Ten Best Ways to Save

I am always looking for ways to save money and have compiled a list of, what I believe to be, the 10 best ways to save:

Do not go grocery shopping without a list. When you go without a list, you end up impulse shopping, or what I have dubbed "I might need it" shopping.
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Buy generic, whenever possible. After years of thinking anything, other than name brand, could not be as good, I started buying generic, and have only found a handful of things that are sub par.
Once you use your dryer sheets, place them in your dresser drawers to keep your clothes smelling freshly laundered. This will save you from having to rewash musty smelling clothes. This also works for clothes you put into storage.
Plan your daily activities out to be fuel efficient. Map out the places you need to go, so that you never back track and you get as much done as you can in one day. This will save you time and gasoline.
Do not heat or air condition rooms you are not using. Close up the vents and close the doors to save money on utilities.
Check your auto insurance plan. If you are paying the same premium that you were paying 3 years ago, you are probably paying too much. Your vehicle will have depreciated and one phone call can save you money.
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Thrift Stores are a staple of my life. You can find housewares, appliances, furniture, and clothing for pennies on the dollar. If you have children, you can save hundreds of dollars by getting their clothes slightly used. They grow out of them so fast anyway and this is a way to make that hurt a little less financially.
Garage Sales, like thrift stores can save you a lot of money on the everyday things you need.
Pack lunches for work. You will be amazed how much money you can save in a month.
Eat in. Cooking meals and eating at home will not only save you money, but you will be eating a much healthier diet as well

Saving money wherever and whenever you can is not really that difficult, but it does require a little effort and some motivation to really make a difference.

By Dawn Evans from Painesville, OH

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Ellie

April 12, 20110 found this helpful

Dawn, I think they are excellent ideas, but as we all live in different circumstances, and even different countries, can I add a few more things to your points, which may help someone.
2. Buy generic.. Yes, yes, most of my purchases are the generic brand, and I've found few things that are so horrible you wouldn't want to buy them again.
3 Dryer sheets, I don't even have a dryer! Clothes are hung from the shower rail, and on clothes horses,No back yard to hang things out.
4. I don't have car either, but do plan things to fit into my two hour tram travel ticket Or I buy a daily ticket if I have to be away longer.

5 I have no air conditioning. Make use of windows to let in cool air, drapes and blinds to keep heat out.
7 Thrift stores are my life too.Hurray for them!
9 and 10. I am not currently working, but equate packing work lunches to having a grilled cheese sandwich at home, not going out to spend on coffee and an expensive sandwich, the same for the night meal. I am a single, older woman, no one to cook for, so I'm happy with poached eggs on toast, soup, a small salad If I do have the now and then dinner splurge with friends at a cafe, I look, hopefully not too noticeably! for the least expensive thing on the menu.
Thank you.

Patti

April 13, 20110 found this helpful

# 5 is wrong. If you have central a/c that is not true. It causes the heat pump to short cycle, which means it won't run long enough to cool properly. You do not have enough airflow, and it causes the systems to run improperly.

It will also shorten the life of you heat pump/A/C. So no matter if it's cool weather, or hot, open those vents and open those rooms. Closing them off only causes problems, not saving money and being thrifty at all!

Lelia Jo Cordell
Diamond Feedback Medal for All Time! 1,394 Feedbacks

April 14, 20110 found this helpful

Dawn, I absolutely adore your list! I try to observe all your points, but never thought - and wrote - them out like you did. I'm still working on hubby about consolidating or planning trips to save gas, of course... and I gave up using dryer sheets when I learned (here on TF) that white vinegar softens and freshens better and cheaper.

Last but not least, hubby even had to agree with my closing the sliding glass door onto our "sun room" for the winter, lol! Thanks to that strategy and better insulation installed last summer, our heat bills stayed within reason this past season. Made me very happy. :D

feekie

October 30, 20140 found this helpful

Your ideas really make sense. Now that I'm retired, I don't have as much money to spend as I used to. For instance, until the last couple years, I ate out practically everyday. Then I started eating at home. At first, I really hated it because all I was eating was bologna sandwiches and TV dinners. But then I pulled out the (unused) crock pot and cooked up a couple of the recipes in the accompanying booklet. Hmmmm..... not to bad. Then I made some easy soups. I was getting a little more confidence. Then my son's in-laws invited me to T-giving dinner, BUT I had to bring a pie! Eeek! Then I remembered an almost fool-proof pumpkin pie I had gotten years before. So, I made two of them, and they were a huge hit! I'm gonna post it on this site, but I'm pretty sure most people already know about it. Sorry, I rambled, but I wanted people to know that you really can save money by eating at home.

RhettaD

February 11, 20150 found this helpful

I save a lot on cooking. When I cook, I always cook for about 8 or more, although it is only my husband and I at home. My husband works away from home for half of every month. When he's away, all I have to do is remove from the freezer a pint size container of something I cooked a while back, let it thaw completely before popping in the microwave (reduces time used in microwave), and it feeds me for two meals. No cooking or mess to clean up, lots of time saved. And no extra wasted electricity.

I also take some of these containers to my mother when we go to visit. It helps her in two ways. She is not able to stand for long periods of time, and it helps her to get through each month on her small SS check.

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