9 Ways to Save Money!

Good Morning DINKS! I have a question to ask everyone… Who likes to save money? I know that I do.  Actually I love to save money! Since I don’t drink alcohol or consume any other type of chemicals, I would consider saving money as my natural high.

If I can save even $5 it would make my day a lot better.  I have learned to shop for discounts, use my personal resources, compare prices, and ask for deals.  I don’t think that asking for a discount or a deal is degrading at all, the worst case scenario is that the salesperson says no; and the best case scenario I save some money.

I have rounded up some easy tips to help us save money every day on everything from our electricity bill to our grocery bill.  I would love to hear your quick tips and tricks to save a buck or two.

9 Tips on How to Save Money

1.  Be Energy Efficient. We can save money on our monthly hydro bill if we turn off our lights.  If I don’t need light for something like reading or working on my laptop then I always turn off the lights.  I also love natural sunlight so I only turn on my lights at night once it is totally dark outside and only if I absolutely need the light. Think of Light as a Luxury.

2.  Keep The Heat Out. In the spring, summer, and fall we can be energy efficient and save money on our electric bill by hanging clothes outside instead of using a dryer.  We can also BBQ outside instead of using our oven.  I don’t know about you, but my apartment gets really hot in the summer when I turn on the oven; so I definitely prefer to BBQ outside.

3.  Check Our Cupboards and Fridge. Before going to the grocery store it’s a good idea to take an inventory of what we already have.  We may find things that we forgot we had or that we didn’t even know we had. Taking inventory avoids hoarding and duplicate purchases, it also reduces waste. Sometimes I think that I need to buy tomatoes and then I come home to a crisper already full of tomatoes.  Then I am stuck cooking with tomatoes all week so I don’t waste any fresh produce.

4.  Borrow Items. If you don’t have what you need but you only need it once don’t buy it, just borrow it. If you aren’t friendly with your neighbours ask your family, friends, or coworkers.

5.  Substitute Brand Names. I try not to be stuck on one specific Name Brand, I put an item on my grocery list and then I buy whatever is on sale at the grocery store or at Wal-Mart that week.  This is especially true for plastic sandwich bags, toilet paper, and paper towels.  However, I have my personal preference for Laundry Detergent.

6.  Make Cuts. After you make your grocery list check it again and cut out the items that you don’t really need.  My grocery list can be very long when I am at home, but by the time I actually get to the grocery store my list is sometimes cut down by 1/3.  Very often one grocery item can be tied to another item so if we make cuts it will be a chain reaction.

7.  Grow It Yourself. To save money we can start a herb garden, a flower garden, or a vegetable garden.  I love having fresh cut flowers in my home so I started a small flower garden.

8.  Compare Price vs. Quantity. Shop around for the best price per grams or millilitres.

9.  Don’t Shop for Convenience. Retailers know that convenience sells.  Go out of your way to get a good deal. If we buy items in a bag and not in a convenient bottle or easy storage box we can save a lot of money.

How did you save money today?

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PS: Find more about how to save money tips on Reader’s Digest.

(Photo by Horia Vartan)