24 Ways to Pinch Pennies and Save Dollars
by Bev Grey
With the economy getting worse every day and many people unemployed or fearful
of losing their jobs, it is more important than ever to stretch your available
dollars as far as possible. Use the savings to update your skills or improve
your resume. Here are some suggestions for savings:
1. Shop with a list. I know you've heard this one before, but it does make a
difference. Without a list, you may go down every aisle in the supermarket and
pick up things you might otherwise do without.
2. Shop without the kids. Kids usually want the junk foods they've seen on TV,
or a cheap toy that will end up on the floor 30 minutes after you leave the
store. If you are a single parent and don't have family close by to watch the
kids, work out an arrangement with another single parent to watch each other's
kids for an hour or two each week while you shop and run errands.
3. Save fuel, time, and wasted food by making one-dish meals whenever possible.
Get out the crockpot and put it to good use making stew, chili, or other meat
and vegetable combinations. Do a web search under "recipes" and then "one dish
meals" and see what you can find. Double the recipe and put half in the freezer
for another meal, or trade with a friend or neighbor so that each of you will
have one meal you won't have to cook. One of my favorite recipe sites is
www.recipesource.com where you can find recipes from many different ethnic
groups.
4. Get free stuff whenever possible. Go to www.freecycle.org and find your city,
then register to join. Freecycle is a website where people give away things they
no longer need or request things they want. I've personally given away perennial
plants, ceramic tile, an electric foot bath, and a room air purifier. I've
requested large tablecloths for 6 foot tables and packing peanuts and received
offers of both. Most people who are giving stuff away will put it on the front
porch for you and just give you their address to pick it up. People give away
everything from unopened food to beds, pianos, building materials, riding lawn
mowers, and other large items.
5. Stay away from the mall unless you really need to purchase something. If you
go just to window shop, you're sure to find something you just can't live
without. If you must go, make a list of what you need to buy, then decide what
stores might have what you want. Go in, make your purchases, then leave.
6. The poor economy is causing many retail stores to go out of business, and
they often have great deals just to get rid of their merchandise. Just make sure
you shop with a list so that you don't end up buying things that will just sit
in your closets or pantry for months.
7.Return stuff you don't need. Anything in your closet that still has the price
tag on it after a reasonable time probably doesn't excite you that much, so
return it. If it is too late for the store to take it back, take it to a
consignment shop or sell it on E-bay.
8. Trade kids' clothes with friends, especially baby clothes. Most babies and
toddlers outgrow their clothes before they wear them out, so pass them on to a
friend whose kids are just a little younger than yours, and ask friends to do
the same for you. If this isn't an option for you and you live in a small town
that has lots of garage sales, read the ads and look for mention of children's
clothes (don't waste gasoline and time going to every garage sale in your town,
but neighborhood sales can be great because you can just park your car and cover
several houses). I've purchased baby or toddler clothes with designer labels for
my grandchildren for as little as a dollar.
9. Buy generic formula and diapers. My daughter purchased both from a discount
store and found them as good as name brand. Potty train your toddler as soon as
they show signs of understanding the need for a fresh diaper. If you are a new
parent and don't know how to potty train, ask an experienced mother (or your own
mom or grandma) how they did it. I don't recommend pull-ups either (except at
night) since the child needs to experience the feeling of being really wet to
want to use the toilet.
10. Bargain with stores on everything. Many large stores and most family-owned
businesses will reduce the price on furniture, appliances, and carpet if you
ask. Tell them you are shopping for the best price and ask for their low dollar.
Farmer's markets may reduce the price of their produce at the end of the day
rather than have to pack it all up and take it home. Make an offer and see what
happens.
11. If you make a purchase and see the same item on sale a couple of days later,
call the store and see if they will refund the price difference. Many will do so
within 10 days of the sale if you have your receipt.
12.Shop at one of the stores where everything costs a dollar or less. I buy
greeting cards (2 for $1.00), generic over-the-counter medicines (which by law
are required to have the exact same ingredients in the same amounts as name
brand), trash bags, toiletries, food items, party supplies, and much more at my
local Dollar Tree.
13. Stop buying lottery tickets, or just buy one. It only takes one to win, and
your chances of winning are one-in-a-zillion anyway!
14. Avoid excessive use of ATM machines, especially if they charge a fee for
transactions. Go to the bank and take out enough cash to last you until your
next paycheck, then put most of it away in a safe place and only carry enough
with you to cover the items you plan to purchase. Many banks now charge $ .75 if
you use your debit card as a debit card, but nothing if you use it as a credit
card. Check with your bank to see if they charge and ask them how to use the
card as a credit card.
15. Pay bills online as long as there is no fee. My local water company offers
online bill pay for $2.50 per transaction. No way!!! I'll buy a stamp instead!
16. Save on your electric bill by turning off and unplugging computers and other
electronic equipment at night, doing only full loads of laundry and dishes, and
watching less TV. Turn off lights if you will be out of the room for more than
10 minutes.
17. Check with your family doctor to see if you can e-mail simple questions
instead of coming in for a visit. Many health insurance companies and some
hospitals offer free "call a nurse" service also, and you may be able to avoid
an expensive doctor's visit by speaking to a health professional over the phone.
18. Avoid getting colds, flu and other illnesses by washing your hands
thoroughly and teaching your children to wash. They should use lots of soap and
scrub as long as it takes to sing one verse of "Old MacDonald Had a Farm" or
"The Happy Birthday Song". Carry a small bottle of hand sanitizer in your pocket
or purse to use in public places that don't have soap available.
19. If your doctor prescribes new medicine, ask for samples. If she has no
samples, ask for the least expensive medicine that will fix the problem. Many
stores such as Wal-mart, Meijer, and other discount stores will either give you
a 30-day supply of many common drugs FREE or charge $4.00 for them. Sam's Club
also has inexpensive drugs, and you don't have to be a member to purchase from
their pharmacy.
20. Avoid drive-up windows at banks, fast food restaurants, and pharmacies
unless there is no line or just one car ahead of you. You can waste a lot of
gasoline sitting in line for 15 or 20 minutes.
21. Slow down and drive the speed limit. Speeding just burns extra gasoline, and
if your speeding results in an accident your insurance rates may go up too! Not
only that, but if you get caught, speeding tickets are expensive!
22. Start a dollar-bill savings. I heard this suggestion on a radio talk show (I
think it was Neal Boortz) and I've been doing it for a couple of weeks now. The
way it works is - you don't spend dollar bills. Every night when you come home,
take all dollar bills out of your pocket or purse and put them in a special jar
or other safe place. If you have to break a $5, $10, or $20 bill you are less
likely to buy that candy bar, cup of coffee, magazine, or other small purchase.
At the end of the month, check to see how many dollars you've saved. You may be
amazed at the result!
23. If you need to buy a new or used car, wait until the last day of the month
to visit the car dealership. The salesmen usually have a quota they must meet in
order to get their monthly bonus, and they will be more likely to make a deal
that will benefit both of you (my husband sold cars for many years, and this was
his suggestion!)
24. Give the gift of your time and talents. Older people on fixed incomes often
have difficulty finding someone to do the odd jobs around the house that they
are no longer able to do, such as cleaning gutters, painting, changing light
bulbs or other chores that require climbing a ladder, etc. Giving them a gift
certificate good for a certain number of hours of your time, or a specific job
such as painting a room will be more appreciated than another shirt or sweater
that will end up unopened or unused.
Someone living alone would love to have a certificate for 5 home-cooked meals,
since it is hard to cook for just one person. Friends or relatives with babies
or young children would be delighted with a certificate for several hours of
free babysitting.
Just by changing your personal habits, you can stretch your dollars to cover the
rising costs of just about everything! Use the savings to update your skills or
resume.
Bev Grey may be contacted at
http://www.advantageresumes.net
info@advantageresumes.net
http://www.nancyskitchen.com
