Eight Sure-Fire Ways to Sock Away $100

Here's a list of eight sure-fire ways to sock away $100 from The Street. Their list:

1. Wash With Cold Water
2. Drink More Water
3. Compare Prices
4. Use Coupons
5. Start Haggling
6. Get a Lower Credit Card Rate
7. Sell Stuff
8. Refinance Your Home

When I first saw this article, I thought they meant that all eight steps added up to saving $100. But it looks like they mean that each of them will save you $100. It's not clear, but from what I know, most of these can add up to more than $100 very easily.

Here's my take on each idea:

1. We wash in cold water whenever we can.

2. Water is the main drink in our house. We don't drink it as a money saver, but for health reasons.

3. We always compare prices.

4. My wife is the queen of coupons.

5. I call it asking for a discount.

6. Better yet, don't have credit card debt at all. And even better, make money off your credit cards.

7. On my list of 11 great ways to make more money.

8. A timely suggestion for our current economy.

Here are some more money saving tips from Free Money Finance:

• Save Money by Keeping Your Pet at the Correct Weight

• Don't Assume Quantity Purchases Are Always Best

• Save on Comcast Cable, DirecTV and a HDTV: Two More Examples of Saving Money by Asking for a Discount

• Save Thousands of Dollars Doing Your Own Body Work

Comments

[Ryan]

The haggling one makes it really easy to save the $100. For example, when buying a car, it is usually easy to haggle off at least $500. $1000 should be easy when buying a house after the home inspector writes the report. Other things such as when I had a plumber do some work for me, the original cost was $500 and I asked for a discount since I used him for other work before and he reduced it by $50.

[Kyle]

Switching to drinking only water is a huge one. It could save you tens of thousands of dollars over the years in avoided health-care costs.

[moneyandpf]

I'll second the drinking water one. Think about how much cola or other soft drinks one might buy. Water is cheap and can help you lose a lot of weight. Now if you have to drink bottled water and can't settle for tap water you still might spend a bunch but I just go with tap water. It also keeps me full so I tend not to eat as much another benefit.

[Minimum Wage]

I don;t know what's so great about coupons. There are only a dew items to which I have brand loyalty, and rarely see coupons for them.

For everything else with coupons, either I don't use the item (most cases), or the store brand is still cheaper even with a coupon.

Supermarkets in my area don't double coupons, and the supermarket with the best prices accepts only "original" coupons, i.e. nothing run off your printer.

For those who insist on drinking something other than water, Wal-Mart has sugar-free drink mixes in several flavors which make up to 12 quarts for $1.88.

[Andy Merrett]

If you really can't abide washing in cold water (OK I'd do it sometimes in the summer, but not in the winter, plus there are health benefits to using hot water) then at least ensure that your boiler is operating efficiently, not heating water all day for the sake of it, and only using what you really need.

I admire anyone who can survive purely with cold water, honestly!

[Andy Merrett]

"For those who insist on drinking something other than water"

Wow, you make it sound like a crime! Saving money is all very well, but if you're not enjoying your life, what's the point?

[People Power Granny]

It seems that corporations out there are finding new and more obnoxious ways to get more and more money out of all of us.