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75 Painless Money-Saving Tips
Updated: At the bottom of the post, check out the additional money-saving tips sent in by readers and bloggers. And don't risk missing a tip that could save you money, get your free subscription to The Dough Roller by clicking here.
Last week I wrote about ways to develop the habit of spending less than you make. To continue that topic, here are some practical and painless money saving tips to help you save some cash each month. I'd like to get the number of tips to at least 101, so if you have some money-saving suggestions, please leave a comment or send me an e-mail (dr [AT] doughroller [DOT] net). Also, be sure to read to the bottom of this post, as tip #51 is bound to spark some discussion and debate.
- Combine your cable, internet and telephone service. Companies now offer combined services that not only cost less, but offer the convenience of a single bill.
- Slow down your internet service. I went to the slower internet service option with my cable company and saved $15 per month. And I haven't noticed a difference when surfing the Net.
- Send away for and follow up on rebates. After you buy a product with a rebate, send in the form that day. Then mark your calendar to remind yourself to follow up with the rebate company if the check hasn't show up.
- Buy a refurbished Mac: I've written about this before because it is a great way to buy not only computers, but iPods and iPhones as well. You can check out the details on how to buy a refurbished iPhone here.
- Convert to a gas water heater. They are more efficient and will save you money in the long run.
- Request a reduction in the interest rate for your home equity line of credit. I did and my mortgage company agreed to reduce the rate by more than 0.50%. And if you are looking for a home equity loan, is a great place to check out available options.
- Request a reduction in the interest rate on your credit cards. As with home equity loans, credit card companies sometimes are willing to reduce the interest rate. It can't hurt to ask.
- Refinance you mortgage. If you can reduce your interest rate by one percent or more, it is often beneficial to refinance. This is particularly true for those with high rates due to less than stellar credit scores. If your score has improved, you may qualify for a better rate. I would start by asking your current mortgage lender about lower rates. Here's a refinance calculator to help you determine if refinancing is right for you.
- Get rid of Private Mortgage Insurance. If your down payment was less than 20%, you are probably paying PMI. Once you have a 20% cushion through reducing your debt and home appreciation (yes, prices do go up from time to time), contact your mortgage company to start the process of removing the PMI.
- Get your books from the library. I love books and read every day. While I buy some of the books I read, most come from the library. Simply put, it's hard to beat free.
- Get DVDs from the library. Many libraries now have movies on DVD that can be checked out. If your library offers this service, it sure beats paying Blockbuster or Netflix.
- Get DVDs from Red Box. If your library doesn't offer DVDs, get your moves from Red Box. It costs just one dollar per night. You find Red Box locations here. Netflix is also a great, low cost and convenient alternative.
- Read magazines at the library or online. Too many magazines can cost a fortune. And how many times have you bought a magazine based on the cover and been disappointed by the lack of substance. At the library you can read magazines for free. And many magazines now offer their content for free online.
- Subscribe to magazines that are must reads. If you must have a certain magazine each month, subscribe. Subscriptions offer substantial savings over the cost at the newsstand. Update: Amazon offers some great deals on personal finance magazines
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- Buy your car over the internet: Search the internet for information on the car you want and then send e-mail requests to dealers for the best price. Even if the dealer is located in another state, the cost to have the car delivered may still be worth it. I paid $500 to have a Honda Odyssey shipped 500 miles and still saved $1,000 over the best local price available.
- Request a discount on trash service. For some reason this is a highly competitive business. If you get a better offer in the mail for trash service, call your current trash company and ask them to beat the offer. My trash service has reduced its rates twice in six months to match competing offers.
- Never pay checking account fees. I hate bank fees. With so many free checking account plans available, there's no reason to pay a fee. And if the bank happens to charge you one, ask them to reverse the fee or take your business to another bank.
- Get a rewards card. There are many reward cards that pay out in cash or points that can be redeemed for travel or products. Many of these cards don't have an annual fee. I recently traveled to my college reunion for free using points earned from a credit card. My favorite rewards card is American Express Gold Card. It does have an annual fee, although follow this link (American Express) to apply and the first year fee is waived. You can also check out my review of several travel reward credit cards.
- Don't pay interest on credit cards. This is obvious, but I soon as you fail to pay off the credit card in full, the high interest payments start to eat away at your monthly budget. If the temptation to spend more than you can pay on a credit card is to great, get rid of the credit card (and ignore the previous tip!).
- Take advantage of 0% credit card offers. I've saved thousands of dollars using 0% balance transfer credit cards. Again, as long as the cards won't cause you to spend more, they can offer substantial savings. Make sure, however, that you keep an eye on the balance transfer fee, which can wipe out your savings.
- Replace incandescent bulbs with compact fluorescent light (CFLs) bulbs. These bulbs use 75% less energy and last 10 times longer. They do take some getting used to, and they won't work in every light fixture. But use them where it makes sense and save energy and money.
- Drive your car longer. The buy new versus used debate often overlooks the most important factor--how long you own your car. Drive it as long as you safely can for substantial savings.
- Pay your life insurance annually. Insurance companies charge you more if you pay monthly, quarterly or semi-annually. Pay once a year and you'll pay less.
- Pay car insurance semi-annually. At least with my car insurance, they offer quarterly and semi-annual payment options. It costs more to pay quarterly, and twice a year is more convenient anyway.
- Increase insurance deductibles. Most of us don't need to be insured for all losses over $100 on our car, for example. Although we wouldn't want to pay a $250 or even $500 deductible, we could. If that's you, find out how much you'd save from raising your deductible. I've raised my deductibles on my auto insurance and home owner's insurance and saved a considerable amount.
- Think before submitting an insurance claim. My rule of thumb is that I won't submit a claim on a loss that is less than twice my deductible. So for a $250 deductible on an auto loss, I'll pay out of pocket any loss up to $500. Why? The $250 I'd receive from my insurance company is not worth the increased premiums I'm likely to pay. You may want to call your insurance agent to find out how a claim will impact your premiums before filing the claim.
- Get rid of your home telephone. This is a great way to save money. Many don't do it because of the 911 service, and that's understandable. But if you're comfortable relying on a cell phone, there's no reason to keep a land line. If you do, consider reducing your service to the minimum and only use the phone in an emergency.
- Consider VOiP telephone service. We use Internet phone service and have saved substantial money over Verizon service. The phone service has been very reliable, and you'd never even know the signal was being carried over the Internet. Phone Power is a great option for internet telephone service, which costs as little as $9.95 a month. Note that the Phone Power sign-up page will have an entry for a promo code. I've talked to the good folks at Phone Power, and they tell me there are no promo codes; they offer the best price to everybody!
- Shut vents in unused rooms. This isn't advisable if you have forced air heating, but shutting vents in unused rooms can save on your heating and cooling bill.
- Eliminate some cable service. Note that I'm not recommending getting rid of cable completely, although that's certainly a way to save money. If you must have cable, take a look at all the charges on your cable bill and consider getting rid of some of the service. Try it for a month and see if you really miss those last 500 channels.
- Agree to limit gift giving. At Christmas our extended family and we go overboard when it comes to gift giving. Agree in advance to limit the gifts and save everybody some money.
- Get healthy. Your health will directly impact the cost of life insurance and, in some cases, can reduce the cost of your health insurance.
- Cancel the health club membership. Seems to contradict the previous tip, but evaluate how much you really use your health club. Less expensive options may include a gym at your work or a gym at your local parks and recreation center. Some offer pay as you go options rather than monthly fees, which can be great for those of us who aren't as consistent in our routines as we'd like to be.
- Pass on extended warranties. A $129 two year extension on a $300 product is just not worth it. Warranties are insurance, and we rarely need to insure such a small amount.
- Take your lunch to work one more day a week than you do now. Eating out at lunch is fun, so I wouldn't eliminate it completely. But taking lunch just one more day a week will keep money in your pocket.
- Buy low cost mutual funds. This is easy to miss because the money doesn't come out of your pocket each month. But keep an eye on the cost of the mutual funds in your 401(k) and other investments. My rule of thumb is that no fund should cost more than 1% and the combined cost for all your funds should be less than 0.50%. If you don't believe that even a half percent can make a big difference, read this.
- Take advantage of employer 401(k) matches. If your employer matches 401(k) contributions, do everything you can to take full advantage of that match.
- Use flexible spending accounts. FSAs allow you to pay certain medical, dental and child care expenses using pre-tax dollars. If your not taking advantage of these accounts, you're wasting money. Enrollment at many companies is occurring now, so check with your HR department if you have any questions about FSAs.
- Get tires from Costco or other wholesale clubs. Simply put, they cost a lot less than buying them at the dealer or even a chain tire store.
- Keep tires properly inflated. It keeps you safe and costs less on gas.
- Stop smoking. Need I say more?
- Drink less alcohol. It costs money and ads calories.
- Buy term life insurance. Any other life insurance product is just not worth the extra cost.
- Buy generic over-the-counter medicines. They are exactly the same as their branded counterparts and cost less.
- Get organized and avoid missed payments. I've missed a payment or two because the bill got buried beneath a stack of papers. Get organized and avoid those late payment penalties. If you do miss a payment, call your creditor and ask to have the penalty removed. They'll usually accommodate the request, at least the first time.
- Buy online when it saves you money. I've used Amazon to buy more than just books. It sells just about anything and sometimes at substantial savings.
- Consider MythTV PVR in replace of TiVo type services. I just ran across MythTV and am still investigating it. I pay $15 a month to my cable company for a DVR box and would love to save the money. If you've used MythTV, let us know how well it works. You can get more information about MythTV here.
- Use Open Source software when possible. I use GIMP instead of Photoshop. GIMP is free; Photoshop ain't.
- Check the insulation in your home. Extra insulation can easily pay for itself in one or two years, and it helps save the environment, too.
- Buy energy efficient appliances. Look for the Energy Star on appliances and consider the annual energy cost before buying. More efficient appliances cost more, but you make up the extra cost and then some over the life of the product.
- Stay married. Yes, I did say 51 "painless" money-saving tips. Yes, I know that some marriages end because of abuse and other extreme circumstances. "Isn't marriage about love", you ask. Sometimes. "You don't know my situation", you say. True. But I lived through the emotional and financial pain of two divorces as a child, and I've been married to the same women for more than 19 years, so I know plenty. Am I telling you not to get a divorce? Of course not. I am telling you that divorce will wreck your finances and your spouse's finances.
Check out the other great money saving tips in the comments below. And do you know some painless money-saving tips not listed here? Our goal is at least 101 painless money-saving tips, so please leave a comment or send an e-mail with your ideas.
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Nice advice guys,really thrilled cos kinda drink a lot and tend to spend more when drunk.Need to drink less.lol
Perfume……..everyone loves a good perfume. If you can’t afford a bottle of perfume (or even if you can), ask for samples. Anytime I’m at Shopper’s Drug Mart, or London Drugs, I ask for samples of whatever they have available. They’re great for a few reasons. One, you will smell great. Two, you can try many different kinds. Three, they’re the perfect size for carrying in your purse.
You can also do this with facial creams, soaps, etc. Don’t be shy, the samples are there for you to try!
These are all valid tips. Just days before finding this site, I did a few of the following and have saved over $100 a month on my bills with NO noticeable difference:
1) Called my cable company and ditched 100 channels I never watched and got a “slower” internet connection (which I don’t even notice)
2) Paid my auto insurance for 6 months and got a discount for being a homeowner
3) Turned off lights in rooms I’m not hanging out in. Saved over $25 on my last electric bill!
My next goal is to track my spending every day and see where my money really goes.
Great site
I was just laid off and my boyfriend and I are thinking of new ways to save cash. We don’t go out too much because it’s way more expensive. I try to make home made meals in bulk, especially for lunches. Home made chicken soup, chili etc saves money, is healthier and tastes better! You can even buy organic produce and it costs less than buying prepared foods all the time. I started buying meat at costco, I don’t eat much of that, but he does… and splitting up the packages and freezing. Wayyy less expensive and doesn’t lose quality.
I put together some suggestions on how you can simplify your expense tracking on my blog: http://smartlifeblog.com/5-tricks-to-automate-expense-tracking/.
It’s a good list, and I just emailed my life and auto insurance companies to see if I can get an annual discount, thanks! Now, I know this doesn’t seem like an option for a lot of people in the US, but living with relatives is extremely common in other countries, and for most of my adult life I’ve always had either my brother or my husband’s sister living with us. In the current economy, we now live with two of his siblings. Thankfully we all get along well, and they’re wonderful people. Monetarily speaking, we are three households under one roof now, with only one cable bill, one electricity bill, etc. and it is SUCH a relief.
With years of experience under my belt, I strongly recommend schedules regarding shower times and chores, and a lot of love and patience, but it definitely can work.
Thanks for the tips. I agree with the on-line tip and I would also add
Check the Internet Price Before purchasing an expensive item at a retail store, check the Internet price. Stores such as Best Buy and Macy’s have different Internet prices then their retail stores but they will match their Internet prices if you ask and you without paying shipping costs.
I also have savings tips on my site
http://www.SwapSavers.com/
For guys and gals who use razors regularly, extend their life!!!
Unlike annoying and super obvious “behavioral” ways of saving money, here is one with direct use-value. Take a small glass jar, fill it with a half-inch of mineral oil (available at your local pharmacy), and keep your razor in it when not in use. The end!
For dupes like myself who buy the higher end razors (mach III’s and the like), at twenty bucks a pop for a tiny “bulk” pack of razors, this will save you a ton. The reason it works so well is because razor wear is caused by corrosion, NOT USE. Now go look at the ingredient label on your shaving cream/gel: the first primary ingredients are all corrosive acids. Go figure, because the companies that produce shaving cream are also the same collection of companies who produce razors!
This really works. I do some light machining, and machinists always store or use their tools in conjunction with oils in order to keep them sharp, and one day it just clicked. I’m an every other day shaver and I used to go through blades about every ten days before they’d get coarse. Now I’ve been using the same blade for over two months now. I was thinking of turning this into a product, but there are pre-existing patents, and I’d just like to help others save money anyway. It’s a free tip, so enjoy!
-A note on use: for sanitary purposes, change the oil once in a while. Also, when done shaving, blow as much water droplets from your razor as possible because they will cling to the razor even in the oil, thus negating the benefits. And before shaving, give the razor a good rinse to remove as much mineral oil as possible. When there is still a lot of mineral oil on the blade it can give you kind of a weird, “un-close” shave because of the lubricating properties of oil. Other than that, fill out the details for yourself. And if you don’t like the look of a sauce jar on your shelf, just find a suitable vase, and there ya go.
There are three great ways to save money.
First learn to do minor repairs for yourself, use professional has become far to expensive nowadays. If you do not know how you can findout quickly on the internet, and there are even instruction videos.
Second is cooking from scratch which is not that hard. The key is to start off with simple meals and then move on to fancier ones as you gain experience. The surprise is that most of the foods you and/or your family will enjoy the most are amongst the easiest to make.
Third is to eliminate wast from your life.
While cutting our family budget we also cut back on the amounts we prepared. Guess what we still eat as much as we want, but we throw away very little. In fact the amount of garbage we produce was cut if half by being more careful in preparation, and by cooking from scratch.
A fourth lesson we can learn from dogs. Instead of going to a gym try going for walks and playing in the yard or park. While looking after a dog for six months I lost more weight just walking him then I ever did through any exercise program. Dogs instincts push them to walk and play, and if you let them do it they will be in great shape. So why not try it yourself I did and it as alot more fun then any gym.
Hey , here’s a way I’ve been cutting down on bills …check this thing out .. I saw it on ctv news … you can make UNLIMITED FREE LONG DISTANCE CALLS to Canada and the US .. it’s a little usb device with a phone jack and you talk over your internet connection … I bought it actually works… I cancelled my phone service with shaw .. which was around $100 or so a month … this only cost $39 CAD and it’s good for a whole year .. after that it’s only $19 … I got mine at http://www.InterestingMedia.com …Enjoy
I don’t understand #26. If your deductible is $250 but you’re willing to pay $500 out of pocket, why wouldn’t you just get a $500 deductible and lower your annual premium?
I agree that you have to weigh the benefit of making a claim vs. the possible cost increase over time, however.
great contents for saving bucks……….:)
1. I used to print and use lots of grocery coupons from the intenet, but last time I tried to use them the grocery store wouldn’t accept them. The checker told me they stopped accepting online coupons because people were making copies and using the coupons over and over again. So, before you waste a bunch of ink printing coupons, make sure the store you shop at will accept them. Check out thegrocerygame.com or thecouponmom.com–both of these sites provide lists of sale items at several grocery stores so you can use coupons from the Sunday paper in conjunction with the sale prices and get groceries for super cheap–some times you can even get stuff for free.
2. If you live in a place that has an HOA find out if there are any positions available on the board. I’ve heard of people having their HOA fee waived when they serve as an officer (i.e. secretary, treasurer etc.) on the HOA.
3. If you rent, find out if you can get a discount on your rent by taking a job cleaning common areas in the complex (i.e. laundry room, clubhouse etc.) a couple times a week. I had friends who did this in college and it took very little time and effort for them to get a good discount on their rent.
Hopefully no one has sent this one in yet – Cut back on car oil changes- follow the manufacturers recomendations as written in the owners manual – our Hyundai manual recomends 7k miles between changes not the 3k that all the oil change places tell you, I trust the engineers who designed the car more than I do the Jiffy lube folks.
FYI – Company policay at Macy’s is they DO NOT match internet prices, but they do usually match competitor’s prices (as long as you can prove it with an ad and it is exactly the same).
INTERNATIONAL CALLING – skype.com is free (also have some plans you can pay for) and great for international calling. Many students and military use this while in a foreign country. It is through the internet (so you are talking on your computer). There is almost no delay and you can hook up a webcam as well which is nicer than just talking on the phone.
HAIR CUTS – Men’s hair is REALLY easy to cut (if you like it short – I’ve cut my husband’s hair for years) a kit at Walmart cost about $20 the same or less than it costs to get one haircut. The kits are very easy to use and come with attachments to make your hair the same length all around.
Women, if you have long hair it is also REALLY easy to cut. To cut the hair in the back, bring it around to the front and notice the angel at which the hair rests, cut it at this angel (double check in the mirror. TIP1: It is a good ideas to cut a little less than you are intending to leave room for error. TIP 2: check your hair again in 2 days to make sure it is still even after shifting, etc.)
TRASH – use plastic grocery bags as bathroom trashbags (I like using re-usable bags, but I still have some plastic bags around from when I forget to bring my own).
If you get the newspaper, use the plastic bags that protect the newspaper for car trash, umbrella sacks, etc.
NAME BRAND CLOTHING – I have been employed by two different high-end retailers at different points in my life and I know (especially in this economy) that EVERYTHING eventually goes on clearance (as long as there is some of it left). Some name brands or designers do not allow their merchandise to go on sale or be bought with coupons, but department stores will still put them on clearance. I would NEVER buy anything at a department store that wasn’t at least 50% off and usually you can get it for 75% off. The key is looking semi-frequently, but you do need some self control. so if it just cuases you to buy more, only look when you need something.
Good Luck!
I have stopped using my dryer to dry our clothes. I do about 10-12 loads of laundry in a week for 5 people. Hanging our clothes up in the basement (because its too cold hang them outside) has saved us about $60 a month on our electric bill. Also get a blanket for your hot water heater to keep the heat in and switch to a low flow shower head to save on water.
Thanks for all the great tips!!!
Absolutely love Red Box, nice to see it listed here. It typically cost my family of 5 about $50 to go to the movies. We started doing Red Box and it’s a $1.09 for the whole bunch now! Pop your own popcorn and it’s an even better deal! We have one in our local Albertson’s and reserve the movie online and then just go pick it up!
Speaking of Albertson’s, they just love me…I’m the coupon queen. They accept all other store’s coupons so on Sunday I look through the adds and use a store coupon with a manufaturer’s coupon for the same item and they honor both of them. This method can really save big bucks! I also look through their adds and use coupons plus their own sale to save even more. I don’t buy prepared foods and cook from scratch though you can’t beat this for hygiene or household items. I go every Thursday after breakfast and with $100 in cash in my pocket to spend. I also use Costco for meats, you just can’t beat the quality or price, and freeze in seperate portions. We must be doing something right with our frugal life since I’ve had the pleasure of being a stay home mom and a paid off mortgage since last year! P.S. also been married to the same great guy for 19 years!
We saved about $30 a month by switching to a new phone provider. We use Elevate Communications (www.GoElevate.com)
When you order your phone if you enter JL3 as the rep code it will knock off all of the initial start-up costs and give your unlimited phone service for $29/month.
I have few tips ..
1. Get prepaid phone if you don’t use your cell phone often..Like for a family plan if you pay $10 for extra line each month..$120 for year. I have Tracfone prepaid phone for 3 years and have not paid that much till today. There are coupon code available online, so use it whenever you recharge for those extra minutes comes a long way. ( I pay $19.99 for 60 min card with code there is another 60 min free , so 120 min and 120 days expiration days will cover 3-4 months )
2. Redbox or DVDplay alos has coupon code. I use them all the time to save.
3.I buy Entertainment Coupon book and it has regional coupons, so while we eat out there is always B1G1 coupons waiting.
Restaurant.com site offers 80% off coupons for the participating restaurants.You can get gift certiifcats for $2 ( worth $10 which is good for $25 menu price ).
4.I do all of the shopping ,and recently I started “SAVE FIRST and SPENT REST” motto .So every month I would get cash from my husband account and put it in an envelope and seal it .
On top I would write how much we saved and date it.Now 3 months later we still manage to pay all bills on time and spend with the remaning and my saving grows..
I greatly agree with ARock ” we dont spend it if we dont see it “..
@ Seth, re: oil changes
DO NOT go 7k before changing your oil. There really is no measure for how often you should change your oil; it depends on the oil (synthetics last the longest, about 5K), how you drive, the condition/mileage of your car, and atmospheric conditions (dusty area? cold? hot?). You can certainly usually go beyond the 3k oil change suggestion, but check it often to make sure it isn’t just black tar in there. With a decent car and normal driving, I’d only suggest changes every 5k-4.5k. But the best way to save money is just to do you own oil changes–you can use the money you saved to buy better, longer lasting oils and filters.
I have spent the past year travelling the world using money I’ve saved by living below my means, but still taking part in a wide range of activities. I have the following tips to help you save more while still enjoying life:
- House share with other people to reduce your rent and you can live in a better neighbourhood for less.
- Save money on transport. If you need a car, then buy one with a small engine and use less gas. I rely on walking, cycling and the bus for my day-to-day transport and rent a car for weekends away or special trips
- Before you spend money on a big purchase (furniture etc), check and see if you can get it second hand for far cheaper (look at craigslist, thrift stores or yard sales)
- Don’t get into the habit of regularly spending money on convenience foods. Take-out coffee, buying your lunch every day and pre-packaged meals are bad for you and a waste of money. It does not take long to pack a lunch of fruit, leftovers or a sandwich, or make a basic dinner from scratch.
- Before you go grocery shopping, check what you still have left over, and make sure you use it up. Don’t waste food and money by letting it go bad.
- There are numerous ways to save money when taking vacations. hotwire.com is an amazing website where you can book hotels for around $50 a night. When you arrive in a new destination, take a shuttle or transit to your destination. Consider what you’re getting if you take a tour. I recently looked into city tours in my current location – and I could either spend $67 on the city tour, or $7 on an all day bus pass and see all of the same places.
- Think about how you socialize. Instead of going out for dinner with the girls, meet at someone’s house for a potluck. If you want to have a few drinks and watch the football with the guys, have them over and pick up some beer from the liquor store – far less expensive that paying bar prices! Catch up with a friend by going for a walk together, rather than out for coffee. Pay attention to offers in your area. Next week I am going snowboarding for free (well, free other than a small donation) because a mountain near me is having a charity event.
- Learn how to do minor repairs around the house. Often a small problem can be fixed without calling a repair company. Search on the internet for advice.
- Base your wardrobe around good quality neutral pieces and accessorise with fasionable items from chain stores, rather than buying new clothes to meet each new trend.
- Borrow and lend things with friends. There is little reason to own something that you don’t often use. Camping gear, books, and tools are some examples.
- Make the most of training opportunites offered to you by your employer. Extra skills you gain now = extra salary later and more opportunities to sell yourself and gain a better job.
- And what to do with all this extra money you’ll now have floating around? Keep a close watch on interest rates for savings accounts and make sure you’re making the most out of your money.
When it come to online shopping, I always check and compare those Cash Back sites first, such as ebates or fatwallet or sharemydeal.com, You can then use their link to the store, it will help you with some cash back anywhere between 1%~20% off each purchase, sort like a credit card rebate, you pay the full price to the store, but get a few bucks from the cash back site later, not much but it adds up and better than nothing.
Actually sharemydeal.com is pretty good, I actually made a few bucks by forwarding some of their deals, but that would be a different topic.
(I skipped all the above comments, but I wanted to add…)
My husband and I use MythTV, and it works great once it’s configured. I will add, however, that setup is not for the faint of heart. You need to first be fairly competent with computer hardware, especially video hardware, as you will likely have to build your own box with (ideally) two or more video cards. Then, since MythTV only runs on Linux (AFAIK – we use a Fedora distro at home), you have to be pretty comfortable with Linux administration.
The only problems we’ve had is that sometimes we’ll lose reception on a show we’ve recorded because the video cards have come unseated. Given that we stomp around playing DDR and Wii Fit in the same room, that’s not unusual.
So yeah, if you’re a computer geek already, it’s a great solution. Otherwise – attempt with care.
Fantastic Article.. You would have definitely put in lot of research to gather all these tips. Thanks Buddy
I have to second the comment about skype. Whenever we are out of the country, we travel with a small laptop and use skype for $0.02 a minute to call home. I think it is free within the US.
Also, when we travel (out of the country, especially), we always book budget hotels that offer free breakfast. We eat as much of this free breakfast as we can, and then we snack for lunch. Usually, we’re having too much fun to stop and eat for an hour or two. Then, in the evening, we have a nice meal and having wine or beer with dinner, because we’ve literally spent next to nothing on food the entire rest of the day.
I have to disagree with those who said to cut up your credit cards. We have 4 credit cards, not counting the store credit cards you can get. Yes, I said 4. We use each of them for a different reason and get cash back on every single one. This only works, however, if you can pay your montly bill each month. We have personally never accrued any interest on a credit card and they have never made a penny off me. One card we use only for gas, because we get 5% back on gas purchases. Another card, we earn points that can be turned in for a vacation or just a check. After two years of using that card, we got a $350 check that we used on things for our new house. The third card offers 5% back on special kinds of purchases each quarter, so we use that for whatever is 5% back that quarter. The fourth card we only use out of the country, as it has NO currency exchange fee, which saves us quite a bit. This also has a cash back function, I believe. I realize that some have trouble using credit cards correctly, but if you can, be smart about which cards you get because if you’re going to charge some things anyway, you might as well earn free money.
I also have to disagree with the life insurance tips. We have a life insurance policy that is not term. Yes, we are paying more now and will pay more for several years, but it is an investment, and once we are done, we are done. The term life policy we had we paid about $20 a month for 2 people and it would have expired in 20 years. Over 20 years we would have paid $4800 and at the end of 20 years, we had to be reevaluted healthwise. We would have been in our mid-40’s and our monthly payments to continue the insurance would probably have been more like our payments for our other llife insurance now. The life insurance we have now is more like an investment in that it is put into mutual funds and stocks, etc. and if we need the money for our care when we are older, we can pull some of that out early so that our children can help us without having to use their own money. If we kept term life insurance until the day we died, we would end up paying more for that insurance in the end…
Buy the rechargeable batteries. They may seem expensive but you save month after month.
Get the sunday paper and look for the cupons they save too.
You can also go to the thrift stores you get gently used stuff for only dollars.
Lastly grow your own fruits and vegetables. Growing them makes you have a sense of accomplishment also they are healthy and good for your body.
My site, FroogleSpending.com, was created to offer people weekly and monthly coupons for everyday living. The idea is to help people live a frugal lifestyle in a looming economy without sacrificing quality of living. I hope this helps someone out there!
Great ideas. Another site that might be usefula is ManyMoneySavers.com. Has tips on how to save money and earn money and info on how to find lots of free stuff online.
I hope you enjoy.
ok so I may be 20 years old, but I am in the military with a steady job. My best way of saving is this: STOP SPENDING ON USELESS STUFF.. I paid a school loan from college 2 years ago that was $2600.00 by paying with extra money I recieved. Instead of paying 300/month, I was able to pay 500/paycheck. If you KNOW that you will have a bonus, or in my case, deploy and KNOW that you will be getting money.. act like you don’t have it, and put the money on a debt you need to get rid of. That way, when time comes to pay bills, you will have ONE LESS THING to worry about.
Also, you know that you have to pay bills monthly. If you get paid bi weekly, calculate how much you get each paycheck. THEN calculate the bills for the month. DIVIDE by two, and pay half the first half of the month, and half the second half of the month.. If you find yourself paying $400 dollars in full on ONE bill on the 15th of the month you are WRONG ladies and gentlemen.
As some military members say, “work smarter, not harder!”
Every Sunday cut out coupons even the coupons you don’t need at the time, but, will in the future. Always take coupons with you when you go shopping. Everytime you go shopping check out the items that you always use to see if it’s Buy 1 Get 1 free and buy it even if you don’t need them. Walgreens has a booklet with in store coupons. You can use these with the other coupons at the same time and I use both of these coupons for a Buy 1 Get 1 free I’m smiling for the rest of the day.
Today saving money by shopping at Garage Sales is the new thing and its really paid off for me I personally use a site called Http://www.garagesalestracker.com its a breeze to use.
A lot of great ideas on saving money!
Track It – Know where your money goes. I charge everything and get 1 – 5 percent cash back and pay the ballance in full to avoid finace charge.
Reduce the biggest expense! Food was mine. Restraunts, Fast Food and Grocieries. If Fast Food accepts cc I charge it (extra cash back).
Portion control – It is good to cook in large portions, then divide into smaller portions and freeze. For example, I make enough caserole for 16 servings and divide them into 4 cup glass containers. I have a caserole for that week and one for the next three weeks.
A great way to reduce telephone bills is to merge your cell phone and house phone. You can do this through prepaid phone plans like TracFone and Net10. You pay only for the minutes you use and can use the phone to text as well. Since I switched to prepaid, I have save over $30 a month on my cell phone bill. I would recommend this to anyone who is in the need to save money.
A trick that I dont hear many people speak about is cutting your own hair. I was a miltary guy so I am used to having my hair short and getting it cut every 2 weeks. I am saving $30 a month which means $360.00 a year I can put towards other things. Not a good option for women but I plan on cutting my kids hair until they get older. It is a good bonding expierence…haha
Best idea is the one about staying married…it takes sacrifice, and HUMILITY…but it’s worth it!
RE #29: Shut vents in unused rooms. This isn’t advisable if you have forced air heating, but shutting vents in unused rooms can save on your heating and cooling bill.
99% of the time, you have vents because you have forced air system. Actually, strictly speaking in terms of HVAC, a vent is something you must always keep open, because it accepts used air from the house. A register is something that heated or cooled air is forced from. Technically, you can close the registers to a room or two (depending on your home) without much damage. You’ll want to watch so your furnace doesn’t overheat – which ruins the furnace itself. To do this, find the max temperature the furnace can be at in your owners manual and grab an IR thermometer. Shut the register and check the temperature of the air coming out of the furnace. If there is extra heat buildup, you’ll see it in the temperature reading.
Generally speaking, you can safely shut a room or two in a moderately sized house. this is because most of the time the HVAC system is configured for a temperature a great deal lower than the max design temperature of the unit.
One more I didn’t see: Turn down the thermostat in the winter, and turn it up in the summer to save on heat and A/C costs!
Those are some great ways to save and as a collage student I need to save money left and right.
Another way I found to save money was to get a prepaid phone. Net10 have a flat rate for minutes. Only 10 cents per minute and 5 cents for text. For college student that 5 cents a text is great, i know most services charge 10 cents, so its like half over. There are no activation fees or anything and the service charge averages to about only 7 dollars a month. Plus they have service on over 60 countries and for 15 cents a minute for international calls i get to keep in touch with my family in Italy.
Chris, I just switched to Net10! When I did my research, I found out that it has the BEST OVERALL VALUE. I can’t wait to get started using it.
Unplug cell phone iPod and camera chargers sun when they are not in use.
Also don’t buy bottled water it is just as easy to fillbone up than to grab a plastic one.
Go online and check all possible stores prices before buying any electroncs.
Go to trade schools to get some services done. Most the time they are half the price and you cannot tell the difference.
A totally free prescription discount card. No registration required! No pre-existing conditions! Save between 10% to 85% on most brand name and generic drugs. The card is accepted at over 80% of all pharmacies in the US and its territories. Card can be used over and over, covers all family members, and does not expire. You can print a card for instant use as well as order a plastic coated card to be sent to you at NO CHARGE.
Robo Jack Phone is only $19.95/year.
Instead of buying a refurbished MAC just buy a cheaper brand new PC that will have more capabilities. Everyone who has jumped on the MAC parade is stupid!
i know everyone is chiming in about dumping the home phone or combining your cell/home phone, and i couldn’t agree more. we got rid of our home line ($42 or so a month) and also got rid of our cell contracts. We don’t use Internet on the phones, so we don’t need anything too fancy. We don’t use prepaid but use a no contract cell company called Pure Talkusa – $10/month for like 100 minutes and a free phone. I usually use about 300 minutes a month, but the minutes roll over and it is only another $10 whenever i need more. My husband upgraded to a razor phone b/c he does text more, so that was like $50 or $60, but we still save at least $20 and sometimes $40 each month for each of us, so $40-80!
T-Mobile offers a home phone for 10.00 a month!! it runs off the internet and also turns your house in to a wifi hot spot. the router is only 39.99 and if you take advantage of the wifi calling feature then you get unlimited calls from your cell phone when it runs on wifi. (its called UMA calling) so you can reduce your cell phone bill as well because of the less minutes used when on UMA
Sean, thanks for the tip.
Big tip: Brew your own coffee in the morning. Simple, huh? Make your morning coffee at home. If you need to, get a pot with a timer and set it up in the evening so your coffee is ready when you step out of bed (I do). Use a travel mug if you need to carry it with you to work. I have favorite brand of coffee. I buy it on sale with a coupon and stock up at $3.99 for 10 ounces. I get 4 really huge cups out of a pot (I know the pot say’s its 12 cups but really, who drinks that small a cup?) and about 10 pots per bag. That’s 40 cups for $4 or 10 cents per cup. Add the cost for 1% milk and Splenda and we are looking at 25 cents per cup. Beats the hell out of a $3.50 latte. Do the math… you can save $800 per year on coffee.
There are more at: http://www.organize-more-stress-less.com/recession-proof-your-life-and-save-money.html
A great list to get you started. Had a good laugh with Tip No 51!
Another good tip is to let the natural light into your house before automatically turning on the lights.
buy used clothing – not just thrift stores, but often you can find current styles at consignment shops. If you don’t have one, start a clothing swap. This is especially helpful for kids, who outgrow their clothes constantly.
Businesses pay for customer loyalty. I have certificates for 2 -$25 visa cards for 10 or 20 months. Just send in reciepts from stores and gas stations you already buy from.
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