Saving and Making Money in Today's Economy

Like many people today you may be looking for ways to save or make a little bit of money. Here are some things you may want to try to put a little green back in your pocket.

Mass Transit/Car Pooling
If you live in a large metropolitan area you more than likely have access to a mass transit system. Taking the train or subway in places like New York, Chicago, and DC can not only save you money but also wear and tear on your vehicle and save you the frustration of being stuck in traffic. If you aren't lucky enough to have access to a commuter train system or subway, give the local bus system a try. Taking the bus for an entire month costs me the same as a week's worth of gas for my vehicle. This means that I'm saving about $100 a month in gas alone.

Bringing Your Lunch
Packing your own lunch everyday instead of buying fast food or lunch at a sit down restaurant can save you between $5 and $10 a day. Even bringing your own lunch a couple days a week can cut your costs as well as help you eat healthier.

Visiting Your Local Library
If you love to read or watch movies and want to save money stop by your local library. Most libraries do their best to offer new books to their patrons and many purchase items listed on the New York Times Bestsellers List. Also many libraries have a nice selection of movies and television shows on DVD to check out. Besides books and movies libraries also have CD's available which can keep you from buying a CD you don't like. Libraries also offer free programs for children, teens, and adults. Another reason to visit your local library is for free use of the Internet.

Selling Old Jewelry
Many jewelry stores offer opportunities for customers to sell their old gold and silver jewelry for a decent price. Selling your old jewelry to a jewelry store is less intimidating than taking it to a pawn shop, and safer than sending it through the mail to person's unknown.

Have a Garage Sale
An old standby for making a little money is to sell the things you no longer have use for at a garage or yard sale. Garage sales are most often profitable when they are advertised. Placing an ad in the local paper listing specific items that will be for sale can draw more traffic to your sale. Also advertising on Craig's List can help. If your garage sale doesn't bring in the desired money you are looking for try selling specific items or groups of items on Craig's List or eBay.

These things amongst others can help you save hundreds of dollars a year, which can help to make your life less complicated and stressful.