My best tip is to have FREE hobbies. I enjoy surfing which after buying a used surfboard around $300 you never have to pay again. Public beach parking is free and the ocean is free. I enjoy hiking and exercising which are both free using public parks and the outdoors. Playing basketball or tennis on public courts also free. Compared to most of people my age (early 20's) who's idea of a hobby is spending $60+ on drinks and appetizers every weekend... I'd rather do something free and fun outdoors!
I love the roadside stand as a source of cheap (most of the time) and local food. I have also started to pay more attention to trends in groceries, specialty stores, etc. -- and have noted that one of the nearby stores that is part of a chain has started to emphasize fresh and inexpensive produce (a surprising switch from its past). Plus, I am finally learning to grow a garden (and even had success with lettuce this fall).
I really like your statement on eating a variety of foods. I often get frustrated when I hear folks talk about new diets that revolve around avoiding something rather than embracing good food. Eating a variety of items (ideally unprocessed or minimally processed, local, organic, etc.) seems to be the most sustainable diet of all.
Eating out has become a luxury in our house lately between having two teenagers who have become very expensive to feed and just rising costs in general. On the occasions we do choose to eat out now I make sure that everyone selects water to drink (since soft drinks are often over $2 apiece now) and for me I will request a small to-go box when the food comes so I can automatically box up half my meal for lunch the next day. it's easier to justify the cost when I know I can normally get two servings out of my meal.
Yes, that’s top 5 Articles for money saving. Thanks for added this article here. According to my New Year resolutions, I have tried to save $300 every month, I am doing well hope I will achieve my goal this year last month.
There's a show on PBS called b.organic (borganic.net) and they had an episode (#302) that showed a couple who built their own 572 square foot home. They had some really creative ways to solve storage issues and other small space challenges. It's worth checking out for anyone interested in living this way.
I think this would be a fun way to live for a single person or a couple. Living like this would definitely keep me from accumulating so much unnecessary stuff!
There are lots. My favorite one is to attack the big expenses and go down. For example, we look for ways to reduce our electricity expenses, rent (mortgage), utilities, phone etc. From there, we'll look for the next biggest and next biggest.. That way, we'll save high dollar when we start frugality, which is another way of motivation.
The scammer will call you about your item for sale and question if you really have the item. Then they will send you a 5 digit code and tell you to send it back to them. They use another phone number to send the code from. Once you send the code back to them you just signed up for a subscription. You can have a limit put on your cellphone for monthly subscriptions to protect yourself.
My favorite frugal tip is: I live in NYC and in cafe shops and the local community college there are always postcards exhibiting the latest art work either of the school, local artist or event going on in the city. Well if you look closely on the back of these postcards it has written "Pre-paid postage" on it. So no need to buy a stamp, write a quick note to someone and put it in the mailbox. Nice way to keep in touch instead of the impersonal email.
I love dealing with handsome salesmen. They're always so sure of their charm that they're much easier to manipulate back with the right amount of flattery! :P
Not sure it'll work as well when I'm older, but if it's mostly about their vanity, it should!
I call it "Endowment Theory". Calculate how much you need in your permanent endowment (like a college foundation, or church does) in order to afford something.
Let's say you want to add HBO to your cable. It's $15 a month, right? That's $180 a year. Endowments are currently running a 4% annual spend rate. So, you need $4,500 ($180 / 4%) in your "endowment" (or savings) in order to afford HBO. $4,500!
That's a lot of money you need to save to enjoy HBO. When you start to think this way about cable, cell phones, lattes, gym memberships, etc. you really start to look for alternatives.
Have been a member of the Small House Society (a real group) for years and could never live in a place bigger than 300 sq ft. It's been a blessing. What I have gets used. No dust catchers. More money in savings. More free time. Less stress.
My favorite tip is the word REFUSE. When I refuse to buy in the first place or even refuse to take something free it makes my life easier and my lifestyle simpler.
I now own the house I grew up in (850 sq ft duplex with 2bd and 1 bath). My parents lived there for 55 years and I am amazed at the amount of stuff that was stashed away. My mother had packing and storing down to an art form!! I am currently going thru all the "stuff" I call it the "big dig"! Found some amazing things but also have discovered that I obviously don't need the majority of the stuff that is stored away since it has been in boxes in a closet for over a year and I have had no need for it! Have given away a great deal, have quite a bit more to give away. I like to think of all the stuff that was once here has now found new homes and is being used on a daily basis.
Yet the tiny houses are themselves a horrific investment. They are typically priced as high per square foot as a Manhattan apartment--$30,000 for a 300 sqft tiny house isn't unusual. And then you must find a place where you are allowed to put the tiny house and pay for utility hookups--these aren't exactly RVs we're talking about here.
Then, when you decided to get married or have kids or just get tired of living in a "movement," you have to sell the house, and you find that it's lost value as fast as a single-wide trailer...because that's what it really is. A very, very expensive, very small single-wide trailer.
The houses are cute. But they don't make financial sense.
I purchased my mother's home in 2011, this was the house my 3 sisters and I grew up in, 850 sqft, 2 bdrms. There was 55 years of memories and stuff in this house and my mother was a master packer. After I emptied one closet I had no idea how everything could possibly go back into the same very small closet. Over the last years I have donated over 80 large storage totes to charity filled with everything from Christmas decorations to linens to plates to knick knacks. It is an emotional process to sit in the home that shared with your family and going thru items, everything has a memory attached to it. The more I go thru the more I realize I don't need that much to live and that giving away "stuff" does not take away the memories I have of my parents. I would like to move to a even smaller home in a few years and am considering one of the Tumbleweed homes.
We have a large family so my tip would be to buy gifts ahead of time on sale/clearance. I use my promo coupons I get (like $10 off) to pickup gifts and then I have items on hand for Birthdays ect. I also buy cards at the dollar store for anniversaries and special occasions!
"The internet is your friend"! If I something isn't working right, use Google before you call the repairman. If I'm not sure if I'm buying the best coffeemaker for my money, I can look at online reviews to see what others thought of it. Lots of home remedies, frugal recipes, ways to make money (ebay, craigslist etc).....the internet has saved me hundreds!
I lived in a small house for 34 years. I am not that "sold" on them, frankly. Mine was harder to clean. Not having enough storage space was the bane of my existence. Because the house is small, the lot size also tends to be small, which puts you closer to neighbors. If they are good neighbors, you are blessed, but if they are bad neighbors, it is horrible. If you are not working, being in small surroundings can be depressing. I had to go back to work to escape. Home should be your refuge, where you are happy.
The good thing about small houses is that they are easier to DIY. Because they are small, there is less to go wrong, and they tend to be "stronger" than larger dibs.
My best tip is to have FREE hobbies. I enjoy surfing which after buying a used surfboard around $300 you never have to pay again. Public beach parking is free and the ocean is free. I enjoy hiking and exercising which are both free using public parks and the outdoors. Playing basketball or tennis on public courts also free. Compared to most of people my age (early 20's) who's idea of a hobby is spending $60+ on drinks and appetizers every weekend... I'd rather do something free and fun outdoors!
-Mindy
I love the roadside stand as a source of cheap (most of the time) and local food. I have also started to pay more attention to trends in groceries, specialty stores, etc. -- and have noted that one of the nearby stores that is part of a chain has started to emphasize fresh and inexpensive produce (a surprising switch from its past). Plus, I am finally learning to grow a garden (and even had success with lettuce this fall).
I really like your statement on eating a variety of foods. I often get frustrated when I hear folks talk about new diets that revolve around avoiding something rather than embracing good food. Eating a variety of items (ideally unprocessed or minimally processed, local, organic, etc.) seems to be the most sustainable diet of all.
Eating out has become a luxury in our house lately between having two teenagers who have become very expensive to feed and just rising costs in general. On the occasions we do choose to eat out now I make sure that everyone selects water to drink (since soft drinks are often over $2 apiece now) and for me I will request a small to-go box when the food comes so I can automatically box up half my meal for lunch the next day. it's easier to justify the cost when I know I can normally get two servings out of my meal.
Yes, that’s top 5 Articles for money saving. Thanks for added this article here. According to my New Year resolutions, I have tried to save $300 every month, I am doing well hope I will achieve my goal this year last month.
There's a show on PBS called b.organic (borganic.net) and they had an episode (#302) that showed a couple who built their own 572 square foot home. They had some really creative ways to solve storage issues and other small space challenges. It's worth checking out for anyone interested in living this way.
I think this would be a fun way to live for a single person or a couple. Living like this would definitely keep me from accumulating so much unnecessary stuff!
There are lots. My favorite one is to attack the big expenses and go down. For example, we look for ways to reduce our electricity expenses, rent (mortgage), utilities, phone etc. From there, we'll look for the next biggest and next biggest.. That way, we'll save high dollar when we start frugality, which is another way of motivation.
The scammer will call you about your item for sale and question if you really have the item. Then they will send you a 5 digit code and tell you to send it back to them. They use another phone number to send the code from. Once you send the code back to them you just signed up for a subscription. You can have a limit put on your cellphone for monthly subscriptions to protect yourself.
Make choices that allow you to live car-free. My bike costs me about $100 a year to maintain and my fuel costs are covered in my groceries.
My favorite frugal tip is: I live in NYC and in cafe shops and the local community college there are always postcards exhibiting the latest art work either of the school, local artist or event going on in the city. Well if you look closely on the back of these postcards it has written "Pre-paid postage" on it. So no need to buy a stamp, write a quick note to someone and put it in the mailbox. Nice way to keep in touch instead of the impersonal email.
My best frugal tip is PLAN.
Plan your grocery list so you buy what you need and have what you need to make economical and healthy meals instead of going out to eat.
Buy greeting cards, note cards when they go on sale and you'll avoid paying $5 for one card.
Buy during the off season. Last year's wool blazers are 75% off in August.
Set your goals annually and review them monthly to make sure you're reaching them.
Set up an emergency fund.
A little planning in all aspects of your life will make reaching your goals much easier.
I love dealing with handsome salesmen. They're always so sure of their charm that they're much easier to manipulate back with the right amount of flattery! :P
Not sure it'll work as well when I'm older, but if it's mostly about their vanity, it should!
I call it "Endowment Theory". Calculate how much you need in your permanent endowment (like a college foundation, or church does) in order to afford something.
Let's say you want to add HBO to your cable. It's $15 a month, right? That's $180 a year. Endowments are currently running a 4% annual spend rate. So, you need $4,500 ($180 / 4%) in your "endowment" (or savings) in order to afford HBO. $4,500!
That's a lot of money you need to save to enjoy HBO. When you start to think this way about cable, cell phones, lattes, gym memberships, etc. you really start to look for alternatives.
Once I stopped being lonely I stopped wanting stuff.
Have been a member of the Small House Society (a real group) for years and could never live in a place bigger than 300 sq ft. It's been a blessing. What I have gets used. No dust catchers. More money in savings. More free time. Less stress.
My favorite tip is the word REFUSE. When I refuse to buy in the first place or even refuse to take something free it makes my life easier and my lifestyle simpler.
As long as CD yields are below inflation, I wouldn't use any long term CD.
I now own the house I grew up in (850 sq ft duplex with 2bd and 1 bath). My parents lived there for 55 years and I am amazed at the amount of stuff that was stashed away. My mother had packing and storing down to an art form!! I am currently going thru all the "stuff" I call it the "big dig"! Found some amazing things but also have discovered that I obviously don't need the majority of the stuff that is stored away since it has been in boxes in a closet for over a year and I have had no need for it! Have given away a great deal, have quite a bit more to give away. I like to think of all the stuff that was once here has now found new homes and is being used on a daily basis.
Yet the tiny houses are themselves a horrific investment. They are typically priced as high per square foot as a Manhattan apartment--$30,000 for a 300 sqft tiny house isn't unusual. And then you must find a place where you are allowed to put the tiny house and pay for utility hookups--these aren't exactly RVs we're talking about here.
Then, when you decided to get married or have kids or just get tired of living in a "movement," you have to sell the house, and you find that it's lost value as fast as a single-wide trailer...because that's what it really is. A very, very expensive, very small single-wide trailer.
The houses are cute. But they don't make financial sense.
I purchased my mother's home in 2011, this was the house my 3 sisters and I grew up in, 850 sqft, 2 bdrms. There was 55 years of memories and stuff in this house and my mother was a master packer. After I emptied one closet I had no idea how everything could possibly go back into the same very small closet. Over the last years I have donated over 80 large storage totes to charity filled with everything from Christmas decorations to linens to plates to knick knacks. It is an emotional process to sit in the home that shared with your family and going thru items, everything has a memory attached to it. The more I go thru the more I realize I don't need that much to live and that giving away "stuff" does not take away the memories I have of my parents. I would like to move to a even smaller home in a few years and am considering one of the Tumbleweed homes.
my favorite tip is to combine sales with coupons. i figured it out on my own but i also see it on all the blogs!
We have a large family so my tip would be to buy gifts ahead of time on sale/clearance. I use my promo coupons I get (like $10 off) to pickup gifts and then I have items on hand for Birthdays ect. I also buy cards at the dollar store for anniversaries and special occasions!
Before shopping, I research coupon codes via Retailmenot.com. It's saved me a lot of money! I learned of this site via Twitter!
"The internet is your friend"! If I something isn't working right, use Google before you call the repairman. If I'm not sure if I'm buying the best coffeemaker for my money, I can look at online reviews to see what others thought of it. Lots of home remedies, frugal recipes, ways to make money (ebay, craigslist etc).....the internet has saved me hundreds!
I lived in a small house for 34 years. I am not that "sold" on them, frankly. Mine was harder to clean. Not having enough storage space was the bane of my existence. Because the house is small, the lot size also tends to be small, which puts you closer to neighbors. If they are good neighbors, you are blessed, but if they are bad neighbors, it is horrible. If you are not working, being in small surroundings can be depressing. I had to go back to work to escape. Home should be your refuge, where you are happy.
The good thing about small houses is that they are easier to DIY. Because they are small, there is less to go wrong, and they tend to be "stronger" than larger dibs.
Ricarte what programs do you recommend?