How do you save money? Any tips?

1. 61

   T.Camposposted 12 years ago

   How do you save money? Any tips?

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2. 81

   Hyphenbirdposted 12 years ago

   I buy all my clothing and my son's clothing from consignment and thrift stores. It saves thousands of dollars.

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3. 61

   Dee aka Nonnaposted 12 years ago

   Great question.  It can be difficult to make saving a habit.  But this is what I do.  When I was working my paycheck atomatically when into my checking account, but I also had it set up that a portion i.e $25 per pay check went directly into my saving account.  I continue to do this now...being retire, I have to make sure it happens.  I also drop whatever change I have into a large jar at the end of the day.  Whenever I change purses there is alway loose change at the botton and I also put that into my "piggy bank jar".  This is an almost painless way to save.  I was also fortunate to have matching 401k with my employer when I worked.  This is another great way to save.
   
   In other areas of my life I try to watch for sales and use coupons when I can.  I don't leave lights on in rooms not being used.  I unplug appliances that we don't use very often.  I make a list before going grocery shopping and stick to it.  I have a budget and I stay in it.  I plan my error day so that I can get everything done and not have to make little trips throughout the week.  If you think about it there are so many little things you can do to save.

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4. 61

   Nick82posted 12 years ago

   Save money where ever you can. If you have alot of debt first look at your loans. Which loan has the highest interest? Pay that loan off first whith any extra money you may have. The next question you may ask is where do I get extra money? Take a look where you are spending money. For instance look at the power bill. Household electronics when not in use can be roughly 10% of the bill. So if you pay $100 dollars a month minus 10% which is 1O dollars you only have a 90 dollar bill. How do you get that 10% back in your pocket? Unplug devices when they are not in use. Microwaves with clocks, radios, Extra TV's, battery chargers, VCRs ect. These do not use alot of power but over 30 days it adds up.
   
   Vehicles such as your car can have extra fringes. Shop yes I said shop see which insurance companies will insure you for less. But keep in mind you want good insurance coverage. Plan out routes, save trips do your errands in routes this will save money by not starting the car  to go pay the electric bill then starting the car to go across town to pay the phone bill the next day. Make the most of the trip, pick up groceris, pay the electrical bill and phone bill at one time. Since every company these days it seems allows online payment, look into it.
   
   Find jobs, such as babysitting, lawn mowing and anything to generate a little extra money. Then put that money aside and if you have to spend it, spend wisely.   
   
   Saves nickels they turn into dollars quickly. Evaluate,save and use resources around you.

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5. 58

   Beege215eposted 12 years ago

   Always wait for sales. Buy only what you need ( rather than what you want).  I cannot say that I have joined the 100 things club, but I have come close.  We don't need fifteen dresses, fifteen pairs of pants, twenty pairs of shorts, thirty pairs of shoes or twenty five shirts and tops. We don't need three televisions in a two bedroom apartment. We don't need six frying pans in the kitchen. A single person does not need ten bath towels and twenty washcloths. If you have a computer you don't need a stereo. You don't need cable either. Watch tv on your puter. Go ahead and find a big screen monitor and you can pay for it with the money you don't spend for cable. If you have a cell phone, get rid of your landline. Bargain with the cell phone company and the internet providers, they have cheaper packages and pricing, but they won't tell you about it, you have to ask. 
   Use coupons at the grocery store, make a list of what you NEED and stick to it. Every time. Set the thermostat in your house on one very reasonable number and leave it there. If it is summer, then set it on 78, if it is winter and you are in a very cold zone then set it on 68 and put on a sweater and socks. Don't expect to dress in winter like it is summer inside your house. . 
   There are dozens of things we can do to downsize our needs if we only take a few minutes to work on it.

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6. 65

   short and sweetposted 12 years ago

   Be intentional. Set a budget and stick to it. If you don't know how to set a budget, there are a lot of places to get free resources, or better yet, to take a class. Financial Peace University or Crown Financial Ministries are great places to start.
   
   These places give you guidelines as to how much you should be budgeting for different items such as your home, food, clothes and even entertainment. Of course you can't budget for income you don't have so that's a consideration as well. They also give great tips on how to get rid of debt and start saving.
   
   If you try to cut corners in what you spend, but never intentionally put some into savings, it will be much harder to save. You can always start by putting a percentage of whatever you make directly into a separate savings account, but if you're not able to put some into savings and still make your bills, then there are some serious considerations you need to look into in order to prioritize your spending or reconsider your lifestyle and/or job.
   
   Saving isn't easy, but it is possible. In a society filled with instant gratification and a "buy now pay later" attitude, you really need to block out the hype and the media's attempt to get you to buy everything and live above your means. You can do it.

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7. 66

   Babbling Divaposted 12 years ago

   T. Campos , I have your answer but so long to type. I actually wrote a how to save money for one of my hubs. Check it out. I hope you can get some good pointers from it.

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8. 60

   nightwork4posted 12 years ago

   each week, put even $20.00 in a container and don't use it. last year we did it just to see how much we could put away and we ended up having enough for a new bar-b-q. if you have a good week put more into the container. you will be surprised.

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9. 60

   LittlePaydayposted 12 years ago

   At the end of each day, empty your pocket/purse change into a jar. Any time you have a handful of change or a few random dollar bills floating around, put it into a jar. When the jar is full take it to your local Coinstar and watch the coins add up, you'd be surprised how much money can come from emptying your piggy bank every so often.

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10. 0

    rorshak sobchakposted 12 years ago

    I wrote a hub about saving money if you would like to check it out if you don't want to that is okay too.
    
    http://hubpages.com/hub/goodcreditspend … tsdebtfree
    
    rorshak sobchak

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11. 83

    wiserworldposted 10 years ago

    Reduce the amount of water you use in the bathroom! Have a look at this hub on how we can save money in the shower: http://wiserworld.hubpages.com/hub/How- … e-Bathroom

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12. 0

    Churificposted 8 years ago

    I underestimate my income and I make at least 10% of it disappear into a savings account even before my direct deposit.
    
    The more you are able to automate your money, the better because quite frankly, I don't trust myself around money...I automate my savings, most of my bills and loans and I spend at least an hour reviewing my finances and contemplating additional cut-backs and sacrifices.

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