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Money Saving Tips

Expensive Habits To Break in 2010

If you take a close look at your current lifestyle, there are likely one or two habits that you have developed that have cost you a lot of money over the years. My challenge to you is to work towards breaking those expensive habits this year so that you can use that money for bigger and better things such as saving for your future, doing some home renovations, or taking a much-needed vacation.

I’ve listed below just a few of the many expensive habits out there. I’m sure you could come up with more of your own that you need to challenge yourself to overcome.

1. Unused gym memberships – There’s certainly nothing wrong with paying for a gym membership if you actually go to the gym regularly and make good use of it. Unfortunately, however, a lot of people don’t use the gym enough to merit paying for a membership. If you’re one of those people, I recommend canceling your membership and getting exercise by some other method such as jogging with a friend or family member regularly.

2. Specialty coffees – If you find yourself stopping at Starbucks every morning for your favorite specialty coffee, consider buying the mix and making a cup at home. You can bring it to work in a mug or thermos for a fraction of the cost.

3. Buying lunch everyday – Rather than throwing away your hard-earned money day after day by buying lunch at your work cafeteria, get into the habit of bringing your own lunch to work using leftovers from the night before.

February 27, 2010

Money Saving Tips

Stay Connected & Save Money With Skype

If you have loved ones that live far from home and talking on the phone just doesn’t cut it, I recommend using Skype. It’s a free software that you can download onto your computer that is free, easy to use, and the best part is that you can even see an image of your loved one while you chat. It’s like sitting across the table from the person you are chatting with; It really is the next best thing to seeing them in person.

Skype has been around since 2003 and since then many people from around the world have taken advantage of it. Skype can be used as long as both parties have a high-speed Internet connection. Although you have to pay for Internet, Skype itself is free. It sure beats having to pay outrageously expensive phone bills to talk to friends and family living overseas or even outside of your city.

February 19, 2010

Household

11 Ways To Save Money In the Kitchen

There are many ways you can save money in your kitchen. Here is a list of just a few of them to get you started:

1. Clean out your refrigerator and freezer regularly so you know what’s in there. You will be less likely to waste food and you will know what you truly need to buy the next time you grocery shop.

2. Use a slow cooker instead of your oven whenever possible. They use less energy and won’t heat up your home in the summer.

3. When using your oven, instead of opening the oven door to check on your baking, use the oven light so you don’t waste extra energy.

4. When cooking soups, etc. on the stove, use lids to preserve the heat. Your food will cook faster and less heat will have a chance to escape.

5. A simple way to save money and help the environment is to get into the habit of using small plastic or glass containers to store your leftovers and for bringing your lunch to work instead of using sandwich bags and excessive plastic wrap. If you do prefer to use plastic bags, reuse them whenever possible by rinsing them and then letting them dry. Sticking them to your kitchen cupboard is a great way for them to air out. Although sandwich bags are not that expensive, if you consider how many you go through in a month, as well as consider the amount of waste you are producing, the environmental and financial cost can add up quickly. Small plastic containers can be purchased inexpensively at most dollar stores and you can buy them bulk and pay even less.

July 1, 2009

Travel & Entertainment

How We Saved Money On Our Road Trip

Last year my husband and I went on a 10,000 km road trip and had a blast. We went for two weeks and our budget was $2000. We were able to stay within our budget despite the outrageous gas prices, and we had a great time.

Here are some things we did to save money while traveling:

1.We ate our own food. For the most part we ate food purchased from grocery stores along the way. We brought along a cooler and a Coleman cooking stove so we could cook our own food. We did eat a few meals in restaurants but usually we did so only when we were visiting friends. We ate a lot of cold cuts and buns, eggs, and various veggies and fruits. We brought along some granola bars as well so we wouldn’t be tempted to stop at convenience stores for snacks.

2. We camped instead of staying in hotels. We brought along our tent and camped along the way. For a few nights we stayed with friends at their homes. We also slept in our car for two nights. I wouldn’t recommend sleeping in your vehicle every night, but if you just do it once or twice it is okay.

3. We maintained our car. Before we left, my husband gave our car a tune up. He changed the oil, made sure the air filter was clean, and checked the tire pressure. Throughout our trip he checked the oil and tire pressure. Thankfully we had no car trouble and our car was extremely fuel- efficient! Taking care of your car really does pay off.

4. We used a GPS system rather than relying on maps to get around. This saved us both money and time. We didn’t have to stress over where we were or how to get to the next destination. The GPS also provided us with the most direct route to our destinations so we weren’t wasting fuel going in the wrong direction! I highly recommend using GPS if you are going somewhere unfamiliar.

5. Our entertainment was enjoying nature. Along the way, we often stopped at curious sightseeing spots such as canyons, small waterfalls, etc. We didn’t have to spend a lot of money on entertainment as we were so enthralled by just being able to see such beauty all around us. We visited friends along the way and had a great time catching up. Except for a few tourist attractions, most of our entertainment was free!

May 14, 2009

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