7 Easy Ways To Save Money

It’s always amazing me the crafty ways people find to save money. And many times, they don’t involve a lot of hard work or sacrifice.

Here are some my favorite tips. Some I’ve used in my own life, and some I have found online. All, in my opinion, are easy to start doing.

1. Save Money By Renegotiating Your Cable Bill

This is a tip I have used in my own life. Up until last month, I was paying $150 per month to Comcast for TV, phone, and Internet service.

Then, I got a flier from AT&T offering the same service for $99 per month. I called Comcast to see if they would match it, and they flat out refused. So, I switched.

I got my service hooked up this morning, as a matter of fact, and I’m thrilled. I made a total of 3 phone calls, and I’m saving $50 per month as a result. Definitely worth the time invested; that’s $600 per year!

2. Earn Money With Brring!

Brring! is a service that puts ads on your phone line.

Here’s how it works: you sign up (for free, of course), and get a special “phone number”. Every time your friends of family calls this number, they hear a short ad before being connected to your regular phone. For every phone call you get, you earn .05 to .75 or more.

Now as far as I understand it, you earn the higher amount when you give Brring! information on who calls you (ages of your friends, their interests, etc.). This allows them to customize the ads to fit that demographic. The ads are from places like movie studios, record labels, and charitable organizations.

This can be a great way to earn some passive income, if your friends and family don’t mind waiting a few more seconds to get connected with you.

3. Save Money By Heating One Room In Your House

This is another money-saving tip I use in my own life.

I work at home, and for the longest time I had high heating bills in the winter because since I was home all day, I couldn’t turn my heat down super-low like most other people.

Then I figured out that by investing in a small heater, I could save money by heating just my office and letting the rest of the house go cold during the day.

After getting the heater, I ended up taking it a step further. I also use it in the evening while we’re watching a movie. I’ll turn the heat down and then use the heater to keep us warm on the couch.

Am I saving money this way? Well, I’m pretty sure I am. I keep the thermostat at 63 degrees during the day, and then it goes to 65 degrees in the evening, and then down to 60 degrees while we’re sleeping.

The heater, if I added right, costs me 9 cents to run per hour (and that’s when it’s on the max setting, and I always keep it on low). I usually run it around 6 hours per day total. So, I’m coming out ahead because a) my furnace uses a ton of electricity every time it kicks on and b) I’m burning less natural gas to heat my home. And I stay completely comfortable during the day because of my space heater.

4. Use Your Toaster Oven

Ok, if you have six kids this tip isn’t going to work that well. But for couples and small families, you can cut down your electric and gas bill by using a toaster oven in place of your big oven.

I use our toaster oven all the time to cook dinner. I make broiled salmon, broiled potato fingers, eggs and toast, even homemade cookies. And you can’t tell at all that they were cooked in the toaster oven.

The reason you save money by using a toaster oven is because you’re heating a much smaller space than you are with your regular oven. Again, they use less electricity and less natural gas.

5. Keep The Change

Bank of America has a cool program that actually forces you to save money. It’s called “Keep the Change”.

Here’s how it works: every time you purchase something with your debit card, Bank of America automatically rounds up the purchase to the next dollar. Then, it takes that spare “change” and deposits it into an interest-bearing savings account.

For instance, if you buy something for $10.40, Bank of America charges your checking account $11.00. That extra 60 cents goes into your savings account automatically.

The beauty of “Keep the Change” is that the money is pulled away in such small increments that you never miss it. It’s painless, and effortless on your part (once you sign up).

The program is free once you have a checking and savings account with them, and it’s a great, easy way to save money.

6. Add Water

You can make a lot of your home supplies and groceries go further simply by adding water to them.

For instance, I add water to my dish soap to make it last longer. My dishes get just as clean, and I have to buy less dish soap through the year.

Other things you can add water to include:

• Honey
• Fruit Juices
• Shampoo
• Cleaning Supplies
• Hand Soap

7. Go Grocery Shopping When You’re In A Hurry

Think of how full your cart gets when you have tons of time to wander the aisles. You see things that look tasty, or that you might like to try, and in they go.

If you only go grocery shopping when you’re in a hurry, however, you’re far more likely to stick to your list and not impulse buy. You’ll make a mad dash through the store, get what you need, and get out. And, your grocery bill will be lower as a result.

Some ideas? Go to the grocery store before work, before you have to pick up your kids from school or practice, or an hour before your most favorite show is about to come on tv.

Tagged as: saving money