8 Extreme Ways to Save
October 3rd, 2008 AdminExtreme Ways to Save
Our economy today has forced millions of people to take a look at their finances. People that haven’t been saving are beginning to get a little worried.
I remember watching my grandma when I was a little girl and wondering why she did some of the things she did. She grew up in the Great Depression and saved everything. She would use shampoo and conditioner until there was a few uses left and then tuck it away. She really did save everything. I compare that to how I live and I save nothing. Certainly, there is a happy medium between the two lifestyles. Here are some more extreme ways that you can save.
1. Hypermiling. AAA warns against it because it is dangerous. But, hypermilers have discovered the secret to saving gas. They turn off their engine while the car is moving. The secret is to glide into parking stalls or where ever you need to go. It really does use less fuel.
2. Stop saving money. If you are saving money and getting into credit card debt, it completely nullifies your saving efforts. Stop saving money if this means that you are getting into debt. Work on paying off all of your debts and start saving after that.
3. Sandwich bags. When you are done using sandwich bags, rinse them out and dry them. Sandwich bags can easily be reused. You could save about $30 a year doing this.
4. Cleaning supplies. How much do you spend on buying cleaning supplies? Try making your own. You can use vinegar and lemon as kitchen cleaners and ammonia as window cleaner. You could save approximately $10 a month this way.
5. Good Old H2O. Americans are notorious for drinking tons of soda pop, coffee, juice…anything but water. These beverages cost a lot when you think about it. You’ll more than likely save about $50 a month by drinking water instead. And, you’ll be healthier too.
6. Move back home. How much is your rent? How about your mortgage? Are you spending more than half of your monthly budget on your housing costs? Think about moving back in with your parents. If doesn’t matter how old you are, you can save a lot this way.
7. No-spend. Try holding a no-spend month. People have begun spending no more than $250 or less for the entire month. This budget includes everything for gas, entertainment, food and any other expense. It will help you realize all of the unnecessary things you are buying. You could save as much as $1000 a month this way.
8. No more carpet. The Clever Dude blog has recently pointed out how expensive it is to have carpet. Between the costs of cleaning, shampooing, the electricity to vacuum, and even other costs of having allergens in your carpet can really add up. Some people have saved about $200 a year by getting rid of their carpet.
These are all extremely extreme. But, if you are serious about getting out of debt and saving money, it may be worth it to implement one, two or more of these suggestions.