How to Save Money Now !

Gas prices are causing great concern for millions of Americans. Especially those who commute long distances or invested in large vehicles a few years back when gas prices were stable.

Unfortunately, many people cannot change either scenario and must look for alternative ways to cut back on gas consumption. There are several obvious ways such as car pooling and staying home more.

Car pooling does create an inconvenience as most of us are spoiled and like to come and go as we please. As prices keep rising and eating into our paychecks, we need to rethink this mindset.

It is difficult to change the way we live over night, so it might be a good idea to try sharing a ride at least once a week if you live more than 10 miles from work. If this routine works well, you could try increasing it to two times per week.

Another way that we can conserve gas and put more money back into our pockets is to shop online. Instead of venturing out to the mall, many times what we need is online. Not only do you save gas, but often you save the sales tax and incur no shipping charges. In addition, there are discount sites that you might find your items at a bargain price!

1. Drive less- Walk, bike or carpool more. People are also more apt to take public transportation.
2. You may find yourself moving closer to your workplace. This can save both time and money!
3. Walk between stops. This will not only save gas but also is great for your health.
4. Upgrade your air filter. A more efficient one may cost a little more upfront but will save down the road.
5. Use the lower octane gas when possible. Most new cars are made to run on low octane and this will save you greatly in the long run.
6. Join a loyalty or discount club such as Sam's. You will find gas tends to be cheaper and sometimes they give back at the end of the quarter in dollars or rewards.
Discover Open Road card offers a 5% rebate on gas and car maintenance purchases up to $1,200 annually.
Go to BedandBreakfast.com for a list of B&B's that have deals.
7. Don't fill up immediately after the tankers have been to the station. When they fill the pumps there is often sediment mixed with gasoline.
8. Wait til your tank is down to a quarter of a tank to fill. Your car uses less gas when lighter.
9. Buy your gas on Wednesdays.As a general rule, it is normally cheaper on Wednesdays.
10. It is myth that filling up early in the morning will save you gas. It will make little if any difference in the savings.
11. Best websites to check on gas prices are Gasbuddy.com and Gaspricewatch.com
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1. Kid-friendly food is purposely placed within their reach.

Packages with the cartoons on them are often placed on low shelves where children can reach for them. A trip down the cereal aisle will confirm this.
Cereals containing sugar are at kid's eye level, while the healthier, all-bran options are usually on the highest shelves. This is true also at the cash register, where candy and gum are strategically placed to encourage impulse buys by adults and kids can easily grab low-lying products.

2. Grocery stores love to cut up food to charge you more. You think you are getting a great bargain because of the price and it looks oh so convenient. Do you really compute how much more you are spending. Yes, it is so much nicer to buy that pineapple or melon all cut up, but is it worth the price? You are sometimes twice the price! Can you still afford to do so?

3. End-of-aisle displays are there to distract you from your savings goals. Companies pay supermarkets to place their products where they are the most visible such as the end of an aisle. Impulse buys such as cookies or chips are often displayed on end caps. Food companies know that people are 30% more likely to buy at the end of an aisle. Beware of this tactic!

4. Buy 10 for $10 or 2 for $1 are not always bargains. Do the math. First of all, are you really going to use 10 avocados? Are you buying more than you need? Waste does not equate to savings.

5. Buying potato chips has become such a rip off. Have you ever looked at how much air is actually in the bag. You might want to switch to tortilla chips. At least you are getting a bag full.

6. Look at the weekly coupons in the paper. You can also find them online at CoolSavings.com . They also offer coupons on household goods and many other items. CouponMom.com has not only tons of grocery coupons but also restaurant discounts and internet freebies.

7. Make a list and stick to it. Studies show that consumers spend up to 70% more than they intended to when they entered the market. Also, supermarkets normally place the unhealthier goods towards the middle of the shelves. Always look to the top and bottom shelves.
8. /www.groceryguide.com"/>GroceryGuide.com lets you compare prices of regular and sale at local grocery stores without having to leave your house. You can sign up for email alerts too.

Reading the weekly grocery ads is becoming more important as the price of food is soaring! People that were used to loading their buggies up with food without checking prices are now checking the ads in Sunday's paper and the ads as they enter the supermarket.

There still are store bargains but you have to be smart and plan more. A great way to cut cost is to prepare both a grocery list and a weekly meal plan. That way there is less room for waste or needless impulse buying.

Buy freezer bags for bulk items. Buying meats in large packages can sometimes save you lots of money. If you are single, you can divide your meats into small portions and take them out as needed. Plan on visiting the supermarket every two weeks except for items that need faster replenishing such as milk and orange juice.

The farmers markets and flea markets normally have the best prices on produce. The key is not to overbuy because it is cheaper. That is the mistake most people make and then there is waste.

A great place to get some food supplies, toiletries and household items is CVS. If you have one in your area it is a great place to save lots of money. They give instant money back on purchases and you can separate those items from your non cash back items and apply the savings to them. Every quarter, they return back 2% for your purchases.

Again, it is very important to make a list prior to your trip to the store! I have had to learn this myself. I was never a list maker but have made this an essential part of my shopping experience!

Courtesy of Negotiations.com

One thing that I have learned is to negotiate prices on things that you wouldn't normally think of. When times are great, we tend to pay more because we have the cash. Whatever our situation is, doing a little research and taking your time before committing to an apartment or insurance company can save you hundreds if not thousands of dollars.

When renting an apartment, I discovered that many times the vacancy rate is high. If they are offering great deals to lure you in, then more than likely so is everyone else. If you like a specific apartment complex, it is still a good idea to shop around at a few comparable ones in the area. See what they are offering. You can often get the complex you like to honor other specials if you are persistent. They may have to throw in cable for example instead of lowering the rent to compete but, in slower times you will normally win out.

Another area people are normally unaware of is auto insurance. I have found some insurance companies will match if not offer lower rates to either keep your business or get you to buy their policy. Best thing is to get several quotes and use them to work to your advantage.

Cell phone companies can be difficult but if you have a problem with your service and you have been "inconvenienced", you can many times get special rates that they do not advertise. They can up your minutes for the same or a lower price. Recently, they did so for ma and even added a second line for free. I also recommend that you do not do a contract with a cell phone carrier. Buy your phone on Ebay and you will not need a contract. Just make sure that the phone will work with the company that you choose.

Living On A Dime! Must Read

After many reader requests for an e-book package that includes all of the Living On A Dime E-Books in one package, I am pleased to present the Living On A Dime E-book Extravaganza!

The Living On A Dime E-book Extravaganza includes the following thirteen e-books to save you money and make your life easier! This set includes e-books that show you how to save money in the kitchen, put together delicious and easy dinners, get and keep your home organized, save money on kids activities, move on a budget, save money on creative gifts and much more!

Here is a list of the e-books that are included along with a brief description of each one:

Money Management e-book



Money Management is a 72 page e-book designed to help you say goodbye to debt! Packed with lots of stories and advice, this e-book is an essential tool for your Debt Elimination Kit.

Money Management includes the story of how Michael and Tawra paid off $20,000 debt on $22,000 per year income.

* Do you find the idea of budgeting daunting? You'll find information about how to make a budget and how to make budgeting simpler and easier.

* Learn how to reduce your financial stress.

* You don't have to be a slave to debt!

Grocery Savings e-book



Save over $10,000 in a year - Stop throwing your money down the garbage disposal! Grocery Savings includes lots of useful tips to help you reduce your grocery bill. Many people see dramatic savings after using the tips from this e-book.

In the Grocery Savings e-book, Tawra and Jill explain why using coupons is not the best way to save money, how to shop without making so many impulse buys, how to organize your pantry, make a shopping list, and reduce food waste at home.

Click here to get the Living On A Dime E-book Extravaganza Package Now!

Cleaning Cents e-book



The Cleaning Cents e-book will inspire you to get your house in order and stop throwing your money away in the chaos and clutter.

* Clean in organize in five minutes!

* Save on household cleaners.

* Save money on clothes.

Kids Cents e-book



Are you a financially overrun parent? Learn new insights on raising kids while keeping spending low.

* Learn easy breakfast and snack ideas.

* Save on school supplies and lunches.

* Throw inexpensive but memorable birthday parties.

* Get the kids to help with chores!

Debt Free Holidays e-book



Debt Free Holidays is a 52 page e-book to show you how to have fun during the holidays without spending a lot of money. The articles focus on Valentine's Day, Easter, Halloween and Christmas.

Topics in Debt Free Holidays include:

* Christmas On a budget

* gift ideas to keep you from becoming a basket case

* the $6 gourmet Valentine dinner for two

* Easter Basket ideas and using Easter leftovers

* great costumes for less

* the $25 Halloween Party

Gifts In A Jar e-book



"Gifts In A Jar" shows you how to make all sorts of cool, yummy gifts that will save you money while endearing you to your friends for life! ;-) Gifts In A Jar features ideas to make delightful Gift Baskets like those in the expensive stores -- everything from the Honeymoon Basket to the Get Well Basket.

"I learned to make my own gift baskets which is so much more economical than buying already made ones. It has saved me hundreds of dollars a year on gift giving."

-Marilyn from Florida

Menus On A Dime e-book Menus On A Dime - Inexpensive Menu Ideas for busy families!


Too Tired To Cook? Eating out is one of the top causes of debt, but what do you do when you're too tired to figure out what to make for dinner?

Menus On A Dime includes over 70 menus to make your meal planning easier!

"I purchased 10 copies of "Not Just Beans" and the Menus On A Dime to go with them. They are making great gifts. Everyone who I've given one to has been amazed at how great it is."

The planner is wonderful and makes it so easy to work up menus from the cookbook for a week, a month or more in no time!!"

"Thanks for having such great tools for all types of cooks."

-Judy from Louisiana

Plan Ahead Leftovers e-book



Don't wait until your refrigerator is full of odds and ends to think about leftovers -- Plan Ahead!!

Plan Ahead Leftovers includes 15 pre-planned menus and 38 recipes to make your life easier! Cook once and eat three to five different meals!

Plan Ahead Leftovers includes beef, chicken and ham recipes for the main dishes and includes 10 dessert recipes. Plan Ahead Leftovers also includes tips to making your own menu plans.

Menus That Make Sense



Menus That Make Cents includes meal plans and recipes to make your cooking experience easier. While your family is enjoying a delicious dinner, you'll be putting money in the bank!

Moving On A Dime e-book

This special "Living On A Dime E-book Extravaganza" offer includes 13 of our popular Living On A Dime e-books (normally valued at $87) for only $49!
Click here to get the Living On A Dime E-book Extravaganza Package Now!

The hair business is one of the highest markup services out there. Think about it. A salon might have 10-20 in product and charge you 150-500 for a service. Granted there are stylist to pay and overhead, but still the revenue is huge for a good salon.

Start being smart about your monthly or bi monthly hair expenses. Do a search online and type in your salon and then the word "coupon" and see if it generates a coupon for your particular salon. Many times there are coupons most people are not even aware of.

DailyCandy.com
is a great place to search for salon coupons and specials. Buying your hair products at a salon is a big mistake too. They have a fifty percent or higher markup. Why give that money to the salon? Shop on SalonSavings.com to buy all your hair products.

Another great idea for saving money with hair cuts and services is by visiting a local beauty school. A basic cut can save you a fortune. Also, you can get a massage or manicure for a fraction of what a salon will charge you! Get a great pedicure for $10.00 instead of $25-30!
Visit BeautySchoolsdirectory.com to find beauty schools in your area.