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.

A Penny Saved Is A Penny Gained #03

Today's round-up of my favorite money saving tips (continued):

1. I avoid ATM fees by always keeping track of my cash balance and withdraw money fee-free from the ATM of my own bank before I run out of cash.


2. I watch movies and catch up on my TV series on Hulu and Boxee instead of shelling out money for cinema tickets, Netflick, Red Box, Blockbuster or my local cable company.


3. I brownbag my own lunch instead of eating out during lunch time at work.


4. I fill my own reusable water bottle with filtered tap water (I use Brita filters) from home instead of buying expensive bottled water.


5. Instead of buying ready-to-eat salads, I make my own salad by buying bulk vegetables and cleaning them myself.
   

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

A Penny Saved Is A Penny Gained #02

Today's round-up of my favorite money saving tips (continued):

1. I always live within my means, buying only what I can afford.


2. I always pay off the balance on all my credit cards in full at the end of each monthly billing cycle.
   


3. I believe in saving diligently to pay for all my expenses instead of charging the expenses to my credit cards and being saddled with high interest for my poor planning.


4. To assist me in figuring out how much I need to save to manage my cash flow, I keep a strict budget and plan all my expenses.
   


5. I keep an emergency fund in case I should lose my job. At present, I have saved up enough to cover 8 months of unemployment. My goal is to save up enough money to cover 12 months of unemployment.
   

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

A Penny Saved Is A Penny Gained #01

Today's roundup of my favorite money saving tips:

1. I borrow books, magazines and DVDs for free from my local public library instead of buying new, subscribing or renting.


2. I reuse plastic grocery bags as liners in my trash bins.


3. I buy machine-washable clothes to save on dry cleaning.


4. I mixed vinegar, water and baking soda as homemade natural cleaner instead of buying commercial products.


5. I brownbag my own lunch to work.


6. I eat my breakfast at home instead of making impulse breakfast purchases on my way to work.


7. Whenever possible, I buy gently used stuff at consignment or thrift stores.


8. Whenever possible, I double my savings at supermarkets by combining coupons with sales.


9. I watch over-the-air HDTV broadcast and catch up on movies and TV shows for free online using Hulu and Boxee instead of paying for cable.


10. I take advantage of free or discounted promotions for various services and cancel before the various promotions end.