A Penny Saved is A Penny Gained #04

Today's roundup of my favorite money-saving tips:

1. I filter my tap water (using Brita filters) instead of buying bottled water.


2. I save on gas by consolidating all my shopping into as few trips as possible. This helps me cuts down on impulse purchases and forces me to plan my meals in advance.


3. I buy generics rather than brand-name drugs (both over-the-counter and prescriptions). Whenver possible, I try to take advantage of the $4-per-prescription/refill generic prescription drugs at Walmart or Target.


4. I replaced my landline with my cellphone.


5. I borrow my DVDs from my neighborhood public library for free instead of paying for DVD rentals from Netflix, Blockbuster or Redbox.


6. I drop my cable subscription in favor of over-the-air broadcast, watching free movies via Hulu.com and boxee.tv and borrowing DVDs from my neighborhood library.


7. I comparison-shop to find the best prices.


8. I mow my own lawn instead of using a lawn mowing service.


9. I plug all my vampire adapters on a power-strip and turn off the master switch when I am not using those appliances.


10. I lower my premiums on my car and homeowners' insurance by raising my deductible.

Read my other blog entries in A Penny Saved Is A Penny Gained Series.