Saving and Cutting Back

All of us are feeling the crunch of the times. This economic hardship is no joke!! On my recent grocery shopping trip, I continued to realize that all prices are going up, but what I get paid remains the same. So what do we do? How do we manage? I began to examine a few cost-saving and money-saving tips that have helped me along the way.

1. Bring Your Lunch. Bringing your own lunch to work saves on eating out. You are in control of what you bring, therefore there's no "Biggie Sizing" it or
upgrading to a larger combo. Fast Food Restaurants will get you every time with the upgrading.

2. Use Coupons and Buying Generic Brands. I'm not really a coupon-clipper, but I'm learning how to be. Every cent counts. Check out the Sunday paper or your mailbox for coupons! There are a few websites where you can print coupons from home. For instance, www.coupons.com. Also, there are items in which
you can buy the Generic (or off-brand) version of the item. If you examine the back of the packaging, many of the ingredients are the same as the more
expensive brands.

3. Finding the Cheapest Gas. There are sites where you can search for the cheapest gas in your area. MSN has their own; Check here for more information.
Note: the Weather Channel states that the best time to fill your gas tank is early in the morning due to less heat/etc. in the air.

4. Cutting Back at Home. Check to see if you're leaving lights on throughout the house or leaving the TVs on when no one is in the room. In addition, are you
using excess water by leaving the faucet on when it can be turned off? Another thought is to wash dishes by hand rather than using the dishwasher; less
electricity and water!

5. Carpooling to Work or Telecommuting. Many coworkers are saving on gas by carpooling. This saves for all individuals involved. Also, many jobs are offering telecommuting options to work from home a few days a week and coming into the office on other days.

6. Bargain Shopping. Check out your favorite retail stores for shopping deals. Ross, T.J. Maxx, JC Penney, and others have regular deals for those who are
looking to add a few items to his/her household. Some of these same stores offer discounts to Seniors on certain weekdays. In addition, the Dollar Tree or
some Dollar Stores have many items for just $1. However, don't forget, these dollar items add up as well!!

7. Eliminating Excess Bills. Are there costs you can eliminate that are more a want than a need? For example, cable. Or if you have cable, internet, phone, etc., are there elements of your package that can be eliminated? Do you need the call-waiting and voicemail or can you use an answering machine instead? Do
you watch all the cable channels you have or can you downgrade to more reasonable, cost-efficient options?

8. Movies, Rentals, Etc. Many of us like to go to the movies; however, for an entire family to go, it may cost you a few of your household bills!! It may be more
beneficial to rent the movie when it comes out or try the discount movie theatres. In my city, we have the discount theatre that offers movies for $2 most days
and 75 cents one day per week. Of course, the movie won't be at this theatre until a few months after the major theatres, but it's truly saving money. In
regards to rentals, try your local library. The libraries in my county have numerous DVDs, movies, books, and the like that can be checked out for free.

9. Cut Back on Eating Out. Yes, it's okay to treat yourself to a night out from time-to-time, but examine how often this is occurring and if it will be more valuable for you to use these same funds to stock your fridge and experiment on your cooking skills!

10. Check Your Interest Rates. Check the interest rates on your credit cards, etc. and see if they can be lowered. I've tried this one myself, and it's worked!!
Also, there may be balance transfer options where you can get a lower interest rate on one of your other cards. It may not seem like a big difference, but it
truly helps!!

These are just a few ideas on saving and trying to make it in today's times! Hopefully, some of them will be able to help you to save as well.