what are your top tricks for saving money?

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N

nageov3t

Lifer
Feb 18, 2004
42,808
83
91
inspired by a thread I was reading at datalounge... what are the best tricks you've learned for saving money?

for myself...

brown bag lunch at work and minimize the frequency with which you eat out. on the rare occasions that I do get take-out for lunch and I don't have leftovers waiting for me at home, I'll pay the extra dollar or two to upgrade from a small to a large or a half sub to a whole and take the rest home for dinner.

I've started buying some groceries in bulk and freezing them... my best friend works at whole foods. once a month or so, I'll go grocery shopping with her to leach off her employee discount, and buy all the meat/fish I need for the month.

share internet! my neighbor doesn't watch tv and isn't even home all that much between the two jobs he works. instead of paying for the whole cable/internet package, I give him access to my wireless n connection and he trades me the occasional joint or baked goods.

I compromise on clothes... I like to buy nice shirts and shoes since those are things people notice, but when it comes to pants, I go with whoever's having a sale.

yard sales in really nice neighborhoods are ftw.

netflix > buying dvds
 
kranky

kranky

Elite Member
Oct 9, 1999
21,019
156
106
I don't buy an address book. I just use the phone book, then cross out the names of people I don't know.

Save on laundry - buy old T-shirts at the Goodwill for a dime then just throw them out when you're done. Cheaper than washing and drying them.

A dark mahogany wood stain, removed after five minutes, is a much cheaper alternative to tanning salons.

Ever notice how many motels have "Free Breakfast" on their signs? It never says you have to be a guest there, does it?

Every wedding reception has a number of no-shows. Watch your newspaper for upcoming wedding announcements placed by people who want to show off how lavish their upcoming nuptials will be. Put on a nice outfit, line your empty camera bag with aluminum foil and plastic wrap, and invite yourself. Enjoy a great meal as well as a "to go" bag for later. If anyone asks, you're third cousin Pat from out west (or east)- "I'm the one who is just getting over that bad head injury." That stops a lot of questions.

Many people who use self-service car washes finish and leave before the timer has expired. If you're quick, you can get a little of your own car washed before time's up. And if you hang around for an hour or two, you can get the whole thing finished for free.

You'd be surprised at how often harried grocery shoppers with little children forget something in the cart after loading up the car. If you stroll around the parking lot, you can be that nice person who offers to return the cart to the store because "I'm on my way in anyway."

Remember that neighbor you hate? If your long extension cord somehow finds its way to the outlet on the back of his house while they are on vacation, that's as good a time as any to finish that carpentry project with your power tools. Oops - they noticed? "I'll talk to little Billy about playing with the extension cords. Sorry about that."
 
Deeko

Deeko

Lifer
Jun 16, 2000
30,213
12
81
-Don't carry cash. I feel a lot less guilty about spending cash because it doesn't show up in Mint/my budgets. So I just don't have it, ever. In fact, I don't even know the PIN to my new bank account I opened 10 months ago.

-If you're going out to the bar, "pregame" at home first. That way you spend less money at the bar.
 
Deeko

Deeko

Lifer
Jun 16, 2000
30,213
12
81
Originally posted by: Lothar
Cook your own food.
Click to expand...

man...food is so expensive out here, its barely even cheaper. At $3.99/pound for even basic meats like chicken or ground beef, its cheaper to eat at McDonald's.....
 
C

Corporate Thug

Lifer
Apr 17, 2003
37,622
0
76
I hemorage money so I couldn't tell you. I got my CC statement and it showed that I spent $450 on eating out in one month...
 
C

chorb

Golden Member
Oct 7, 2005
1,272
0
0
Originally posted by: kranky
I don't buy an address book. I just use the phone book, then cross out the names of people I don't know.

Save on laundry - buy old T-shirts at the Goodwill for a dime then just throw them out when you're done. Cheaper than washing and drying them.

A dark mahogany wood stain, removed after five minutes, is a much cheaper alternative to tanning salons.

Ever notice how many motels have "Free Breakfast" on their signs? It never says you have to be a guest there, does it?

Every wedding reception has a number of no-shows. Watch your newspaper for upcoming wedding announcements placed by people who want to show off how lavish their upcoming nuptials will be. Put on a nice outfit, line your empty camera bag with aluminum foil and plastic wrap, and invite yourself. Enjoy a great meal as well as a "to go" bag for later. If anyone asks, you're third cousin Pat from out west (or east)- "I'm the one who is just getting over that bad head injury." That stops a lot of questions.

Many people who use self-service car washes finish and leave before the timer has expired. If you're quick, you can get a little of your own car washed before time's up. And if you hang around for an hour or two, you can get the whole thing finished for free.

You'd be surprised at how often harried grocery shoppers with little children forget something in the cart after loading up the car. If you stroll around the parking lot, you can be that nice person who offers to return the cart to the store because "I'm on my way in anyway."

Remember that neighbor you hate? If your long extension cord somehow finds its way to the outlet on the back of his house while they are on vacation, that's as good a time as any to finish that carpentry project with your power tools. Oops - they noticed? "I'll talk to little Billy about playing with the extension cords. Sorry about that."
Click to expand...

You came up with all these ideas in 9 minutes from the time the OP posted? Genius.
 
N

NoShangriLa

Golden Member
Sep 3, 2006
1,652
0
0

Brown bag your lunch from home, get a second job, cut off cable service (you don't need it).

Eating out is expensive, and so as not working because you have time to spend money.
 
B

bobsmith1492

Diamond Member
Feb 21, 2004
3,875
3
81
- Eat 1x a day (half a box of spaghetti is good), meat from dad (he kills a lot of deer each year!) or hunting on my own
- Walk to work and don't drive anywhere else (~40-50/month in gas total and I only get 20MPG)
- No internet (use it at work as necessary)
- Family plan for phone (or none would be fine by me)
- Cheap apartment (375/month now) -> eventually foreclosed house
- Play computer games in free time or work on inexpensive hobbies
- Never have debt (car payments, credit cards): it's just like throwing away money... other than on a mortgage

I donate more than I pay for anything else each month other than rent. Hopefully I can save up and make a hefty downpayment on a house soon and stop throwing money away for rent!

I usually have plenty of free cash in case I'm bored and want a bike or a piano or something.
 
FelixDeCat

FelixDeCat

Lifer
Aug 4, 2000
31,011
2,682
126
Take the spare tire out of your car. It weights about 25 lbs depending on size. You can also lose the jack and other tools. Gas mileage went up 10%+

I have a can of fix a flat and a zero deductable towing rider on my car policy. It costs $4 every six months.
 
lokiju

lokiju

Lifer
May 29, 2003
18,526
5
0
I already am as frugal as I can stand to be.

I don't splurge on pretty much anything.
 
WaTaGuMp

WaTaGuMp

Lifer
May 10, 2001
21,207
2,506
126
Why are you people taking my hooker comment? Are you trying to be cool like me :cool: or really cutting back on them? ;)
 
BassBomb

BassBomb

Diamond Member
Nov 25, 2005
8,390
1
81
Originally posted by: CRXican
don't spend it
Click to expand...

Its crazy that its so simple but this is the truth. The less you spend on things (regardless of what they are) will add up in the long run.
I don't eat out for that reason (maybe once every 2 weeks). Don't buy overpriced food that you don't need to eat at home.
I need to stop thinking about buying all these things I want for my car and save more.
Drive less when you don't need to. Cut back on cellphone bills or home phone. Cut back on TV bills (most you can get on the internet).




 
halik

halik

Lifer
Oct 10, 2000
25,696
1
81
Originally posted by: bobsmith1492
- Eat 1x a day (half a box of spaghetti is good), meat from dad (he kills a lot of deer each year!) or hunting on my own
- Walk to work and don't drive anywhere else (~40-50/month in gas total and I only get 20MPG)
- No internet (use it at work as necessary)
- Family plan for phone (or none would be fine by me)
- Cheap apartment (375/month now) -> eventually foreclosed house
- Play computer games in free time or work on inexpensive hobbies
- Never have debt (car payments, credit cards): it's just like throwing away money... other than on a mortgage

I donate more than I pay for anything else each month other than rent. Hopefully I can save up and make a hefty downpayment on a house soon and stop throwing money away for rent!

I usually have plenty of free cash in case I'm bored and want a bike or a piano or something.
Click to expand...

Wrong-o, if the interest rate on the debt is less than what you can get on savings, you should carry debt.

My last car I financed at 4.5% while i was geting 5.05% on my savings account.
 
B

BRObedoza

Diamond Member
Apr 16, 2004
4,133
0
76
Originally posted by: Deeko
-If you're going out to the bar, "pregame" at home first. That way you spend less money at the bar.
Click to expand...
this has saved me a ton of cash
 
S

Special K

Diamond Member
Jun 18, 2000
7,098
0
76
Originally posted by: halik
Originally posted by: bobsmith1492
- Eat 1x a day (half a box of spaghetti is good), meat from dad (he kills a lot of deer each year!) or hunting on my own
- Walk to work and don't drive anywhere else (~40-50/month in gas total and I only get 20MPG)
- No internet (use it at work as necessary)
- Family plan for phone (or none would be fine by me)
- Cheap apartment (375/month now) -> eventually foreclosed house
- Play computer games in free time or work on inexpensive hobbies
- Never have debt (car payments, credit cards): it's just like throwing away money... other than on a mortgage

I donate more than I pay for anything else each month other than rent. Hopefully I can save up and make a hefty downpayment on a house soon and stop throwing money away for rent!

I usually have plenty of free cash in case I'm bored and want a bike or a piano or something.
Click to expand...

Wrong-o, if the interest rate on the debt is less than what you can get on savings, you should carry debt.

My last car I financed at 4.5% while i was geting 5.05% on my savings account.
Click to expand...

Don't forget taxes. I don't know of any savings account that ever paid 5% after taxes.
 
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