How to Save Money on a Tight Budget

Living with a tight budget is tough, especially when you are on a fixed income. You are constantly looking for ways to save, to cut down, and to fit in with your already crunched numbers. Here are five areas that you should look into to save money.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Internet Connection
• Newspaper
• Call around for different prices
• Calculator

1. Entertainment saving--If you have children, taking them out just once a week, can empty your pocket very fast.
   
   Sign up with Blockbuster or Netflix to keep your family entertain for a fraction of the cost at the theater.
   
   Blockbuster is currently offered a program where you can either rent a movie or game, unlimited! (I don't work for Blockbuster! I just find this a really good chance to save money.)
   
   Sign up with Chuck-E-Cheese to get discount coupons for when you need to escape bad weather, or just to change your outing routine.

2. Gas saving--Before fill up that costly tank of gas, check out prices at GasBuddy.com.
   
   You should also mapped out your route to stretch your gasoline usage.

3. Television, phone, and internet saving--Use your calculator and add up these expenses, and compare prices with different offers from other companies.
   
   Ask yourself if you really need that services such as caller ID, call waiting, or call forwarding? Cut out these service if you must keep a house phone to the bare minimum.
   
   The same thing can apply to your television cable. Do you really need all of those extra channels? How many hours a day do you actually planning on watching the TV?
   
   In these area alone, you can save lot of money by cutting them out!

4. Shopping saving--Go for the clearance rake first in all your favorite stores. Shop for those seasonal sales, end of the season items.
   
   There is no shame in making your money works for you! You can buy designers name brand for cheap.
   
   For shoes, shop at Famous Footwear, and sign up for a free reward program. You will get an offer of $10 dollars off every few months.

5. Groceries savings--Cut out coupons and shop at stores that offer double-coupon off.
   
   If you purchase items that are already on sale, and they double your coupons, you can save even more.

Tips & Warnings

• Remember to bring your coupons when you go out shopping
• Check on the internet for printing out coupons
• Call around for cheaper prices on internet, phone, and cable service combo

Resources

• Living Frugal: Five Areas to Save

[smartmoneygrrrl]

on 3/30/2009 Great job! 5*

[cwengre]

on 3/18/2009 Very sensible money saving solutions.

[cheapcindy]

on 11/10/2008 Thanks for the tips - I didn't know about the Famous Footwear reward program.

[HardworkinJudy]

on 8/10/2008 Icy, great tips, and we all need them! I had a problem with your rating system, as I ran the cursor over your stars I could only get one to light up.