|
Save A Buck
Related Links:
I believe just about everyone - including all those exalted
billionaires, millionaires (although a million just ain't what it used to be) and other assorted, sundry folks who
consider themselves wealthy - likes to save a buck or two when they can. This page might just have some frugal
suggestions, or ideas, that will be useful to almost anyone who wants to save a buck.
********************
AIRLINE TICKETS If you book a flight far in advance of your departure date, monitor the price of your exact flight. If the price
happens to fall below what you paid prior to your departure, contact the airline and ask for a refund on the difference you
paid.
ALUMINUM FOIL Use Aluminum foil to soften fabric and remove static cling.
Create a ball of aluminum foil about the size of a baseball. Place it in your clothes dryer and leave it in there. It
works as a fabric softener and removes static. There is no need for dryer sheets that you
throw away. The ball of foil will last forever, use it over and over again. This is a great eco-friendly tip.
BANK
DEBIT CARDS Merely using your bank debit card to
pay for the items you need helps you save money. Most bank cards, debit or credit, offer some sort of incentive program.
As most stores are now equipped with the ability to easily accept these cards without the hassle that using a credit card
used to entail, there is almost no reason to take cash to the store anymore. Some of these cards offer cash back and others
offer reward points. Either way, they give you a way to get more from your spending without spending more.
BICYCLES If
you purchase a new bike for your child, place their picture inside the handle bar before placing the grips on. If the bike
is stolen and later recovered, remove the grip and there is your proof who owns the bike.
BUYING IN BULK Buying in bulk is a great way to save money and save on extra trips to the store.
When there's extra trips, you always buy more than what you went for. Great Bulk items are toilet paper, paper
towels, kleenex, laundry detergent etc.
CAR CARE
Despite what oil companies and quick-lube shops often claim, it's usually not
necessary. Stick to the service intervals in your car's owner's manual. Under normal driving conditions, most vehicles
are designed to go 7,500 miles or more between oil changes. Changing oil more often doesn't hurt the engine, but it can
cost you a lot of extra money. Automakers often recommend 3,000-mile intervals for severe driving conditions, such as constant
stop-and-go driving, frequent trailer-towing, mountainous terrain, or dusty conditions.
Most vehicles
run just fine on regular-grade (87 octane) fuel. Using premium in these cars won't hurt, but it won't improve
performance, either. A higher-octane number simply means that the fuel is less prone to pre-ignition problems, so it's
often specified for hotter running, high-compression engines. So if your car is designed for 87-octane fuel, don't waste
money on premium.
CAR RENTAL You'll pay an airport surcharge of up to $25 if you rent a car at the airport. But you can skip that extra charge,
and get a lower daily rate by choosing a rental place a few miles away. Take a cab or bus to a rental place and you can save
$12 or more a day. For a two-week vacation that's a savings of a $168!
CELL PHONES Dropped Calls Experiencing
dropped calls on your cell phone? There's no need to get a new phone -- even if your phone is a few years old. Take your
phone to your service provider and request a software upgrade. Typically, the service is free. Dropped calls can occur when
the software version is up-graded on the cell phone towers but not on your cell phone.
CERTIFICATES
OF DEPOSIT (CDs) Your own bank probably offers Certificates of Deposit, or CDs. Most banks will let you
open a CD for as little as $1,000 that will mature in only one year. CDs are earning over two percent, which can be four,
five or six TIMES as much as your savings account or even more!
CLEANING DISINFECTANT Cleaning
Disinfectant : Vinegar (either white or cider) is the best disinfectant around. It beats anything man made and is certainly
healthier and cheaper, use vinegar all around the house to disinfect and clean many surfaces, although don't use this
on furniture made with fabric. You can use vinegar straight or equal parts vinegar and water.
CLOGGED DRAINS
To keep drains running free
and easy, and to prevent the high cost of plumber fees; don't wait until the problem is there, prevent it by pouring 1/2
cup baking soda into the drain, followed with 1/2 cup white vinegar. This solution will foam, (this is supposed to happen).
Cover the drain and leave for 30 minutes. FLush with cool water. Do this once a month for pennies, to save hundreds down the
line!
COMPETITOR ADVERTISING
Many
stores have a policy to match their competitor's prices. If you see something in the newspaper that you want, but
don't want to travel to that particular store to get it, cut the advertisement out and take it to your local store.
CREDIT CARDS
Credit cards are a tool. There
are a number of ways to use them to your advantage, even if you are carrying a balance you can use the system to save you
money on the interest!
Instead of using an airline credit card that accumulates mileage, use a cash-back Rewards
card. The miles accrued on a credit card often have blackout dates and deadlines. Instead, earn money from your cash-back
card and use the money to invest or buy the ticket after shopping for the lowest price.
Divide credit
card minimum payments in half and pay that amount twice a month. Interest is calculated based on the average daily
balance of your account for the entire month. By making a payment every couple weeks you are reducing that average balance
and therefore reducing the finance charges assessed, as opposed to waiting until the end of the month to make a single payment.
CREDIT SCORE
What does your credit score have
to do with getting a good deal on insurance? More than you might think. Insurance companies frequently check your credit
score to determine how much they should charge you for insurance. Consider it one more reason to stay on top of your credit.
DEBT Good Debt:
Some of your debt might be considered an investment.
You’re probably thinking, “How can anything as bad as debt be considered an investment!” If the debt was
incurred to purchase something that will appreciate in value and can contribute to your overall financial health, then it’s
very possible that debt is a good one. For example, a home purchase can be considered to be a good debt.
Bad Debt:
Just like there is good debt, there are some bad debts
too. When you use debt to finance things that can be consumed, you aren’t accumulating good debt. This is the kind of
debt that creates an unhealthy financial situation. Credit card debt is often considered bad debt because of the nature of
items that credit cards are used to purchase. You should never accumulate debt to purchase everyday items like clothes or
food. If you use a credit card for these types of purchases, you should pay the balance in full each month.
Even
debt used to finance a vacation is bad debt. Even though it might help you feel better and be more productive once you return,
a vacation does not appreciate in value. Don’t use debt to pay for a vacation and especially don’t use it to pay
for a vacation you can’t afford.
Putting It Into
Practice:
Good debt is obtained through making wise decisions about your future, not for the sole purpose of
having good debt. For example, you might make the decision to obtain your
Master’s degree to increase your
earning potential. Taking out a student loan, if you have no other way of financing your education, is a valid reason for
taking on additional debt.
Let’s say you’re analyzing your financial picture, trying to decide how
to pay off your debts. It’s usually a good idea to focus on paying off your bad debts first. Since they provide no value,
they're more costly than your good debts. You should pay off credit cards and auto loans before tackling mortgages or
student loans.
Some people consider using good debt to pay off bad debt, like getting a mortgage for $110,000
instead of $100,000 and using the extra to pay off credit card balances. This
isn’t a good idea for several reasons.
First, repaying debt with debt is never a good idea. Second, it ends up taking longer to pay off the mortgage than it would
have otherwise. Third, the higher mortgage increases your monthly payments and the time it takes to build equity in your home.
Use cash to repay debts, not more debt.
You must still be careful that you don’t take on too much debt,
even if it’s good debt. If you’re overloaded with debt, then it doesn’t matter whether the debt is good
or bad, it still hurts your financial health. Reducing Debt can help you come up with a plan to reduce your debt to a healthier,
more manageable level. Copyright NextEra Media. 2008. All rights
reserved. Feel free to forward this, in its entirety, to others.
DEODORANT STAINS
Remove
Deodorant stains with a hand Steamer. They will evaporate instantly. No Steamer? No problem...Take a pair of pantyhose...
they work like an eraser jusr rub against the stain.
DILUTE WITH WATER
"Stretch"
everything as much as you possibly can. For example, you can dilute these products with water, or cut them in half and they
will work just as well: toothpaste, shampoo, hair conditioner, dish detergent, dishwasher soap, and laundry soap.
DISHWASHING
DETERGENT
Instead of buying an expensive rinse agent for
your dishwasher, use vinegar in it's place. Your dishes will sparkle. Also cleans out your dishwasher at the same
time. DOG SHAMPOO Make your own dog shampoo
- clean and deodorize your dog with baking soda....
Dog shampoo should clean your dog, but it shouldn't clean out
your wallet at the same time. For a low-cost dog shampoo that really works, sprinkle baking soda onto your dog's coat;
and rub it in with your hands. Then, follow up with a good brushing--it'll leave your dog's coat shiny, clean
and odor-free.
Baking soda neutralizes odors, while its gritty texture grabs and removes stuck on dirt and
oils.
Benefits of Shampooing with Baking Soda: inexpensive, no harsh chemicals to irritate skin, fragrance-free,
neutralizes odors, rather than covering them up, kills fleas naturally.
FLOOR MATS Floors mats are a great investment if you want to protect the appearance and resale value of your car. You don´t
need to buy expensive floor mats made just for that purpose. Pick up some inexpensive carpet samples and use them instead.
GAS MILEAGE Cars get about 21% more mileage at 55 mph then at 70 mph.
GASOLINE
When you're finished pumping gas
in your tank, turn the pump off and then squeeze the pump handle. You'll get the extra little shot of gas that was left
in the hose. You've already paid for it so you might as well take it!
GIFTS
A gift doesn't always come with a price tag. Some of the most special
and precious gifts are a BIG 'ole bear hug, or a gift of service. Doing something for someone just out of the blue may
mean more then any material gift. A homemade card or made up poem of how you really feel can be very rewarding to that person.
Plus it's a gift that keeps on giving...
HAIR
CONDITIONER Do you know that you can use hair conditioner
instead of shaving cream? If you are a lady who shaves her legs and under arms in the shower you can save a lot of money just
by buying a cheap bottle of conditioner (usually not much more than a buck) to shave with instead of expensive shaving creams
or gels. It leaves your legs and under arms smooth and silky.
HUMIDITY Moist air
feels warmer. Make sure you maintain adequate humidity during the more dry winter months. Open the dish-washer to dry dishes
and release steam and hanging clothes to dry will not only cut down on your electric bill but will also add humidity.
INSULATION The federal government
will reimburse you for 30 percent of the cost, up to $1,500 for highly efficient insulation. Additionally, low-income households
can qualify for an average of $6,500 worth of weatherization improvements to their homes through government programs administered
by each state!
INSURANCE Some
insurance companies will give you a package deal if you purchase more than one type of insurance with them. Therefore,
if you buy auto insurance and home insurance, you could get a discount for having two policies with the same insurance agency.
Doesn´t hurt to ask.
LAWN MOWERS & APPLIANCES Lawn mower repair shops often have used, reconditioned mowers for sale and the prices are often
competitive with even the best discount store chains. They also stand behind what they sell,
should anything go wrong. You could purchase a shiny, like-new mower, in tiptop condition, with all the latest features for
less than a new, bare-bones model would cost at a discount store. And, discount chains usually
cannot service what they sell as they lack repair facilities. Plus, buying close to fall, may get you an even bigger discount!
The same goes for refurbished washers, dryers and even dish washers. You can buy like-new appliances for huge discounts
over what you would pay at a retailer.
LIGHT BULBS Higher wattage bulbs tend to be more efficient than lower wattage
ones. One reason for this is the fact that thicker filaments can be operated at a higher temperature, which is
better
for radiating visible light.
Another reason is that since higher wattage bulbs
would lead you to use fewer bulbs, you buy fewer bulbs and the cost of bulbs becomes less important. To optimize cost effectiveness
in this case of higher wattage light bulbs, the filaments are designed to run even hotter to improve energy efficiency to
reduce your electricity costs. Strange but true...the higher the wattage the less energy each bulb uses!
Smaller bulbs use less electricity apiece, making the cost of the
bulb more important. This is why lower wattage bulbs are often designed to last 1500 to a few thousand hours instead of 750
to 1000 hours. Designing the bulbs to last longer reduces their light output and energy efficiency.
To minimize
your cost of both electricity and bulbs, you should use as few bulbs as possible, using higher wattage bulbs. To get the same
amount of light with lower wattage
bulbs, you need both more electricity and more bulbs.
LINT
FILTERS A clogged up lint filter can extend drying time and boost energy use by 30 percent! Make sure to
check and clean your lint trap after every use. Additionally, a build up of lint is a safety issue. According to
the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, over 15,000 fires occur in clothes dryers each year and lint is believed
to be one of the major causes. LOAN CONSOLIDATION A popular method for dealing
with debt is to consolidate multiple loans into a single, lower-interest-rate loan, such as a home equity or personal
loan. Another option is to refinance your existing mortgage to a lower rate and to take out some additional cash based on
the equity in your home. You wind up with a larger mortgage balance than you had before, but you can use the extra cash to
pay off other non-mortgage debts that carry higher interest rates. But you have to be careful with this strategy or
you can end up in worse shape than you started!
Be sure the loans that you combine don't have
lower interest rates than the rate for the consolidation loan. Student lons, for example, usually carry some of the
lowest rates around. Or if you have a zero-interest-rate auto loan, don't consolidate it; you can't beat that interest
rate. Avoid consolidating if it will result in a longer-term loan. People sometimes make the mistake of rolling
several short-term loans, such as a four-year car loan or a two year appliance loan, into a 10- or 15-year consolidation loan,
or the 30-year refinancing of a home mortgage. Stretching out payments will result in an overall lower monthly payment
but you'll end up paying much more in interest in the long run than if you'd stuck with the original loans. If anything,
you want to shorten your debt repayment period whenever possible.
NON-GROCERY ITEMS It's usually more expensive to buy non-grocery items such as painkillers or shampoo at your supermarket. Buy
them at a Discount Store instead (Target, Wal-Mart. etc).
OVERINFLATED
TIRES Overinflated tires have its own set of risks. Overinflated tires are riding on just
the centre portion of each tire treads, wearing out the centre portion of the tires faster than the edges, thus shortening
the useful lifespan of the tires.
RAINWATER Besides helping the environment, an
obvious reason for harvesting rainwater is to save money. Depending on the size of your house and the amount of rainfall in
your area, you can collect a substantial amount of rainwater with a simple system. This extra water can have a significant
impact on your water bill. The fact that rainwater is a naturally soft water may be enough
to justify harvesting rainwater.
Rainwater stored in rain barrels has many uses. Some people find it
mostly useful for watering their landscapes and gardens. Others find uses within the house as well.Rainwater can also be used
for drinking but requires special treatment with a filtration system. You do not need a filtration
system for landscape uses. You can use it directly from your rain barrel on your garden.
If you're harvesting
rainwater with rain barrels to use for watering your landscaping, the rainwater can help to improve the health of your gardens,
lawns, and trees. Rain is a naturally soft water and devoid of minerals, chlorine, fluoride, and other chemicals. For this
reason, plants respond very well to rainwater. After all, it's what plants in the wild thrive on.
REFRIGERATORS Cleaning behind your refrigerator will keep it running longer and more efficiently.
Another fridge cleaning tip: Make sure the unit is level. An unlevel refrigerator works harder than it needs to and wastes
energy.
RUBBER BANDS
Keep rubber bands in the fridge....they'll last longer.
SAVE ON ENERGY & GAS BILLS Using Glass Dishes Makes A Difference: When baking, oven heat can be lowered 25° if you use glass or ceramic baking dishes, they retain heat better
than roasting pans. This helps save on your gas bill.
SAVE ELECTRICITY
Keep your head out of the refrigerator and the door closed! The refrigerator is the single biggest energy-consuming
kitchen appliance, and opening the refrigerator door accounts for between $30 and $60 of a typical family's electricity
bill each year. The amount of energy saved in a year by more efficient refrigerator usage could be enough to light every house
in the United States for more than four and a half months straight.
Draw the shades or blinds to block the thermal
heat of the sun through your windows. This will help keep you cooler, so you won´t need to use your fan or air conditioner,
which will save you money on your electric bill.
This trick could help you cut the A/C at night:
Simply open your bedroom window and position a fan so it's blowing the air out. Forcing hot air out of a room is twice
as effective as trying to blow the cool air in!
SAVE WATER
Using a dishwasher actually uses about 35% less water than washing dishes by hand. And, if you skip the drying cycle
and let the dishes air dry you’ll use about 15% less electricity. But, always make sure that the dishwasher has a full
load before running it. Although a dishwasher saves on water, running several half loads per day will end up wasting more
than it saves.
SHAMPOO/CONDITIONER
The next time
that you go shopping, you may want to check the prices of what your Shampoo and conditioner costs versus a All-in-One shampoo
and conditioner. Depending on the brands, you might be able to save some money buying the All-in-one. You can also save
time in the shower, as an added benefit, which will cut down on your hot water costs and your water bill. It's also
nice when traveling. You only have to find room for one instead of two.
SHOPPING When
grocery shopping, or when you're doing power shopping remember the higher priced goods
are located at chest level. Search out cheaper and generic brands on higher and lower shelves.
SPOILED FOOD When
you go away on vacation, place a baggie with a few ice cubes in the freezer. If a power failure occurs while you are gone
and the food thaws and then refreezes you will know about it when you get home.
STORE BRANDS Name brand products are good, but store brand products are often
just as good (if not identical). Make the switch to the bargain labels, and you'll shave 25-50 percent off of your weekly
grocery bill. With more and more grocery chains launching their own line of organics and other premium products, there's
never been an easier time to switch.
TEETH Professional
teeth whitening isn't cheap—and even the home whitening kits are a bit of a splurge. The good news is that you can
whiten your teeth without using either one. Just wet your toothbrush, and dip it into a box of baking
soda. Then, brush your teeth, and rinse. Repeat regularly, and you'll have whiter teeth at a price that you
won't feel guilty about. When mixed with water, baking soda creates a thick paste that's perfect for scrubbing
away the stains on your teeth, and because it's applied with a toothbrush, it even does a good job of reaching and removing
the stains that form between your teeth—something most whitening kits can't do.
THRIFT STORES If there is a second-hand store or used furniture store in your neighborhood
check it out before making a purchase of new merchandise. You never know what you might find!
TRACING LOST
ITEMS Keep
track of belongings that you may leave behind in your hotel. Many hotels give away matchbooks. Just because you don't
smoke does not mean that you cannot have a book. Take one from each hotel you stay in during your trip. That way, if you leave
something behind, you'll have the name and address of every place you've been.
TREASURY
BILLS (T-BILLS) Treasury bills, or T-bills, are sold in terms ranging from a few days to 52 weeks. Bills
are typically sold at a discount from the par amount (also called face value). For instance, you might pay $990 for a $1,000
bill. When the bill matures, you would be paid $1,000. The difference between the purchase price and face value is interest.
WASHING DETERGENT
Always measure washing detergent. Using more doesn't
clean better but can leave a residue in clothes and can leave soap scum in your washer. Also
increases cost by using more.
WEEDS To Keep weeds or grass from growing in your patio or sidewalk cracks, heat a gallon of water with
a pound of salt. Stir well and pour between the cracks. This is cheaper and works just as well as the name brands.
WRITE TO MANFACTURER A great way to save money on your favorite products is to write a letter of appreciation to the manufacturer. Do you love the new and improved ziplock packaging on
the shredded cheese you always buy? Are you happy somebody finally started making little waterproof round spot bandaids? Tell
the manufacturer how much you love their product and why. There's always an address somewhere on the package, so
take a few minutes to hand write a thank you note and complement them on their product. Almost every time, you'll receive
a nice letter from them thanking you for your feedback ... and enclosed will be samples and usually some cents-off or even
FREE coupons for the product! Plus, you'll probably make someone's day with your kind words of praise.
|
