More Ideas to Save Money

Here's a great comment full of money saving ideas left on my post titled The 10 Most-Hated Money Saving Tips:

1: Be sure to analyze the cost per unit of anything you buy. Sometimes bulk purchases will save you a lot. Sometimes not. Sometimes they cost, if you buy that 3 gallon vat of pickles only to throw them out months later ;)

2: Dollar Stores now often stock name-brand items such as cleaning supplies. For items that are disposable (and I don't mean convenience disposable, just something that naturally gets used up like a scrub sponge) often times cheap is just fine.

3: High-quality seconds stores. Not to plug, but TJM*xx usually has top-notch items with a defect...a little more money than Wal*Crap but much better quality that will last.

4: Cut the cell phone. I was on a $60 (cheap - it's $70 now) 2-phone plan from V***zon, that's $720 per year just to talk. Now, I wouldn't pay $720 to hear what I have to say, and I'm saying it. But, safety is an issue (w/wife and baby) so we do still need phones to call AAA, etc. But T-M**ile has a GREAT pre-pay plan: $100 for 1000 minutes that last a year. I paid $50 for my phone and $30 for the wifes (hey I still gotta have the cooler phone!)

So, $80 worth of phones (we lost/broke both phones this summer, and would have had to pay $100 to replace even if we signed the 2 year contracts), and let's assume she uses 3000 minutes and I use 1000, so $400 worth of minutes = $340 savings this year (due to phone purchases). If we talk less (<2000 min) we could save up to $520/year. Not bad. Plus, we can ask for minute cards as holiday gifts! Get that cost down to $0!

5: INSULATE!!! I had a $650 heating bill (Pgh PA) one month and went ballistic...I did have to put in ~$850 in insulation, but my budget bill has gone down over $100/month...the investment keeps on paying (and will pay more as energy prices go up). Oh, also, keep an eye out for compact fluorescent sales...don't pay $4-6 per bulb...HD had a sale at ~$2 per bulb.

6: VHS over DVD: Am*zon has many VHS movies for $.01 + $3.50 to ship. I got a bunch of great kiddie-brainy videos that his grubby little hands can't scratch.

Oh, and while we're on the subject, when you do buy premium kiddie DVD's, copy them right away and don't let the kids use the archive copy (my Bro-in-law was griping that his kids were trashing several $20 DVD's per month).

7: Rain Water Barrel: Haven't done this yet (and the barrels do cost ~$150) but I'd like to after we got some high water bills this summer ($40-50 over norm)...with the droughts going on this may get smarter still.

Other notes: Craigslist and Freecycle: Lots of cheap and free stuff on these forums (freecycle is a Yahoo list)...also a great way to unclutter those functional yet unwanted items you keep vacuuming around.

I do my own auto work, and that saves much $$$, admittedly at the cost of much time. Not for everyone, but unless handicapped or making 100K per year you should be able to change oil and stuff and maybe even do brake jobs (they have made this very easy...it takes longer to get the parts, jack up the wife's saturn, and take the tire off than it does to actually change the brake pads).

I've also learned to grow my own veggies, and while it is a satisfying hobby, it is not yet cost effective (high water bill + opp costs of time sunk) However, if costs keep growing it will be soon. Quality is second to none though...tomatoes that actually have flavor and all that.

Some good tips to consider -- if you like saving money. ;-)

Comments

[Swing Ninja]

6: VHS over DVD: Am*zon has many VHS movies for $.01 + $3.50 to ship. I got a bunch of great kiddie-brainy videos that his grubby little hands can't scratch.

Why don't just check your local libraries. You've already paid for those (your tax at work) anyway.

[Early Retirement Extreme]

I fear that the Jedis have really been sensing the suffering in our vegetable garden lately. However, we have been good at saving water on the lawn thus maintaining it in a lighter shade of green albeit still (barely) alive compared to the 1 hour a day watering cycle it was on when we moved in.

[Jo]

The only thing I suggest when renting a DVD from the library is to look at the disk before you check it out. I have gotten too many majorly scratched videos, that I am leary of renting from a library. Just my experience...I know a number people who do it though and say they've had few problems.

[Michael B. Rubin]

# 1 Sometimes bulk purchases will save you a lot. Sometimes not. So true. Just because there's a great deal on bananas or soap at the warehouse club doesn't mean the soda is also a good deal. Seems like the supermarket always has a sale on one brand of soda or another, so you can spend less there. (Added bonus: you don't need to take home and store 8 liters of Sprite.)

auto work: are you bleeding the brakes too? I dislike that job so much, I'm willing to pay a shop to do it.

[Alexander]

WWWTTTFFF!!! Burn another DVD?? no way that is fucking stupid, think about the savings i could have put into my retirement cheapos

[amx511]

"auto work: are you bleeding the brakes too? I dislike that job so much, I'm willing to pay a shop to do it."

Loosening 4 wheels: 3 minutes.
Jacking the car on 4 corner: 4 jackstands, 1 hydraulic jack and 7 minutes.
Brake fluid: $4
3/8" ID tube: $0.4/ft
Having your SO pumping the brake pedal: a promise for a romantic night
Bleeding all 4 wheels: a wrench and 30 minutes.

Not paying $200 for mechanics: a priceless $195 in the bank and a romantic night with your SO.

[MMJ]

The rain water tip looks great to me, esp after seeing it's use on the Living with Ed show on HGTV.