alter my clothes (I'm short) but I am also saving money by mending things that I would have thrown away not too far in my distant past. I even started salvaging zippers, buttons and material from old clothes and buying things from garage sales and thrift stores and then altering them. It really doesn't take much sewing know how to do this (believe me) and it will save you a small fortune.

Eat in: I have mentioned this before in some of my other hubs (Cheap Eats) but what I would like to elaborate on is the kind of food you should eat. Try to find recipes for high protein, high fiber foods. Those are usually legumes. Legumes are cheap, cheap, cheap and they are so good for you. You can make bean soup, tamale pie, chili and so forth. These dishes are super cheap and very healthy. Too often cheap food is unhealthy food, this is not the case with legumes.

Buy Groceries at Farmers Markets or grow them yourself: Not only will you save a ton of money but you will be feeding your family with the highest quality food available. Farmers markets are the next best thing to growing your own food. Make sure it is organic and local and you will save money by cutting out the middleman and support your local farmer in the process, it's a win win situation!

Barter for services: Not only will you save money but you will also avoid taxes. Start a bartering service in your local neighborhood. It's simple really, you can either barter one on one with your neighbors or you can barter for credit. The way that works is instead of getting an item you would get so many credits and you can use those credits towards “purchasing” something that someone else has or for a service. Of course you all have to belong to the barter club. There are some books below and a video that will set you on the path towards bartering, once you go down that path you will never look back.

Use Homemade Natural Remedies instead of Expensive Prescriptions: Many time homemade remedies are not only cheaper but better. Have you ever noticed that prescriptions “may” heal one symptom but at the same time cause ten more problems, some of which are worse than the original ailment. I have found that natural remedies, like the kind our great grandparents used, are far superior to the medical establishment. A few of the things I use are yellow mustard for heartburn, works better than any pill out there and I also take 10 apricot seeds everyday to prevent cancer. If you have an ailment, Google it and see what is out there. Also, there are several books (advertised below) that are great resources and much cheaper than a trip to the doctor.

Communal Living: I thought I would mention this because it is a great way to cut down on your expenses. I have already written a blog about it so I will just provide a link and you can read it if you want to. It's called, guess what?..Communal Living!

Quit using the dryer: Hang your clothes out to dry, it will save a lot of money and you won't even notice the difference.

Take care of your teeth: Dental expenses are very expensive. Once I didn't have dental insurance for 4 years. I was meticulous about my teeth, flossing everyday and brushing between meals as well as using mouthwash. I never had a cavity and when I did finally get insurance and went to have my teeth cleaned the Dentist said that my teeth were in the best shape he'd ever seen. Funny how not having insurance motivates you to take good care of yourself. In any case I saved a fortune just by not having to have dental work done.

Transportation: Get rid of your car if you can. It's very expensive to purchase and maintain. The best thing is to get rid of it completely and to use public transportation, a bike or your good ol legs. If you absolutely need a car (and I know that this will sound kind of weird) try to get a solar car. I know this might be difficult to do but it is what I would do if I had to have a car. They do exist, as do pure electric cars. However, I still think the best thing is to hoof it if you can. We need to push for more pedestrian friendly cities so that we are not forced into buying cars.

I hope these ideas help if you have more please feel free to leave them in the comments section. I'm always looking for more ideas. Good luck and good savings!