Thursday, June 23, 2011

Helpful Ideas for Saving Money

By Athena Hunter


Regardless of what you think, you can save money every day. So many bills and expenses that we take for granted can be either eliminated or reduced if we give it some thought. For example, something that you buy brand new can be bought much cheaper from a used dealership. You may be able to cut another bill substantially by switching to another company or service. If you apply the following money saving principles to your own life, you'll be surprised at how effective they can be.

Vacations are fun and so is traveling but taking a "staycation" is a great way to save money during your vacation time. This doesn't have to be a sacrifice, as no matter where you live there are probably enjoyable activities that you don't usually have time for. If you have children, take them to theme parks or other similar attractions that are within driving distance. Pretend that you are new in town and go out to see the sights. As well as getting better acquainted with your locality, you will be avoiding most of the stress associated with travel like trying to make a flight on time, security lines, etc. Obviously if you can afford it, taking long trips can be super fun but staying home can be even more fun when you take into account the amount of money that you will save by doing so.

Learn to shop with a method in mind instead of going to the store at the last minute. The worst time, to use one example, to buy holiday presents is right before the holidays. You should wait for the holidays to be over when you wait for things to go on sale.

It's a lot less stressful to shop like this because you'll avoid all of the crowds and that feeling that you have to buy something right away. Just like this, don't buy summer or winter clothing right before the season starts because this is when it is the most expensive. It is better to plan ahead and buy things when they are cheap, no matter if they are for yourself or if they are for gifts. Stores typically charge more for products when everybody wants to buy them so if you do some advance planning, you'll get the same items for much less.

If you pay for cable TV think about canceling it and finding other forms of entertainment. There are lots of people who waste lots of money on cable channels that are rarely watched. You can save money, particularly if you like movies, by simply renting DVDs or renting movies or television online. Television shows are typically available online or through a rental portal as well. It's easy to find free videos online these days. There are also lots of other things you can do besides watching TV. Cutting out cable TV is a simple way to save hundreds of dollars every year.

Many people spend money during their leisure time because they don't bother to look into all the free or inexpensive activities that are around. Instead of going to a shopping mall or movie theater when you have free time, look into what you can do for free. Go for a hike or a walk when the weather is nice. Most places will have a few different free things that will be listed in the newspapers and in free weekly publications and on bulletin boards. Popular free events include concerts and art gallery openings. If you take the time to look around, you will find that there is plenty to do that doesn't cost money. The fact is that saving money does not need to be painful or difficult. Make the economical decisions by training yourself to look for the best deal instead of just buying a pretty package. These tips can make a huge difference but we're positive you can find other tips too.




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