Posts: 1
Joined: 21 Feb 2018
Location: United States
8 simple ways to save money
Use only the ATMs of your bank or credit union. Using the ATM of another financial institution once a week might seem like no big deal, but if it's costing you $3 for each withdrawal, that's more than $150 over the course of a year.
Take advantage of your library. More and more libraries are offering e-books, so you don't even need to visit in person. Many libraries are also part of an intra-library loan system where you can borrow anything you want, but that they don't have, for a minimal shipping charge. Just ask. And some libraries allow you to borrow things like tools and sewing machines.
Create a family spending limit on gifts. Discuss placing spending limits on gifts within your family and/or a system where you only purchase one gift for one person over the holidays. These limits tend to reduce expenditures and be greatly appreciated by family members with less financial flexibility.
Designate one day a week a "no spend day." Reserve one night a week for free family fun. Cook at home, and plan out free activities such as game night, watching a movie, or going to the park.
Commit to eating out one fewer time each month. Save money without sacrificing your lifestyle by taking small steps to reduce your dining budget. Start off with reducing the amount you eat out by just once per month.
Use less water. Install low-flow showerheads and faucet aerators to reduce your water usage and water costs.
Invest in car maintenance. Keeping your car engine tuned and its tires inflated to their proper pressure saves money in the long run. Doing both can save you up to $100 a year in gas.
Calculate purchases by hours worked instead of cost. Take the amount of the item you're considering purchasing and divide it by your hourly wage. If it’s a $50 pair of shoes and you make $10 an hour, ask yourself if those shoes are really worth five long hours of work.
Wed Feb 21, 2018 6:33 am
alexfisher50 Member
Cash: $ 2.25
Posts: 11
Joined: 25 Jan 2018
Location: USA
Find free ways to enjoy yourself
Figure out where the biggest parks are in your city and commit to exploring one every weekend of the summer. Borrow books, comics and movies from the library. Dig out your old deck of playing cards and learn some new games. If you’re willing to creative you’re sure to find something fun to do without spending a single dollar.
Learn how to do simple repairs yourself
Spend a few hours on Youtube studying tutorials of how to do simple repairs on your house and car yourself. Even learning how to do basic repairs can save you hundreds of dollars when something breaks down.
Make some extra money
Depending on your skillset and how many commitments you already have taking up your time this may be the easiest item on the list or it may be the most difficult. There are dozens of ways you can make money on the side, from odd jobs to selling your creative work to starting a consulting business. Take some time to list all of your skills and all the potential ways you can use them to make money. You may not want to do any of them, but you may be pleasantly surprised at what you think up.[/b]
