Saving More and Spending Less

27 Ways to Spend Less and Save Money

1. Avoid credit card debt especially, that on which you pay interest. If you use your credit card, pay off your debt each month to avoid charges.

2. Start a savings account and commit yourself to putting money in it every month. If you start doing this when you are young, you can have a pretty good wad when you get ready to retire. Explore your investment options as your money grows.

3. Don't keep a large amount of money in your checking account. You are losing interest. All you need to keep on that account is about what you would spend in a normal month. No more. A savings account will be handy when an emergency arises such as when the refrigerator, etc goes out. You won't have to go and borrow money. Call it a contingency fund.

4. Avoid buying things you really do not need. Ask the question, "Do I really need this or can I do without it?" Ask, "Is this a necessity or a luxury?"

5. Avoid buying things now that you can wait to purchase later especially if you plan to buy it on credit. Wait until you can pay cash or wait until it is on sale at a reduced price.

6. Avoid buying only the "best" of everything. Many times the "best" only has extra frills and thrills that are not necessary. Do your research before buying the "best". Many times generic brands are equally as good.

7. Avoid being impulsive. Do some shopping around. I know the old joke about our wives that they shop all day and then, go back to the first store to make their purchase. But if that is what it takes for considerable savings then, it is worth it.

8. Look for deals. You can find them everywhere - the newspapers, magazines, the Internet, circulars, television, etc.

9. Do your Christmas shopping after Christmas. You can find all kinds of good deals. Look for deals on wrapping paper, cards, etc. as well as gifts. My wife does this every year and then, she shops all during the year. We usually take a couple of days off and just go shopping after Christmas. Well, we do some good eating, too. Sort of like a mini vacation.

10. Don't go to the grocery store when you are hungry. You will buy things you don't need and most of that will be junk food, which will only make you gain weight. Passing by the deli or bakery might be especially difficult.

11. Avoid eating out. Too many of us do this too much. Restaurant food is expensive and in addition, it is often not as healthy. Fast food is the worst. Instead eat around the table with the whole family for a change. You just might discover something about each other you did not know.

12. Cook at home. If you or your spouse can't cook, one or both of you could learn. I know a lot of young people who could not cook when they got married. I know some who can't cook now. By the way, teach your children how to cook. It will be one of the best things you teach them.

13. Eat leftovers. It amazes me how many people won't eat leftovers. My wife and I do all the time. Sometimes we have to freeze part of it. In fact, we sometimes cook extra and freeze it on purpose. For example, when I grill hamburgers, etc. That way, I don't waste my gas on just one meal and even save more money. All we have to do is thaw it out, pop it in the microwave and ta daaaa, we have a meal.

14. Be creative with leftovers. My wife can do more with leftover turkey than anyone I know. She can do that with almost anything leftover. I happen to love soups and casseroles. Leftovers often fit right in with these.

15. Avoid overeating. One way we do this is to leave all the food in the kitchen, make our plate up in the kitchen and then eat in the dining room. One of the easiest ways to overeat is to sit in front of a pile of good food and nibble. I know. I have been guilty. My wife reminds me quite often, "Put what you need on one plate and eat that only." This will work in buffet restaurants, too. Also, we use smaller size plates, bowls, etc. Drink water instead of colas, coffee, tea, etc. Water fills you up and is much better for you.

16. That brings me to my next point. Avoid buffets. I love them, but I always eat too much. Staying lean and mean can save you on medical bills and medications as well as buying new clothes for that growing waistline.

17. If you like gardening, place a few vegetables in there. Tomatoes are fairly easy to grow. Of course, you might have my problem - too many hungry deer and other critters around, but there are ways to deal with them.

18. Avoid buying brand new cars. I know this is asking a lot especially, for us men. I haven't bought a new car in years and I will never purchase another one. These days a used car with even 100,000 miles on it can be a good car. You can drive cars today 200,000 or even 300,00 miles if you take care of them. I have done it. My best purchases have been from individuals rather than dealers. You just need to look around. They are out there. Let those people buy all the new cars. Try www.craigslist to look for cars in you area.

19. Avoid buying big vehicles. They waste a lot of fuel and cost more to insure and keep up. I also avoid compacts. Midsize works best for me. Sometimes you just have to decide whether you are going to look cool or be debt free.

20. Avoid borrowing money from a bank for a car. Borrow it from yourself. That's right. We have been doing this for a long time. After we paid off our car debt for about the third new car, we were able to keep the car long enough to continue making the payments to ourselves and putting that money in a special savings account used strictly for buying vehicles. We have never borrowed money to buy a car since. Once, a bank officer tried her best to loan me money to buy a car after I asked to cash in a certificate of deposit. She tried to convince me that I would be losing too much interest. She could never convince me that the bank paid me more interest for my money than I would pay them for theirs! So, we borrowed money from ourselves and we continued to pay it back to ourselves as if we were making car payments. Besides, it is fun to see people's eyes when you are able to write them a check on the spot for the sale or just drive down to the bank to make withdrawal. Most people never pay cash for a car these days. They think the only way is to borrow it.

21. Drive slower. My wife had a hard time convincing me of this. We have experimented. If you drive slower, you burn less gas. Drive the speed limit or less. I'm sorry. I am one of those guys that you have to go around on the interstate. I usually drive no faster than 60 MPH even if the speed limit is 70.

22. Shop for cheaper gasoline. You can do this online. There is one place in our town that is usually less than everyone else, but not always. We just keep an eye on it. We also fill up when we go to neighboring towns if it is less there, even if we only need 5 or 6 gallons.

23. Consider shorter trips for vacations and family outings. If you look around, you might be surprised how many good things in your area you have missed. Some of then warrant a repeat trip they are so good!

24. Look for bargains when purchasing cell phones, cable TV, Internet providers, etc. I use a pay-as-you-go cell phone. It meets my needs because I do not use a cell phone that much - just for emergencies, to check in with my wife and to talk with my boss. I spend about $100.00 per year on cell phone charges. Ask your IP or phone company for a deal when they threaten to increase your bill. Somehow, they seem to be able to find one just for you.

25. Use coupons. My wife is pretty good at this. Thank goodness, I don't have to keep up with that. I have heard of people who have used coupons and the store ended up owing them money! That is incredible. They put the coupons out there. I suppose they want us to use them.

26. Turn the thermostat down in your house. Just 5 degrees can make a big difference. We keep our house at 68 in the winter and not less than 78 in the summer. We turn it down at night when we are sleeping.

27. Get a programmable thermostat. If your house is empty during they day while you are at work, there is no need to heat it at normal temperatures. Program 10 degrees lower just before you leave home so that you can check to see if it is working and program it to normal temp one hour before you get home so you can have a cozy house when you come in from work. Program it for a lower temp while you are sleeping. I love sleeping under a couple of blankets in the winter! It will save you money - more than you might think. Try it. If you can't afford a programmable thermostat (they are not that expensive and you can usually install it yourself), just manually turn it back before going out the door or to bed and vice versa.

17 More Ways to Spend Less and Save Money

28. Insulate your house if needed. Many houses are under insulated. Even new houses. It depends on where you live as to how much is recommended. The further north, the more you need. There are charts to help determine this. My area requires 12 inches or more. Insulating an attic is not that difficult and is considered a do-it-yourself project. Lowes or Home Depot will even loan you a blower if you purchase your insulation from them. I helped my neighbor blow insulation into his attic with a borrowed Lowes blower and he told me he could see and feel the difference immediately. Be sure to use some goggles and a mask. It won't hurt you. It is just recycled paper for the most part but it is very dusty. If you don't have a large truck, Lowes or Home Depot will deliver it for a fee. One tip. Make yourself a gauge from a broomstick and mark it with tape or paint to the depth you will need. Gauge the depth with this stick as you blow the insulation to make sure it is the right depth. You will probably need some extra light in your attic. Use a trouble light and hang it around your neck to keep it with you as you move about. That will work. I have done it. Look for other places you caulk or chink to cut off drafts. There are products for this. I added insulation to my own house, but I used the roll type that you spread out. My house only had 6 inches. I added another 6. We noticed the difference immediately.

29. Insulate your water heater with a jacket. You can get one for just a little money at your local hardware store and you can install it yourself. It's easy.

30. Turn down the thermostat on your water heater. Most of them are too hot. A child can easily scold himself in most people's homes. I figure that if you have to add cold water to it at the tap when you wash you hands, it is too hot! Set the thermostat to no more than 120 degrees. Remember that your water heater probably haa two thermostats - one at the bottom and one at the top. Adjust both of them. Make sure they are both working. You might need a plumber or electrician to do this if you are not sure how to do it.

31. Take short showers. You can buy shower hose adapters with valves so that you can easily turn off the water while you lather and your temperature adjustment won't be affected. Don't you hate when you have to readjust your water mix.

32. Wash your laundry in cold water. My wife has been doing this for a long time. They sell detergent made for cold water washing. Your clothes will get just a clean and they will last longer too.

33. Use a solar dryer (my wife hangs clothing on the line outside whenever possible.) Electric dryers use a lot of electricity and they heat up your house, which is not good for the summer months. Dryers with clogged up vents have caused house fires as well.

34. Consider replacing your water heater with a new on-demand heater. In other words, the heater does not just sit there and heat your water all day. These heat only the water you use and are gas operated. My wife and I had one of these when we lived in Lisbon Portugal. It worked great. You controlled the temperature by controlling how fast the water flowed through it.

35. Turn your water heater off when you go away for any length of time. There is no need to heat the water when you are not going to be using it. To do this you just need to locate the breaker in your main electrical box that controls the heater. Mark it with a little white paint so you can find it easily. Just flip it off before leaving and flip it back on when you get back. It will heat up your water in about 30 minutes if it is working properly.

36. Add a timer to you water heater and set it to turn off while you are sleeping. Set it to turn back on an hour before you get up. If you are gone all day, you can set it to turn off then as well. If you are not sure about doing this yourself, hire a professional electrician.

37. Install a water filter on your kitchen faucet. You can eliminate buying bottled water because these filters not only remove chemicals but they improve the taste of your water as well. Did you know that when you draw a pitcher of water and let it stand, the chlorine and other chemicals that make it taste bad will all evaporate? We keep a pitcher of water in our fridge all the time. Now they are finding toxic chemicals in plastic bottles, too. Another good reason not to drink bottled water.

38. Turn off lights when you are not using them. Motion detector lights work great for this, especially exterior lights. You can use them inside as well. Take a walk-in closet or a stairwell to the basement for example. When you walk in, it will turn on. When you walk out, it will turn off according to a pre-selected duration you choose. Of course, you have to keep moving for it to stay on but how much time do you spend in a closet? I probably shouldn't ask that question. Place timers on lights so that you won't have to remember to turn them off. Timers are inexpensive and easy to use. You get them at Wal-Mart, etc.

39. Get a hand-cranked flashlight and save on batteries. They work OK. I bought one that also included a radio, a weather radio and a cell phone charger for only $30.00

40. Turn off all your battery chargers and computers when not in use. You can put them all on a power strip and turn them all off at the same time. I keep my computer on all day but turn everything off with the flip of one switch on a power strip that is handily located under my desk. Of course you still need to park (shut down) your computer first.

41. Plant shade trees around your house to help cool it in the summer. Of course, that might take a while, but some trees grow faster than you think. If you are young, you will eventually enjoy the benefits. If you are older, do it for the future generations. Shade trees do make a difference and besides, they make your property look better. Just follow proper guidelines and don't place them too close to your house or the roots will eventually damage your foundation. Pick the trees that do not break so easily. Pin Oaks are a good choice and they have a beautiful pyramid shape. Their leaves hang on a long time and most of them don't come off until new growth pushes them off in the spring. They have a medium growth rate. I had one 70-80 feet tall at one residence and asked an expert to give me a quote on topping it. He told me to leave it alone because this variety would probably never fall or break. He did recommend cutting the limbs up from the bottom to allow more sunshine to the lawn. I did that myself. There is one downside. Blue Jays love their acorns.

42. Install replacement windows in your house. These windows are either double or tripled paned and the space between the panes provides the insulation. You do not need storm windows with replacement windows. Much of your heat loss is through the windows. That is why they always put heat registers under or near windows when possible. If your house is fairly new, you probably do not need to do this. I installed them in my last 2 houses myself. Of course, I am a carpenter by trade, but you can find all kinds of help online for doing this. It is not as difficult as you might think. If you have to pay someone to do it, you will still realize savings in the long run. You can buy these windows at Lowes and Home Depot. Measuring for them is the trickiest part, but even the manuals tell you how to do this. Just remember, if you measure it wrong, you still own it. They will not take it back. The good thing about doing it yourself is you can do it at your own pace. It took me several years to install mine. After all, no one is going to fire you! Well, maybe your spouse.

43. Don't overbuild your new house. I see many people do this. Is this what they call "keeping up with the Joneses? The larger your house is the more it costs to build, the more it costs to heat and cool, the more upkeep will cost you will have, the more your insurance will cost and the more your taxes are going to be. Some places have started restricting the size of houses. If you have space you are not using, it is too big. And the size of your rooms needs to be considered. I figure I only sleep in my bedroom. So, if I can get in the bed have all the necessary furniture, it is big enough. I would rather have bigger closets than a colossal bedroom! You can usually add to a house, but tearing down part of it is out of the question. Just be sure to plan for it. Do all the kids really need their own bedroom? I can remember 3 in a bed when I was little!

44. Conduct yard sales instead of throwing away or giving away your old stuff. We do it every spring (I haven't figured out yet why our yard sale stuff keeps growing!), and though I usually complain about dragging it all out every year, I enjoy it. I see too much good stuff being thrown away. Believe it or not, I have actually stopped and asked people if I can take something they have placed on the street for garbage pickup. You really should ask before taking something. I got a perfectly good storm door for my basement this way. I admit, I was a little embarrassed at first, but I also felt proud of myself afterward. Of course, if you like donating to charity, that is a horse of a different color.

45. Do some bartering. I haven't done much of this but the one time I distinctly remember is when I gave a mechanic the lift kit out from under my pickup truck as payment for removing it. I did not want it anymore and he did want it. Worked out well. He put my kit on his truck and installed his stock kit back onto my truck, tire, wheels and all. And my truck ended up being more fuel efficient not to mention much quieter to ride in. There are always people looking for a trade. Just be careful to make sure it is as equitable as you would like.

46. Buy used stuff. You can do this on e-bay, yard sales, flea markets and other places. A lot of used stuff is just as good as new and it never costs as much as new. Used stuff is particularly good if you know you only need it for a certain amount of time or if it is expendable stuff, but even so, it can still be a good deal. For example, I have a Fender acoustical guitar that I purchased in a yard sale for $150.00. I was able to know it was a good guitar from experience. I later discovered it was worth about $600.00. The thing about guitars is that they usually grow in value with time. I still have that guitar and use it regularly. Our community has a lot of yard sales. We have fun every Saturday morning looking for them. Flea markets are good, too. Let me give you a tip about yard sales and flea markets. Never pick up an item and show your money to the owner. Always act like you are not necessarily interested. Always offer a little less than asked. Most of the time the owner will take it. I have also bought several good used TV's at yard sales. You are going to see a lot more of those with the new digital TV craze going on.

47. Use rechargeable batteries. They are cost effective and work for a lot of things. I use them in my remote controls, clocks, weather stations and other things. You can recharge them many times over and you can buy them in different sizes.

48. Shop online. You can find many great deals on products from A to Z online. You might pay shipping and handling fees, but the savings in costs makes up for that. Besides, you are saving fuel and precious time by not driving all over looking for your product.

49. Print postage online at home. You can save money by using flat-rate boxes and envelopes, in which you can stuff all you can for a flat rate. We have checked this out. A flat-rate envelope we can send for $4.80 could cost up to $11.00 if we took it to the Post Office and paid for it by weight. Amazing! Printing labels online is easy. You can pick up the boxes and envelopes at the PO without waiting in line and you can mail your package by just dropping it in the slot - again without waiting in line. You can pay the $4.80 by mailing these boxes at the PO counter, but you still have to wait in line. By-the way, you can arrange, online, for your postal carrier to pick up certain packages without cost. So, print the label online and then schedule a pick up. Save the gas as well by not going to the PO.

50. Reuse large mailing envelopes. We get a lot of stuff in large envelopes. We reuse them all the time by just placing mailing labels over the previous addresses. We just have a specific place in my office where we store used envelopes for future use. The Post Office does not mind as long as you cover up everything and your addresses are clearly posted. You will have to cover up the previous post mark too.

Do you have any ideas? Send them to me at edrynn@verizon.net and I will post them here. I will also add your name to the listing if you send it to me. Thanks.