Save Money #2

Wow, you all listed some great ideas in the comments and a few folks replied back to me through email.  I will list them below.

You know, saving money really does have to be a mind set.  There are habits that are very simple that could potentially, as a habit, save us quite a bit of dough.  You may think that’s only $.30 savings.  So I encourage just for 1 month – everytime you think oh that’s only ? cents or dollars – to take that amount and put it in a jar. You will be SHOCKED what it will add up to be.  I did it for two weeks and it added up to almost $15.  That may not sound like a lot but it’s $30 a month and possibly $360 a year. This is a mind set that could really be beneficial for your saving and your spending.

Here are a few of my savings ideas for today.

1. Check your receipt.   At KMart the other day, I won a Cha-Ching reward.  I stopped by the next time I as in that area and got my free pack of gum. It’s a stocking stuffer – shhhhhhh!     The last time I was at Hallmark I got a print out at the bottom of my receipt to save $2 on my next order.   I did forget an ornament that led me back to Hallmark.  Because I didn’t put the receipt in my savings book I forgot to use it.   Ugggghhhhhh!  I know it’s only $2.  But $2 here and $2 there adds up after awhile.

2. Use the measurements in the cups or caps that come with your detergents.  You will not go through  laundry detergent as quickly if you will go by the measurements on the cup.  For dish washing detergent, I use a tablespoon to keep me from pouring too much in the sink.  For hand washing soap, I’m trying to get everyone in my house to agree that one pump is sufficient. And honestly it’s not that they don’t agree, it’s the action part of it that seems so hard.

3.  Drink the water in your glass.  How many times do you fix yourself a glass of ice water and then get busy and walk off and leave it.  You come back and the ice is melted and so you dump it out and fix yourself another glass of ice water.  There is nothing wrong with that water!!!  Put another ice cube in it and “bottoms up.”

4. Don’t punch it on the gas pedal when you start off in your car at the stop sign or the red light.  This uses much more gas and gains you a fraction of a second if any.  Get in the habit of not punching the gas pedal, you will absolutely amazed what it will do for your frame of mind.  It’s much more peaceful.  (smile)

5. Use old printed pieces of paper for your kids to make art.  They can draw on the unprinted side, use it for scraps, or shred it for confetti, gift, or packing filler.  This truly beats having to buy it.

6. Make a menu – this really will keep you from buying too much at the grocery store.  I don’t assign a meal to each night but at least I can look at the list of meals and know that I have ingredients to make it.  This also helps me to switch it up a bit and not cook the same thing all the time, because different items are on sale each week.

Keep the ideas coming and read through the comments you will get some great ideas from those.

One of the ideas that I received on my email is from my friend, Amy, who has introduced me to www.thedollarstretcher.com  You will find lots of great savings ideas here. Also I want to recommend Mary Hunt’s book How to Live Your Life Half Price.   Her method for buying a car is fabulous!

That’s all for this post, more saving ideas to come.  Merry Christmas and Happy Savings!