OK, so we all know we have to save money in this weird economy that we are living in today. It can seem a hard to save, what with everything being so expensive, and buying power being so limited. Here though, are some ways in which we can save a little money, and ride out this wave of economic uncertainty.
Number one, make sure you have a budget. It may seem like a basic thing, but having a budget, and knowing where your income is coming from, and knowing how much you need for bills is an amazing way to keep track of your money. Once you know how much you have coming in, and how much you have to spend every month, you will know how much you have left over. You can then make a deliberate decision to go ahead and start putting money away. After a few months you will have more money saved than you might have figured you could before.
Number two, make sure you scour the newspapers, and other resources for good deals when you go out. If you can get a coupon that will give you a buy one get one free offer, that is double the amount you get for the price. So if you buy a bottle of Tide, and you get another free, that is a savings of almost seven dollars. Also if you can get coupons even for a dollar off of a product, or however much you save, over the course of a trip to the store that savings will add up. If you can average even ten cents per product on average, you can save ten dollars off a 100 dollar bill at the grocery store. That's almost forty dollars a month right there.
Number three, go out early if you can. Most theatres, restaurants, and other hot spots will give out discounts to people who come in at off peak times. You can get a good deal on a meal, or a lower price on movie tickets if you go in the afternoon instead of the evening. If you insist on watching a movie at night, go to a video store, or get a movie from the RedBox, which offers movies for a dollar a night, and late fees stop after 25 dollars, so if you lose it you have a limit as to how much you pay.
Number four, go out as often as you can to your favorite spots. Most barbers, pizza places, or sub shops will have some sort of buy a certain amount, get one free advertisment. If you go out and get a sub for lunch, or go to a particular place everyday, see what kind of specials they have, so that you can get free stuff every so often.
Number five, try collaborating with others to cut down on costs. Need to save money on rent? Finding a roommate to split the bills with can save you hundreds every month. Need to cut down as gas bills? Try car pooling, and that way you may only need to drive to work once or twice a week, and you can save money on gas. You can get cell phone plans with multiple lines, and spread the costs of the plans out. Sharing some expenses with other people can greatly reduce your need to make small purchases everyday, which will help you save money.
Number six, plan in advance. If you book a flight for July now, chances are your fares may be only half of what it would be if your book in June. Use sites like Travelocity.com, or Priceline.com to get good deals. Also, just like going to the movies or dinner, if you plan a trip during off-peak times, you may be able to get good deals, as hotels are trying to fill rooms year round, not just at peak times. Also if you start planning now, you will be able to start putting money away specifically for the trip, so you have money to spend while you are away, and it will be less of a hassle to figure out where the money is going to come from at the last minute.
Number seven, wait for the holidays, or your birthday to get something you want. I know that sometimes if I want something, I will just wait until my birthday, or Christmas to get what I want. Sure, I need to spend money on people too for Christmas, but I can still get what I want, plus the added bonus of knowing that the money I spent was money spent for others wishes, not just my own. I will spend no more than what I budgeted, and get what I want.
There you have it folks, seven tips to help you save money. The economy is rough for sure, but with a little penny pinching, we can all start saving a little more money.