Save Money the Frugal Way

By Karen Datko

Some frugal-living tips -- turning two-ply toilet paper into one-ply -- seem over the top, but others, like reusing Ziploc bags, are accepted practice in lots of households. The Happy Rock provides six "cheaper than cheap" tips "that border on fanatical to the point of being humorous" and asks readers to vote on their usefulness.

"Rock" provides a thorough explanation of each über-frugal tip as part of an ongoing series of posts, complete with how-to links in case you need some help implementing them.

Treat every squeeze of shampoo and dish detergent as if it were your last. Rock realized that he uses less toothpaste, etc., in each application as the supply in the container gets low. He suggests refilling empty bottles with just enough "to keep the frugal skimping side of you in control." (We think this would be kind of hard to do with toothpaste.)

Separate the two-ply TP. Reader Double Eagle commented, "Honestly, I'm all for trying to cut out the spending excesses, but this borders on neurotic."

Hypermiling. (MSN Money has a good article about these gas-saving methods.) The funniest thing about Rock's post on hypermiling is that it was written when gas was $3 a gallon. Thanks for the memories.

Reuse plastic sandwich and other food-storage bags. Our partner blogger Trent Hamm at The Simple Dollar has written about the merits of this. Rock says, "Depending on the amount of bags that you use, you can easily save $20 a year."

Use creative ways to save on gas. Check out the photo at this post. Also, Rock tells a funny story. Rather than driving his own car to his wife's surprise birthday party an hour and a half away, he stowed away in the trunk of her car. "Presto -- $20 in gas saved, cramped legs, but, boy, was my wife surprised!" Now, that's creative.

Source : MSN Money

Create a budget for your grocery shopping.

Whether it’s one hundred dollars of three hundred dollars, it’s important to not go over that amount. Be sure to bring a calculator to the store to keep track of your expenses. A good rule of thumb is just put the price on the tag in the calculator and watch that total then you’ll end up saving more at the end once you use your coupons and special discounts. Be sure to add everything into the calculator so there are no surprises at the checkout counter!

Before you get going into saving money tips at the grocery store, think about how often you like to shop. Do you like to shop each week, daily, twice a month, once a month? Determine this before going forward. If you like to shop once a week, take the total amount for groceries that you have budgeted for the month and divide that by the number of weeks in that month. That is how much you can spend at the store each week.

If you have two hundred dollars a month for groceries, and four weeks in the month, you have fifty dollars a week for groceries. Another tip: if you have fifty dollars to spend and only use forty-five dollars, take the extra five dollars and put that into savings. Don’t save it to buy more groceries or think that you can go get a burger and fries. Be frugal and save it!

The next step is to make an inventory of all the groceries you currently have.

Go through your pantry, freezer and refrigerator and list what you have in stock. If you can do this on the computer, it’ll be helpful to update regularly. Create three columns: Item, Amount, and Purchase.

Put a list of all the products you have in the “Item” column and how many of each item you have in the “Amount” column. The “Purchase” column is where you can place a check mark when you run out of the entire item or you get very close to being out and you need to pick it up the next time you go shopping. Keep this list near the pantry or cabinet where you have all your groceries. Make the same type of list for your refrigerator and freezer as well.

Another step is to clip coupons.

I recommend having the Sunday paper delivered to your house each week. In the long run, you will be saving a lot more than the subscription price is worth. Take the time to clip coupons and create a good system for you for sorting them. Be sure to also check to see if a store doubles coupons. You save even more when stores do that for you.

You can also print coupons on your computer. Sites like Coupons.com and CouponSurfer.com are always updated with the latest coupons that are available. Just be sure to check your store’s policy and see if they accept printed coupons.

Join your grocery store’s frequent shoppers club.

Most are free and you get bonus coupons and deals by having the card when you checkout. With the way stores can keep track of what you purchase each time you visit them, they will begin to send you coupons based on your past purchases and when you checkout, they will print you off extra coupons for you to use on your next trip.

Create a grocery list before leaving the house.

Now that you have a list of deals, clipped coupons, a frequent shopper’s club card and a list of what you need from the store, it’s time to sit down and put it all together. Look over everything on your list, go ahead and get coupons ready and make sure you know exactly what you are going for while at the store. Going to the store without a list is detrimental to the entire process of living frugally.

Now that you are at the store, take your time. Never shop on an empty stomach - this will prevent some impulse purchases.

Read the sale ad and the tags on the shelf carefully- then compare prices to save the most money.

A good rule of thumb is to have a calculator or extra paper to determine what your best deal is. Have the ad from the paper as well to check out any special deals that are going on. Some stores have listed in their ads if you buy ten of these certain products, you will get three dollars off at checkout. The important thing with this is to look at the list carefully. If you need the products listed and they are cheaper than their counterparts, then it is worth it to get all those items.

Another thing to consider deals with the frequent shoppers club card. All over the store there will be signs stating that with your card, this item is “Buy 10 for $10.” So each item is one dollar each. For that particular item, this may be a good buy. But if you take a look at the generic item right beside it that is regularly priced at eighty-nine cents each, that is the better deal to go with. Don’t always be fooled by the signs.

Furthermore, “Buy 10 for $10″ could be misleading. You might not have to purchase 10 to get the sale price. With your card, you might be able to save a certain amount on each, regardless of how many you purchase. This is why you must read carefully to fully understand the sale.

Ever been told it’s better to by the family size of an item?

Don’t be fooled here either. When you see that you can purchase a family size box of granola box where you get thirty-six granola bars for five dollars, you might think that’s a good deal.

But then you see that you can get one box of granola bars with ten bars in each box for one dollar each. If you do the math, you can either get thirty-six granola bars for five dollars or get fifty granola bars for five dollars.

While this might be the case here, in other places, it’s more beneficial to purchase the family size. For example, frozen French fries. For one, these can be frozen so even if you are single, these will last awhile. If you look at the smaller bag of fries, you might get fifteen ounces for $1.99, but you can purchase the family size of forty-five ounces for $2.99 so for one dollar more, you get thirty more ounces.

When buying groceries, in most cases, buying generic is the exact same as buying the name brand product.

Try it and see if you don’t notice a difference or lack thereof. Generic is usually approximately thirty percent cheaper than name brand if not cheaper.

Again, you do have to look at in-store specials and coupons before determining exactly which product to buy. You will probably begin spending longer in the grocery store than before, but if it’s worth it to save twenty percent, thirty percent or more, then it’s worth the extra time.

One other thing to consider is getting a membership to a wholesale club.

At these stores you can buy in larger quantities and save money on the things you purchase the most. You’ll save more than what you pay for the membership. It’s helpful to have a place to be able to store the extra you have on hand and possibly another freezer or refrigerator. You tend to save twenty to thirty percent when you buy in bulk and it is beneficial when you have a large family or only wish to go shopping for certain items a few times a year.

Another part of the grocery scenario is meal planning.

One reason people spend extra money eating out is they fail to plan ahead. Meal planning is key to saving money on your groceries. It eliminates the last-minute trips to the store. It eliminates the dash to the fast food drive-through. When you plan your grocery shopping list, plan your meals too,

A good tip is to pick one day a week and spend it cooking meals for the week. It’s very easy to make several casseroles and freeze them and on any given day, all you need to do is pull the casserole out in the morning and it’ll be thawed out by the time you come home for dinner, ready to pop into the oven and cook while you wind down. Think about using recipes for the crock-pot that cook all day while you’re gone (or even while you’re at home) and it’s ready for dinnertime.

Saving money on groceries can be easy, if you prepare. So let’s recap what you need to do:

1. Create a grocery budget
2. Create an inventory of what you have on hand
3. Clip coupons
4. Join your store’s customer shopping program
5. Carefully read the circular and the tags
6. When you can, buy the family size or in bulk
7. Buy generic
8. Plan your meals

If you’d like more information on how to meal plan, I have a low-cost, easy-to-read ebook that gives you a step-by-step formula for meal planning. Check out The Household Helper’s Guide to Meal Planning for Busy Moms.

Source : The HouseholdHelper.com

Even though I have tons of lipsticks, it seems that it’s never enough. I want to have a complete color collection that matches all of my outfits. Or maybe it’s just my addictions. Several times en I bought a new color which I thought was a new cool color for me, I got home and found out I already had one of a similar color. Then I ended up having so many lipsticks in similar color or slightly different. That’s really bad bad bad bad ( like my 2 years old niece said) ….and a waste of money too–quite the opposite of my frugal nature (I know that!! I try to forgive myself for this.)

As you all know that we can’t keep cosmetics for too long. Let say for 10 years. There’s a limit on how long we can keep cosmetics for our safety reasons. The best sign on when to throw your make up away is when the color changes or an odor develops. Get rid off them. Most of cosmetic use preservatives to fight bacteria. The reason of color changes or odor develops is because the preservatives may no longer be able to fight bacteria.

Here’s a few simple guideline for how long you can keep your make up in:

• Mascara: 3 months ( for this one is a MUST)
• Liquid eyeliner: 3-6 months (for this one is a MUST)
• Oil Free Foundation: 1 year
• Nail Color: 1 year
• Concealer: 1-1.5 year
• Lip gloss: 1.5-2 years
• Powder: 2 years
• Blush and Bronzer: 2 years
• Eye shadow: 2 years
• Eyeliner: 2 years
• Lipstick: 2 years
• Lip liner: 2 years

BUT…….In my opinion, basically, there’s no hard and fast rule on when to throw cosmetics out. I believe we can keep make up indefinitely as long as it looks and smells all right and the consistency doesn’t change. But there are some products that really sensitive and the rule it’s not working.

This season is about natural fresh looking color. Emphasize the assets that you already have Nude or natural lip color for lipstick is in now. I used to get really tempted to buy lipstick which is in season. But now since I have so many lipsticks I want to be more frugal and find creative ideas to use what I already have to create a new color to suit me.

So I came up with this idea…. If you have a lot of lipsticks in bold colors that are too bold to wear everyday, here’s the trick: buy a nude lipstick. First apply lip balm or moisturizer on your lips, then if you like to use lip liner, frame your lips thinly ( I don’t like to use this because if you are are not careful you can make your outer lips darker) then with a lipstick brush, fill the lips with bold lipstick color first. Make it even. Then apply the nude color on top of it, and you are done. Believe me you can have tons of new colors that you create by yourself. And you don’t need to buy a new lipstick that’s matchy matchy with your outfit. Simple but frugal.

Source : Zlittle Frugal Living

I originally titled this post, “75 Tips to Survive a Recession,” but since there is still some dispute from economists on whether or not we are actually in recession, I just stuck with the phrase, “down economy.” Regardless of how economists refer to it, people are hurting, financially. $4.00 a gallon gasoline, rising food prices, declining home values, and a deflating dollar are combining to make it tough to stick to a budget.

Here are a few ways our family is coping:

1. Switch to cloth napkins. I’m not sure why it took a down economy for this one to dawn on me, but cloth napkins are a great alternative to paper napkins, which increase waste and add to our non-food budget.

2. Just say no to social events, or agree to meet after dinner. Peer pressure can wreak havoc on your financial plans. It’s never fun to turn down a chance to go out with friends, but there are ways to say yes without spending a fortune.

3. Scale back the cable. We’ve been living the last six months with only basic cable, and don’t miss any of the expanded cable channel offerings. Cable bill went down from $40 to $12 with this move alone.

4. Look for a value internet package. While I was scaling back on cable service I asked our cable provider for a cheaper rate on internet service. They told me about a little-advertised “value package” which costs half the normal monthly rate for reduced speed. Since I mostly surf the web and check email I barely notice, but I saved about $20 a month on our internet service.

5. Diversify your income. Look for ways to increase your income outside of your full time job. Do you have a hobby that you could make a small business? Could you spend some time working online surveys (many of these survey companies are scams, but the one I’ve linked is not. I’ve been a CashCrate member for over a year now)? Could you add some freelance work in the same line of work you do full time?

6. Hang up the land line telephone. If most of your calls are to other cell users in the same network, consider canceling the land line and using a cell phone exclusively.

7. Have a no-spend weekend. Sometimes it takes a break in the routine to get spending under control. Try to go an entire weekend without eating out, shopping, or ordering something online. It won’t solve all your spending problems, but it’s a start.

8. Carpool a few times a week. Take turns carpooling with a coworker, especially if they live close to you. Pick them up and take them home this week, and next week allow them to return the favor. You’ll both cut your driving time in half.

9. Check your vehicle’s tire pressure each time you fill up. Things like under-inflated tires and dirty air filters can reduce your gas mileage. Pick up an inexpensive tire gauge and check the pressure while filling up.

10. Change your driving habits to save on gas expenses. Cut out “jackrabbit” starts and heavy braking.

11. Do not buy new cars - Buy a used car, and drive it until the wheels fall off. My grandfather has driven two vehicles in 34 years! Sam Walton drove a twenty year-old pickup truck right up until the time he died. Don’t tell me it can’t be done. Remember, a new car is “used” the minute you drive it off the showroom floor.

12. Consolidate errands into one trip. If you have to get out try to consolidate all of your errands into one trip away from home, instead of driving back and forth several times from store to home.

13. Ride a bike for short commutes. I’m fortunate to live about 5 miles from my employer, so I occasionally commute by bike. If you happen to live close to stores, consider riding a bike for small errands. Take along a backpack, or put some panniers on your bike to carry things back home.

14. Unload the trunk, and remove unused cargo racks. Added weight in the trunk reduces gas mileage, as does the added wind drag from an unused cargo rack.

15. Wash your own car. Our town has one of those automated car washes and for $9.00 you can get “the works.” Essentially, it is a wash, wax and application of tire shine. I’m pretty sure I can do it for less. Better yet, employ the kids and let them earn a little extra money this summer.

16. Bank “found” money in a separate account. With any income above your normal earnings, bank the amount in a separate checking or savings account and use the money to pay down debt, build up savings, or offset increased expenses. Overtime, tax refunds (and stimulus checks), gifts and similar windfalls belong here.

17. Eat like a kid again. Eat off the same plates your kids eat off, which will force you to eat smaller portions. Your wallet and your waistline will thank you.

18. Drink tap water. I don’t have the inclination to run a cost comparison between an ounce of Coca Cola and an ounce of tap water, but I’m fairly confident tap water is infinitely cheaper.

19. Eat less meat. I’m about as far from vegetarian as you can get, but I recognize that my carnivorous habits cost me big at the grocery store. We’ve recently started having breakfast for dinner (eggs instead of meat), and substituting things like pinto beans (a great source of non-meat protein) in meals instead of meats.

20. Look for manager meat specials. When you do buy meat, check the manager’s specials area for meat that is about to pass the “sell by” date. The meat is still perfectly good, but freeze it immediately if you don’t plan on cooking within the next day or two.

21. Look for a used freezer to stock up on meat specials. Many times people relocating can’t take the extra chest freezer with them and advertise it on Craigslist or the local newspaper. If you can find a good used one stock it full of manager meat specials to reduce your food budget.

22. Don’t be afraid to buy generic. Forget brand loyalty when trying to save money. When we buy ketchup, we look for the lowest unit price, regardless of brand. Same with other foods and household supplies. There are a few exceptions, but for the most part generic items are just as good as name brands.

23. When in the store, look high and low for deals, literally. Marketers know that eye-level is the place most people tend to shop, so they put the items with the highest margins right in front of you. Better deals are usually found on lower shelves.

24. Cherry-pick coupon deals. Combine coupons with store sales to maximize savings. Our local Kroger store recently had mayonnaise 2/$4. We found a coupon for $0.50/1 that doubled to $1.00, so we picked up a mayo for $1.00. Don’t use a coupon to buy something you don’t need.

25. Supplement pet food with meat scraps. Quality dog food is expensive. To make ours last a little longer we occasionally skip the dog food and give our dog meat scraps. Avoid meats with sauces or spices as it can upset their stomach, and be sure to remove any bones. Plain beef, chicken and turkey make for a great treat for our dog.

26. Water down juices. When we open a new apple juice for our kids we pour up half in the old container and add about 1/4 - 1/2 container of water to each bottle. This makes each new bottle last a little longer, and dilutes the grams of sugar and calories per serving.

27. Shop at a farmers market for in-season produce. Few things taste as good as fresh fruits and vegetables. Unfortunately, most of the produce you’ll find in a grocery store is grown elsewhere, particularly if it is out of season, locally. Figure out what’s in season and support local growers by visiting a farmers market.

28. Avoid using the oven during the summer. Ovens heat up a house faster than any other appliance, adding to the strain on air conditioner systems. Plan meals that don’t require baking, or bake in the late evening and microwave the next night.

29. When eating out, divide entrees in half and save the rest for a second meal. Ask for a to-go box as soon as your meal arrives and save half for tomorrow’s lunch. Restaurants are notorious for piling on portions, so this move will help you spread out the calories and cost of the meal.

30. Avoid pre-packaged foods. The little 100-calorie packs are convenient, but you can accomplish the same thing by buying a larger package of chips or cookies and then dividing into smaller portions using Ziploc bags. The unit cost savings are significant.

31. Grow your own vegetables. Unless you plan to dig up the entire yard to plant rows of food, you probably aren’t going to be able to grow enough to live off. However, a square foot garden can produce enough for some great summer salads without adding to your grocery bill.

32. Say no to fast food. Unless you hit the dollar menu exclusively, fast food can add up. Consider the cost of a combo meal for four people versus sandwiches, chips and drinks from home.

33. Properly insulate your home. Especially important in the summer and winter months, when the extreme temperatures outside can affect your temperature inside and cause utility bills to skyrocket.

34. Use a drying rack or line dry heavy clothing. Pick up a drying rack or install a clothesline to dry heavy garments and towels. When nearly dry, place items in dryer with a dryer sheet for just a few minutes to complete the drying cycle, remove wrinkles, and soften clothes.

35. Plant a tree next to your outside air conditioning unit. By shading your outside unit you may improve the operating efficiency of the overall system by 20%. Take care not to plant to close to the unit to maintain proper airflow.

36. Replace home air conditioner filter every month when in use. Manufacturers suggest changing your filter every 90 days, but I’ve found systems work better when changed once a month, especially in peak times like summer. Instead of picking up a top-of-the-line air filter, go for a medium grade filter and just buy more of them.

37. Switch to CFL lighting inside, and solar lighting outside. CFL bulbs use much less energy than incandescent bulbs, and give off less heat. Solar lights used to line pathways around your home run off a rechargeable battery that is charged up during the day by the sun, and lasts for several hours after dark.

38. Half the number of days your lawn is being watered. An established lawn doesn’t really need to be watered every day. In fact, daily watering can cause a shallow root system because grass roots don’t have to work hard to find water. Water once or twice a week, for a slightly longer duration and let Mother Nature help fill in the schedule with the occasional rain.

39. Use bathroom exhaust fan during showers and for 10 minutes after. Exhaust fans help carry moisture out of the bathroom from a hot shower. Don’t believe it? Run the exhaust fan during your next shower and notice how the mirrors don’t fog up.

40. Take a “Navy” shower. Get in, soap up, rinse off and get out. And put a low-flow showerhead on there while your at it.

41. Reuse bath towels. Sounds gross at first, but think about it - you are clean when you get out of the shower. Hang up towels after each use to thoroughly dry, and only add them to the dirty clothes pile after every three or four uses.

42. Don’t run water when shaving or brushing teeth. While shaving pull up the sink stopper and pool a little water in the sink for rinsing your razor.

43. Skip baths. Even though they are relaxing, baths require a lot of H20 and drive up your water bill. They also drain your home’s supply of hot water, forcing your hot water heater to replenish the supply, further adding to your utility costs.

44. Bathe your own pets. Skip the pet grooming salon, pickup some shampoo at a pet supply store and wash them yourself.

45. Skip the theater, subscribe to Netflix. Going to the movie theater is a great way to beat the heat, but it’s also expensive. Skip the theater, and sign up for an online DVD rental service. No late fees, and no gas used up traveling back and forth to the rental store.

46. Avoid stores. Stay out of stores unless you have a list (mental or otherwise) of specific things you need to buy. Shopping out of boredom leads to impulse buying and can quickly blow a budget.

47. Sunday paper only. Consider scaling back subscriptions such as newspapers to the bare minimum. If you are only going to get a paper once a week, opt for the Sunday paper, which usually includes coupons and weekly sales flyers from local grocery stores. Toss the other sales circulars - you may see something you want to buy!

48. Transfer existing debt using 0% balance transfer offers. If you have debt, make becoming debt free a top priority. Moving existing balances to 0% interest plans helps more of your payment go towards repaying the balance, and less towards interest. Beware of high upfront fees and go-to rates when considering your options.

49. Don’t renew the gym membership. Being healthy can save you money, but exorbitant fees and inflexible contracts make gyms a dangerous proposition. Take the money you would have spent at the gym and try to build one at home with used equipment.

50. Make your own Play-Doh. Kids can find many hours of enjoyment from a homemade play-doh recipe, and it’s a cheaper than buying it from the store.

51. Try a home haircut. Mine is pretty easy since I buzz it short all over. Guys, you will still need someone to help you with the neckline, unless you are good with mirrors.

52. Rediscover a local library. To replace the time previously spent watching television develop a reading habit, and support your local library while you are at it. Can’t find the book you are looking for? Don’t rush out and buy it. Many times libraries are networked and can request a copy of a book from another library.

53. Start your own “keep the change” program. Several banks are now running “keep the change” promotions where they round up your purchases and put the difference in a savings account. Problem is, these accounts don’t pay a great interest rate, and the program encourages increased spending. Create your own program by spending only cash and dumping the change in a coin jar. Make deposits into your own high-yielding savings account at the end of the month.

54. Put away the credit cards. Save cash for large purchases by creating a dedicated savings account specifically for the next item on your list. Make regular contributions to the savings account with each paycheck, and when the balance is high enough to pay for the item, pay for it with cash.

55. Ask creditors to lower your interest rate. Creditors are feeling the crunch, too, and they recognize it takes more money to find a new customer than to retain a current one. If you are a profitable customer (pay interest), call creditors and ask for a lower rate. Tell them about all the 0% transfer offers you’ve been shredding for your garden!

56. Divide credit card minimum payments in half and pay that amount twice a month. Interest is calculated based on the average daily balance of your account for the entire month. By making a payment every couple weeks you are reducing that average balance and therefore reducing the finance charges assessed, as opposed to waiting until the end of the month to make a single payment.

57. Don’t pay a dime for banking privileges. There are too many free checking options out there to pay one penny in fees for the right to write a check or use a debit card. Many banks and credit unions simply require direct deposit or a minimum number of debit card uses per month to qualify for fee-free accounts. If you can’t find one, try ING Direct.

58. Raise insurance deductibles. Assuming you have a proper emergency fund in place, raise deductibles on insurance policies. The difference in a $500 deductible and a $1,000 deductible on your car insurance policy can help reduce your monthly or semi-annual premiums.

59. Brown bag it. Can you believe how much a combo meal is at a fast food restaurant? And don’t get me started on dine-in restaurant tabs for lunch. You’re lucky to get out of there for less than $10-$12 including the tip. Multiply that times four or five times a week and we’re talking $200 added to your food budget each month.

60. Adjust your W-4 at work. The fastest way to give yourself a raise is to reduce the amount of taxes withheld from your paycheck. If you received a huge refund this year, increase the number of exemptions on your W-4 to reduce withholdings. Check the IRS website to calculate the number of exemptions required to break even.

61. Sign up for budget billing with utility company. This won’t necessarily save you money, but it certainly helps the budgeting process by smoothing out highs and lows in your utility bills. Most companies offer this “levelized billing” service after you have 12 months of history to compute an average.

62. Use shredded credit card invitations as mulch in the garden. What a great way to put junk mail to good use! Run the mail through a shredder and use the clippings to mulch around your garden.

63. Buy generic ink cartridges for your printer. Ever stopped to calculate the cost per gallon of printer ink? Me neither, but I hate when my printer runs out of ink because it seems impossible to spend less than $30 or $40 to replace the black and color cartridges. Check out a generic cartridge reseller. The quality of ink is comparable to manufacturer’s ink, and many offer a dollar or two off if you recycle the old cartridge.

64. Use a power strip to power down unused electronics. Electronics continue to use power even when they are turned off for LED displays, stop/start memory, etc. Reduce this “phantom power” drain by unplugging devices, or plugging them into a central power strip which can be powered down with the flip of a switch.

65. Figure out how to do things on your own, rather than paying an expert. This year I’ve managed to rescue a toy from the bottom of our guest bathroom toilet and unclog and empty an air conditioner drain line. With the help of the internet, or a good “how-to” book such as Save $20k With a Nail, you would be surprised how much you can do on your own and avoid expensive repair charges.

66. Find new uses for old things. Not long ago my car’s check engine oil light came on, and the dip stick revealed I was seriously low on oil. I found a new use for an old milk jug by cutting away the bottom half and using the remaining top as a funnel to reduce spillage. This saved me a trip to the auto supply store to buy a funnel.

67. Cross train at work to make yourself more valuable. Make yourself more layoff-proof by taking on a new challenge, and adding to your skill set.

68. Look into 3-month supplies of prescriptions via mail order. Many employers now offer as part of the health insurance plan a 3-month mail order prescription plan. I only have one daily prescription for asthma/allergies, and the cost of a 30-day supply from a local pharmacy is $25. For the same cost, I can get a 90-day supply via mail-order.

69. Sign up for medical flexible spending account (FSA) at work. Estimate carefully as unused portions of FSAs are not refundable. At a minimum, account for the amount of your family’s health care plan deductibles plus any over-the-counter medical supplies you must purchase during the year. As an added bonus, FSA contributions are pre-tax, which lowers your taxable income for the year.

70. Quit smoking. Besides being an incredibly unhealthy habit, smoking is expensive! Many pack-a-day smoker could easily trim $200 from their budget by kicking the habit. If you can’t find any other motivation to quit, use finances.

71. Shop for clothes on eBay. Add”NWT” to your search query and find many clothing items listed as “new with tag.” These items can be purchased for a fraction of their retail cost.

72. Buy wrinkle-free clothes to avoid dry cleaning bill. I have a golden rule about clothing purchases. I don’t buy anything that requires ironing. In some cases this means I pay a little more for “wrinkle-free” materials, but I save in the long run on the time and money spent ironing or dry cleaning.

73. Look for kids clothes at yard sales and thrift shops. Kids have a way of outgrowing most of their clothes before they “out use” them. For this reason, many times you can find excellent buys on clothing at thrift shops and yard sales.

74. Look for furniture on Craigslist or Freecycle. Many times people buy a new sofa or coffee table and don’t have a way to get rid of the old one. They will list it on Craigslist for a reduced price, or on Freecycle for free in exchange for picking it up and hauling it off. If you need a piece of furniture, but are short on cash, check out one of these sites before even thinking of going to a furniture store.

75. Give IOUs and homemade coupons rather than expensive gifts. In tough times there is nothing wrong with a homemade card and an IOU as a substitute for expensive presents. One Valentine’s Day my wife gave me a decorative jar with little scraps of paper where she hand-wrote “50 Reasons Why I Love You.” It was one of the best gifts I’ve ever received, and cost less than $5.00 to make.

Source : Frugal Dad

By Liz Pulliam Weston

When gasoline was relatively cheap, few people bothered to seek out the best deals. Who wanted to run all over town or take a chance on a no-name station just to save a few bucks?

Now, with average prices hovering around $4 per gallon, the typical driver can easily save a couple of hundred bucks a year by seeking out cheaper gas.

The more you drive, the bigger your savings. Todd Larson of Shorewood, Minn., drives 800 to 1,000 miles a week covering a five-state territory for a rotisserie manufacturer. Given that gas prices can vary 25 cents or more a gallon in many areas, Larson can save $500 to $800 a year just by being a little savvier about where he buys.

"Even if you only save 4 or 5 cents, it adds up," Larson said.

Here are some easy places to look for savings:

Check the Internet

MapQuest and MSN Autos use data from the Oil Pricing Information Service (OPIS) to track gas prices across the country. MapQuest also lists stations with diesel and alternative fuels.

Sites such as GasBuddy.com and GasPriceWatch.com rely on volunteer "spotters" or the stations themselves to post prices from around the country. (If you have a smart phone with a data plan, GasBuddy has a mobile site, too.) Participation -- and coverage -- tends to wax and wane along with gas prices, but you may well be able to discover cheaper alternatives just a few blocks from your regular routes.

Although the lowest-priced station can change by the day, certain stations consistently charge less than their brethren, said Jason Toews, co-founder of GasBuddy.com. It can be profitable to you to know which ones.

A 25-cent difference means you pay $5 less for every fill-up of a 20-gallon tank, but sometimes the disparities are even greater. A recent check of major metropolitan areas on GasBuddy.com found the difference between the highest and lowest prices was 60 cents in New York, 44 cents in Chicago and 65 cents in Los Angeles.

Let the prices come to you

Got a cell phone? Of course you do. Several companies will send you a text message with the area's lowest gas prices if you message them your ZIP code.

If your phone supports sending a text message to an e-mail address, you can get prices on the go from gas@gasbuddy.com, sms@mobgas.com or gas@fuelgo.com. If not, try 411sync.com's service by sending the word "gas" and your ZIP code to 415-676-8397. The services are free, but your cell-phone company will charge you for text messages if they're not included in your plan.

For up-to-date delivery to your desktop, check out a small, downloadable program that grabs the gas-price data from MSN Autos.

If you have a compatible GPS system in your car -- Garmin's nuvi 680 or Streetpilot c580 -- MSNDirect offers local gas prices (as well as weather, traffic reports and movie times). That service is free for one year.

Visit the other side of the tracks

Generally, the nicer the neighborhood, the more you'll pay for gas. The station owner's overhead tends to be higher, thanks to more expensive land and steeper property taxes. Refineries also may charge more because of something called "demand inelasticity," which basically translates as "they charge more because they can."

"People are less price-sensitive than they are in less affluent neighborhoods," Toews said.

Get away from the freeway -- and the service bays

Buying gas from a station you spot from the interstate almost qualifies as an "impulse buy," Toews said. Drivers pay for the convenience of being able to zip in and fill up. Continue just a few blocks "inland" from the offramp and you may find a significant price drop.

There's an example of this near my own neighborhood, where three name-brand stations share a one-mile stretch of a road paralleling a freeway. The two stations on offramps consistently charge 15 or 16 cents more than the one in the middle.

Gas also tends to cost more at stations that provide repair services.

Use a wholesale club

The big warehouse stores -- Costco, Sam's Club, BJ's Wholesale Club -- typically offer some of the lowest gas prices in town. The downsides: You may find lines at the pumps, and the cost of membership (typically $40 to $45) will offset some of your savings if all you do is buy gas.

If you shop at one of these outfits anyway, or you're a heavy gas user -- you drive a lot or pilot an SUV, for example -- you may still find the savings worthwhile.

Look for 'loss leaders'

Discount retailers (Wal-Mart, Kmart) and grocery stores that have pumps often charge less than the competition to get people on their lots, knowing that they'll probably spend enough inside to more than make up the difference.

You may find lines at the pumps, similar to those at the warehouse stores, but at least you don't have to pay a membership fee.

Check for local price wars

These can break out anywhere, but may be more common in areas where independent stations are struggling to survive.

Also check stations around the wholesale clubs and discount retailers that offer gas; you may find you're paying only a couple cents more per gallon while avoiding the lines.

Consider a gas rebate card

You'll get the most generous cash-back offers initially if you're brand-loyal. The Marathon Platinum MasterCard, for example, offers a 10% rebate on Marathon purchases for the first 60 days, with a 5% rebate thereafter.

The Hess Visa Platinum Card extends its 10% rebate for 90 days for purchases made at Hess or Wilco stations, while the Speedway SuperAmerica Platinum MasterCard has an 8% rebate for the first 60 days; as with the Marathon card, the rebates drop by half after the initial period. Another option: The Shell MasterCard from Citi Cards, with its 5% rebate. All of the cards offer a 1% rebate on other purchases. For more, see "Are gas rebate credit cards a good deal?"

Or a general-purpose rebate card

If you want more flexibility to seek out the best deals, regardless of the station brand -- and get rebates on grocery and drugstore purchases, as well -- then consider a general-purpose cash-back card that rewards gas purchases.

These cards typically offer 5% cash back on gas, grocery store and pharmacy purchases, said CardRatings.com's Curtis Arnold, and 1% rebates on all other purchases. Some of the options include Citi Dividend Platinum Select, Chase Rewards Plus Card, Chase Perfect Card (with a 6% initial cashback rate for gas that drops to 3% after 90 days), Discover Platinum Card with Cashback Bonus Plus, and Blue Cash from American Express.

Some caveats: Many of these cards cap the rewards you can earn in a month or a year, which could limit the savings of big spenders. The Citi card limits your annual rebate to $300, for example, while the Chase Perfect card has a $15 monthly cap. Also, some -- like American Express' Blue or the Discover card -- have a tiered system, which means you won't earn the top rewards until your spending reaches certain levels (making them a less-than-optimal choice for light spenders).

Finally, many cards offer their highest rebates to stand-alone stations only, Arnold said. Gas purchases at wholesale clubs and discount retailers may not qualify.

That's because the card issuers tend to earn lower transaction fees at the discounters than at the stand-alone stations, and that makes them less willing to offer the biggest rebates. It's hard to know in advance when these restrictions might apply, Arnold said. Often, neither the card's phone reps nor the station's employees will know for sure. "You just have to make the charge," Arnold said, "and check your next statement to see what kind of rebate you got."

Keep cash handy

Some of the cheapest stations accept only cash or debit cards. (The stations save by not having to pay transaction fees to credit card companies. You may have to pick up the fee for using a debit card.)

Be careful about using an ATM or debit card at an unfamiliar station, however. Fraud experts consider gas stations one of the riskier places to use these cards, because employee turnover is high and it's pretty easy for a dishonest worker to steal customers' bank-account information. When in doubt, use cash.

Use legitimate coupons

Gas stations with carwashes may offer discount coupons; you can also check those coupon packets you get in the mail or the back of grocery-store receipts.

What you don't want to do is fall for one of those telemarketing scams that offers $200 or so in gas vouchers for a small handling fee, usually $4 to $5.

Once you've given up your bank account or credit card number, you'll find unauthorized charges cropping up like weeds. Regulators in states from Oregon to Maryland have warned consumers not to fall for these scams and to never give out financial information to solicitors, regardless of how great the deal seems.

Use less gas

If you're planning to buy a car soon, you can, of course, save on gas by driving a car that uses less of it. MSN Autos lists the most fuel-efficient vehicles in 12 categories, including trucks and SUVs, as well as the 12 greenest cars of 2008.

Or you could stop paying for gas altogether. More than five dozen cities have a car-sharing program, where you pay by the hour for a car parked in your neighborhood -- and they pay for gas, insurance and maintenance. If you need a car mostly for quick trips and not for commuting, see if your city has car sharing.

About the Author

Liz Pulliam Weston's new book, "Easy Money: How to Simplify Your Finances and Get What You Want Out of Life," is now available. Columns by Weston, the Web's most-read personal-finance writer and winner of the 2007 Clarion Award for online journalism, appear every Monday and Thursday, exclusively on MSN Money. She also answers reader questions on the Your Money message board.

Source : MSN Money

So you have already looked for scholarships, grants, and loans and are still finding it hard to pay your way through college? It goes without saying that the typical college student is either broke or financially hanging in the balance most of the time. We’ve assembled a long list of both practical and creative ways you can save some green while you’re going to campus.

Managing the Money You Have

1. Get a free checking and savings account. The bank will nickel and dime you on dumb stuff like too many ATM withdrawals, too many checks written, or a funds transfer. Shop the town for banks catering to students. Make sure you can access online banking, pay bills and manage your account without attached fees.

2. Take the free checks that the bank offers in the maximum amount they allow - mine was initially going to give me 50, but for some reason I thought I needed more right away and paid $4.95 for another 50. If you need more, you simply go online and order more, but leftover checks are more typical than not, especially with online bill pay options becoming more commonplace. Extra checks become nothing more than wasted paper and wasted dollars.

3. Failure to keep track of your bank/checking account can easily cost you money via overdraft fees. Your debit card can easily get you into the red if you don’t know what’s in your checking account. Think your card will be declined if your account has insufficient funds? Think again.

If you go into the red in your checking account, your debit card will usually continue to work without even so much as a burp. Every time you make a debit card purchase while you have insufficient funds in your checking account you are also being slammed with a banking fee. (My banking faux pas cost me $250 in fees one weekend because I didn’t pay attention to the balance in my checking account and my debit card just kept on smokin’. On top of that, the bank charged me another separate fee to transfer funds from my savings account to my checking!) Unless you have an automatic overdraft protection that enables funds from your savings account to be transferred, you can be way more broke than you ever imagined in one, short weekend. Make sure you know what banking fees you’ll be spanked with if you make a mistake.

4. If you have to have a credit card, make sure you get one with the lowest interest rate possible; no annual fees and with only enough of a credit limit to get you by in an emergency. Don’t carry it with you, but instead keep it in a safe place known only to you.

5. Pay credit card bills on time. Companies charge late fees, sometimes as much as $50 per month. And do not go over your credit limit—that offers just one more way for your credit card company to get rich off your poor judgment.

6. Serious about saving money, huh? For one month save every receipt of everything you purchase, from a pack of gum, a tube of toothpaste to your computer. Log each expense in a notebook. When the month is up, tally up what you’ve spent and take a good look at just where most of it went. Food? Beer? Gas? Games? This sure fire technique will unabashedly expose the evils of your spending ways.

7. Save that spare change you’ve got jangling in your pocket or sloshing around in the bottom of your backpack or purse in a big jar or can somewhere out of the way.

• Count and roll spare change yourself.
  
• Stay away from those coin-counting machines you see at the grocery store. They will rip you off or at the very least charge you a fee.1

Alcohol

It’s an expense many college students will not forego. Each year, college students spend about $5.5 billion on alcohol, mostly beer.² So here’s how to save, and some creative alternatives for your favorite beverages.

8. Don't drink. But if you must...

9. Be cheap.

• Buy the cheap stuff. Pabst Blue Ribbon and Old English 40 oz. bottles come to mind ;)
  
• Buy in bulk. A cheap 5th of Vodka might cost about the same as a drink or two at a bar.
• Drink where the specials are. Some college bars and dance clubs have pitcher specials, 1 dollar drink specials, no cover charge, or other specials for people going out early or going out on slower nights.
• Pre-game if you do drink heavily.
• Don't bring much money with you to limit how much you drink and spend.
• Hit other people’s parties.

10. For those beer lovers who really dislike the cheap beer, join a beer brewers club or get a group of dorm mates to brew beer. In the last few years the hobby has grown exponentially and college students everywhere are brewing. Warning: brewing may not be “legal” in your dorm room….que sera, sera.

11. Hate beer? Brew cheap wine.

12. At a sit-down restaurant avoid ordering the alcoholic beverages. Most restaurants make a killing on beer, wine and fancy cocktails. The alcohol mark up can be anywhere between 75 and 400 percent! An option is to shop for BYOB restaurants.

Books

Every college student must buy books. You’ve probably heard horror stories of textbook “final bills.” Well, we have options that will save you money on your textbooks. Make sure to allow yourself time; don’t wait to run to the bookstore the day before your class begins.

13. Before you even think about putting out money for a textbook, don’t you think someone else on campus had to already have one? Borrow if it’s possible.

14. If you can’t borrow, buy used college textbooks. On sites like Amazon.com used hardcover books are often cheapest. Soft cover are more valued for convenience, so if you’re willing to haul a couple extra ounces, then hardcover is the cost-saving choice. ISBN.nu allows you to easily compare book prices from major online book stores. The campus bookstore will sell a supply of used books, but they are limited; so check the online sources as well.

15. If you are buying new, check for an “international” edition. The book will be almost exactly the same, except for maybe some Chinese characters on the front, AND it will be exponentially cheaper.

16. Have your own store of used textbooks?

• Sell your used textbooks online and make some cash for yourself, at the same time you will help some other starving students save their money.
• Or you can sell them back to the campus bookstore, but expect to take a big hit on the value if you sell them back to the book store. Some sneaky students wait in the campus bookstore with their old books in hand, trying to connect with new students that need their books, hoping to strike a better payout directly.

Food

Food is one of the top priorities in a college student’s life. Eating fast, eating healthy, it can all cost money if you don’t take time to consider the nitty-gritty of eating to save money.

17. Trying to eat on 12 cents? Two words: Ramen Noodles.

18. If you live on campus and pay for a partial or whole meal plan, then use it. Some programs don’t restrict you from taking food to go or eating as many meals as you wish. Peanut butter packets are your friend :)

19. Have a coffee fix? If you are one of millions of college students ducking into the corner coffeehouse every morning for your daily cuppa Joe, then you are wasting money.

Your daily latte, cappuccino, or mocha will run you between $2.50 and $3.50 depending on the size you need. Seven days of that routine costs you $17.50 per week, $70 per month and around $280.00 per semester! That’s over $500 a year you drank in morning caffeine. Make your own. By the time you graduate from a four-year degree, you’ve saved over $2000 in coffee beverages. That’s just one a day….Buy a decent coffee maker or even a small espresso/cappuccino machine for your dorm room or apartment. You’ll save hundreds of dollars.

20. Don’t tip just because someone poured you a cup of coffee. Keep your own change. Everyone wants a tip; “Poor college students work here…..” You’re poor, too. They have a job. Drop it in that change jar we mentioned under “Managing the Money You Have.”

21. Oatmeal is fast, filling, and affordable.

22. Skip the fast food forays and late night take-out. Make sure you keep healthy, affordable options in your room or apartment. Yogurt, cottage cheese, string cheese, bagels, peanut butter are all affordable, convenient and much more healthy than a late night burger and fries.

23. Collect coupons and follow the weekly sales at the grocery store. Avoid high-end markets like Whole Foods. These are nice, but most products cost much more. Once you’re out of school and have a good job you can shop the upscale markets.

24. Kick the bottled water habit; support your local tap water and drink for free. Get a some kind of filter if you want better tasting water.

25. Avoid a sit down restaurant with a large group. You’ll already be charged at least 15% gratuity, and if everyone decides to “split the bill,” you can really get screwed if you tried to eat cheap and didn’t splurge on alcohol. Know in advance what the tone of the party will be and what will be expected so you’re not surprised when the bill arrives.

26. Many people suggest sharing a larger meal at a restaurant, but make sure you’re eating someplace that doesn’t ding you with an extra charge for splitting.

27. Don’t have anything to eat, dining hall closed? Go to a take-out joint if you must, or some other low-cost eatery where self-serve is available and you are not obligated to tip.

28. If you’re on a date, prepare a simple, candlelit dinner and stay in; it’s not the food that counts, but the ambianc. Get your roommates to stay out for the night. Bonus ambiance tip: don't forget the Courvoisier.

29. Save your tip if the pizza guy gets lost, your order is messed up, or he is lacking in customer service and general niceness.3

30. Want free pizza? If you are studying computer sciences, hit Google up for free pizza.

Computers - Hardware and Software

Not many college students can survive these days without their own computer, but do you need to put out the big money for a souped up version, or can you make it on the stripped down model? Begin by shopping wisely following these money-saving tips:

31. If you’re buying a computer, save by shopping the student specials; discounts, rebates and back to school specials. Some regions/states even have a tax-free shopping week. Apple Computer offers student discounts to students and teachers, and consistently advertises important education incentives and rebates. I recently bought an Apple laptop because it was bundled with a free Nano iPod and a free photo printer, copier, scanner. These freebies were rebate items so I had to take the time to fill out online applications and attach copies of receipts and bar codes from the packaging, but my total savings was close to $400 for some very worthy items. Other computer companies offering student discounts:

• Dell Computer offers student discounts directly through a participating college or university.
• Hewlett Packard’s Academic Purchase Program is available to eligible students and teachers. You have to sign up. Word has it that you can save around 15% on the purchase of an HP computer.
  

32. Should you go for the inexpensive desktop or the snazzy little notebook model? Okay, all college students want a sharp-dressed little laptop they can take with them to class or the coffee shop. But if you know you can do without the laptop, you will possibly save hundreds of dollars shopping the desktop models. Bank the most savings if you opt for a model that gets the job done without a lot of extra (read “costly”) bells and whistles. If you MUST have a notebook, you may consider exploring the refurbished notebooks; a used laptop will cost significantly less than a model not driven off the lot yet, and in some cases you can get a darn attractive warranty and a good system to boot.

33. While you’re in college don’t take risks with your electronic equipment. Laptops and other trendy little electronics can be made off with quickly in a dorm environment. Unless you’ve bought some renter’s insurance, you will foot the bill to replace.5 Keep your room locked and valuables stowed.

34. Software is another high-dollar item. Using Linux software will keep you away from the higher-priced Windows alternatives. You can also buy discounted software through Apple’s Education Store. The company specializes in attracting college students and offers enticing student discounts and rewards. Microsoft discounts for students come in the shape of mass “licensing programs” through participating colleges and universities. Also shop online software clearinghouses for discounted products from all vendors. Many categorize by subject.

35. Freeware and shareware are a great way to get your hands on games, utilities, spyware removal, anti-virus and firewall programs:

• Tucows features thousands of products free or for just a few bucks-- “rated and reviewed.”
• Download.com offers free music, videos, games and utilities.

36. Decline extended warranties. Your computer should be under manufacturer’s warranty for the first year anyway. Companies dupe you into believing the plan is worthwhile. They become rich off your extra cash. Anything extra is likely just….extra.

37. Not only do we suggest you protect your physical property, but you’ll head off future repair bills if you protect your computer investment with anti-virus software and a firewall. Anti-virus and firewall protection will keep your computer in top working order and it will last much longer. When shopping for software avoid retail electronics departments. Instead seek out some good freeware and shareware products on the sites we mentioned in #35.

38. Your computer printer is a costly headache when the ink cartridges run dry. Aaaagh! Cartridges at an office supply store can cost you top dollar. Leave with a black cartridge and a color cartridge and you will likely have spent $40 or more.

• Try shopping for printer cartridges online, compare prices and find free shipping.
• You may be able to get your ink cartridge refilled economically from a local ink refilling store like CartridgeWorld.
• If you are daring and a do-it-yourself type, ink refill kits can cost as little as $5 per cartridge.

39. Hacker ethic? Lifehacker shows you how to convert a laptop into a DVR recording fiend.

40. Have you ever tried to throw away an old computer? You cannot just put computer components in the trash, and that includes monitors and printers. Old inoperable computers must be recycled. Recycling typically costs you money. Facilities that recycle, and most municipalities do, must charge for their disposal services. Also consider asking if hard drives are “de-gaussed.” This means they are magnetically erased en masse. Besides municipalities and recycling businesses, some computer manufacturers such as Dell and Apple provide customers with their own recycling programs.

Entertainment- Music, Movies, Arts and Culture

You’d think you would have plenty to keep you busy what with studies and all. How to entertain oneself, on the cheap, is one of the major concerns for college students. Our best advice is to be creative.

41. Forget about the T.V. You can watch cable television through your computer. Make sure your desktop or laptop has a DVD/CD player and you can also watch your favorite movies. Your laptop has graphics equal to most HDTVs, so enjoy.

42. Nearly as essential as the T.V. is the stereo. Today’s computer speaker sets have clear high and midrange sounds with clean bass. You should be more than satisfied using your computer as the stereo. If you have your music library all set up in iTunes all you have left is to outfit yourself with a decent set of speakers and you still have saved money. Websites like Pandora create custom music channels based on a song or artist of your choice.

43. Trying to save money on going out to the movies? Hit the matinee showings. Look for free movies on campus; chances are you will find classics, independents, student films, noir and experimental.

44. Rent DVDs as a group. Pass the disk along before its due date. Everyone watches for a fraction of the cost to rent. Only share with responsible friends.

45. Subscribe to DVD rental service like NetFlix.

46. Have a stock of your own personal DVDs you don’t want anymore? Turn them in for credit at most of your brand name video stores.

47. Make your own movies. Talk about hours of entertainment. Stage your own music videos or film a short. Screen for friends, share a beer and laugh your a------s off.

48. Saving money on music opens a virtual Pandora’s box of methodology. If you decide to use a file sharing network program, make sure you do your research on the software program to make sure it doesn't contain any spyware or other inconvenient additions. You know, most of the mainstream pay-per-song sites cost just as much as if you went and bought a whole CD. You can still save money by just buying your favorite singles, and there are, however, many places that allow you (legally) to download music that is free- copyright-free, that is. Most of what you will get is the work of new and upcoming artists, but if you are the experimental type, you can find yourself a whole library of music. This is precisely how many future music stars are found:

• Amazon free music downloads
• CNET’s Download
• MySpace

49. Buy used CDs at the local music shop. Turn in your old CDs for credit and you may never have to exchange real money!

50. Start a book club. Read for entertainment, then get a group together to discuss it and enjoy each other’s company. Any interest would work for group involvement: stamp collecting, scrap-booking, weight training, running, cooking, and chess. My favorite book is A Thousand Years of Nonlinear History. It rocks.

51. Study groups help keep you focused on the primary reason you’re in college- to get an education. The more time you spend being focused and involved, the less time you have to spend money on frivolous things.

52. Offer your services as a tutor. Anytime you have the opportunity to help others is less time you have worrying about what you don’t have or think you need. The sooner you find out that you can survive nicely on very little, the better off you will be; or should we say, the richer you’ll be.

53. Avoid spending money this weekend. Be creative in what you choose to do, even if it includes a picnic, a long walk, flying a kite, a pick up game of soccer or football, an impromptu poker game (not played for money), or reading a good book.

54. Volunteer in a soup kitchen or help build homes with Habitat for Humanity. Community service activities like this will not only help you fill free time wisely, but you’ll come away with a real appreciation for those who have no money.

55. Pick up a local newspaper and check upcoming events for freebies: concerts, arts and crafts fairs, theater, festivals, art galleries, and museums.

56. Opt instead one Saturday evening a month to stay in and do something alone and for yourself. Enjoy a bath and a good book. Like Kung Fu movies? Drag out the microwave popcorn and go to town. Those DVDs can’t cost much to rent and maybe someone else will chip in on it with you.

57. Play on the web! The web is a virtually limitless land which will allow you to deeply explore any topic of interest, and participate in communities discussing those topics. You can also play games like Zuma or visit true time waster sites like HotorNot.com. Searching around online auctions like eBay may help you find deals while also being entertained by the prospects of bidding and winning.

Off-Campus Apartment Living

Sometimes an off-campus apartment is a choice and in other instances it just is a necessity. Living in your own digs brings its own array of money matters. Here are a few tips to help you stay in budget living off-campus.

58. Get a studio appartment or split rent with roommates.

59. Rent a place that will have all appliances provided. Bringing in your own or having to buy is a hassle. Think you can live without the microwave? You will likely wish you had one.

60. Beg your parents - they will feel a connection to you by letting you use their stuff or by buying you new stuff. The more they buy the less you have to.

61. Don’t spend a lot on décor and accessories. There are plenty of resources for creative decorating that won’t put you in the poor house.

• Wal-Mart is, of course, dirt cheap. FedEx furniture is cheaper. ;)
• Futons and bean bag chairs are always popular affordable choices.
  

62. Pay utility bills before they are due. Avoid late fees.

63. Save money on bills by keeping the A/C or heat turned down or off if possible.

64. Turn off lights; use the oven sparingly and take shorter showers. Electricity costs money. If you find an apartment where utilities may run on natural gas (stove, hot water heater) it’s generally more cost-efficient.

65. Living on an upper floor will typically keep you warmer in the winter, but it’ll get hotter in the summer. If you go to school in a region where winters are longer then upper floors are smart, otherwise live low.

66. If winters are cold and heat bills are high you can insulate your windows with plastic.

Shopping

Things must be bought at some point, but where, when and how you go about it can make all the difference to your cash flow. Remember, extras, frills, bells and whistles are the little things that really add up.

67. If you have to shop, make sure you patronize places that offer student discounts.

68. Shop for stuff you really need during the tax-free week - available in many regions of the country.

69. Shop early or late for Christmas and the holidays. There is no more stressful time for someone close to broke than the holidays. In fact, some shopping mavens stress that there is no better time to pick up Christmas presents than the day after Christmas! Need a quick Christmas gift for a friend you have yet to see? Buy last minute on clearance sales. Also, buy for next year. Savvy shoppers have no problem making this option one of the most cost efficient shopping days of their year.

70. Create Christmas and holiday gifts with your own two hands. The discount craft stores sell everything you need to make candles, soap, even beaded jewelry. If you can get a couple of crafty friends together you can all very affordably chip in for the materials and learn together.

71. Ask for practical items for Christmas or your birthday. No, it’s not much fun, but getting things you need saves you from spending the cash.

72. Get a few friends together to pitch in for the price of an annual membership at a place like Sam’s Club or Costco.

73. Buy in bulk. You’ll save money per unit for a pack of twelve bars of soap versus singles.

74. Save time and transportation money by shopping online. Make sure you choose an e-tailer with free shipping.

75. Save money in decorating the dorm room by shopping at discount stores and maybe a yard sale or two. The Pottery Barn dorm room may be great, but it’s definitely not on the bargain table.

76. Don’t shop hungry, and that goes for any kind of shopping. If you’re in the grocery store, you’ll grab more and spend more; if you’re somewhere else you’ll probably spend more than you planned getting something to eat. Carry a snack in your purse or backpack.

77. Learn how to shop for clothes at the consignment shop. Today’s second-hand is nothing like your mother’s thrift store. In fact, these places are regularly trafficked by college students and others for the great finds in name brand, “gently used” clothes and accessories.

78. While we’re on the subject of saving on clothes shopping, remember to make sure your fine consignment garments are washable versus “dry clean only.”

Transportation

Most of us have come to expect that we simply need to move around. Think foot power and you will already have taken steps to align yourself with a saving frame of mind.

79. Try to get an appartment which is close to campus.

80. Don’t take the car to campus. You will spend money on parking and gas, at the very least. Having no car will keep you closer to campus as well.

81. Walk, bike, roller blade, skateboard your way around town.

82. Public transportation is cheap, too.

Travel

At some point it’s likely you will have to decide the best and least expensive route from point A to point B. It may be national or international, but you always have a cheaper choice.

83. Save money by doing the least amount of traveling necessary. Road trips are great fun, but you will put out money for gas, accommodations, food, drink andentertainment. When it’s all said and done, your long weekend will smack your wallet.

84. Name your own price for a flight or accommodations, if you must travel, by using services such as Priceline. Factors such as current events and gas prices may cause travel prices to fluctuate.

85. Check prices for Amtrak or Greyhound versus air travel. Both companies offer student discounts.

86. A student travel discount card will get you nice discounts on accommodations, food, and transportation if you are traveling nationally or internationally:

• STA Travel
• International Student Identity Card, ISIC

87. Carpool home for the holidays. When everyone splits the cost of gas, it’s pretty darn cheap.

88. Nearly all money experts say “Skip Spring Break!” Some students even choose to engage in community service during spring break.


The Cost of Keeping in Touch

Communicating with friends and family can run you into steep monthly costs if you are not willing to think outside the box.

88. Join your parents’ family cell phone plan. It is usually much cheaper than a standalone account.

89. Refer to cell phone comparison sites that offer side-by-side data of plans from company to company. Save time and save money on your next cell phone plan:

90. Avoid text messaging. You can easily text your way to hundreds of dollars in extra fees. Also, because text messaging is charged both to the sender as well as the receiver, ask your friends to refrain from texting you, too. Make a phone call when you are able (and during your free minutes) or send an email instead. Some cell phone plans come bundled with a maximum number of free text messages. Know how many you can send or receive without being charged extra.

91. Use a pay-as-you-go cell phone plan. This will only work if you use your cell phone on a minimal basis.

92. Communicate via email, instant messangers, create a blog, share photos on Flickr, or invite friends to visit your MySpace site.

93. Use an inexpensive or free internet phone calling service. Once upon a time the sound quality and incidence of dropped digital data packets was high, but VoIP calls have come a long way, baby. Some families, especially those spread far and wide, even international, subscribe to an online conference service. Here everyone in the group may participate in a group meeting, share photos, keep current with goings on, etc.7

• Skype - eBay's VoIP service. Offers free incoming and outgoing calls in some areas.
• Vonage - VoIP service provider
• Google Talk - Google's voice enabled instant messaging service which allows you to leave voicemails
• Trillian & Gaim - instant messaging services that interface with most major IM services
• Facebook - Social networking site, very popular with the college generation
• Family and friend conference calls

94. If you are traveling, especially out of the country, catch up with friends and family before you leave, and check into the various international calling cards available.

Personal

We’ve included toiletries, personal grooming and laundry in this category - the annoying, so-not-fun expenses that are perhaps some of the most spendy.

95. Ladies, how ‘bout forego the salon nails for the year. Instead make it a girl’s night in and do each other’s nails. Same thing for waxes and facials.

96. You don’t have to let your hair grow to your knees, but you don’t have to choose the toniest “hair design” spot in town either. Shop around for a salon that offers student discounts. Have a cosmetology school nearby? They will charge much less for cuts, highlights and color in exchange for the use of your head. Also, funkier little salon/barbershops offer great services, for a fraction of the cost; you just need to be a bit adventurous.

97. Share the cost for personal toiletries. This works well if you share a room, apartment or suite with others and can agree on products that suit both or all: soap, shampoo, blow dryer, curling iron, hair spray, conditioner, package of razors, shaving cream, lotions, toothpaste, mouth wash, etc. We don't recommend sharing your tooth brush though ;)

98. Whether you share or not, it’s always a cost-saver to avoid high-end grooming products. You don’t really need the most expensive shampoo or facial scrub to keep yourself looking good. High-end products can run you between $10 and $20 per product. Buy affordable and quality products at much lower prices.

99. Shop for your personal items at a discount retailer. Money strategists suggest buying the “store brand” as a cost-saving alternative, as well.

100. Doing laundry costs money. A machine load of laundry costs at least a $1, and in most places a good bit more than that. Don’t drop your laundry at a service, stay and wash it yourself. Spend the time studying or decide to use laundry time to catch up on your favorite magazine or book. Maximize your laundry savings in the following ways:

• Bring your own detergent versus buying the single use from the machines.
• Buy discounted detergent or on sale only.
• Bring your own drink and/or snack versus buying from the vending machine.
• Fill the machines to capacity.

101. If you are totally outraged with the cost to wash and dry at the nearest laundry joint or your residence laundry machines, then shop for cheaper at another nearby residential building. Most have laundry rooms. Keep your ear to the ground for the best cost per load deal in the area and only wash when it’s necessary.8 You can always hand wash a few items to get you through to wash day.

Exercise

If you are already involved with an athletic program, you will have plenty of opportunity to travel off campus and socialize with other students. Meals will typically be covered during team travel, too. If you are on an athletic scholarship you will already have plenty of time scheduled for practice and games or competition to worry about money.

102. Join a club or intramural sport. It will gain you instant friends and offer no-cost exercise and socialization.

103. Buy an exercise video game. A console and exercise game together cost under $200 and offer weeks or months of fun. Who knew you could lose weight playing video games? Playstation 2 offers a video game called Kinetic - The Personal Fitness Trainer. And as if that wasn't good enough, why not give Dance Dance Revolution Mario Mix a try!

104. If you need music to help you have the motivation to exercise, iPods and similar devices can be bought for around $100. Many music fans also take advantage of low download costs or free downloadable music offers.

105. Ask someone to sponsor you for a marathon or other run. People do it all the time for charities. Turn paying for your education into a noble cause.

106. Enroll in an on-campus exercise class such as yoga, tai chi, kick-boxing or spinning. Exercise will keep you healthier and happier and will fill up time you might otherwise have spent spending money.

107. Feeling down and getting the urge to splurge? Instead go for a run, a bike ride, or a brisk walk. You’ll get some exercise-induced serotonin coursing through your brain and the feeling will cost you nothing.

108. Get a dog. While feeding them may seem expensive, they offer low cost company ready for a walk if you get lonely or might not exercise as much as you should. Dogs love exercise.

Make a Few Bucks

No one says you have to hold down a traditional part-time job, but there are tons of ways to make an extra buck or two while you’re in college.

110. We're not endorsing prostitution, but if you can give some of yourself by donating blood plasma, you can net an extra couple hundred dollars a month. But, be careful if you try combining this with alchohol. ;)

111. Volunteer for a medical study. Most do not require much time and you get paid!

112. Sell your expertise in a subject as a tutor, computer skills, music lessons.

113. Get a job in the food service industry. Chances are high that you can eat for free!

114. If you are a true subject matter expert why not create a website about your favorite topics? Many people make a few hundred to few thousand dollars a month from Google AdSense, by publishing relevant contextual ads on their websites.

115. Be your campus computer tech. Troubleshoot computer issues in exchange for a few bucks or a beer. Make yourself available in a pinch.

116. Solicit grad students for help with their dissertation research, proofreading, editing or document typing and formatting.

117. Don't forget to work extra and save up during the summer to make the school year more comfortable.

118. Offer a resume writing service. This can make you quite a bit of extra pocket money. But put it in savings.

Good luck! If you think “thrifty” we think you could possibly leave college with a little in your savings account to show for your hard work and efforts.

Source : College Scholarships.org

By Ruth Brown

Can you feed your family for just $21 for a whole week? It’s a lot easier than you might think! And it’s as close as your pantry! As saving money tips go, this one’s a real winner.

The $21 Challenge, which originated from a member posting on the popular Simple Savings website, has become somewhat of a phenomenon throughout Australia and New Zealand. The idea is, to make use of everything you have stashed in your pantry and your freezer – limiting your purchases to under $21.

Having just looked in my pantry and freezer and seeing the amount of rice and Continental / Maggi recipe bases not to mention the chicken breasts I’ve bought in bulk and squirreled away a couple of months ago – I reckon I could do it for at least a fortnight!

Even if you choose not to take up the exacting discipline of the $21 Challenge (really, it’s not that hard!) – you could make this month a “Pantry Buster”. That is, go through your pantry checking the use by/best before dates of all the products in the pantry and anything that is close to it’s “use by”, plan to use it this month.

I literally hang my head in shame at the amount of food that my partner and I have had to throw out because it past it’s use by date without us ever rummaging behind the sauce to find it. And I didn’t dare even try to calculate the amount of money that we were throwing away in the process.

So, are you ready to face reality? Do you have what it takes to take on your Pantry and win?

If you would like the details of the $21 Challenge and all the tips and encouragement you could ever need to go along with it, you can check it out at the Simple Savings website on http://www.simplesavings.com.au/freestuff/21-dollar-challenge-survival.pdf.

Source : Guide2.co.nz

By Budget Girl, Frugal Living Examiner

Happy New Year! Now is a great time to re-look at your finances.

One key thing to remember that everyone should have an emergency savings account that equals to about 3-6 months of your income. This needs to be established even before you start saving up for a down payment on a home or a new car. You need to protect yourself just in case you lose your job or any other emergencies that may come up. If you currently don’t have this much in liquid cash, make this year the year you start saving up.

Below is a list of common frugal resolutions. You don’t have to commit to them all of them. Just choose a couple from the list to focus on so that you will have a bigger saving account by the end of the year:

1. Stick to a consistent saving strategy without making unnecessary withdrawals. If you haven’t already, set up an automatic deposit from your checking account into your savings account. But don’t get overzealous and try to save more money than you can afford each month. You don’t want to feel like you need to dip into your savings account every month, so pick an amount you can stick to. Leave the money in your savings account and forget about it.

2. Switch to an online savings account with banks like HSBC or ING. Because their operations are mainly online, they avoid the overhead cost of brick-and-mortar banks (Wells Fargo) and pass on higher APY (interest) to you. Plus, it takes a few more days to withdraw money from an online saving versus just taking a trip to your ATM from your brick-and-mortar bank. Although I don’t recommend having your sole checking account as a online account, it makes a perfect account for holding your emergency savings

3. Reduce your amount of impulse purchases. Try to use cash when shopping to prevent you from spending more than you plan. Stick to a list. Allow 24 to think about whether you really need an impulse purchase. Don't free bad for giving back items at the check lanes. View my blog post on impulse spending for more details.

4. Explore thrift stores and consignments shops when you are in a shopping mood. You will surprised what treasures you will find and it won't cost you as much damage to your wallet.

5. Start a garden this year. Try to grow your own vegetables this year that will give you organic produce for virtually free. It is also quite rewarding.

6. Shift your paradigm towards budgeting. This year, start to look at budgeting as a financial opportunity instead of a punishment. Embrace the idea that your money does have limits (even the rich has limits on their money.) Instead of feeling depressed that you can't buy new clothes every month, get excited as you see your savings account balance grow over time!

Hears to a frugal and prosperous New Year!!!

Source : Examiner.com

Like 90% of America these days (or at least it seems that way), we're cutting back on eating out. We never really ate out that much before the economy went into the toilet, but we're being a bit extra careful these days so we're watching the number of meals we eat out.

That said, we haven't totally eliminated eating out since it can often be a fun time for our family to get out and enjoy ourselves. In particular, we've hit on one very big money saving tip when it comes to eating out: Buffets.

Specifically, there's a Chinese all-you-can-eat buffet near our house where lunch is just $6.99. They not only have the traditional foods you'd expect in a Chinese restaurant, but they also have fried chicken, macaroni and cheese, and so on so even our daughter who doesn't like Chinese food has something to enjoy. And for $6.99, we can eat enough to cover both lunch and dinner for the day. (Yes, I know I'm a cheap-o. But the food really is very good.)

By the way, this tip also works with those all-you-can-eat meal offers (I think Applebee's has some of those going now.)

Besides the buffet suggestion, here are four other money saving tips we use when eating out:

Eat breakfast/lunch versus dinner. Ever notice how dinner costs are waaaaay more expensive than for the same thing at lunch? For example, the Chinese restaurant above charges $11.99 for "dinner" and IT'S THE SAME THING (an all-you-can-eat buffet.) And breakfast food itself is fairly inexpensive, so if you eat out then, you're bound to save more than if you go out for a large dinner.

Use coupons. I eat at Logan's now and then and I ALWAYS have a coupon. My wife collects restaurant coupons, puts them in a folder, and when we decide to eat out, she goes to the file (we often take the file with us in the car when we go out on Saturdays). We save at least a few dollars every meal when we use a coupon.

By a deal. The restaurants are offering all sorts of good deals out there -- usually combination offers that save you a couple bucks on each person's order. They're doing all they can to attract customers, so go with the flow and order the combo that gets you a good amount of food for a little bit of money.

Skip drinks and desserts. Consider the following:

• 15 oz. drink at a restaurant = $1.25
• 2liter bottle of pop at a grocery store = $0.99
• Dessert for one (maybe two) at a restaurant = $4.99
• Half gallon of ice cream on sale (and one's always on sale) at a grocery store = $3.99

Moral of the story: drink water and stop by the grocery store on the way home to pick up dessert.

How about you? Do you have any other tips for saving when eating out?

Source : FreeMoneyFinance