How to Save Money Like a Poor Person

Tired of articles about how to save money that include useless advice, such as giving up your monthly pedicure and eating out less often? If you're looking for real advice on how to save money, even if you think you're already living as poorly as you can, this article will help!

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. 
   Use common sense to save money on energy bills.

   Energy audits are typically no longer offered for free. So, use common sense to save energy. Put plastic over the windows in the winter or use removable foam weather stripping around the edges. Use a draft guard or a rolled up towel on the floor by each outside door to cut down on drafts in order to save money on heating bills.

2. How often are you told to adjust your thermostat to save energy? If no one is in the house during the day, turn the air conditioning off during all but the hottest weeks. In winter, turn the thermostat WAY down when the home is empty. The few extra minutes it runs when you get home to get warm is nothing compared to running it for eight or nine hours during the day when the home is empty.

3. In some cases, a space heater is more economical than the furnace and can help you to save money. If you're just sitting in your living room in the evening, running a space heater can keep you warm enough. Be careful to keep the kids away and don't keep your house so cold that the pipes freeze, but consider why you're heating all your rooms when you're in just one!

4. Energy consumption also comes from appliances and hot water use. You've probably been told many times to run the dishwasher only when it's full, but do you do this? What about the washing machine - do you wait until you have a full load or do you often wash just a few things at a time? Cut down on showering time; have the kids do the same. Use a kitchen timer so they can know their limits and pace themselves accordingly.

5. 
   You can save money on gas if you get organized with errands.

   Get organized with errands! Make a list of all the errands you'll need to do this week and do them while on your way home from work. You'll save on single trips during the weekend, or from going out again at night, which will cut down on gas consumption. Even saving half a tank of gas in a month will add up over the course of a year. You can save money just a little bit at a time!

6. Where and when can you carpool? Do you go to church regularly? Hook up with another person or family and take turns driving each week. Do you and a friend shop at the same supermarket each week? Why not go together and trade off driving? If you drive your children to school every day, carpool with another neighbor and trade weeks. This way everyone can save money!

7. 
   Save money during mealtime by fillling up on vegetables.

   Now is the time to get creative with cooking and meals. Cut out meat as much as possible and have stuffed peppers or pasta dishes. Make meatless chili or vegetable stew; freeze individual portions so they're ready to go and you'll be less likely to hit the drive-through on your way home from work if you're too tired to cook. Fill up on steamed vegetables or sauteed onions and mushrooms during dinner.

8. 
   To really save money, track where it's all going!

   And the absolute best thing you can do to save money is to start keeping track of where your money is going! Write down every penny and make a spreadsheet at the end of every month. Once you see how much you're spending on cell phone calls or trips to the drive-through or gas, you'll be more motivated to make even small changes.

[SarahElizabeth]

on 11/12/2009 Excellent article! I can use all the tips I can get. :) 5*