Simple money saving methods involve being aware of your spending in the first place and then planning ahead so that you spend less in the future. Some people who are married with children don’t ever talk about meal planning, saving for emergencies, etc. A lot of people sadly live paycheck to paycheck and don’t even know what an emergency fund is. 

 It is easy to practice frugal cooking once you acquire the knack of menu planning. Sit down and write a list of menus for the coming week. Don’t forget to include snacks and drinks. Compile a full list of the ingredients you will need and check this list against items you already have in your fridge and cupboards. If you create menus that use similar ingredients, you will spend less on specialty items that you may never use again. Take your final list to the supermarket and buy only those ingredients on the list. It might be ok to substitute a lower priced or special sale as long as it does not mean you have to purchase more items.  But, generally speaking, it is best to avoid temptation by sticking tight to your list. Bargains are only bargains if they are something you really need and will use immediately.

 Frugal living methods are similar to green living practices. Re-using things, striving for a lack of waste and reducing reliance on cars are all things that result in benefits for the earth as well as for your monthly budget. A new energy saving appliance or household tune-up can save cash on bills over time, even amounting to hundreds of dollars each year. For example: if every home in America replaced only one 50-cent bulb with a $3 energy star-certified one, the difference would be a staggering $600 million over a year, or around $40 per home. The average home probably has more than 2 dozen light bulbs and while it might be a bit of a stretch to replace them all at once, if you multiply that $40 savings by 24, you could save around $960 the first year.  Little things add up to big savings.

 It is easy to see where people could go overboard with the idea of living on less (Dumpster diving? Ever heard of “freeganism”?). But, there’s a vast difference between just committing to a lifestyle and actually going off the deep end. Many people enjoy the idea of frugal living and do it for the freedom, not simply to impose boundaries and create a nightmare of headaches. The idea is to find a balance that makes you happy while still providing for your family. For example, skimping on cleaning supplies may save cash, but does it keep your children safe?

 Be willing to ask for discounts. You can often save money – even hundreds of dollars – by making a simple phone call to your Internet provider, cable company or credit card account. Ask the provider to give you the low introductory rate your new neighbor has, or you saw advertised. They want to keep your business and most of the time they will give you a lower rate. I recently got a discount from my Internet provider by calling to cancel my service because the price had doubled when the introductory rate ended. When they asked why I was canceling, I quoted a better price from a competitor and my desire to switch in order to get that price. That call saved me $150 over six months. When my cable was down for three days after a storm, I had another $15 taken off my month’s bill, but only by calling and asking for the reduction. Ask your credit card company for a lower interest rate or for a refund of late charges or fees, especially if you normally pay on time. Companies will not offer these discounts, but employees are authorized to give them when asked. So….ASK!!!

1. The best frugal shopper always studies other people. There is always someone you know who lives a great life on half the money you make. When you take the time to learn how they do things, you will find yourself with a lot more options for living frugally.

2. They understand the values associated with frugality. You must educate yourself on what a good deal actually is if you ever hope to get one. Take the time to learn as much as you can about local prices. When something is going to cost a lot, it is a good idea to know both the upper and lower price ranges.

3. Frugal shoppers always pay in cash. Cash always costs less than credit. Want a new television? Divide the price by the number of weeks you can wait to buy it and the result is the amount you need to save each week. You will save on finance charges and interest and sometimes, you can get a further discount for paying cash, you just have to ask. It is acceptable to make a lower offer, even in box stores.

4. Living frugally means being open to  alternative options. A discounted trip to Hawaii will be just as much fun as the full price cruise to the Bahamas. Food does not have to be expensive to taste good, a pizza can be as good as a gourmet meal when you count the cost.

5. Frugal shoppers talk to those around them about their needs. You never know when the person you are talking to has just the thing you need and is flat out itching to give it away.

6. Frugal shoppers understand the math. Thre is no $400 savings on a new car if it costs you $500 extra in gas every year. Another thing that seems crazy is that stores are betting you will thing bigger is cheaper. Sometimes four quarts of pickles is actually cheaper than a gallon. Paying attention to the numbers can help you practice living frugally.

Extended Stay Discounts - For any hotel stay that you plan to last longer than a week, call the hotel manager and ask for week long stay discount. This can mean a percentage off or even a “free day” stay.

 Non-Direct Flights - Flights with detours are cheaper than direct flights but most of the time when you call for a quote, the direct flight is the one you get. Sometimes, booking 2 flights instead of one gets a much cheaper rate, sometimes you can save thousands doing this.

Web Only - Look for web-only discounts offered to anyone willing to reserve  hotels or flights online. Everyone knows about some of the discount travel services online, you can save as much as 50% this way.

Eat In – Plan to purchase food and cook it yourself during part of your trip instead of always eating in restaurants. Your pockets will be heavier and your waistline will not suffer since restaurants tend to serve larger portions of fattening foods. On my last trip, we used this technique and saved tons of money and I came home the same size as when I left, no mean feat when you visit  New Orleans!

Choose your Destination – Consider traveling to places with lower costs of living that are still beautiful. There are many places to travel that are lighter on the pocketbook and still have tourist hot spots. The Phillipines and Malaysia are just a couple of places that can be experienced for less money.

Book a Package – Package deals can represent big savings. Airfaire and lodging and even car rental can often be cheaper together than apart. It make take legwork to find the deals but it can be worth it to put in the time.

Plan your next holiday by taking advantage of these money saving tips, you won’t be sorry.

There are a lot of things you can do to save money, some of them are so simple that they are often overlooked.

This is the most overlooked and easiest way to save money, but it does take extra time. Make your own coffee as well, skipping Starbucks can add plenty to your pocket over the long run and since you can buy their coffee from retail stores, why pay the extra for them to make it?  

Pay Bills On Time To Avoid Late Fees
  

Banks and credit card companies are having a field day with fees and penalties for late payments.  Many banks will clear your largest purchases first and cause a chain reaction which racks up fees as high as $35 per transaction for amounts even under a dollar.  This is reprehensible but legal and it happens all the time.  Credit card companies have a different way of hitting your pocketbook.  If you make a payment late by even one day, they revoke your low promotional rates and up your interest in many cases to above 20%.  And a late payment to one credit card company can spark a chain reaction where all your interest rates go up.  In addition, they will lower your available balance in hopes that you will go over your limit and allow them to tack on even more fees.  Many other companies charge late fees as well.  Be aware of their practices and keep on top of due dates.  Some companies will waive fees if you ask but generally only the first time. 

 Maintain Your Vehicle 

Your present vehicle may have plenty of life left in it and there is a balance between paying for repairs and the payment on a new vehicle.  Doing regular maintenance on your vehicle goes a long way to keeping it running better and for longer.  Something as simple as checking the tire pressure frequently can save you hundreds in tires as well as fuel costs.  Yes, low tire pressure does translate in more money at the pump due to added friction which creates a drag on the engine and makes it burn more fuel.  Keeping your oil changed and getting your car lubed regularly all add up to a longer vehicle life and better fuel mileage.  If it becomes necessary to purchase a new vehicle, consider a used one instead.  A new car depreciates significantly upon purchase.  Buying the right used vehicle can keep more money in your pocket each month.  Don’t give in to impulse on car purchases.  Use www.carfax.com to check out any used car you are thinking of buying.  There are programs out there that pay you to advertise on your car and in some cases even provide you with a new vehicle.    Another option for purchasing a vehicle is the auto auction.  There are many public auctions and prices are generally better than used car prices, but you lose the chance to try out the vehicle and there are usually no guarantees or warrantees.  

 Use Libraries and Online Video Rentals or Redbox 

The public library can save you money each year if you are a reader.  Most libraries, even in the smaller towns, are now linked to larger libraries and can find you whatever book you want to read.  Online video rental memberships such as Netflix or Blockbuster allow you to rent a specified number of movies at a time with a flat monthly fee.  With Netflix you may have as many as 8 movies out at a time and they also have an unlimited plan where there is an internet connected Netflix ready device connected to your TV and you can watch as many movies as you want.  Redbox is a movie rental vending machine which can  be found in many grocery stores and pharmacies nationwide.  You pay $1 plus tax for each day you keep the movie and if you join Inside Redbox you can receive free rental codes each Monday.  If you like to go to the cinema, check for discount ticket times, usually before 6pm.  Many cinemas are offering incentive program cards.  You can earn free popcorn, drinks and even tickets. 

 Be Aware Of Your Electrical Consumption 

Many of the appliances in your home that are plugged in are using electricity even when you are not using the appliance.  Televisions, modems, cable boxes, DVD players, video games, even cell phone chargers and some toasters use electricity when turned off. This is called standby power and it constitutes up to 5% of the average American’s electric bill.  Unplug when possible and there are some devices on the market now that will automate that for you, but using a simple plug bar and switching it off will show up as savings in your electric bill.  Be aware that if you are a satellite television subscriber with a DVR you will not want to switch the box off or you will lose your ability to record to the DVR when you are not watching.    

Plan Vacations Ahead Of Time 

Last minute travel is expensive and a family vacation can drain a budget.  Booking ahead of time not only saves hundreds but keeps last minute surprises to a minimum.  Consider renting an RV as an alternative to hotel and airfare. If you can’t book ahead, there are several travel sites that will help you get discount tickets and hotels like Orbitz.com and Priceline.com

The two major players in the green lighting field are CFL (Compact Fluorescent Light) bulbs, and LED (Light Emitting Diode) light bulbs. There are good and bad points with both types of bulb.\n\nFluorescent light bulbs are more energy efficient than a standard incandescent bulb. A 15W CFL (Compact Fluorescent light) bulb puts out light equivalent to a 75W incandescent bulb. This is the upside of CFL style green lighting. CFL bulbs cost more than an incandescent bulb, but are supposed to last 8 times longer or about 8000 hours. This can save you quite a bit of money on your energy bill. The bad points of a CFL bulb are:

• There is a warm up period before the bulbs light fully
• They contain mercury which is hazardous
• They cost more than standard incandescent bulbs
• Not all CFL bulbs can be dimmed on a light dimmer

 

LED light bulbs are another option where you can save energy with green lighting. LED lights are rated at nearly the same wattage output as a CFL bulb. LED bulbs are estimated to last around 25,000 hours, they contain no mercury or hazardous material. LED lights come on full bright and can be dimmed with most light dimmers. There are of course bad points to these bulbs too. There is debate about the temperature of the light put out by LED lights. Some people say that they cast a blue, green or other hue of light causing colors in your home to look off.

For that matter, unless you purchase full spectrum bulbs, all forms of artificial lighting can have a detrimental effect on your vision and lead to SAD (season affective disorder). We need the full spectrum of light produced by the sun and when we spend too much time under artificial lighting, our bodies produce reduced amounts of vitamin D. This can lead to depression and vision problem along with many other health issues.

Full spectrum CFL bulbs are available, they are a little more expensive than the regular type. “Grow lights” are available in LED style but these appear to be lighting fixtures as opposed to bulbs you can use in lighting fixtures.\n\nI think there is a place for all of these bulbs in your home if you want to save money, the planet or both. The U.S. government is trying to ban incandescent bulbs. I think the incandescent bulb still has its merits in limited applications. I would recommend trying each type to find your own preference before you change all of the lights in your house.

Forced Hot Air

 One of the easiest things you can do to keep your furnace working efficiently and save money on home heating costs is to check your furnace filter once a month during the heating season.  Some thermostats have an icon that says filter to remind you.  I you have pets the filter can get clogged and cut down air flow.  When money got tight for us I just brushed the filter off outside and reinstalled it.  This is not the best solution, but it can keep your heating costs down and still protect your furnace.  I DO NOT recommend removing the filter; this can damage the furnace if the blower gets clogged.  Lowering the temperature at night will also cut your heating costs.  Adding a programmable thermostat will ensure that you don’t forget to lower the temperature, and you can set it to warm up the house before you get up in the morning. 

Hot Water Baseboard Heat /Electric Heat

If you are running Hot water baseboard or electric heat, pull the covers off the runs and vacuum them out so the heat radiates well.  If you have pets you might check them more often.  If you are heating with oil the furnace will require more maintenance than gas or propane type. Oil does not burn as cleanly as other types of fuel.

Oil Burner maintenance: Always shut off breaker when servicing the system

1. Tank filter
2. Burner filter, this filter is inside the inlet of the burner if you are not sure how to clean this call a professional!
3. Fuel nozzle, this is inside the furnace on the burner head, again if you’re not sure call a pro.
4. Tubes, These tubes are in the top of the furnace and need to be vacuumed out.
5. Chimney, An easy way to check this is to hold a mirror in the clean out at the bottom on a sunny day and look up.  If there are clumps on the sides or little or no light is coming through, get it cleaned.

This is a general maintenance guide your system may differ, check first. Use these tips to help you save money!

Not only can you learn to save money on everyday living expenses, but you can also get the most for your entertainment and travel dollar.  Reusing and recycling become second nature to those who choose this lifestyle. In the long run, this helps us to enjoy more financial stability while being an ecologically sound method of survival.

 Is it necessary to go overboard with frugality? No. There are certain items, such as infant car seats, that may not be safe to reuse and you should always trust your judgement. Not every used item turns out to be a bargain.

It takes a bit of research and even a little trial and error but in the long run, frugal living can help keep you out of debt, and provide you with a great lifestyle.