Living Cheap - Advice on saving money

[Brandbla8]

Does anyone have any advise on saving money? I have started shopping at discount stores as well as buying used products when ever I can. I have yet to use coupons, due to the fact I always forget them.

[yvonnewilcox]

I do not think that you have to live cheap to live within your budget. Well here are some things you could try.

1. Setup no spending days - (on these days you buy nothing at all)
2. Buy in bulk - it will save on gas, time and energy with fewer trips to the store
3. Save all your coins then deposit in bank (Some stores have the coin machines)
4. Find free things to do on the weekends or setup a spending limit

The saving coins worked very well for me, because I cash in $150.00 worth every two months.

[suvan]

To save money means you've to curtail your expenditure.So first make a list of your expenditure in the current month,then plan yourself how to curtail expenditure.Reducing electricity consumption also save money for you.One of the best method to save money is to reduce the wastages.

In each & every stage in our life,we can save money.For example, instead of taking cars for marketing you can opt for public transport services will also save money for you.

[rcf5005]

Originally Posted by yvonnewilcox

I do not think that you have to live cheap to live within your budget. Well here are some things you could try.

1. Setup no spending days - (on these days you buy nothing at all)
2. Buy in bulk - it will save on gas, time and energy with fewer trips to the store
3. Save all your coins then deposit in bank (Some stores have the coin machines)
4. Find free things to do on the weekends or setup a spending limit

The saving coins worked very well for me, because I cash in $150.00 worth every two months.

Wow, that's a thorough response. It turns out that I pretty much do all of those things, except the buying everything in bulk. I live alone, and the only things I can buy in bulk I do (12 rolls of paper towels seems to last about 2 years ). Setting up a budget and absolutely sticking to it is a good way to conserve money as well.

[priyeshu]

Well, living cheap does not matter. Just make enough money for the studies and for your family. Remember life will sometime make you rich, some times poor. You should learn to cope with it.

[John9]

My advice is only buy what you really need and what you really really want. I have people telling me that I'm rich. I said to them that the only difference between me and you is that I use my money for my gaming needs. While you go shopping every week.

[7Heartz]

As John said, you should spend things only on what you need. Everything else should be put away and saved (preferably, in the bank where it can grow interest, as little and puny as interest is.) Or you can limit yourself to how much you can spend per week. You can spoil yourself sometimes, but after a bit you have to think... do I really need this? If not, put it back down.

[John9]

Originally Posted by 7Heartz

You can spoil yourself sometimes, but after a bit you have to think... do I really need this? If not, put it back down.

Yes every cent counts . Unlike most people who want to save money though I don't usually opt for the cheaper brands of a product. If you really want something get the best one you can find. Satisfaction is important.

[sparky]

A few ways to save money:

Always buy store own brands food, very rarely do I find anything that is disgusting and you get it for about a quarter of the price.

Put all your spare change in a pot and cash it in the bank at the end of the month - you will be surprised at how much you save.

Walk everywhere - try to use as little of public transport/car when ever possible - you get fit at the same time.

[rmholla]

With the current state of the economy everyone is going to need to learn how to live on less. Stop frivolous spending now and save as much as you can.

Use coupons and stock up on items when they go on sale. Buy clothes off the discount rack or at thrift stores. Wear your jeans until they rip out.

If you have a yard start a garden. Raise a few chickens if you can, they will control the bug population and give you healthier eggs than you can buy at the store.

If you do not have a yard then shop at our local farmer's market. You will get healthier food and often get a much better price.

[BCRoller]

Wow, lots of different tips for saving cash and, from what I've read so far, some really good ones, too.

Obviously, there are a variety of ways to save money and I personally think anyone can save if they are willing to put the time and effort into doing so.

* Don't be shy to use coupons, they can really help keep some cash in your wallet, especially over the long run and if you use them frequently (and that includes the lower priced saving ones as even saving .25 cents here and there can add up quite nicely after a while).

* As some others above said, try to buy when prices are low and try to buy in bulk. Not only does buying in bulk save you money in itself but, of course, it'll likely save you from making those extra trips that will have you spending that much more on gas, too.

* If you can cook and bake, try and stick with doing that rather than ordering take out, especially if you order take out on a regular basis. If you dread the idea of cooking and baking day-to-day maybe opt for a 'one day of the week prep food' day and do the prepping all at once. That way, you can make several dishes over a few hours, freeze them and have them pre-prepared and ready for when you need them (you can even make enough pre-prepared meals to last for weeks and, sometimes, even months).

* You don't need to be a professional hairdresser to give yourself a simple trim at home so, if you're just looking for a quick and easy cut, get the scissors out and give yourself a little hair update of your own.

* I'm not sure where you're from but here in Canada where I live (Vancouver Island), if we purchase food items from a grocery store and the packaging is damaged in anyway (ie: tins, cans, boxes, etc that are dented, dinged and so on) we can usually get a discounted price simply for the asking. Often, a discount on damaged packaging will net you savings of anywhere from 50% or more so it's definitely worth your while to make mention of it. This includes even the tiniest of dings and dents so, if you're looking to save, start searching for those packages that are flawed in any way and that most other shoppers (who have no clue this kind of discount even exists) tend to leave alone.

Anyway, good tips here from alot of great people. Thanx for sharing, everyone.

[Susan]

I think paying all your debt is a good way to save money on interest rates and late fees. We can cut expenses by shopping around, spending less on things you don't really need, switching to a cheaper auto insurance, and carpooling. I like to use coupons and buy what's on sale, and I always use my discount card. I think eating indoors is a good way to save some money also.