Money Saving Ideas
Part 3: Life and Home

Money Saving Ideas
Part 3: Life and Home

In every day life there are plenty of opportunities to save money.  Even small amounts add up over time, but some of the savings can be quite substantial.

This is Part 3 of a series of articles designed to help you save money.  Visit the other parts also for more ideas.
Part 1: Your Finances
Part 2: Shopping

The following tips focus on your saving money at home and in your daily life.

• Stop smoking! You'll save a fortune and live longer, and healthier.
  
  
• Stop drinking! Ditto!
  
  
• If you need something, see if you can borrow it from someone rather than buy, especially if it's just for a limited use. Lend things in return. Or give un-needed items to those who have a need.
  
  
• Learn the skill of bartering! Especially for small, personal sort of services. What skills have you got to offer someone in return! Join a LETS community and exchange your services/items for those of others.
  
  
• Join Freecycle (yahoo group) and get/give items through this. Remember to only get what you really want though, or you can fall into the trap of adding a lot of unnecessary clutter to your home!
  
  
• Use discount fuel coupons that you get on supermarket dockets (or their loyalty cards)- but don't drive miles out of your way just to *get a bargain*. the fuel for the trip may cost you more than you save!
  
  
• Get rid of unnecessary clutter in your home. Sell good items at a garage sale, eBay, or take them to a consignment shop. You will be exchanging a cluttered environment for cash, which feels good! Or donate to charity if you prefer. Just get the clutter out of your life. This makes finding and using what you do have much easier, and you will be less likely to have to make repeat purchases because you can't locate something. It also helps create a peaceful, nourishing environment which means you will be able to concentrate more fully on those big goals... and saving for them!
  
  
• DIY where possible... and not dangerous or illegal (for instance, never attempt electrical work!) Get a good book, or search the internet and learn some skills if you don't know how.
  
  
• Take shorter showers. Shower with a friend. :)
  
  
• Turn off lights when not needed, change to compact fluoro globes, rug up instead of having the heater on, cool down with a spray bottle.
  
  
• Find out if you can get better deals on your insurance, phone, internet, electricity, gas etc... shop around. Quite often if you combine things with one company (such as phone/internet/mobile, or gas/electricity, or various insurances) you can get a discount.
  
  
• Don't use (or even have) your mobile unless you really need to, or in *free time*. Use your home/office phone for most phone calls.
  There may be occasions when having a mobile instead of a landline may work out better. If you hardly ever make calls, your line rental etc can be much higher than your call charge. In these cases (and if you don't need a landline for your internet) it might be better to get rid of the landline and get a mobile with a prepaid card. But don't then fall into the trap of using it often!
  
  
• If it's doable, walk or ride your bike instead of driving or catching the bus/train. Even sometimes helps. Good for your health too.
  
  
• Grow your own vegetables, cook from scratch, preserve fruit, make jam.
  
  
• Check online for items... many may be a lot cheaper (such as vet items, vitamins) even including the postage.  Make sure the company seems reputable though.
  
  
• Do you really need two cars? Or even one? Or could you make do with a cheaper car?
  
  
• Don't go out too often. Even if you don't plan to spend, it's all too easy to *just* buy drinks, or a snack, as well as extra expense in fuel or fares.
  
  
• If you do go out... plan for it. Take food and drinks. Use the trip to do other necessary things too, such as return library books, pick up a few necessary groceries, pay bills.
  
  
• Rather than going to the movies or shopping in the mall, plan free entertainment, such as walks, bike rides, visit a Botanical Gardens, check out free museums and galleries, a day at the beach. Remember to take your own snacks and drinks if they will be needed!
  
  
• Enter free competitions online- such as our movie ticket competitions- to win entertainment, items, services etc.
  
  
• Cancel pay TV- watch free TV, DVDs, videos.
  
  
• Borrow DVDs, videos, cds etc from your library rather than buying or renting.
  
  
• Borrow books and magazines from the library rather than just buying. If, after reading, you really want to own a copy, you can do so, but it cuts right down on purchases you might read once and never look at again.
  
  
• Cancel gym memberships. Go for walks and bike rides. Borrow an exercise video from the library, or put on some music... and go for it! Buy a cheap exercise bike if you really want to ride indoors.
  
  
• Make sure you do exercise- it helps keep you healthy which will cut down on possible medical expenses (and other related costs) in time to come. It also keeps you alert and happier in general, which will be of help when it comes to carrying out money making and saving ideas.
  
  
• Book holidays etc in off peak times. Look for offers due to cancellation.
  
  
• Use standby air fares if it's not really urgent when you fly. Keep your eye open for special air fare deals, especially when a new company enters the game.
  
  
• Enter TV holiday auctions- as long as you are prepared to pay what you bid. You can get some great deals.
  
  
• Check papers, notice boards, sites specially designed for this kind of thing for offers of cheap now unwanted tickets to concerts, sports events etc.
  
  
• Teach your kids the truth that gift giving is really all about the sentiment behind it, not the cost of the gift. Let them see how greatly appreciated something they have personally made for you is! Get them to make gifts for other relatives- grandmothers are usually especially soppy about presents created by little hands. :)
  
  
• Don't try to "keep up with the Jones's".
  
  
• Teach your children- and remind yourself- that enjoying the wonders of life are important, not just what you can buy. Live your life for you and your loved ones. Concentrate on all that marvelous free stuff out there! How rich are you! Look at what you have... not what you don't have!
  
  
  Good luck in your money saving venture.  Don't forget to visit the other parts of this series.