How To Keep More Money

[financeman45]

1) Use the "Dollar Stores". It can be a no-brainer for some of the stuff there, but stay clear of some of the food products. I have had some pretty nasty pepperoncini and super greasy canned stew.

2) Use a cell phone service such as "Boost Mobile" where you get unlimited local and long distance 24/7 for $55/mo, and they use the Sprint network of towers, so the coverage is supposedly good. I don't use it yet, and no I am not selling this service, a friend just told me about it.

3) Use a long distance service like Qwest, which is $25/mo unlimited long distance 24/7. Or make sure that your carrier offers you a comparable plan.

4) Make sure your water heater is well insulated and keep the thermostat at just above "warm", because most water heaters still put out pretty darn hot water at this setting.

5) If your car does not specifically say to use other than 87 octane gas, then do not use a higher octane. It does not make your car run better or last longer. The exception is if you do have a car with a lot of miles and it has a "pre-detonation" (pinging) problem due to excess build up of carbon on the tops of the pistons, then definitely use the highest octane fuel.

6) Use water friendly landscaping if tolerable or possible.

7) Make homemade dog food, it is cheaper and much safer and your dog will live a few years longer. I have done it for years and my vet says that my dogs are extremely happy and healthy. Use boiled potatoes, cook whole chickens (then freeze the meat if necessary) , steamed veggies, some sliced apple or banana, maybe chicken hot dogs (you can usually get them for $1 a pack at the Dollar Tree). You can vary the recipe, but make sure to look up foods that are not safe or good to feed dogs.

8) Recycle. Again this is a no-brainer. I get back $50 a month from aluminum cans alone.

9) Get some products like jars of gravy, stove top stuffing, salsa, tortillas, etc., at Target. Just compare the prices at your local grocery store and decide which products are cheaper there.

10) Try to eat out less. Even places like Taco Bell can use up excess money. A pack of tortillas, a can of beans, and an onion is only a few dollars but you can make a dozen burritos. I have even walked into a Taco Bell and filled a bag of that red-pack hot sauce, they didn't say anything (I am NOT recommending this, just get a few extra packs when you do go there).

11) Make sure that you are not using any credit cards that carry too high an interest rate (if possible), and try not to carry a balance. Pay the card in full each month. And make sure that you are not being charged ridiculous fees such as high monthly service fees, excessive annual fees, excessive ATM fees, etc.

12) Use a "keep the change" set up between your checking account and savings account. Whenever you make a purchase with your checking account debit card, the amount will be rounded up to the nearest dollar and the difference will be deposited into your savings account.