Who Wants to be a Millionaire?
My dad likes to tell me a story about when he was in college he and some friends used to talk about how they could make millions. It goes a little something like this. Let's say they were interested in buying a car. What they really wanted was a sporty convertible valued at $60,000 but instead they would buy a sensible used sedan valued at $17,000. They now have $43,000. Well, not really.
There are real ways, however, to save money. Here is a quick list.
drink water - water is as close to free, both at your house and eating out, as it comes and your body needs water
when eating out get a meal that can be easily eaten as leftovers - tip, most salads don't make good leftovers
meal plan - plan what you eat, buy what you plan, eat what you buy… works every time
grow your own herbs - start from seed for the most bang for your buck.
buy bulk spices - instead of the $9 jar of 1.5oz of cayenne pepper of which you need 1/25 for a recipe, you could get your 1/4 teaspoon's worth for pennies
declutter and organize your home - knowing what you have and where it is means you won't buy something that you already have
use lights in the room you are in - if no one is in the kitchen the lights don't need to be on
buy better quality clothes - they last longer; also, let go of the clothes you aren't wearing
own less - the less you have, the more aware you are of what you have and are able to find what you need without having to replace things
eat most meals at home - that meal that you just spent $12 on and didn't even eat it all, you could have made at home for $4 and had leftovers
be intentional with all purchases - do you really need it? do you really love it? does it have a place to live at your home? do you want to take care of it? do you already have something that will serve the same purpose?
use the library for books, games, dvds, games, cake pans - did you know all this was available to you for FREE?
swap books, puzzles, games with friends - mix up your leisure time for free while keeping things in good hands
do hand-me-down clothing for kids and even you and your spouse - another great way to get the most out of items before spending money again
shop second hand/slightly damaged - unique treasures abound ready for you at a fraction of the cost
If you'd like more ideas on ways to manage your money, check out Joshua Becker at Becoming Minimalist. He also has insightful tips on letting go of things as you can imagine by the name of his website.
What tips do you have for saving money?