PerkStreet Financial

This article was supplied from Bob who is the founder of ChristianPF.com – a website offering free Financial Advice on topics like budgeting, saving, debt, and investing.

1. Shop at discount stores – Save money on clothes and many other items. You can sometimes even find name brands.
2. Skip the gym fees – Buy a workout video, used excercise equipment, or just find a walking buddy.
3. Rent movies – Instead of spending money at the theater, rent your movies. If you have a Redbox in your neighborhood you can rent new releases for just $1.
4. Buy used online – Places like Amazon and Ebay are great places to buy used stuff. You can often find books, cd’s, clothing, and other items at only a fraction of their cost.
5. Cut back the channels – Do you really need those 300 channels satellite offers? By cutting back to a basic package you could save yourself hundreds of dollars a year.
6. Don’t lose money at the bank – Instead of earning 0.3% on your savings account you should look for the highest interest savings account you can find.
7. Host a dinner night – Instead of going out for dinner with your friends, why not invite them over to your house for a home cooked meal. You’ll save money, and depending on the cook, it might even taste better.
8. Share a meal – If you’re like my wife and I, when we go out to dinner we always have to get a to go box for all the food we have leftover. Now we’ve learned to share some meals. If you don’t get full, you can always order a dessert, and you’ll still come out saving money.
9. Buy used cars – New cars lose a lot of their value as soon as you drive them off the lot. Instead of throwing away that money, do a little research and buy a reliable used car.
10. Change to a bi-weekly mortgage – By making half a house payment every two weeks, instead of one monthly payment, you’ll save a ton in interest, and also pay off your mortgage early.
11. Ditch the Credit Cards – Avoid the temptation of credit cards. Why risk having to pay high interest rates and late fees if you don’t have to.
12. Use a Grocery List – Create a list of items you need before you go to the store. This will keep you from impulse buying.
13. Do it Yourself – Do your own landscaping, remodeling, and redecorating. If you feel lost in these areas the internet is a great resource. Check out sites like EHow and WikiHow.
14. Check out the Library – Libraries are a great place to check out not only books but also movies and music. Most charge only a minor fee, and some don’t charge at all.
15. Make your Savings Automatic – Get a savings account and automatically have a portion of your check put in it each week. Our money is a lot easier to save when we don’t see it in our checking account or wallet.

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