Saving $$$$$

[dalebert 8]

My big thing now is saving any left over change in a jar. I have one of those big 5 gallon jugs. I plan on saving until it either fills or the more likely option, my next birthday after the one about 2 months away. It's not so much a short term saver but I've done it before in little jars and ended up with about $30 in change.

[reyno2ac 0]

Open the windows instead of turning on the AC.

Mythbusters proved that windows down and AC both waste about the same amount of gas. Better start rollin' those windows up and dealing with the heat.

I was talking about the house. If I'm in the car I'll drive with the windows down around town but if I'm on the freeway its ac.

And one thing I do that some people make fun of me is that in my living room the surround sound, cable box, wireless router, flat screen, xbox 360 and so on are all plugged into a surge protector that I flip off every night when I go to bed. It is supposed to eliminate "vampire power" as I've hear/been told.

There is more to that than you know...supposedly game consoles are huge drains...I saw a device that helps eliminate this on Engadget the other day...

http://www.engadget.com/2009/07/08/tv-tric...-game-consoles/

That makes me feel a lot better! Thanks! lol

My big thing now is saving any left over change in a jar. I have one of those big 5 gallon jugs. I plan on saving until it either fills or the more likely option, my next birthday after the one about 2 months away. It's not so much a short term saver but I've done it before in little jars and ended up with about $30 in change.

I do that too. My only problem is that saving change takes forever because I put so much on my debit card rather than pay in cash.

[fatwabbit 93]

Eat at home instead of out.. been doing it for the past 3 years as its very expensive here in Perth... cheapest thing you would find is fast food, where back home $3 would get you a bowl of noodles and a drink.

Play in goals instead of as a player? Goalies play for free normally

[Chadd 916]

ah another big one dont be a gear whore. instead of underamour go for the nike dryfit stuff.

Or buy something on closeout. The Itech stuff was on closeout forever and it's actually pretty good.

...I actually bought a few Champion 'Under Armour-esque' undershirts from Target..... just as nice, great to run/workout/skate in, and ended up $11 less per shirt than UA stuff.

Those "C9" shirts make up a large portion of my summer wardrobe. I have a dozen or so of them and they're perfect for my trips to the islands.

[reyno2ac 0]

Play in goals instead of as a player? Goalies play for free normally

But the start up cost to play goal is huge

[Tailboard Jockey 25]

When I play a round of golf at Pebble Beach, I walk instead of renting a cart.

[Hooah4 12]

ah another big one dont be a gear whore. instead of underamour go for the nike dryfit stuff.

Or buy something on closeout. The Itech stuff was on closeout forever and it's actually pretty good.

...I actually bought a few Champion 'Under Armour-esque' undershirts from Target..... just as nice, great to run/workout/skate in, and ended up $11 less per shirt than UA stuff.

Those "C9" shirts make up a large portion of my summer wardrobe. I have a dozen or so of them and they're perfect for my trips to the islands.

Agreed those are some of the most cost effective "UA" types out there. I wear them under my scrubs @ work all the time.

Always buy groceries after you've eaten a full meal = less impulse buying due to the munchies.

Turn your thermostat up in the summer and down in the winter. Most A/C and or furnaces are most efficient @ 75F in summer and 68F in winter (that's wht I've read).

Air dry your clothes if possible. I have a deed restriction that doesn't allow fixed clotheslines so I bought a thin line and roll it up after use. Clothes smell so much better that way ( unless you live near a manure farm or Jersey)

Always try to plan your trips so that you go to the farthest place first and work your way back home (save gas).

Save junk mail to use for scrap paper. I take the tri folded paper from form lettes and cut it into squares for shopping lists. Or you can reverse them and use them in the printer.

Use electronic bill pay and save on postage.

Run your dishwasher/clothes washer/dryer at night when rates are cheaper.

Buy a reusable lunch bag and water bottle. The bag will save $ on paper and the water bottle can be refilled whenever possible for free. More agua=full belly=less hunger.

Put your debit card away and learn to live on a fixed budget. Figure out how much you need for gas, food, etc..and keep that in your wallet. When you see the money leaving your wallet it's easier to keep track and have the sense of +/-.

Use your bike for small trips to the store if needed. Exercise+save gas.

[B19Kress 0]

as for contributing to the thread... i'd say the best thing to do is buy groceries and eat at home as much as possible.

when my gf and i first met, we were going out for three meals a day and spending thousands of dollars per month, when we decided to try for a baby, succeeded and finally had him, we'd stopped going out all the time, the amount of excess money was astonishing.

I bet that part was fun :)

[Big Glove Save 0]

Play in goals instead of as a player? Goalies play for free normally

But the start up cost to play goal is huge

But think of it this way, there is always one guy who will want to be your friend just 'cause you're a goalie. That means for a short time, you can ride to games with him and probably even get his girl by being attentive to her in ways he has not been in a long while.

Oh. Was that outloud? Probably should not have mentioned that last bit.

Yes we should all try to reduce not only the urge to spend, spend, spend but also reduce the amount of resources we waste. Just because you can afford to leave lights on and run water down the drain does not mean we should be wasting those resources.

And maybe next time, get the private jet that is a little smaller. Ask yourself, "Can I manage a 4 hour flight to Mexico with only two hostesses instead of three?"

[ndlancer95 0]

chickenz iz goood

AHMEN!!!!

+1 chikin is the answer to all of the world's problems.

You're hungry, eat chikin

Your poor, sell chikin

Your bored, shoot chikin.

Chikin is the answer for everything

[lampliter87 8]

Air dry your clothes if possible. I have a deed restriction that doesn't allow fixed clotheslines so I bought a thin line and roll it up after use. Clothes smell so much better that way ( unless you live near a manure farm or Jersey)

Run your dishwasher/clothes washer/dryer at night when rates are cheaper.

+1 for clotheslines.

Wash your dishes by hand and don't use the dryer. Our family laundry room has a smaller clothesline right in it, that combined with the folding drying racks and we hardly use the dryer at all.

[Big Glove Save 0]

+1 chikin is the answer to all of the world's problems.

You're hungry, eat chikin

Your poor, sell chikin

Your bored, shoot chikin.

Chikin is the answer for everything

Frustrated with your boss at Tyson, kick a chicken.

I bet someone remembers that chicken kicking good times those old boys had in the video from a few years back.

[number21 3]

If you've got one near by, shop at a farmer's market as much as you can. You'll be amazed at how cheap produce is when you can buy it direct.

Cut down on how much meat/dairy you eat (good for health too). Get smaller quality cuts and savor it (the meat is more expensive, but go for small amounts). Fill up on greens, grains, veggies (all cheaper from a farmer's market).

Like Chadd an others said, stock up on basics when on sale. I say, especially beans, they are cheap, healthy and versatile.

Drop the gym if you use one and workout on your own. If you have good personal motivation. :P

Go to the basic cell phone plan and watch your minutes.

Go to the basic cable.

+1 on libraries

+1 on planning your trips

+1 reusable bottles food containers. I have a klean kanteen stainless bottle, it's great.

[Master P 0]

Already said but learn to cook. Eating out multiple times a week is expensive.

[Jarick 5]

Track all your spending for a month, then find ways to reduce it. For me, it's always groceries and buying random crap.

[team50 20]

Brew your own coffee.

[Hooah4 12]

Better yet buy yourself a thermos and fill it with coffee. A day's worth for hardly any additional $.

[cougarkiller98 0]

I just got a 15 pack of ramen noodles for 3 bucks

[number21 3]

That's because ramen is garbage.

[cougarkiller98 0]

everyone has there preference lol

[JR Boucicaut 3802]

If you have vices, make attempts to get rid of them. A can of Copenhagen is $6 here in FL.

[sitzlejd 0]

It's working the opposite in Cincy. Smokes got expensive while dip got dirt cheap. Skoal was $3.xx for a while.

[RadioGaGa 162]

If you have vices, make attempts to get rid of them. A can of Copenhagen is $6 here in FL.

That's the hard part...it's the vices that make life interesting.

[JR Boucicaut 3802]

It's working the opposite in Cincy. Smokes got expensive while dip got dirt cheap. Skoal was $3.xx for a while.

IT did for thje first part of the year - they just passed a tobacco tax in FL which jacked everything up. US Smokeless sent me coupons right before it took effect.

I'm more of a snus guy anyway so I'm saying thousands of dollars a year ordering from Sweden but I still like to buy the occassional can of Cope.

[NoAngleDangler 0]

Everyone likes the occasional can of Cope.