51. CARPOOL
52. TRENDY FASHION
53. FREE ENTERTAINMENT
54. TELEPHONE / MOBILE PHONE
55. HOME REMEDIES
56. PAY ON TIME
57. INSULATION
58. CANCEL SUBSCRIPTIONS
59. CONSOLIDATE YOUR ERRANDS
60. SELL YOUR STUFF
61. TURN YOUR HOBBY INTO MONEY
62. RECYCLE
63. HEATING AND COOLING
64. SHOP ONLINE
65. CONSIGNMENT SHOPS
66. SELLING YOUR HOME
67. STAY OUT OF THE MALLS
68. CAR SHOPPING
69. CHECK RECEIPTS AND STATEMENTS
70. CHALLENGE THE DOCTOR/HOSPITAL
51. Carpool
In some larger cities, carpooling is required in order to reduce
smog. However, regardless of where you live, carpooling can also
be a big money saver. Check with co-workers and determine who
lives close enough to share a ride. By the end of the year, you
will have saved several hundreds of dollars.
Most people only think of the savings in petrol however there is
big savings from the wear and tear of your car as well so
therefore saving on maintenance costs and new tyres.
52. Trendy Fashion
Most people love to dress in the most up-to-date fashion but for
those fashions, you pay big bucks. Consider dressing with basics
and then emphasis them with trendy accessories. This will save
you money on the clothing that is less expensive while allowing
you to dress it up.
53. Free Entertainment
If you are tired of being bored, you will be pleased to learn that
there are hundreds of things to do that do not cost a dime. For
example, if you want a little Friday or Saturday night excitement,
sign up at your local police department for a “ride-a-long” where
you can go on duty with an officer as they respond to real calls.
Community colleges are always offering free exercise classes, or
coffee shops have poetry readings.
Entertainment and having fun does not have to cost anything.
Some cities have special areas that are popular on the weekends
where you can find free concerts. Check your local paper and
college to get a list for your area.
54. Telephone / Mobile Phone
First, shop around for the best deals. Second, stay away from all
the fun bells and whistles and just stick with the basic plan. Some
people have turned to shutting down their home telephone and
are now using their mobile phones in place.
Since most wireless carriers offer free long-distance, call waiting,
call forwarding, caller ID, voicemail, and more, it can do the same
as a regular phone but for less. Why have two phones when you
can have just one?
Most people stick with their current telephone carrier despite the
fact they cost much more then some of the alternatives.
A good place to see how much you can be saving on telephone
calls is here
55. Home Remedies
Before rushing off to see the doctor for a sore throat, try some
home remedies or over the counter drugs instead. For a sore
throat, butter mixed with ginger and sugar makes a soothing
healing pate. A hot toddy before bed is great for a cold. Simply
ask your family for their home remedies and try it. Sometimes a
simple over the counter medication or herb will do the trick
without costing you an expensive doctor’s office visit.
56. Pay on Time
For every payment you pay late, you are charged a late fee, which
can range from $25 to $50 or more depending on the company.
Therefore, if you just made a $50 payment but it was paid late,
nothing was paid toward the debt. Instead, the entire $50 went
toward an unnecessary fee. To avoid spending unnecessary
money, be sure you mail your check in time to avoid these fees.
57. Insulation
Hundreds of dollars are wasted every year from the average home
due to improper insulation. Make sure there are no drafts coming
from your window, door, or fireplace. Ensure your home has the
appropriate level of insulation, which will make a HUGE difference
in your utility bill.
58. Cancel Subscriptions
It is always fun getting your favorite magazine or book in the mail
but you should cancel them or at least most of them. If you have
several subscriptions, choose one or two to keep and cancel the
rest.
59. Consolidate your Errands
To save gas, organize your day of errands so you get as much
done in an organized manner as possible. Stay in the same
geographical area and hit as many of your errands in that area as
possible to avoid excessive driving.
60. Sell your Stuff
Go through your house and pull together all the items you no
longer use. These can include small or large appliances,
gardening tools, clothing, makeup, and sporting equipment,
whatever you have, and then list them on eBay
Take the money earned from these sales and put it in your
savings account not to be touched.
61. Turn your Hobby into Money
Everyone has a skill – find yours and turn it into money. For
example, if you have a skill for woodworking, start creating
children’s toys, or curio cabinets to sell. Perhaps you are
computer savvy and could teach a class at your local community
college. Find something you enjoy and sell it.
62. Recycle
Try a different type of recycling that will save you money. Have
you ever received a nice gift that you like from someone but will
never use? Rather than take it back to the store for an exchange,
consider keeping it to give as a gift to someone else.
Another way to recycle is to look around your home. There are
always things right in your home that can be used to make nice
gift baskets – things you never use.
For example, the next time you purchase shower gel where you
buy one and get one free, keep one for yourself and set the other
one aside for future gift giving. You will find hundreds of ideas so
be creative and consider things you purchased but have never
used.
63. Heating and Cooling
Make sure vents in rooms not being used or the garage are
closed. Many people tend to try to heat and cool the entire home.
Instead, take the time to close off areas that you are not using.
You will save substantial money on your utilities.
64. Shop Online
Many online businesses offer great bargains and in some cases,
free shipping. Since the Internet is such a competitive market,
you can usually find fantastic deals. In addition, many of your
favorite businesses where you shop in person have websites that
offer even greater savings.
Bookstores such as Amazon.com will sell books up to 70% off the
original price. Overstock.com is another online business that sells
closeout items for fantastic bargains.
65. Consignment Shops
Rather than throw out or sell slightly worn clothing or other
household items in a garage sale, consider selling them through a
consignment shop. You will get a better price for your items and
consignment shops are always looking for quality merchandise.
Check out Half.com, which is an online consignment shop offering
books, movies, computer software, and much more in either new
or used condition.
66. Selling your Home
If considering putting your home on the market, make sure you
work with a reputable realtor. A good realtor versus one that is
not as experienced can be the difference of thousands of dollars.
A good realtor will know exactly what you need to do to your
home to get it in the best selling condition, which in turn will get
you more money. In addition, experienced realtors know all the
best methods for advertising and selling your home while saving
you the most money.
67. Stay out of the Malls
If possible, stay away from shopping malls. High-dollar shopping
malls have expensive overhead and are designed to sell, sell, sell.
Prices are generally higher and in most cases, people walk out
with more than they anticipated buying.
It is better to shop at stand-alone shops or on the Internet.
68. Car Shopping
Shop around for the best price. While you may have your eye on
that “perfect” car and want it now, by waiting and looking around,
you could be saving yourself a lot of money. In addition, check
out other states.
If you live within a few hours drive from other cities, check out the
price difference. The five hours it takes to drive may be worth the
money saved.
69. Check Receipts and Statements
If you were to check your grocery or store receipt, approximately
50% of the time you would find an overcharge. This happens all
the time and in some cases, the charge can be substantial.
The same is true for credit card statements, bank statements,
phone bills, etc. Check the detail because it is quite common to
find errors.
These mistakes can easily be corrected simply by asking and
providing a copy of the receipt or statement.
70. Challenge the Doctor/Hospital
If you have stayed in the hospital recently, you know the
outrageous charges associated with every thing used. While you
could buy a box of bandages for a small cut in the drug store for
$5.00, at the hospital, they will charge you $10 for one bandage.
While the government and insurance companies are cracking
down on these charges, you should check things closely and
challenge anything that is ridiculously priced.
The same is true for your doctor. One woman having a
hysterectomy was asked by her doctor if she wanted her appendix
removed at the same time.
The patient thought it was a good idea and agreed. However,
after the surgery when the bill came, there was an additional
$1,200 for the removal of the appendix although the doctor never
mentioned an extra charge.
The woman called her doctor to discuss and the doctor removed
the charge. If something seems way out of balance, question it.
Something else that most people do not know about is what is
called “professional courtesy.” If you are having financial
difficulties, you can ask your doctor if they will write off any
balance owed as a professional courtesy.
Many will and if not the full amount, at least some.
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