Give Me the Caaasshhhh!

Who wouldn't like an extra hundred or two every month...and if you don't, then you need to re-evaluate!

Here are some ideas on how to SAVE some MONEY:

Buy Used - So much money is spent on new clothes, shoes and toys (especially when kids are involved). A great way to save around 25% per year is to head out to the consignment shops or auctions. I personally love the Salvation Army and Goodwill. I find great things from clothes to toys to furniture and even craft  supplies (wreaths, ribbon, fabric/lace, etc.). Not only can you get a great deal but you can even shop on days when they have sales and save even more money (REMEMBER: there are tons of people just like you who have gotten rid of good stuff...not everything is really old and trashy).

Cut Down on Travel - Just as simple as driving around less. We all have seen the gas prices and lets face it they are not getting any lower! So, take that into consideration when you plan your week. Try not to go across town (or into town) more than you must. Even when you do need to travel try to use public transportation (it is not just for poor people), ride a bike (once the temperature rises), or even walk. Maybe this means that you can't take your kids to every thing every day. Work out a schedule that works for your family.

Trim Off Household Expenses - Start with all the extras like cable (come on, I know that most TV shows can be watched online...believe me because that is how I watch them). Most of us have become so addicted to our TVs that we spend less and less time with our families. Even when we go on a date or have Family Time and watch a movie...I mean come on, REALLY? that is spending time with someone?!?!? Another place to look for making cut backs would be cell phones. Regular contract plans can cost twice as much as the pay as you go plans. My husband purchased a new phone with a year activation plan and 800 minutes for $150. Now, since he is not a big talker/texter/Internet surfer those 800 minutes will probably last him about 12 months. That decision alone will be saving us $330 per year! Now that is a nice chunk of change.

Make Time for Family Time - Instead of just having a scheduled 1 hour once a week plan to spend more time together as a family at home. Tons of money is shelled out every month by families on movie theaters, restaurants and expensive get-aways (like amusement parks). Now, there is a time to do all of these things but if you make these types of outings more rare then they become more of a treat and more special. Plus you get to save lots of money and get to spend more time at home heightening your relationship and gaining knowledge in homemaking skills (like how to make that awesome egg drop soup).

Keep Track of Your Loose Change - I have been able to do a weeks worth of laundry at the laundromat with change I have saved from my husbands pants pockets! Get an old peanut butter jar and make it look all cute if you want and stash the loose change in there till it is full. It is a great way to put away a few bucks for a simple emergency (like dying for a coke) or even a way to save up to take the family out to McD's.

Double Check the Deals - Whether you are checking out the grocery adds and price matching at
Wal-Mart or trying to save a few bucks for a date with your sweety, make sure you check around and find out what your options are. One thing I found is that there are a few restaurants that do a Dinner and a Movie deal (you get two entrees and two movie tickets for about $30...this saves us about $15 on our dates).

These are a few of my ideas....

What is your best Money Saving Tip?