Many families are trying to save money, stretch their dollars, and make ends meet.  Smart decisions about money at home, at the office, in the car, in the grocery store, at the theater, and everywhere else can help you save more money.

 

Frugal Shopping

 

• Visit thrift stores – When clothing, household items, or furniture do not need to be the best or the latest, shop at thrift stores. Thrift stores such as Goodwill and Salvation Army are charitable organizations that use proceeds to run their internal programs.

 

• Avoid credit cards – Pay with cash or a debit card and do not use a credit card, which carries interest. If you do use a credit card, pay off the balance every month to avoid interest charges.

 

• Monitor sales and coupons – Watch store flyers for sales, and buy only those items that are on sale. Clip coupons; with some detective work, combining manufacturer’s coupons with store sales can save even more money. You can also go online to find manufacturer’s coupons that can be used in a store.

 

• Use grocery store cards – Join a grocery store’s loyalty card program. Cardholders are offered discounts that ordinary shoppers are not. Many cards offer further discounts—for milk, gasoline, turkeys at Thanksgiving, or other benefits—when the shopper reaches milestones, such as spending $100.

 

• Use a grocery list – Bring a list to the grocery store. Do not go by memory, because you are likely to buy impulse items instead of necessities. Stick to your list.

 

Save at Home

 

• Repair – Do home repairs yourself instead of hiring others. Buy a do-it-yourself book or research instructions online for doing minor repairs like fixing leaky faucets. Of course, do hire professionals for complicated or dangerous projects.

 

• Recycle for cash – Check your local area for a recycling center that pays for newspaper or aluminum cans and other metals.

 

• Assign chores – If you have children, give them each a job to do, such as yard work, washing the car, or babysitting. Employing your family members will save you from having to pay for these services elsewhere, and work helps to build a child’s self-esteem.

 

• Pay bills online – Paying bills electronically saves on postage costs.

 

• Conserve energy – Turn off lights in rooms no one is using. Weatherize your house to save on energy costs.

 

Frugal Eating

 

• Bring a thermos of coffee from home rather than buying overpriced coffee at a coffee shop.

 

• Pack your lunch for work every day rather than eating out. Brown bagging might also be healthier.

 

Frugal Entertainment

 

• Rent DVDs – Rather than pay full price for a movie in the theater and buy overpriced snacks, wait a few months until movies are on DVD, and rent them. The whole family can watch a rented movie for a few dollars instead of paying $10 or more per movie ticket per family member.

 

• Entertain at home – Invite your friends over for video games, cards, a picnic, or a dinner party at your house rather than going out. You will still be able to socialize with your friends but will spend less money.

 

• Take day trips – Take day-trip vacations or those you can drive to, rather than taking expensive trips that require airfare, hotel stays, and rental cars.

 

Save Money on Your Car

 

• Save gasoline - Fill up the gas tank on a weekday rather than on the weekend when prices tend to go up, especially during summer months. Look for cash only stations which are usually a few cents cheaper per gallon. Surprisingly, not all full service gas stations are more expensive than self-serve; shop around.

 

• Carpool – Coordinate with your co-workers, family, and friends, and take turns carpooling if you are all going to the same place.

 

• Run fewer errands – Ride a bicycle, walk, or take the bus to nearby stores rather than driving when doing in-town errands. Many short trips around town burn more gasoline than one long highway drive and cause more wear and tear on your car that could lead to costly repairs. If you do have to drive, do all your errands in one day.

 

Frugal Health

 

Joining a gym is always a good idea, but it can become expensive. Take advantage of free ways to get the heart pumping:

 

• take a walk down your street

• mow the lawn and weed the garden

• do floor exercises in your living room

• buy tension strips or weights to exercise at home

• climb up and down your staircase a few times

• play tag with your children.

 

Additional Resources:

 

--          The County Press

--          AARP Bulletin

--          Women’s Online Magazine