Tips for Saving Money in Everday Life

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Store brands - In all but a couple cases the quality is identical and the savings is at least 25%. Yellow mustard is all equal.

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It really isn't. I understand if you're skint, but otherwise mustard isn't the place to be cutting corners. This stuff is noticeably better than French's:


If you eat dijon and other mustards too, name brands are also superior there. They use better quality seeds and better mix (wine, vinegar, whatever) to give a smoother and more palatable flavour. But yeah, you could save 50 cents every few months this way.

[TheNoodleMan]

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Keep the heat at a constant temperature. Don't turn it down at night or when you leave for work. Buy a space heater if you want to take the risk of burning your house down.

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lol@ using a space heater to save money

Running a space heater is the equivalent to lighting a small fire in your living room and using one dollar bills to keep it aflame.

This is incorrect. It is much, much cheaper to turn the heat up and down.

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The utility / value of a space heater varies greatly depending on the home it is being used in. I live alone in a house far bigger than I need. Keeping the entire house warm is generally a waste of money. A space heater in the bed room saves me a significant amount of money.

[CrayZee]

I know that this is vague, but simply thinking about your purchases will save you money. Do you really need to have thing x, right now? Why not just buy it on the net for whatever percent less, oftentimes w/o tax, and get it in the next week or two?

Home commodities like coffee, cat litter, toilet paper can be bought in bulk at Costco-type stores. Plus, you don't have to get them as often.

There are plenty of small things like changing out your light bulbs to compact fluorescents...also nice that you don't have to change your light bulbs that often with them. Turning off the lights, heat, etc., when you are sleeping or away from home helps, too.

You can avoid frivolous purchases that wouldn't make you happier anyway..like not seeing as many movies in the theatres and renting them instead...you can reallocate your movie spending to a nice home AV setup, too. Besides, so many movies just suck ass anyway, you might as well get them via a Netflix-type service.

Why bother eating out every night, if you have the time to cook yourself?..plus you get the health benefit of regulating what you intake. Eating out less makes for more enjoyment when you actually do go out.

Don't bother getting cable TV, if you don't actually watch TV that much. In fact, cancel subscription services that you don't use. Also, make sure to monitor things like cell phone plans, and readjust them to better plans that best match your actual usage. You don't need the 9000 minute plan, if you only use 100 mins. a month. Don't bother renewing a mag. subscription that you don't read anymore, etc.

Don't forget about haggling skills for larger purchases or whenever you are given the opportunity... I know a lot of people, namely Americans aren't used to the idea, but think of it as a freeroll. All you have to do is roll the dice; all they can do is say, "sure, i'll take a concession" or "no, price as asked." Just make sure not to ask too low or to lowball yourself (not asking low enough).

Sell your crap that you no longer want or need at a garage sale, eBay, craigslist, etc. I should actually get my lazy ass to do this one even just to clear things out. You don't really need that GameCube sitting in the closet when you have a backwards compatible Wii, do you?

Don't tip when it's not necessary. Why do people compulsively tip at Starbucks, like someone else mentioned in this thread. The only time I'd consider tipping is when my drink is a pain to make (e.g. half cafe, decafe w/ 8 lemon drops, 4.5 lime drops, with 1.8 pumps of caramel.) You don't need to tip for that $1.50 tall drip. Actually, you can just spend your money on a cool home coffee maker instead like this one. Starbucks and Subway are already expensive enough as it is. Tip where service quality really means something like at a restaurant.


Unless you're a metrosexual fashion king or a female, don't shop for clothes at malls. In fact, don't bother buying stuff at malls all together. You can find rad clothes at discount malls, thrift stores, etc., sometimes. Kinda fun to run into something cool at a used place (e.g., books, lamp bases, weird cups, etc.). Yeah, a lot of stuff is junk, but think of it as a scavenger hunt.

Don't bother going to, say, Macy's Home Furniture to actually buy anything, just look to see what kind of design ideas you like best. New furniture will soon become used furniture anyway. Sure, buy new bed-related stuff (no one wants a gun-shot-blood-stain-dust-mite-infested mattress)...but you can save money on other home furnishings by hunting around. You can do this, look at the item at the B&M store, and buy it elsewhere for a lot of things.

Pay off your debt earlier than required, like student loans, car payments, or whatever, from all the money saving tips.

Avoid buying things on terrible store credit cards, etc., if you don't actually benefit from any sort of savings and can't pay the balance off before the juice starts.

So I guess the most general thing is to simply think ahead a little bit. If it's not that much of a hassle to save a couple bucks by thinking, do it. I'm sure there are a million other things you can do.

[guids]

Im sure its been said, but pay cash for EVERYTHING, well, at least ask if paying cash will get you a better deal, this goes from furniture to cars. Shop at non-corporate type places, and try to haggle for any and everything you buy. Buy stolen goods, or fugazi stuff if you have no morals, I dont so, I get a lot of good [censored]. I think you have to be trained for it, but be on the lookout for checkout/clerks anywhere, that are looking to make some extra that you can turn, I have 2 or 3 guys at various gas stations/7/11's that as long as I pay cash I get a deal, 3 packs of cigs for 5$, a couple cases of beer for 10$. It helps to look shady, and like you have a lot of moeny though.

[TheFaucet]

not doing drugs or drinking

[RiverFenix]

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I have 2 or 3 guys at various gas stations/7/11's that as long as I pay cash I get a deal, 3 packs of cigs for 5$, a couple cases of beer for 10$. It helps to look shady, and like you have a lot of moeny though.

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Howd this come about? I want cheap beer

[cbloom]

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Howd this come about? I want cheap beer

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Just ask if you get a discount for paying with cash. Works better if you're a regular and kind of chummy with the guy. Also works for restaurants, which can be big savings if you're a regular somewhere. Mainly mom & pop restaurants where you're talking to the owner. They'll be illegally skimming cash like crazy and much prefer you pay cash.

[guids]

first time it was completely by accident, I just left a bar, stopped at a 7/11 to get a couple packs of smokes, I go in, ask for 2 marlboro lights in a box, pull out my check card, guys asks if I want to pay cash for them instead, I said sure, no prob, how much, he says 5$. I go to him a lot now, otherwise just go in, pull your beer on the counter, pull out a card, and say to teh clerk (use your judgement on who to approach), in a dead pan voice, while looking him in the eye, "I can pay Cash for this stuff instead, what do you say". worst that happens they look at you funny, and you pay with your card, best that happens you pay cash and get some cheap booze.

[Bartman387]

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- Keep your credit in great shape. For example, on a 400k mortgage, at 6% interest rate vs. a 7% interest rate, you'll save almost $100,000 over 30 years.


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Get a 15 year mortgage and you'll save even more.

[Jim Kuhn]

Go to estate auctions! I went to one yesterday and had a great time. It is also pretty cool bidding on items. They were selling boxes of stuff for $.25, $.50 and $1. I bought two boxes of stuff. I bought motor oil, wd-40, goop hand cleaner, windex, spray and wash, and several other types of cleaning products as well as some tools.

There were boxes of tools going for less than a dollar. There were three really nice bedroom sets. The one I kind of liked went for $30. It was a full size bed, chest and dresser with mirror. Another one, that must have been a 'name brand' sold for $110. I did not have my truck with me so I passed on a really cool looking recliner that sold for $5. I also bought a vice, bench grinder and dehumidifier.

Thank you,

Jim Kuhn
Catfish4u
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