Here is a list of all I can think of that I do to save money. You may not agree with all I do. But this is how I make ends meet in this economy.
I'll show you mine, if you show me yours. How do you save money?
Clorox Coupons
1. Online Coupon Code Obsession
Ever since I discovered coupon codes, I will not buy anything online without a quick search. I am Obsessed with these codes because they positively save me big dollars. Commonly I never pay shipping and ordinarily get a % off or $ off code as well. Try these sites for codes for your popular stores: Coupon Chief Good Bazaar sell Me Not median Savings: Free Shipping, 10-30% off
2. Aldi
This is a chain of small grocery shop in 29 of the United States and 18 countries, where you can save 40-50% on your groceries. They generally carry their House Brand, but occasionally have special Purchases. This is where I spend the majority of my food budget. median Savings: 0/year.
3. Buy One Get One Free (Bogof), Especially with Meat
Though I ordinarily do all my food shopping at Aldi, I always browse the ads from the other, more expensive grocers. About once a month one or the other has a Buy One Get One Free Sale. However, I do believe they raise their prices for these events, so I am pretty picky. I ordinarily opt for the whole pieces of meat: roasts, turkey/chicken breast, chops, etc., where I get the biggest bang for my buck. median Savings: about 40-50% off.
4. Cashing In On Kid's Presents, Gift Cards
Since my kids were born they have received many, many double gifts or gifts that were the wrong style or size. There have also been things we naturally didn't need or want, to be honest. Thankfully most citizen include a gift receipt these days. So, I do not hesitate to return many of these gifts for gift cards or store credit. My kids also get cash and gift cards as gifts, too.
I put the cash in an envelope and over time, buy the gift cards to be used for household purposes. I keep track of each transaction on the envelope and at last my kids have a lot of cash. This is also a great studying feel for my kids as we talk about their "savings envelopes" often. I use this cash for Big ticket items my kids want, but we can't afford. Recently, this money paid for 1/2 of a gorgeous swing set! Now we are recovery up for a Wii system. median Savings: 0/year.
5. Diy
Anything aid citizen can do, I can do better! Well, not better, but undoubtedly cheaper! I always check my bookshelf and hunt machine (try swagbucks) for ideas on "How to..." do anything.
* When the fridge leaked water all over
* When the washing machine quit
* When the carport door wouldn't open
* When the (gasp) computer wouldn't let me get online
These issues all occurred in the last 4 months. (Yes, I have had some bad luck). Out of these four inherent disasters we managed to fix it all ourselves. My popular websites for Diy repairs are: The Samurai Appliance Guru, repair 2000, and The Natural Handyman. (Thanks, Maggie May). median Savings: 0+ in aid calls.
6. Make it Myself
I always try to make it myself, if I can. I make all my own cleaners, and baby wipes. I make my own concoction of:
* Hand soap : Clorox Natural Dish Soap, diluted 60/40 with water
* Shampoo: Baby Shampoo, diluted 60/40 with water and 10 drops tea tree oil
* Honey face mask: warm for 5 seconds in microwave and smear on face. Leave on 15 minutes. Results: less oily and softer skin
* Instead of Nose Strips: I packet Gelatin, with 1 1/2 Tbsp milk, warm in microwave for 10-15 seconds and apply to T-Zone. Leave on 15-30 minutes until dry. Will peel off and take hair with it, so be cautious where you use it. Results: minimizes pores.
* I make dinners in bulk and then freeze them for hereafter use. I especially like to make freeze chimichangas. They are easy to cook from freezing and so good!
* Acne: Ugh. Try using tea tree oil dabbed right on the blemishes.
Average Savings: 0-0+/per year.
7. freezing Milk
Freezing milk saves me Big!
8. Swagbucks
Swagbucks is seriously my new popular website. It's a lot of money saving, plus a dinky treasure hunting. You sign up and use them for searches, which are powered by Ask and Google. Every third hunt or so, you earn 1-5 swagbucks. You can also subscribe to their Twitter feed and they will tell how to get a "code" to enter in their homepage, which will also get you a Swagbuck. I just earned 45 bucks in 5 weeks of casual use and turned that into a Amazon gift card. How fun! median Savings: and counting!
9. Websites and Forums
My popular money recovery websites and forums:
* economical Girls!
* Money recovery Tips
* Pays to Live Green
* The Greenest Dollar
* Wise Bread
Average Savings: 0 so far this summer!
10. Never Carry Cash
When I quit smoking, I realized how the cash I carried lasted me so much longer. However, when I had kids, the opposite occurred. Any cash I now have on my person, is like gone, in a flash and I couldn't tell you where it went.
I now have a credit/debit card from my bank and I use it for Everything, even amounts less than (though there are few of those these days). My bank offers me points that add up to in free gift cards every three months. median savings: -0/year.
11. carport sales/Goodwill/Clearance/Generics
I positively only spend money on something if it's from a reduction store, on sale or clearance, at a carport sale, or maybe goodwill.
* carport Sales-I keep a running wish list of used things I'd like for a bargain. Examples include: an extra dresser, lanterns, night stand and clothes for my oldest.
* Good Will- I love buying clothes, jeans especially at good will. They sometimes also have clothes for my kids and occasional furniture I can refinish or paint. And all for a great cause.
* Sale or clearance- I *heart* sales, especially end-of-season clearance. Find out when the Kmart near you does their .99 on apparel sale, I believe it's twice a year and well worth a trip, even if things are already picked over. I found pajamas, work slacks, underwear for my kid and a bra for me. All .99 each. Really.
* reduction store - shop early and often to get the best deals. When reduction shop have clearance, you can bet you're getting the best deal out there.
* Generics or House Brands- I will buy just about anything in the generic form (prescriptions, napkins, paper towels, food, coffee, wrinkle cream (not that I have wrinkles or anything), lotion, etc.
Average Savings: 0-0/year.
12. Lowering Utilities
This is easier than you think. Electric and Gas companies sometimes offer you a guide to variable rates. If you sign up, you can select when to run your biggest energy appliances, like dishwasher, washer/dryer and the air conditioner. In addition, spend in a power strip to use on your Tv/Dvd/cable box center. Turn off all things when you go to bed. You can also turn off your hot water heater (covered in an insulation blanket) when you go away on vacation. Replace all those regular bulbs with Cfl bulbs. Setup a digital thermometer so you can control the temperature. If you positively want to get fancy, Setup ceiling fans, and reuse your grey water from the washer to water plants. median Savings: 0+/year.
These are tricks that have taken me years to learn; I hope you can benefit from them all right now, today!
My 12 Deepest, Darkest Secrets to rescue Money