Things You'll Need:
- Perseverance
- Dedication
- Willpower
- Notebook
- Savings account
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Step 1
Adjust you to the temperature of the house and not vice versa. Utility companies say we can save hundreds of dollars a year by turning down the heat or turning off the air conditioner for awhile. So dress according to the temperature. Wear a sweater in the morning chill or a tank top to sleep in. Add a live plant to your sunniest room. Research says it will not only clean the air in the house, but also help cool those hot rooms on sunny days.
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Step 2
Make a Christmas list now and pick up presents all year long. Many people splurge at Christmas and spend money, or use credit cards, that they cannot afford. Plan to save by deciding now how much to spend on people and buying items through the year when they are on sale. Just me sure to keep everything in one place, so you don’t forget that you have gifts when the holiday season comes. This works for birthdays and other holidays too. Shop when stores are going out of business or at thrift and second hand shops which have new, but reduced cost merchandise.
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Step 3
Become a yard sale guru. Almost every community has a neighborhood that has stellar yard sales. Last weekend, I bought a pair of New Balance shoes for 50 cents at a local yard sale. Keep a list of sizes for your immediate family with you and hit sales early for the best stuff or late in the day for the best deals. Yard sales can also produce great gifts as people get rid of gifts they received and never used. I have bought full sets of glassware, clothes new with the tags and dozens of other gifts at yard sales. It’s also a safe bet that with a tight economy, more people will be having sales to try to make some money.
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Step 4
Learn to cook and then do it. The average fast food meal is now about $6 in my neighborhood and even more in some parts of the country. For that same $6, I can buy a pound of flat iron steak and a box of instant mashed potatoes, substituting steak and mashed potatoes for a burger and fries. And the cooked food will feed at least three people or one person for several meals. If you hate leftovers like I do, plan cuts of meat that you can use for many purposes, like using leftover steak for burritos the next day. Better yet, make a deal with a thrifty friend to feed her (or her family) one day and have her return the favor later in the week.
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Step 5
Reduce your dependence on stuff. Do you really need to buy the latest DVDs or can you spend the cost of one DVD purchase on a monthly subscription to Netflix? Will you read that book again or can you check it out from the library? Sure, they’re cute, but do you really need a fourth pair of black pumps? Many of us buy stuff to give us a pick me up or a personal reward. When you actually need something, buy quality even if it costs more, so that you don’t have to buy it again in just a few weeks. If you don’t need it, instead of buying something, put the money you would spend on the new shoes in a savings account. Make your savings goals reasonable at first, say $15 to $20 even and then move up as you get better at the savings game. Reward yourself with something nice, that doesn’t have to cost you money, when you hit your savings goals. Rewards to consider might include an afternoon stroll in the park, a hot bubble bath or an evening curled up with your favorite library book.
Comments
kkemp said
on 12/22/2008 Great article!
LindsayM said
on 12/4/2008 Awesome tips! I especially like #1, we definitely do that one.
sunnflr said
on 8/23/2008 Great tips. We do some of these ourselves.