20 Ways to Save in Today's Economy

No matter what income bracket your family is in, rising food and gasoline prices are bound to affect you. Massive flooding in the Midwest (where much of our farmland happens to be) are bound to make things worse in the coming months. Here are some ways you can save on food or gasoline, or save in other areas to be able to make your dollar go farther:

1. Shop with a list. I know you've heard this one before, but it does make a difference. Without a list, you may go down every isle in the supermarket and pick up things you might otherwise do without.

2. Shop without the kids. Kids usually want the junk foods they've seen on TV, or a cheap toy that will end up on the floor 30 minutes after you leave the store. If you are a single parent and don't have family close by to watch the kids, work out an arrangement with another single parent to watch each others kids for an hour or two each week while you shop and run errands.

3. Make one dish meals whenever possible. Get out the crock pot and put it to good use making stew, chili, or other meat and vegetable combinations. Do a web search under "recipes" and then "one dish meals" and see what you come up with. Double the recipe and put half in the freezer for another meal. One of my favorite recipe sites is RecipeSource where you can find recipes from many different ethnic groups.

4. Get free stuff whenever possible. Go to FreeCycle and find your city, then register to join. Freecycle is a website where people give away things they no longer need or request things they want. I've personally given away perennial plants, ceramic tile, an electric foot bath, and a room air purifier. I've requested large tablecloths for 6 foot tables and packing peanuts and received offers of both. Most people who are giving stuff away will put it on the front porch for you and just give you their address to pick it up. People give away everything from unopened food to beds, pianos, building materials, riding lawn mowers, and other large items.

5. Stay away from the mall unless you really need to purchase something. If you go just to window shop, you're sure to find something you just can't live without. If you must go, make a list of what you need to buy, then decide what stores might have what you want. Go in, make your purchases, then leave.

6.Return stuff you don't need. Anything in your closet that still has the price tag on it after a reasonable time probably doesn't excite you that much, so return it. If it is too late for the store to take it back, take it to a consignment shop or sell it on e-bay.

7. Trade kids' clothes with friends, especially baby clothes. Most babies and toddlers outgrow their clothes before they wear them out, so pass them on to a friend whose kids are just a little younger than yours, and ask friends to do the same for you. If this isn't an option for you and you live in a small town that has lots of garage sales, read the ads and look for mention of childrens clothes (don't waste gasoline and time going to every garage sale in your town, but neighborhood sales can be great because you can just park your car and cover several houses). I've purchased baby or toddler clothes with designer labels for my grandchildren for as little as a dollar each.

8. Buy generic formula and diapers. My daughter purchased both from a discount store and found them as good as name brand. Potty train your toddler as soon as they show signs of understanding the need for a fresh diaper. If you are a new parent and don't know how to potty train, ask an experienced mother (or your own mom or grandma) how they did it. I don't recommend pull-ups either (except at night) since the child needs to experience the feeling of being really wet to want to use the toilet.

9. Bargain with stores on everything. Many large stores and most family-owned businesses will reduce the price on furniture, appliances, and carpet if you ask. Tell them you are shopping for the best price and ask what their low dollar is. Farmer's markets may reduce the price of their produce at the end of the day rather than have to pack it all up and take it home. Make them an offer and see what happens.

10. If you make a purchase and see the same item on sale a couple of days later, call the store and see if they will refund the price difference. Many will do so within 10 days of the sale if you have your receipt.

11.Shop at one of the stores where everything costs a dollar or less. I buy greeting cards (2 for $1.00), generic over-the-counter medicines (which by law are required to have the exact same ingredients in the same amounts as name brand), trash bags, toiletries, food items, party supplies, and much more at my local Dollar Tree.

12. Stop buying lottery tickets, or just buy one. It only takes one to win, and your chances of winning are one-in-a-zillion anyway!

13. Avoid excessive use of ATM machines, especially if they charge a fee for transactions. Go to the bank and take out enough cash to last you until your next paycheck, then put most of it away in a safe place and only carry enough with you to cover the items you plan to purchase.

14. Pay bills online as long as there is no fee. My local water company offers online bill pay for $2.50 per transaction. No way!!! I'll buy a stamp instead!

15. Save on your electric bill by turning off and unplugging computers and other electronic equipment at night, doing only full loads of laundry and dishes, and watching less TV. Turn off lights if you will be out of the room for more than 10 minutes.

16. Check with your family doctor to see if you can e-mail simple questions instead of coming in for a visit. Many health insurance companies and some hospitals offer free "call a nurse" service also, and you may be able to avoid an expensive doctor's visit by speaking to a health professional over the phone.

17. If your doctor prescribes new medicine, ask for samples. If she has no samples, ask for the least expensive medicine that will fix the problem. Many stores such as Wal-mart, Meijer, and other discount stores will either give you a 30-day supply of many common drugs FREE or charge $4.00 for them. Sam's Club also has inexpensive drugs, and you don't have to be a member to purchase from their pharmacy.

18. Avoid drive-up windows at banks, fast food restaurants, and pharmacies unless there is no line or just one car ahead of you. You can waste a lot of gasoline sitting in line for 15 or 20 minutes.

19. Slow down and drive the speed limit. Speeding just burns extra gasoline, and if your speeding results in an accident your insurance rates may go up too!

20. Start a dollar-bill savings. I heard this suggestion on a radio talk show (I think it was Neal Boortz) and I've been doing it for a couple of weeks now. The way it works is - you don't spend dollar bills. Every night when you come home, take all dollar bills out of your pocket or purse and put them in a special jar or other safe place. If you have to break a $5, $10, or $20 bill you are less likely to buy that candy bar, cup of coffee, magazine, or other small purchase. At the end of the month, check to see how many dollars you've saved. You may be amazed at the result!

Just by changing your personal habits, you can stretch your dollars to cover the rising costs of just about everything!

Source: IdeaMarketers