Tuesday, February 20, 2007

25 Frugal Tips To Save Money

The 25 Frugal Tips I Attempt to Follow are as follows:
  1. I am in the process of changing my light bulbs to compact fluorescent lights (C.F.L.) bulbs to save money.
  2. In the cold months I keep my furnace setting at 67 degrees.
  3. I am in the process installing outlet insulation. These little babies, help prevent drafts around your outlets and light switches. My first planed major spending this year is getting insulation into my attic. The cost will be around $600 to buy about 20 rolls of insulation, but should save quite a bit in my heating bill. (Not to mention the $500 credit on my 2007 taxes.)
  4. I pay nearly all my bills online eliminating the cost of stamps and checks, not to mention gas if you are one to pay in person.
  5. Reuse the plastic margarine, cottage cheese, etc, etc bowls to store leftover food in.
  6. Turn off all lights when not in a room
  7. Cook my own meals at home, rather then eating out.
  8. Take my lunch to work.
  9. Wash clothes in cold water to save on heat
  10. Pick up money from the ground and save in my change jar
  11. Round up in check book and place excess in savings at end of the month. My new bank actually does this for me, with their keep the change program.
  12. Put raises or bonuses in savings or apply towards debt
  13. I only cut my hair 3-4 times a year...this last year I got a crew cut and was able to go six months before getting another hair cut. This year, I am thinking about doing the same only shaving it bald, and sort of get a feel what it will be like when I go completely bald. (LOL)
  14. Go to thrift stores, yard sales, and auctions, rather then buying new.
  15. Refrain as much as possible from buying things in vending machines
  16. Buy generic (store brands) over name-brand
  17. Pay more than the minimum on my debts.
  18. Re-use the plastic grocery bags as trash bags (especially in the smaller bathroom/bedroom cans). I do the same with paper bags in my kitchen trash can.
  19. I use 1/2 of a dryer sheet per load.
  20. Stock up on non-perishable sale items.
  21. Train myself that my house is not a museum. I don't need to own everything cool that I discover. I can just admire it in the store.
  22. When weather is nice, I walk the 3 blocks to church rather then driving (I usually would have to park 2 blocks away anyway).I do the same thing (or bicycle to neighborhood meetings.
  23. I pop my own popcorn, rather then buying microwave popcorn. I think it tastes better anyway.
  24. Don't go to movie theaters
  25. Buy sodas from the supermarket when they’re on sale instead of from the office vending machine. (I have also started trying to limit myself to one soda a day).

In addition, I want to get a clothes line installed in my back yard.

3 comments:

  1. These are some really good tips..

    I personally am trying to get out of debt & direct my way to financial independence..

    thanks for sucha great blog

    keep up! (:

    ReplyDelete
  2. Personally, some people tend to be penny-wise and pound foolish. Looking at bill and cutting out cable/sat dish and eating out may dwarf any of the savings you mentioned (except for the heating stuff). And lunch at work saves, if you are talking $6/meal, about $1,200/year. You mentioned that, but the eating out is usually much pricier.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I hate it when people leave the lights on! Arrrrgh, next to leaving the water running thats my biggest pet peave. I turn them off whenever I see an empty room! Anywhere! lol

    Juan

    ReplyDelete