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for a tax deduction. It’s often a load off your
mind too. Why throw away savings? Turn your
old junk into new money.
4. Don’t Buy! DIY!
If you want to save money around the
holidays, birthdays, or other special occasions,
homemade gifts is the way to go. Try crafts
such as cake and cocoa mixes, candles,
homemade
desserts,
soaps,
and
so much more can all be made at home
for a fraction of the price. Plus, homemade
gifts have your special, personal, touch, and
that’s something you can’t buy from any
store or website.
5. The 10 Second Rule
While shopping, anytime you pick up an
item, or add an item to your cart, stop for 10
seconds or so and ask yourself, “Why am I
buying this?” or “Do I really need that?”
If you can’t find a good answer or reason
to purchase an item, put it back. This
will help to keeps you from impulse
buying.
6. Home Cooked Meals
Cooking at home is much
easier than you think, and
way cheaper and healthier
than take-out or dining
out. Even better, you
can easily prepare meals
in advance. Casseroles
are nice, easy dishes to
prepare. Make a few
batches and freeze
for a quick and
easy meal in
the future.
Preparing
a few
casseroles or meals at once allows you to
buy the ingredients in bulk, which means
additional savings.
7. Quit Smoking
If you’re a smoker, you know that your
habit is not only expensive, but potentially.
Ditching the cigarettes will add years to your
life and save you a ton of money. You could
try to quit cold turkey, or try an anti-smoking
product. Whichever path you choose, you
will be much better off. Both your wallet and
your lungs will thank you!
8. Cut Coupons
To save as much money as possible, use
the coupons in your grocery store flyer.
Doing so can help you save through the
initial sale savings and through the use of
coupons. Additionally, consider trying the
store brands or buying generic. You’ll save
a few cents at the time, but you’ll also likely
discover that the store brands and generic
brands are just as good as name brand. You’ll
likely find your regular grocery bill getting
smaller and smaller once you begin buying
the cheaper brands.
9. Lights Out
Keeping the lights on in your home does cost
money over time. To save as much as you can,
turn off lights any time you leave your house,
or even when you leave a room. Turning off
lights during the daytime can also help keep
your electric bill down over a period of time.
The bottom line is if you aren’t using a light,
turn it off. Otherwise, you are merely paying
more for carelessness.
10. Gently Used
You can often find the exact item you
want with a bit of clever shopping
at gently used equipment
and department stores.
Make these shops a part
of your normal routine.
Go there first when
looking for potential
items, and you will
certainly notice the
savings. Clothes, for
example, often cost
pennies on the dollar
when bought used, even if
they were only worn once. By
buying used most of the time, you
can save a ton of cash.
Article by: Maria Dininno
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