How to Save Money in the Coming Year

At the beginning of each year, I make resolutions to learn how to save more money. We are a one income family and that income needs to stretch. Luckily, I have learned a few tricks to help that along, and we are able to live fairly comfortably on what we have.

Believe it or not, saving money often starts with how we shop. Look for sales, shop online, and buy off season. For example, I often buy my kids' clothes for next winter when the spring clothes come out and winter's are going on clearance. January is a good month to buy sheets and towels as most places start having "white sales".

Grocery shopping is one of the easiest ways to cut corners. Don't be afraid to try the store brands. A lot of the time, they are manufactured by the same people who make the name brands. USE COUPONS. Try to match your coupons up with sales. The Grocery Game at www.thegrocerygame.com can be INSTRUMENTAL in helping you do this. Don't buy as much meat. No one made a rule that you MUST have meat at every meal. Don't be afraid to buy short-dated marked down meat. If it is used or frozen the same day, it will be fine. Store your groceries properly. You aren't saving money if you have to throw them out. Buying in bulk also helps if you have the time to deal with it. I often make TWO casseroles/lasagna/etc and freeze the second one for a future meal. This saves time, because it doesn't take any longer to make two and money, because I can buy in bulk, which is usually cheaper. Utilize leftovers in this way, too. If nothing else, make your own tv dinners from them. Take leftover veggies and keep them in a airtight container in the freezer. When it is full, make soup! You can also throw in little bits of leftover chicken and beef. Serve bread at every meal. It's a great filler.

Taking your lunch is a great way to save money. Eating out adds up fast. You can also take leftovers from the night before. Cutting out or down on sodas can also save a lot of money. Refill water bottles at home and take them with you.

When eating out, order one large plate of something and share it with your friend or spouse. Drink water. This can cut $2 per person, easy. Go out for lunches instead of dinner when entrees are cheaper. Restaurants that bring free bread or tortilla chips are winners. Order smaller, more inexpensive meals and fill up on those. Look for restaurants where kids eat free. Remember, there are often coupons for restaurants, too!

A great deal of money can be saved around your own home. Only run the dishwasher or washer and dryer when they are full. Hang out clothes when you can, and if you must use the dryer, use it in the evening as often as you can. Make sure to clean the lint trap in the dryer after every use. Not only will this make the dryer run more efficiently, it is a fire hazard if you don't! Wash in cold water as often as possible. It is not necessary to use as much detergent as the bottle calls for unless the clothes are REALLY dirty. I use 1/2 to 3/4 the amount with great results.

Electricity bills can also be cut dramatically. Turn off lights when you leave a room. Use compact fluorescent light bulbs. Keep light fixtures clean to maximize the light in the room. Turn off the computer when not in use, or at least overnight. The computer can be set to turn itself off when it hasn't been touched in a certain amount of time. Open the refrigerator only when necessary. If you must have an extra, or of you have an extra freezer, keeping it in the basement, or the coolest part of the house can also help save energy. Turning down the heat on the hot water heater also saves energy, or you can consider a new kind of water heater that heats water as it passes through, only giving (and heating) the amount of water you need. They are more expensive, but they will cut the electric bill enough to pay for itself in a year or two.

Close heating vents in unused rooms. It also helps to install a programmable thermostat. Keeping it turned down when no one is home or at night when you are covered up can save lots of energy. Use the exhaust fan on the stove to draw heat out. The air conditioner won't have to work as hard. Be sure to caulk windows and doors, as to not let any air escape. In the summer, keep blinds drawn on windows facing the sun to keep the hot sunlight from heating up a room more. In the winter, you can open them more often to let light and warmth in. Planting trees also helps in the summer because the shade from them will help keep the house cooler.

You can also save money if you have cell phones by turning off home phones. Most cell phone companies don't charge families to talk to each other and long distance is often included on your plan. Cable can be cut down as low as you want it, but you can often negotiate a better rate for what you want to keep simply by calling.

When you look around, it starts to become obvious the ways you can save money. Make it a game to see how much you can save and start living a lot more comfortably.