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what's your trick for saving money now?

Posted: Dec 21, 2009

Just wondering what each person is doing now to save money?

I personally am still spending every penny I earn at the moment trying to pay bills - but, I have more to pay because I am clipping coupons and using them when things are on sale at a really cheap deal...

We have also started recycling plastic, paper, and cardboard as we pay by the pound to dispose of our garbage and recycleables are free if you separate them out yourself.

Any more ideas?

;

Really hate to say this but probably could not save money if my - Lynn

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life depended on it. I went to a palm reader years ago, not even in my state, never had seen and she told me that water ran right through my fingers like water. How she knew that I have no idea. Was wearing regular clothes, no big diamonds, etc. but she was absolutely right on. I have never regularly given to IRA. I bought stock some years ago but sold that. I think it is great if you can do, I have some put away but it was not saved money. I admire people who are able to keep all their ducks in a row. I do not even balance my checkbook. I am bad when it comes to money issues.

Lynn - Maddy

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On payday, just like paying a bill, I send $50 to $100 dollars out of each and every paycheck to a savings account. It works for me, out of site, out of mind.

I clip coupons, shop on sales days, double coupon days, send for free samples of ANYTHING I can find. I use the green bags, my grocery store takes off 10 cents for each green bag I have. (used 10 bags yesterday, saved a dollar,PLUS my double coupons: saved 15.80 off my bill)

I have my utilities set up on those plans where they average out your last years bills and you pay a set amount every month (such as gas, even in the cold months I'm only paying 32.50 a mo. instead of 120+)

Cancelled all the "extra" services on the phone, caller ID, call waiting, yadda yadda yadda and got the least expensive internet service that provided the basics I needed to work, phone and internet: 39 a month. Have a no frills cell phone plan.

Cold water wash for laundry, line dry as much as I can, home made/natural cleaning products... stuff like that. I'm all about saving.

You know it also depends on where you live as far as savings - Lynn

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I live in a huge city, my aunt lived in a much smaller one. I was blown away by the fact when we compared how much we paid for things like telephone service, both basic and cable, basic again, her's were 3 times less than mine. Remember her telephone service was around $17.00 a month and mine around $40.00- both basic now and both from same company AT&T, different towns though. I do have the bills on bill pay and this is what I pay on year around basis, $170.00 for electricity and $66.00 for gas so that comes to $236.00 a month just for those 2. I also use cold water for the laundry, read somewhere you could get clothes just as clean and less money that way. It really makes a lot of difference, money wise, on where you live because I have not only compared my aunt's bills with mine but also my father's both of them living in a much smaller place and state from me.

Vegetable garden & fruit trees. Freeze, freeze, freeze - no message

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x

Wow! I admire you very much. - Nikki

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Would you mind either emailing me or posting the name of your internet provider? Is this dial-up service or DSL or cable? I'd be very grateful. :-)

I was pretty good at saving money when I had an - inhouse job that didnt cheat the MTs - sm

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but nowadays there's barely enough money to buy necessities like food, rent, gasoline and utilities. And sometimes not even enough for that. For about 5 years there hasn't been enough to put in savings or 401K. I stopped even looking at my 401K statements anymore after the last stock market crash, when 50% of it was wiped out. I'm sure by now there's nothing left. Oh well, doesn't matter, I guess. It's not *real* money anyway.

re- sm - Carrot top

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Focus SM! You didn't offer any suggestions or tips, just complained (again...)

Lynn: I eliminated the extra cable boxes in the bedrooms (two extra boxes was 20 bucks a month!) IF they want to watch cable, do it in the family room.

We don't have a house phone anymore since we use cell phones now, that was 89 a month. Basic no frills internet, 19.99 a month.

Coupons,coupons, coupons for shopping, and farmers markets. First thing I look for is the fresh meat when I hit the grocery store, they mark it way down as it gets closer to the "freshness day". I sometimes get perfectly good meat for half price! (hubby calls it "used meat")

Recycle and reuse what you can. We keep the plastic containers like cottage cheese, creme cheese and reuse for storage.

In our family we "trade" between each other (I don't like lima beans, give the lima beans to sis. she has too many onions, i need onions...)

Buy in bulk. Freeze leftovers. Try generics!

We stopped eating out as often as we used to, now it's a once or twice a month treat.

It all really adds up. Be inventive and have fun. Frugal is fun!

That's okay. Someone will rush in and take care of you when you run out of money. :) (sm) - MT1

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Seriously though, I was the same way back in the day. Never gave a serious thought to savings. But now I wish I would have. When I think of the money I threw away or wasted or missed a chance to save, it really is sad. They say if you put even $100 a month away in your early 20's, it would amount to a very nice amount by the time you are in your 50's or 60's. Take my advice and start thinking differently. Have a little money taken out of your paycheck and forget about it. Soon you won't even miss it. Learn from my mistake!!

I unplug everything when not using it, - besides fridge and stove.

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I even unplug the washer, dry and microwave. I have trained my teens to unplug their TV, cell phone and computers as well. As soon as I am done with work, the computer gets unplugged as well. I use my laptop for chatting on the board and only plug it in to charge it.

This really has saved me a lot of money. I do not use plug in alarm clocks either. I use battery operated! It is hard to get used to at first, but only takes seconds and becomes an easy routine.

I also keep my heat at 66. I know that sounds really low, but I made fleece blankes for everyone and if your cold, cover up. I tell my kids to stand outside for 15 minutes and it will feel warm in here after that.

Lordy, lady aint no way I am going to do all that unplugging - SuzieQ

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My cords for most all those things listed such as washer, dryer, microwave and the like out of sight behind the various household items. I would be lying up in bed for the rest of this year and next trying to recover from all that bending and pulling. I turn my heat down at night to about 61 or 62 and do keep it around 65 or 66 in the day. Most of days sitting in my office with space heater on right at the chair so home alone keep comfy. I have the set themselves clocks, 2 in home, just too much into the time. Battery would be ok, just do not have.

You could take it a step further and - use candles.

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instead of lights at night. We have done that once or twice.

I save aluminum cans and cash them in at the - recycling center near the market.

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If I have a big bag full of crushed cans (more fit in that way), I can usually get between $7 and $9.

When you buy something, DON'T shell out the extra $$ for warranties. When I replaced the tires on my car this fall, Sears wanted to sell me an expensive "road hazard" warranty. (Per tire!) Yes, things happen. You can run over a nail or a screw and get a flat. But rarely to ALL FOUR tires go flat, (unless maybe you happened to be running from the cops and hit a spike-strip!) One tire did develop a slow leak this month due to not being seated quite right on the rim. he road hazard warranty for that tire would've cost about $75. The testing & re-seating only cost about $14.

I only shop twice a month - on paydays. Not making frequent trips to the market not only saves gas, but helps to prevent a lot of impulse-buying!

saving money - KYMT

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I save up errands and do them all at one trip. We live 17 miles from town, and I have a gas-slurping SUV, so it really helps to cut down on trips.

I don't go to the store until I HAVE to, and then I - sm

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make a list and STICK TO THE LIST. I have a problem grabbing what looks good & throwing it in the basket, and that adds up fast.

Shop with a list...... - Allysgrandma

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avoid shopping. Go over every bill and see if there is a way to reduce them, like bundling phone/internet.

Raise deductible on car insurance.

Do not eat out, pack my lunch every day. Lose weight so I can wear ALL my clothes and not buy new ones.

Thermostat down, sweatshirt on.

Do not buy books, use the library.

Make a menu plan.

frugality - work

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I don't buy anything I can make homemade....and turns out you can make nearly anything homemade!

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