Save $300 a Month (Or More!)

How would you like to pocket an extra $300 a month? I thought so. Me too.

Here's a piece from Smart Money that offers some ideas on how to save $300 (or more) by cutting out some expenses. I've included their basic ideas (in green) and listed links to corresponding posts on Free Money Finance so you can get some more details. By using the tips in the links, I think you should be able to save even more than $300! Here goes:

Dine Out Cheap

• Money Saving Tip: Skip Dessert when Eating Out

• Money Saving Tip: Save on Eating Out

• Best Financial Tips from FMF Readers, Part 5: Seven Ways to Eat for Free

• Comments: Money Saving Tip: Skip Dessert when Eating Out; Drink Water

• Don’t Let Restaurants Rip You Off!

• Comments: Don't Let Restaurants Rip You Off

Slash Your Banking Fees

• A Bank Fee You Can Easily Avoid

• Common Banking Mistakes

• Don't Let a Bank Tell You How Much to Borrow for a Home

• Checking Study: Bank Fees Still Rising

• Money Saving Tip: Check Your Bank's Math

Cheap Phone Calls

• You Can Try a Cell Phone with No Risk

• Money in Your Phone

Smart Online Shopping

• Deal Sharks: The Web’s Best Shoppers

• Timely Tips: Smart Ways to Shop, Spend and Save

• Tips for Shopping Safely Online

Find Cheaper Gas

• Saving on Gas

• Money Saving Tip: Cut Gas Costs

• Money Saving Tip: Save on Gas

• Saving on Gas, Part 2

• Money Saving Tip: 10 Ways to Find Cheap Gas

• Money Saving Tips: Cut Your Costs at the Gas Pump

Slim Down Gym Costs

• Five Ways to Cut Your Health Care Costs

• Tackling Health Costs on Your Own

• 16 Ways to Slash Your Health Insurance Rates

• Money Saving Tip: Take Care of Yourself

• Money Saving Tip: Get Healthy and Re-Quote Insurance

Price-Shop Pet Supplies

• Pet Money Saving Tips

• Annual Pet Costs and A Money Saving Tip (Get a Cat)

• Annual Pet Costs and A Money Saving Tip (Get a Bird)

Comments

[Andrew - Money Supply & Debt Blog]

My tips -- no cellphone (only VOIP service for under $20 a month), avoid conveniance food, buy a car that is both cheap and reliable, and avoid shopping for random stuff like the plague. Since I'm a guy the last one isn't a problem.

[G]

Cut down on cell phone costs - get a pay as you go phone and use it only for emergenies, use your house phone for local calls, make long distance calls with skye.com for free

Get pet insurance - it pays off in the long run, you get the insurance company to pay for a portion of veternarian bills, including vaccines.

[Lazy Man and Money]

It's always disappointing reading an article that claims big savings. I find that I end up doing all of the tip that can apply to me (i.e. I have no pets and pay no bank fees). The articles are still great, but I wonder what percentage of the people actually save what the title claims.