How To Save Money

How to save money? I suppose this question is topical during the time when the world is still experiences consequences of financial crisis. However, crisis or booming economy we definitely need to learn how to save our money



Personal Finance Tips

Always be aware of and understand the termination fees before you enter into a long term contract.

Create a budget. This is one of the absolute best ways to save money. You can create a simple 10-minute
budget using Mint.com (a free online money management tool) to keep track of your money.

Never buy a lottery ticket. No exceptions.

Always examine your monthly checking account and credit card statements for fraudulent activity and charges that are larger than they should be.  Call your bank and/or credit card company if you find something that doesn’t appear as it should.

Start building an emergency fund now by putting just $30 aside every month.  How can an emergency fund help you save money?  The next time you need to replace a crucial appliance or pay a surprise medical bill, you won’t have to do so with a credit card.

Quit smoking. It’s one of the best ways to save money.

Declutter/get organized. You’ll avoid accidentally buying items you already own.

Realize that the true cost of a purchase is not just the value of the item and the interest on the loan you have to take out; it’s also the forgone retirement savings, because you can’t invest that money (this is called an “opportunity cost”).

Get to know your neighbors. Not only do you stand a good chance of finding that your neighbors are great people, but those relationships can be mutually beneficial in far more practical ways too.  For instance, your neighbor can watch your house for free while you’re out of town and you can, of course, borrow items from each other (i.e. tools) instead of buying them.

It’s a bit quirky, but design certain “rules” that help you save. For instance, every time you find a $10 bill in your wallet, you could instantly put it into an untouchable savings account (or a drawer in your house until you can later put it into your actual savings account)

Cooking
A singinficant portion of your monthly budget undoutably goes to buyiung food. Here are some ways to save money with your groceries.

1. Always grow anything that you can
Goods like tomatoes, peppers, basil, and parsley can be grown by the most novice gardeners and are a much cheaper alternative to buying the same goods in a supermarket. For example, a pack of tomato seeds can be purchased for a little more than the cost of one supermarket tomato.
2. Only buy items that are on sale
This especially applies to beef, fish and poultry since they usually account for the bulk of most grocery bills. Invest in an extra chest freezer and stock up on your meats when they go on sale.
3. Stay away from bottled goods
Drink as much tap water as possible, since it is astronomically cheaper than bottled water. If you need flavor, purchase value sized powdered drink mixes or perhaps look into getting a Brita filter for cleaner water.
4. Always cook your own meals
While frozen pizzas and TV dinners may be convenient when there’s no motivation to cook, they often cost many times more than a home cooked meal.
5. Never buy anything brand name
Buy store brand goods whenever you can as they don’t have the inflated price of its brand name counterpart.