How to Save Money When You Are Broke

So you're living paycheck to paycheck but you want to start putting a little something away for a rainy day?

Whether you want to save money to make a large purchase, pay off our debts, or simply add to your retirement fund, it is possible to save money when you are broke.

The first step is to find out where this money is going to come from. It may be hard to imagine squeezing any extra money from your paycheck, but with a few simple modifications to your habits, you will be stocking your piggy bank in no time at all.

Your money for savings needs to come from either reducing your expenses or increasing your income.

Cut Expenses to Save Money

This is often the easiest way for people to start saving money. But it takes some knowledge about how you are currently spending your money in order to see where you can save money.

For at least one week, track your spending habits so that you can see where your money is going. For most people, this is going to be a big shock, especially when you see just how much money you spend on certain things.

Then start looking for places that you can cut your costs.

For most people, the best place to start is with their food expenses. It's usually much cheaper to eat at home, so if you find that you eat out a lot, then start by eating all of your meals at home. You'll also find that you can save money at the grocery store by planning your meals around store specials or using generic products instead of name brand goods.

You also may be able to cut some entertainment costs. Rather than going out to the movies, for example, stay home and rent a movie. A membership to a company such as Netflix costs a little bit of money, but can save you a lot in the long run.

Once you've started making these small cuts to your spending habit, you'll begin to see more ways that you can decrease your spending.

Don't forget to put the money you've saved into savings though. It's easy to see that you have extra money and spend it on other things. It may require some diligence at first, but make sure that if you save $10 by eating at home instead of eating out, that you put that $10 into your savings account.

Increase Your Income to Save Money

Some people don't like the feeling of deprivation that may come with cutting your spending costs. For these people, it's a better idea to try to increase their income and save the extra money.

When people think about increasing their income, the first thought is to get a second job. This is a great way to earn extra money if you have the time and energy to do it. Unfortunately, many people do not and drop the idea of earning extra income right there.

That's unfortunate because there are definitely other ways that you can earn a bit of extra money without a lot of sweat.

For example, you can sometimes cell your blood or participate in studies to earn some extra money. You can take surveys, or start a blog that earns AdSense and affiliate income. Perhaps the best way to drum up some extra cash is to go around your house and collect the things that you no longer need. Then sell these things online or at a garage sale.

As with cutting your costs, once you start to find some simple ways to earn money, it becomes easier to find even more ways to increase your income. Again, don't forget to put this extra money in your savings account. It doesn't help you to increase your expenses along with your income.

Saving Money When You Are Broke

For most people, the difference between being a saver and a spender can be achieved simply by changing your mindset. If you really set out to save money, you can do it, whether you're broke or not.

Save Money While Shopping

Some people love to go for shopping and others just hate it, but even if you hate it or not, you just have to go shopping. What happens sometimes, is that you spend too much money on shopping than what you actually planned for. This disrupts the whole budget, and it is even worse for people on fixed salaries.

There are many ways you can follow to save money while shopping:

Don't go shopping on an empty stomach: If you shop with empty stomach, you will definitely be lured by food. This will make you buy extra food that you don't otherwise require making you spend extra money

List: A tried and tested method. Make a list before you go for shopping. This way you will not buy extra stuff, and be focused on what you have to buy. Make a checklist, and keep ticking off things as you buy them.

Kids: Kids mean extra expenditure. Make sure you leave your kids at home before you go shopping. Generally kids demand some unnecessary things that you finally end up buying.

Online shopping: Online shopping is better, as it saves the fuel costs. When you drive up to the store, you spend money on gas, which can be saved by doing online shopping. Besides, you also get some discounts at some sites.

Sale: Some people only shop when stores are on sale. Generally the sale shopping works only for clothes and other apparel, but it sure does save a lot of money.

The off season: There are some products whose sales go high in certain seasons, and down in the slack season. Make sure you buy these things in the slack season, as their prices are down. For example, you can buy woolens during summers, as their prices are really lowered in the slack summer seasons.

If you follow these points, you can save a lot of money while shopping.

Save Money on Your Vacation Budget By Packing Light

Most people don't actually realize the importance of packing light while traveling. Packing light is not only an option, it is actually very necessary if you want to avoid irritating problems and travel delays. Apart from that and more importantly, you save a lot of money when you can travel light.

A traveler with minimum baggage is not going to be so dependent on porters and will have fewer luggage hassles at the airport too. You can simply pick up your bag and be on your way. Besides, with lots of luggage to tow around you cannot really use public transport and this could save you a lot of money on your vacation.

Here are some good packing tips and with some careful planning you will find yourself traveling lighter and more hassle free; this will undoubtedly help to make your vacation more enjoyable and save quite a bit of money while you are on the move.

- Try to limit your goods to one piece of baggage, preferably a small one. This will save you the money to be paid for excess baggage. You will also feel much lighter and save on time, while you see other people waiting in line to claim their luggage.

- Try to keep all your valuables with you while you travel. This will avoid any kind of problems in case of missing luggage. Most airlines limit the amount of luggage one can take and also what you can keep with you while on board. In such cases it is necessary that you know exactly what to carry and what not to.

- While packing, make sure that all the things you might need during your journey are close to you. If you leave necessary things out of your reach in the luggage compartment and not in your hand baggage you may run into problems later.

- When you do your packing, remember that it is comfort which should take precedence over fashion. Pack clothes sensibly, keeping in mind the weather of the places you are going to. Take clothes which can be used for various occasions.

- Plan your clothing and the related accessories just like you would your trip so that you know exactly what you can wear on which day. Team up, skirts, trousers and shirts in such a way that each will compliment the other. That way you won't have to carry quite so many different items.

- If you don't have clothes that are usable, invest wisely in some articles of clothing which are light weight and stylish too. Double up your beach wear clothes to be used as night wear, that way you not only save money but will also travel a little lighter.

- While packing your shoes remember that they would be taking up a maximum amount of your packing space. So choose your foot wear wisely. If possible choose one pair that will serve you for both out doors as well as indoors.

- Use the small spaces or corners in your bag to pack in underwear or small stuff that you might need. Always roll your clothes instead of folding them, that will to keep them wrinkle free.

- Whenever possible pack small packets and sachets of toiletries. Most budget travelers collect such pocket sized toiletries from the hotels they might have visited on previous trips. This helps the budget traveler save the expense of buying new toiletries exclusively for traveling.

- Don't forget to pack useful small items that you might need while traveling. Finger nail clippers and tweezers, and a needle and thread are items not to be overlooked. You might also find it handy to have a small foldable bag with you so that in case of extra shopping you don't need to spend money on new containers to haul the things home..

Packing light will help you travel more comfortably and it will always help you to save on your travel budget.

How to Save Money For Beginners

Many people are struggling financially because each week they find that their pay magically disappears. Good news! I have found a way of stopping this and it works! Well, it works for my two teenagers, I have only just set mine up, and it seems to be working so far.

How do I know it works? My sixteen year old has been working full time as an apprentice for nine months and has over $3000 in the bank. My fifteen year old has been working part time for a month and a half while still attending school and has $150 in the bank.

So how do you set yourself up to save? The first thing you need to do is set up a savings account with your bank. Not just any savings account though. It needs to be one that cannot be accessed with a card. Most banks now have accounts that can only be accessed by the internet or phone banking or by going into the bank. This helps to stop impulse buying, as you don't have the funds on your card when you are out shopping.

Now comes the tricky bit. You need to work out how much you can afford to put in your savings account each week. The easiest way to do this is to work out how much you NEED to spend each week for your everyday living and subtract this from your weekly pay. Whatever is left goes into your savings account. This doesn't mean you can't touch your savings at all, it just means that it is not easily accessed. If an emergency pops up or an unexpected bill comes in, you just transfer the money you need into your everyday account.

For people who earn a regular wage or salary, the best option to get you into the habit of saving is to set up an automatic transfer with your bank. You will need to set it up so that, on the day your pay goes into your everyday bank account, your savings amount is automatically transferred into your savings account. You may soon discover that you don't miss this money if you budget on the amount that will be left in your everyday account.

For people who earn varying amounts each week, there are two options. Option one is that your manually transfer money into your savings account on pay day. Option two is to set up an automatic transfer for an amount that you know you won't miss and then manually transfer more if you earn more.

Don't worry if you can't afford to put too much into your savings account. Even ten dollars a week adds up to over $500 in a year. It's a great way to save up for Christmas. A good incentive to save is to set yourself a goal. Maybe you want to save for a new car or a new set of golf clubs or whatever it is that you would like but can't afford right now.

Remember, the point of saving money is so that you can use it at some point of time in the future for what you want. There is no point in saving just so that you can say that you can.

Homemade Wind Generators - Homemade to Save You Money

Homemade wind generators are now becoming vastly popular among many people. This is because the fact that the economy is now in such a bad state, and also the fact that the world's environment is also getting very damaged by the use of traditional power methods such as burning coal for electricity.

The use of wind to produce electricity is not a new concept by any means. The thing that is new, is that many people like you, just ordinary folks, are able to use this technology in their own homes to drastically cut down their power bills whilst helping the environment at the same time.

So if this is so easy, then how do you do it? Where do you find the right information to install and build your own homemade wind generator? well, luckily there has been a ton of guides that allow people to do it themselves at a very cheap cost to the consumer.

Many people have done this themselves in their own home, just by using one of these cheap DIY guides and buying the cheap parts to create and install their own wind generator. Although to someone without any knowledge in this area it might sound very complicated and technical, it is really not that hard once you see the step-by-step layout of information that these DIY guides provide you with.

With just a very small investment, usually under a couple of hundred dollars you can build your own home-made wind generator, have it up and running, and saving a lot of money on power bills.

http://world-wind-energy.blogspot.com/

Rainwater Harvests and Rain Containers Save You Money While You Conserve Resources

Rainwater harvesting put simply means collecting and storing rain for future use. Uses depends on how far you go in purifying and cleaning the water, but could range from turning it into fully drinkable water to using it for cleaning and bathing to using it to water crops in a drought. The most common form of rainwater catchment system is a rooftop system, where runoff is directed into rainwater containers or tanks.

A close cousin of rainwater harvesting is called "groundwater recycling". These systems also recycle rainwater but usually in order to concentrate it in a single area, like where crops are to be grown. This is also referred to as "groundwater recycling" and is common where wells provide enough water for the people and animals, but are strained to meet the needs of crops or other vegetation. The term for changing groundwater into a drinkable form is called "groundwater recharging", and it is particularly common in areas that have rainy seasons.

Rainwater harvesting can provide water for human and animal consumption while at the same time reducing water bills, decreasing the costs of distribution, providing valuable reserves during times of drought, and saving some land that would otherwise have to be used for reservoirs. This can be vitally important in parts of the world where rain is scarce or the population is high, but in almost any area rainwater harvests can reduce costs and the strain on natural resources.

Rainwater harvests got their start in dessert or at least semi-arid locations. People in these areas often had limited, expensive, or strained access to regular sources of "potable" water. In these areas, rain harvesting provided drinking water, water for bathing and cleaning, water for livestock and pets, and of course irrigation and groundwater for crops and plants. The technology was developed and perfected out of need, but can now be more generally used. In fact, rainwater harvesting has now become more and more common in areas where the human population has outstripped natural resources.

Rainwater harvested from roofs can contain impurities picked up from the roof itself. In addition, some natural rain contains pesticides and other contaminants. Therefore, sometimes the water in rainwater tanks or containers has to be purified before it is to be used as drinking water, and this can be done through boiling, filtering, or through the use of additives like chlorine. Rainwater purification can also be done earlier in the process, quite simply by having filters in the tubing that directs the water into the storage tanks.

Rain collection systems are inexpensive, and can be built into structures so they are barely visible. Rainwater tanks or containers can be buried in the ground or located in a basement, again, invisible but highly useful. Rooftop systems can be made virtually invisible from ground level though sometimes they can be made to be aesthetically pleasing by choice. Look into rainwater harvests - it could save you money, help you reduce your impact on our environment, and bring you a stream of fresh water each day.

Discount Vegas Flights - Save Money on Your Trip For Vegas!

Are you in the way of planning a trip? Whether you're flying to Vegas, Europe, or different destination that demands air travel, you may be looking for information how you'll be able to save money. Better yet, you may be looking for cheap air travel rates. You can get straight to the real secrets and find out how to truly get your discount vegas flights.

The first step in discovering cheap air ravel rates is to acknowledge that they do exist. Unfortunately, several individuals don't know or even sincerely believe that there are ways that they can save money on the monetary value of traveling by air, but you'll be able to. Depending on where you look, you may be able to save one hundred dollars or more on just one trip!

As for how you are able to go about obtaining cheap air travel rates, you will want to turn to the World Wide Web. When using the internet, you'll find out that there are a number of different approaches that you can take to find cheap airline tickets. First, you'll prefer to begin with online travel sites. Many permit you to compare flights with different airlines. You're also often capable to compare flights with one airline, but with a flexible time or date window. This approach is one that you'll prefer to study. A lot of travelers do not understand that the same flight can cost more money on a Saturday than it would on a Wednesday and so on.

In keeping with using online travel websites to assist you find inexpensive aviation rates, you'll want to visit a number of them. If you don't already recognise of a number of online travel websites, you are able to easily find a few by executing a standard web search.

As an added tip, whenever you'll be traveling with young kids, namely those who are two or younger, you may be able to take in a small, but helpful, discount. Kids under two have the option of baby-sitting on the lap of an grownup, but a lot of airlines will provide discounts to help fill all seats. To see if an airline will offer you a discount rate for travelling with a minor under the age of two, contact them directly. If you are given a small-scale discount, be prepared to purchase your tickets then and over the telephone.

The above mentioned processes are just a few of the numerous ways that you'll be able to set about finding cheap air travel rates. As a review, comparing airlines, traveling sites, and flight dates stamp and times is expected to result in you finding out the advisable deals. I recommend a travel agent that will provide you true employee tips.

10 Very Easy Ways to Save Money

All of us think about saving ourselves, only after we land up in crisis. We realize that savings could have done some miracle while going through the crisis period. One should be well-prepared to face situations turning from bad to worse. The downturn of US economy has made well-planned budgets go topsy-turvy. Below are some tips to save money in easy ways.

Spend LESS

Our earning potential is limited, not our expenses. How do we make provisions for ever rising needs of life? The only solution is to spend less. Simple lifestyle demands less finance when compared to a posh one. Determination to satisfy the needs in a simple yet fulfilling way is all that matters.

Save MORE

When you try to cut your expenditures on one hand, try to save as much as possible on the other. Savings necessarily doesn't mean saving dollars. Walking leisurely to the market for shopping, will help you to save on the fuel costs and benefit you in shedding some extra calories as well. Not only that, savings also helps you to take care of unpredictable tribulations, which may engulf you at any point of time.

Make a BUDGET

Budgeting helps you control your costs. Set a target and watch your expenses in the very first month of planning. After a month, you know how much funds are needed for your expenses. Next month onwards, set aside a budget for expenses.

Pay off DEBTS Quickly

If you have outstanding debts, do not hold them for long. More than the principal, it's the interest that eats up your money. So clear off your debts at the earliest. Settle off a portion of the principal each month.

Avoid CREDIT CARDS

Getting habituated to using credit cards is one big mistake you shouldn't make. The plastic money has all the potential to ruin your financial status. With credit cards in our pockets, we tend to buy things we don't need. The actual product cost doesn't remain the same when you actually shed out the extra amount associated with the cost price. So avoid credit cards until and unless it becomes a die-hard emergency!

Don't be BRAND SAVVY

Many times we end up purchasing expensive things with a brand tag. We forget to realize that good things are available without a label too! Focus on buying good products, than branded ones. It is not that branded products are not worth spending money on, but focus more on worth of the product than the brand image. Ultimately, it should serve your need, not your status.

Don't Get Wooed by OFFERS

You might just be roaming around a mall, when you see that big attractive banner with large words "DISCOUNT UPTO 50%". And the next moment you find yourself at the billing counter with a bag loaded with stuffs, out of which half of the things would not have been an urgent need. However, you couldn't hold back the discount bug in you. Think twice on this as well.

Cut Down PARTIES

Throwing parties may be a status indicator, but you need to ignore it when money is a priority. Avoid throwing parties for unreasonable events. Also, when you hang out don't get carried away to splurge more along with your friends.

How to Save Money at CVS

In every CVS ad there are products listed that will earn you Extra Care Bucks. These Extra Care Bucks (ECBs) will print at the bottom of your receipt. ECBs are just like cash and can be used on anything in the store except for liquor, cigarettes, stamps and prescriptions (more on prescriptions below).

Not only can you use ECBs you can also use manufacturers coupons and CVS coupons.

The CVS magazine in the store has CVS store coupons. They often have coupons like $3 off any $15 purchase or $4 off $20. You can also print coupons online to use at the store. Sign up at the official website to get on their mailing list for an instant coupons.

Combining all of these together you can actually end up getting your items FREE. Example CVS:

I went to the store and I noticed wet wipes were $5.99 with $5.99 ECBs that is free money for your next purchase. The same trip they had Razors for $5.99 and I had a $3.00 manufacturers coupon and a $3 ECB so that would only be .99!

Next I see is an offer for $10 ECB if you purchase $10 in medications. I had a $2 manufacturers coupon for Alka-Seltzer and coupons found in the CVS magazine for $1.00. Could I buy two packages of Alka-Seltzer, use two $2 coupons, two $1.00 coupons and get $10 in Extra Care Rewards?

I checked out and got my $5.99 ECBs from wet wipes, $3 ECBs from razors and $10 ECBs from the Alka-seltzer and an extra coupon for $2 off $10.

I was about to leave when I saw a sign that said soap for $4.49 with $4.49 ECBs another said toothpaste for $2.77 with $2.77 ECBs and an electric toothbrush for $5.97 with $5.97 ECBs. Three more items FREE!

I had a few manufacturers coupons with me also so I handed the cashier my CVS Extra Care Card, coupons and ECB I had already earned, hoping to get everything for free. It worked! The total cost was .50 and the register printed my $4.49, $5.97 and $2.77 ECB. The cashier said I could do those three offers 5X each and earn the rewards. I did this three times paying with the ECBs and my total was $0.00 by paying with the other Extra Bucks.

You can also buy $25 and $30 CVS Coupons for pocket change! I know you are thinking, buy coupons? Smart shoppers that plan their CVS trip can buy some of the gift card coupons really cheap and turn around and double or triple their free items!

If you are new to CVS there are coupons for sell for as little as $2.00 for a $30.00 coupon gift card for new prescriptions There are even more for sell worth $120.00 for very little.

You can spend a little time researching all of your resources and soon you will be shopping for FREE!

How to Save Money At the Grocery Store

I love going to the grocery store and looking at my receipt to see how much I saved. The best I've personally done is 70% and I've only been able to do that once. I really try to save between 30% and 40% when I visit the grocery store, if possible.

In addition to the tips below I also shop at a grocery store that gives me gasoline discounts. Each time I spend $50 in groceries, the store gives me 3 cents per gallon off on my gasoline. My car usually will take 13 gallons. At 3 cents per gallon off, it's another 39 cents I'm saving when I shop. I know that doesn't seem like a lot, but if I fill my car 26 times per year (every other week), in a year I've saved $10.14. That ten dollars comes to me just for shopping at a store that has great prices to begin with.

Here are several of my tips for saving money at the grocery store:

1. Buy day old meat. If you freeze the meat it will hold for several months. Sometimes I can save 50% on the cost of the meat by buying day old meat. This applies to poultry also.

2. Buy bread at outlet stores if available. Again, I save 50% by buying the day old bread. I keep bread in my refrigerator, so it will last many days. If you don't have an outlet store, compare the price of store bought bread with the price of day old bakery bread.

3. Watch the store sales. I try very hard to not run out of items so that I only buy items when on sale. For example, we make spaghetti at least once a month. I use Prego sauce as a base. I buy it when it's on sale, knowing I'll use it in the next month.

4. Use coupons. If I see a coupon for a product I use, I cut the coupon. If your store offers double coupons, shop on the days your coupons will be doubled. If you can buy an item on sale and use a coupon, you'll save even more. Consider trying a different brand, if there is a coupon and it will cut your overall grocery bill.

5. Grocery stores tend to put the higher priced items at eye level. Check the top and bottom shelves to see if a different brand or different size might be a better price.

6. Compare brands. Don't be afraid to try store brand products. One of the major manufacturers is making the store brand product. I actually save quite a bit of money on mayonnaise by buying the store brand. We bought a small jar of the store brand and liked it. Now it's all we use.

7. Shop with a list. Try not to impulse buy. Stick to your list. I try to only impulse buy if I find something on sale that was not in the circular and it's an item we use.

8. Plan your shopping. We have one store in town that always sells eggs for a dollar a dozen. I seldom find them at the grocery store for that price. I make a plan to buy eggs while in the part of town where this store is. I plan ahead so I don't run out of eggs prior to going to this one store.

9. Buy in bulk if the price is right. We use real butter in my home. I buy 6 pounds at a time. I put it in the freezer and it keeps for months. I get the best price buying butter in bulk this way.

10. Always check price per unit, or price per ounce. Larger does not always mean a better price. Laundry detergent is a great example. I've been able to buy 3 smaller containers for less than the cost of one larger container.

Once you begin seeing the savings, you'll begin to look forward to shopping just to see how much you can save!

Solar Power, Wind Power, Save Money - Oh My!

The most common alternatives to power your home are solar energy and wind power. These two forms of energy are easy to install in your home. The two sources of energy will save you a ton of money and increase the value of your property. The immerging technology for both forms of energy is extremely positive. With the economy in an upheaval and people scrambling for ways to save cash, solutions have to be found. Throughout history people have been resourceful; this time period will be no different.

Most people do not have the extra $10,000 to $22,000 to invest in a solar panel system. Most people don't have the resources or the room to built huge windmill power system. What if you could have either source of energy? What about having both? What if you could save money a ton of money without investing the thousands of dollars the average company would charge to set up a "green" power source? Does $200 sound reasonable? Read on!

The best thing is that you can do it yourself. You can build (from parts you can find a local hardware store) and install everything on your own. Nope, you don't need to be an engineer to build a simple solar panel. There are guides with video presentations that have been very effective for people who want to build their own solar panel.

Before making the solar panel, I was advised to decide where I should put the solar panel so that it would get the best sun exposure. The actual making of the solar panel was not complicated, but it is a bit labor intensive and will take more than a few hours to complete. The guide that I used was insightful and extremely easy to read, no "techy language" and very straightforward.

Best Ways to Save Money on Groceries

If you're looking for the best ways to save money on your groceries, you've come to the right place. With a little bit of planning, you can easily save money on your groceries each week. You will be surprised how little things can add up, and how your total at the end of the trip will keep dropping.

By far the best way to save money on groceries is to only buy what you'll actually use. Unfortunately we have all had times where we buy something, and it goes bad before we get the chance to use it. We'll buy something, thinking we'll have it for dinner in the next few days, and before you know it, it's a week later, and you have to throw it out. That's why planning your meals ahead of time, before you go to the grocery store can really help save you money. You'll only buy the things you absolutely need for the week, and you'll use all of the things you buy. Nothing will be wasted, and you won't be throwing good money out at the end of the week.

Another really great way to save money on groceries is to use coupons. There are many people who say that a few pennies won't help much, but if you use coupons every week, especially if your store doubles coupons, you'll really save a lot. There have been many times where I have saved at least $20.00 at one trip at the grocery store, just using coupons. Who wouldn't want to save $20.00? The best way to use coupons to your advantage is to use them when the item is already on sale. That is when you really get a great price, since the item is already on sale, and you take more money off for the coupon. You can easily get an item for very close to free, and will often get an item free that way. It's great to be able to get items for free at the grocery store!

While this next tip might sound too time consuming, another great way to save money on groceries is to shop at multiple grocery stores. Each store has a circular full of items that are on sale each week. Plus, items can have completely different prices at different stores. So if you are willing to shop at more than one store, you can be sure you'll be getting better prices than if you just stick to one store, and are stuck with the prices that store has to offer. There have been many times that by shopping at a second grocery store for the week, I've been able to take advantage of multiple deals, and have been able to save even more money.

As you can see, there are many great ways you can save money on groceries each week. With a little bit of thinking and planning ahead of time, you can save money each week, and it really adds up. Before you know it, you'll have enough extra money to go on your dream vacation, or buy that big-ticket item you've really been wanting.

Great Ways To Save Money

Everybody wants to save money, but the way you do it versus the way someone else does it may be very different. There are lots of ways to go about saving a little extra money every month and we are here to give you a few ideas.

Try to figure out what you purchase every month that you do not need and scrap it. Get a 20 ounce soda every day after work? Get out your calculator and multiply the number of days a week you work by how much that soda costs you every time you buy it and see how much money you are throwing away. Do you smoke? With packs of cigarettes averaging over $4 per pack, you probably spend over $1,000 to $1,800 per year just on this habit alone! That is enough for a decent vacation or in a lot of cases, a full house payment! Ditch smoking as soon as possible if you are money-minded.

Take a look at your subscriptions and ask yourself if you really need them. I have a World of Warcraft subscription that is billed to my credit card every month, yet I have not actually played it in a month and a half. Cancel any recurring subscriptions that you have that you are not making use of or, if possible, simply purchase the item whenever you do find that you need it.

Something else that is good to practice is paying yourself. As soon as you get your paycheck, take some of it and put it into your savings account. Pay yourself before you do anything and trust me, you will manage to get by. After all, how much does $20 to $50 really help or hinder anything?

Depending on what you want to save your money for, set a savings goal. If it is a small purchase, all you really have to do is find out how much the item costs and by when you want to be able to purchase it. If it is a larger purchase, such as a car or a house, determine how much you want to spend, how much of a down payment you want to have, and by when you want to be able to make this purchase. Be sure that you can attain the goal that you are setting for yourself within the amount of time that you set, because if it is unattainable, you will only become discouraged in the end.

And last, but certainly not least, the best way to save money in the long run is to simply live below your means. This means that you should not extend yourself financially even close to what you are capable of. Make sure that by the time you add up your housing, food, transportation, tax, and health care expenses that you will have more than enough left over to put in the bank. Remember that rich people did not get that way by overextending themselves financially. They were cheap and always hunted for a bargain and so should you.

How To Save Money In College

College is expensive all by itself and when you add the cost of actually living to it, you may feel like there is no way you can afford to pay for it all. Well, fortunately for you, if you play your (credit?) cards right, there are a lot of things that you can do to help get you through this very expensive and stressful time in your life.

One of the things that you can save the most money on a regular basis on is food. Whatever you do, one of the main rules is to not go shopping while you are hungry, because you will buy a lot more food than what you really need.

Make a list of the things that you absolutely cannot live without every month and how much they cost so you know exactly how much money you have to spend on necessities. This will include housing, utilities, food, and transportation at the bare minimum. Be reasonable, however, when calculating these. Try to cut down on the fast and junk food that you eat on a daily basis and try to be cheap. Ramen noodles may be cheap, but they are also bad for you. Take this into account, as well.

Your utilities can be reduced a great deal by using less of your air conditioner and heating during the summer and winter. Keep the lights and other appliances that you are not using off and when you have to wash clothes, try to wash an entire load instead of half of one. Running half a load of clothes uses the same amount of electricity as a full load.

Another place you can save money has to do with avoiding fees and interest charges when you bank and use your credit cards. If you like using your debit card instead of cash all the time, be very careful not to let yourself become overdrawn at the bank due to the fact that most debit cards will continue to work even if you go over what you actually have, just like credit cards do. You will be subject to overdraft fees, so keep a close eye on how much money you have in your checking account.

When using credit cards, never go over your credit limit and never be late on your payments because of the fees you will incur. You also want to avoid the cash advance feature on your credit card, as well, or if possible, disable it altogether. You will be charged interest on the money that you are advanced. If you need cash and you have it in your checking account, use that instead.

10 Tips to Save Money on Food

1. Look for cheaper alternatives to the brands you normally buy, i.e. buy the store's own brand, or just a cheaper named brand instead.

2. Consider shopping online. Many people would think this adds extra money on, because of the delivery charge, however there are nearly always money off codes to be found by just searching the web, which will often be of a higher value than the delivery charge, saving money. Also, the fact that you are not actually in the store means it's harder to get tempted to buy extra things you didn't come in for but just see and fancy.

3. Don't go shopping on an empty stomach. You'll feel hungry and end up buying more than you need to because of it. It's best to go just after eating if you can.

4. Set a weekly budget and stick to it. Work out what you're currently spending and what you'd like to spend - make it realistic though - and be rigid with sticking to the budget. If you find you can't buy enough food to last the week either look again at the budget, or even better, at what you're buying to see if you can find cheaper options.

5. Cook more food from scratch. Buying ready meals is not only more expensive than cooking your own food but it's also not as healthy. With your own food you can limit the amount of fat, sugar, salt, etc, and it will also taste fresher. You can make large portions of food such as bakes or lasagne and when they're cooked cut them into smaller portions to freeze. You can save a lot of money this way and always have a home cooked meal ready to reheat after a hard day at work.

6. Look for special offers and sales and bulk buy if possible. Things like toiletries, baking paper, toothpaste, and some store cupboard foods have no or long expiry dates. If something you use is on buy one get one free then consider stocking up while the offer's on. You'll find it reduces your future shops as you won't have to buy these items until your stock runs out.

7. Co-ordinate with a neighbour and buy your shopping together in the one delivery to take advantage of buy one get one free and other offers, and also split the delivery charge.

8. Don't throw food away. Leftovers can be used for sandwiches, bubble and squeak, etc, and old bread can be used for bread pudding or to make breadcrumbs.

9. Buy larger packs if there's a saving to be made (as long as you will use the whole pack before it expires)

10. Make your own baby food, rather than buying it. Even if you're busy you can prepare food at weekends and freeze it in ice cube trays. You'll know exactly what's in it and you'll save money too.

Even if you only follow a few of these tips, changing the way you think about your food shopping will make a big difference in your life (and your bank balance!).

Safeway Coupons to Save You Money

When you're ready to do your grocery shopping next time, you're going to find that Safeway does have coupons out there. You just need to know where to find them. What you're going to find out is that by finding them, you can save a few bucks.

Entertainment book - The Entertainment book is a great book to purchase when you're looking to save on just about everything. In some versions out there, you can get some great $5 off your purchase coupons. In the book I received, I was able to use 3 of them. It's not bad for spend $25 for the book. There are literally hundreds of coupons in there, and it's a great way to save on everything.

The paper - Keep your eyes peeled when Safeway sends out coupons. What you will find is that they will send you coupons in their circular. It happens sometimes, but it doesn't happen that often. It's best to just keep your eyes peeled, and see what you can get for yourself.

Plain coupons - Since Safeway is a grocery store, you can obviously use grocery coupons. Search the web for coupons, and also check your Sunday paper. What you will find is that you can get coupons, and purchase just about anything in the store at a discount. Make sure you look for their discount doubling days, and more.

These are a few ways to save. Try them out, and the next time you go shopping, see how much you can save.

Save Time & Money Doing Your Own Basic Electric Wiring

Hiring a professional electrician can be very expensive and is often the reason why people try doing their own basic electric wiring themselves.

I have seen the good, the bad and the ugly results of these efforts and I have come to the conclusion that basic electrical wiring is not something anyone should do without proper guidance, tools and confidence.

It is so important that before attempting any of these basic electrical wiring projects that people are aware of how dangerous electricity is and how important safety is for you and for your family and family home.

90 percent of the time I recommend hiring a licensed electrician over doing your basic electrical wiring yourself. Not doing this will usually end up costing even more money than before and increase the risk of bringing your family into danger without even knowing your doing it.

But doing your own basic electric wiring really isn't that hard to do if you "educate" yourself on the topic.

Licensed electricians had to learn the stuff themselves too. So as a 'do it yourself person' this isn't different. There is no escape possible.

You will see that the more you read about it the easier it will become and the more confidence you will get.

Just to give you an idea, here are 3 questions I recently got from people just like you who tried doing their own electric wiring:

Question 1: I installed a grounding probe in your aquarium and every time anyone in the house turns on or off the lights, the fish jump. What's going on?

A couple of suggestions:

1. (easiest) Pull out that grounding probe and return it from whence you purchased it.

2. Check the wiring on your outlet. You may actually have 'Neutral' instead of 'Ground'.

3. Check the wiring throughout the rest of the house. There are some people out there that insist on doing their own home repairs, yet don't understand basic electrical wiring.

Outlets are easy to check by getting a $7.95 outlet tester from the hardware store. Wired-in appliances, lights, heaters, etc. are tougher.

4. Check all your electrical fixtures to make sure they aren't leaking some voltage to Ground.

Question 2: What is the NEC? Where can I get a copy?

The NEC is a model electrical code devised and published by the National Fire Protection Association, an insurance industry group. It's revised every three years.

The 1993 version has been released. You can buy a copy at a decent bookstore, or by calling them directly at 800-344-3555.

The code exists in several versions. There's the full text, which is fairly incomprehensible. There's an abridged edition, which has only the sections likely to apply to most houses.

And there's the NEC Handbook, which contains the ``authorized commentary'' on the code, as well as the full text. That's the recommended version. Unfortunately, there's no handbook for the abridged edition. And the full handbook is expensive -- US$65 plus shipping and handling.

Question 3: Can I do my own wiring? Extra pointers?

In most places, homeowners are allowed to do their own wiring. In some, they're not. Check with your local electrical inspector. Most places won't permit you to do wiring on other's homes for money without a license. Nor are you permitted to do wiring in "commercial" buildings.

Multiple dwellings (eg: duplexes)are usually considered "semi-commercial" or "commercial". However, many jurisdictions will permit you to work on semi-commercial wiring if you're supervised by a licensed electrician - if you can find one willing to supervise.

If you do your own wiring, an important point:

Do it NEAT and WELL! What you really want to aim for is a better job than an electrician will do. After all, it's your own home, and it's you or your family that might get killed if you make a mistake.

An electrician has time pressures, has the skills and knows the tricks of the trade to do a fast, safe job. In this FAQ we've consciously given a few recommendations that are in excess of code, because we feel that it's reasonable, and will impress the inspector.

The inspector will know that you're an amateur. You have to earn his trust. The best way of doing this is to spend your time doing as neat a job as possible. Don't cut corners. Exceed specifications. Otherwise, the inspector may get extremely picky and fault you on the slightest transgressions.

Don't try to hide anything from the inspector.

Use the proper tools. Ie: don't use a bread knife to strip wires, or twist wires with your fingers. The inspector won't like it, and the results won't be that safe. And it takes longer. And you're more likely to stick a hunk of 12ga wire through your hand that way.

Don't handle house wire when it's very cold (eg: below -10C or 16F). Thermoplastic house wire, particularly older types become very brittle.

As you can see, getting the right answers to your questions can make the work a lot easier.

You save time by doing it "the right way" from the first time and you save money because you won't need to hire an electrician to either do the entire job or to fix your screw-ups.

In any case, no matter what you, be very careful when working on electricity! If needed cut down the entire power of your house just to be sure.

Keep It Safe,