Great Ways to Save Money-Recycling

You would be amazed at how much you can stretch your monthly budget simply by reusing and recycling many items you would normally just throw out.

When you do your shopping, look for items that can be reused. Rechargeable batteries are a great example. Even though the initial purchase may be more than non rechargeable batteries, there can be a substantial savings over time.

Here is another idea that you may not have thought of. When your fabric softener sheets have gone through the dryer, save them for dusting. They work very well!

Recycling takes a little extra time, but there are many ways to combine recycling and saving money. Just do a quick Internet search for more idea. Better yet, pay attention to the items in your home that you normally throw away. Many of them can be reused in ways to save you money and unnecessary trips to the store.

Great Ways to Save Money-Cooking at Home

Dining out can be fun and convenient, but it's not very economical. Most of us don't realize how much we spend eating out. Did you know that the average American family today eats out approximately three times a week. For a family of four, that can add up to $300 or $400 per month, or even more.

Instead of going out to a restaurant a few times a week, why not try just once or twice instead. On the other nights plan to make a special at home family dinner. You can get the whole family involved by helping with the cooking and trying new recipes.

Eating out is fun when you don't have to worry about the expense and on special occasions. But cooking together and spending time with your family can be even more rewarding and beneficial for your family and budget.

Great Ways to Save Money-Insurance

Unfortunately, you need to have it for your home, car, boat, motorcycle and even for your life. It's insurance, and it can be very expensive and troublesome.

The next time you need insurance, be willing to shop around and negotiate. Some people think the price of insurance doesn't change much form one company to another. However, prices can be very different so to ensure you get the best
deal, you need to shop around and consider all your options.

Use the Internet or telephone, it doesn't matter how you do it just make sure that you get quotes from different insurance companies before making your final decision. If you have questions or concerns or you're having trouble finding a good agent, do your research and talk to several agents. They can provide information on the kinds of discounts for which you are qualified and the levels of insurance that you need.

Yes, buying insurance can be stressful and time consuming, but a little education can go a long ways in making the task easier and can pay off handsomely in the money that you save.

Great Ways to Save Money-Landscaping

If you are planning on doing some landscaping, shopping for plants can be very expensive even when they are on sale. Before you go out and start spending your hard earned money, look around your yard to see if you have existing plants
that can be split or that you can get starts from.

Also, if you have a good relationship with any of your neighbors, you might ask them if they have any plants you could use as a starter. Perhaps you could work out a trade, so that both of you will have more to plant without spending any extra money.

Another great idea is the next time you plan to purchase a lawnmower, look for one that mulches leaves. This way you can avoid spending a small fortune on prepackaged mulch for your flowerbeds every year. Instead you can simply use the mulch you make while mowing your lawn.

Great Ways to Save Money-Dollar Stores

It's a good idea to try dollar stores first. You can save a lot of money on everyday item like laundry detergent, deodorant and other necessary items.

At first glance you might think that most items at the dollar store are of low quality. Sometimes they are, but have you visited your local dollar store lately? Oftentimes, they get new items on a regular basis or have items that do the job well enough for your particular needs. This can result in nice savings to help you purchase better quality items when they really make a differenc.

Chances are that you have more than one dollar store in your area including Dollar Tree, Dollar General or Just A Dollar. You might be surprised at some of the great deals and bargains you can find. The merchandise changes often and sometimes you
can find better deals than other times so it pays to shop often and at more than one store.

Great Ways to Save Money-Grocery Shopping

Bargain shopping isn't just for things like clothes, furniture or other higher priced items, you can also save an amazing amount of money if you concentrate on getting good deals on items that are less expensive, but are purchased more regularly. Maintain the same habits you use at a department store. Keep your eyes open for clearance racks and sales on grocery items you need.

Store brands can offer significant discounts on what are often products of similar quality. Buying in bulk can also save you a lot of money if you will actually use the items or can share them and the purchase price with a friend. (Make it a practice to calculate the price per unit or ounce to make sure that you are actually getting a good deal.)

Advance planning goes a long way towards saving you money at the checkout register. Using a list can help you to avoid impulse buying. Be careful of grocery shopping with an empty stomach, since you will likely tend to buy more expensive and less nutritious junk food type items. It also pays to check the ad flyers and clip coupons before you even set foot in a grocery store. This will help you to plan your budget and find the best deals.

Great Ways to Save Money-Pay Yourself First

Pay Yourself First.

Savings should be a priority, so don’t just tell yourself that you are going to save whatever is left over at the end of the month. You need to actually do it.

It is a good idea to make it a rule to deposit savings into an account as soon as you get paid. An easy, effective way to start saving is to simply deposit 10% of your paychecks into a savings account.

For example, if your paycheck is 710.00, you would deposit 71.00 of that directly to your savings account. If your check is automatically deposited you can set it up through your bank so that a specific amount goes directly to your savings account. This works well and requires little thought. In time, your saving will really add up.

Great Money Saving Ideas-Be Flexible

Be Flexible:

You've worked hard, set your goals for saving and you are sticking
to it, that's great! But you must realize that things can and will
change and you must be ready for that. The secret is learning
ways to be flexible.

Let's say you normally save $150 a month, when something
unexpected happens and you have to dip into the money that you
would normally save. It's important not to get discouraged when
this happens.

Do your best to put away at least a little bit of the money you were
planning to save away even if it's only $50, $25 or as
little as $5 that month. This will keep you in the habit of saving and
then you can focus on getting back on track next month.

Great Ways to Save Money-Buying in Bulk

Warehouse shopping can save you a lot of money. The price of items in bulk is often much lower than smaller sizes.

Buying in bulk is only useful if you can actually use what you buy. For this reason, perishable items aren't always a good candidate for buying in bulk. However, non perishable items can be a great choice as long as you are sure that you will use them within a reasonable period of time. You can also consider splitting your purchases with friends and family if its too much for your personal use.

A few things that can save you money when purchased in bulk are canned goods, frozen foods, gift cards, toothbrushes, paper goods, cell phone minutes, blank DVDs, light bulbs and many cleaning supplies.

Avoid loading up your cart with non essential items. Also be careful that the bulk items are actually saving you money. You can figure this out by dividing the price by the servings or number of items and comparing this with smaller sizes or similar items at other stores where the prices may be lower. If you aren't good at mental arithmetic, a small calculator might be a good addition to your shopping cart. Sometimes the bulk size might usually be cheaper, but a sale on a smaller size might make that the better deal. It pays to be careful and diligent.

Great Ways to Save Money-Goals

When you are planning to save or making a budget it's useful to break your goals into short term, middle term, and long term goals.

Being able to reach your goals and see your accomplishments is a great way to motivate yourself to do the hard work of saving. For example, if you set a short term goal of saving for tickets to a symphony or play and reach that goal, you will be encouraged to keep saving for your longer term goals.

Once your plan becomes routine and habitual, you'll see that it's not very hard to save. You just have to be persistent and stick to your plan even when you’re tempted to overspend.

Great Ways to Save Money-Lists

Here is an interesting exercise. Make a list of the 10 most important things in your life. Rank them in order of importance. The purpose of this is to help you see the things you consider the most important and to visually give you important reasons to save.

Here are a few things that some might put on their list.

A new home.
A new car.
A special trip.
Planning for retirement.
Stating an emergency fund
Starting a business.
Paying off your debts.
College fund for your children.
Buying your dream boat.
Planning the perfect wedding.

Making a list like this will help keep you focused. If you go off track you can take another look at your list to remind yourself why it is important that you stick with your savings plan.

Great Ways to Save Money-Credit Card Interest

If you have credit cards and your credit is in good standing, try calling your credit card company and asking for your interest rate to be lowered.

It really can be that simple. Unfortunately, most people do not even realize this is an option so they never make the call. Just tell the representative that you want a lower rate on your credit card and wait to see if they will honor your request.

A simple five-minute phone call to your credit card issuer could save you hundreds, or even thousands, of dollars in interest charges.

It doesn't hurt to ask!

Great Ways to Save Money-Thrift Stores

Thrift and surplus stores have been given a bad rap. This isn't really fair. Many of these stores are filled with hundreds of top quality items. If you are patient, you can often find high quality items and even brand name merchandise.

It's not usually difficult to find a thrift or surplus store near your home where you can spend some time finding amazing bargains.

Thrift stores often sell brand name clothes for only a few dollars. Just imagine the joy of finding a Liz Claiborne suit for $5.99 or a set of Callaway Golf clubs for $25.00. Not only is it fun to find a great bargain and save some money, it is also a good way to recycle.

Another money saving tip will be coming soon.

Great Ways to Save Money-Shopping at the Right Time

Studies indicate that you will buy more if you shop while your hungry, depressed, tired, or stressed. Such is the result of human nature.

Therefore, it's a good idea to eat something before going to the grocery store. If you are upset or feeling down, relax for a while before you head out to shop.

It might sound like a strange idea, but having a clear mind and a full stomach can save you a lot of money.

Great ways to Save Money-Be Patient

It's important to be patient when it comes to saving money. Being patient will help you to can save much more money than you would otherwise. This involves accepting the fact that it will take time and good budgeting to save money and reach your financial goals.

Before you buy something you want or need, do some comparison shopping to insure that you get a good deal. The Internet can be a great resource for comparing prices, even if you end up buying the item in a traditional store. Wait for sales in order to get the best price and call before you go to the store to make sure they have what your looking for in stock. This will save you time and money by not wasting a trip. Remember the thirty day rule! (Wat thirty days before buying an impulse item to see if you still think you should get it.)

Great Ways to Save Money-Gifts

Many people spend way to much money on gifts for their income level. Unfortunately, this enjoyable and rewarding practice can suffer when people set their mind to saving money and sticking to a budget. Still there are ways to give meaningful gifts without spending too much money.

If you ask people if they prefer a store bought or handmade gift, many would choose a thoughtful handmade item. Handmade gifts are individualized and come from the heart. When you have a birthday, anniversary, baby shower, wedding, or Christmas gift to give, you can save some money and make a more long lasting impression by making the gift.

For Christmas, you could make a beautiful ornament or door wreath, for a baby shower you could purchase an inexpensive bib pattern and make special bibs, or for a wedding, you could create an artistic album of photos for showing the couple's dating
life.

Other good ideas include making homemade hot chocolate, soaps, candles, or lotions and placing them in inexpensive glass containers or baskets purchased at a thrift store. If you use a mason jar, you can add foam and fabric under the lid for added color, use a label to write the contents and a message of endearment, and wrap a nice piece of ribbon around the ridge.

If you get stuck for an idea just do a search online for hand made gift ideas and you will find ideas for every occasion. The options are endless, so get creative and reward you loved ones with with thoughtful and meaningful gifts that they will cherish.

Great Ways to Save Money-Small Expenses

Did you know that an average cup of coffee from a coffee shop could easily cost you twenty times what it could cost you to make at home?

It's usually the little daily expenses that really add up and eat away at your budget. For example, how much do you spend on your morning coffee? Suppose you buy one $2.50 coffee a day, that is $12.50 a week (5 days) and $50.00 a month. That amounts to $600 a year for just coffee.

Imagine what you could do with that money if you made your coffee at home instead.

What other little expenses are preventing you from reaching your financial goals or attaining the things you really want or need? We all tend to have little things that we buy out of habit without giving them much thought. Many of them could easily be reduced or eliminated without significantly effecting your quality of life. If you start doing the math, you might be amazed at how much money you can save on little things.

Great Money Saving Ideas-Sticking to a Budget

Everyone should create a budget. If you are not sure how or
just not good with money, the Internet offers some great resources on budgeting, Also some businesses offer free financial consulting to help you put a budget together.

Keeping track of where you are spending your money is an important part of creating a budget and is easily one of the best ways to save you hard earned cash. In most cases, people have no idea where their money is really going until they see it on paper. This surprising revelation will often make people eager to change their habits and and reveal how they can do so with without sacrificing necessities.

Great Ways to Save Money-Be Realistic

When it comes to saving money, make sure the goals you set for yourself are realistic. If you earn $40,000 a year, saving $20,000 would be nice, but its not very realistic.

Make sure your goals are attainable or you will become discouraged and give up. When you first start saving money, try setting some short term goals and work towards them. After you have successfully reached your smaller goals you can start planning for more long term goals that will help you attain your financial plans.

Remember the story of the tortoise and the hare. Slow and steady wins the race. It is better to save a little at a time and develop good, strong habits that will last you for the rest of your life.

The next tip in this series will arrive soon.

Great Ways to Save Money-Clipping Coupons

Okay, maybe you used to laugh as you watched people pull out their coupons at stores, but the current economic crises may have caused you to start looking at things differently. Using coupons can save you hundreds of dollars a year.

Coupons are especially useful at grocery stores and retail chains. Many stores offer double coupon days as an extra bonus. On average, you could easily save from 5% to 15% on a bill for $100 simply by planning ahead and bringing coupons.

Coupons are not just for groceries. You will probably be able to find coupons for many other items in your local newspaper. Yes this is just another basic idea that might not seem very important, but it can make a big difference over time.

I hope you are enjoying this series on money saving tips. If you missed any articles, you can click on the Money Saving Ideas label link to see all the articles in this series.