10 ways to save money

They 10 things are easy to do and do not require scrimping on our lifestyle.

1. Create a penny jar where all small change is added to the jar. When the jar is full, bank the money or use it to pay off some of an account.

2. Phone your local utility companies and find out whether you have the best plans for your needs. Reduce the services you do not need or replace your service provider with a more competitive one.

3. Further to #2 – find out if your utility company has a rate plan. If they do this would mean that you have to adjust using electricity for washing machines and ovens to off peak time so that you can get the benefit of a lower rate.

4. Stop eating out at restaurants and only do this on special occasions. Use this money that you would have spent to pay off a small account or add it to the penny jar until it is large enough to pay off.

5. Turn down your thermostat if you use heating. Turn down your hot water cylinder which will save on electricity.

6. Wash your clothes on the cold cycle only which will bring your electricity bill down further.

7. Consider washing your dishes by hand which saves water, power and thus money.

8. Use your library instead of buying books and other free recreational places where you do not need to pay to picnic or throw a Frisbee around with your family.

9. If there is a place you frequent often like the aquarium, zoo or waterpark, see if they have a club card that you can buy up front for the year. These are normally cheaper than paying admittance fees each time.

10. If you have a lot family and friends for whom you need to buy gifts for birthdays and other special occasions…think homemade! Vouchers for taking care of a niece or nephew, car washing, deep cleaning of a kitchen, bringing over a ready made meal (wonderful for those who work long hours) are all ways to bless these special people without you having to spend much.

If you have debt … get out of it by starting with these simple ideas:

1. Make a list of all your accounts and amounts owed.

2. Make your budget allowing the maximum amount of money to go towards paying off the smallest debt.

3. When that debt is paid in full, close the account and destroy the card.

4. Then take the amount that you were paying for that paid up debt and put it toward the next debt.

5. When the second debt is paid off, do the same as step 3 and 4.

6. Keep repeating these steps until all your small debts are paid.

7. You should now only have a mortgage and car payment (if at all).

8. Take all the funds that you were using to service your debt and work towards paying off your mortgage and/or car.

Of these 10 ways to save money, this is one of the primary ways to save money – by getting rid of your debt.