Hope you benefitted from some of the first 30..
31. Incentives – Reward Plan
To help you and your family spend more wisely, set up a system where rewards
are given when the rules set forth are followed. For example, if a family
decision was made to start making lunch and brown bagging it to work and
school instead of paying each day, the incentive might be that if this is followed
strictly for one month, the entire family can spend a Saturday at the Zoo or
favorite theme park.
32. Dollar Stores
Many years ago, dollar stores offered only off brand products or poorly made
merchandise. However, that has completely changed. Now you can walk into a
dollar store and find the same name brand laundry soap, cleaning supplies,
clothing, school supplies, everything for a fraction of the cost. Where a store
name brand bottle of laundry detergent might cost $6.50 at a grocery store,
you can find the identical product and size at the dollar store for $2.50. Check
out your local dollar store and enjoy the mountains of savings.
33. Don’t Give up the Good Stuff
A misconception is that while trying to save money you have to deal with subpar
merchandise, which is untrue. If you love fresh breads and pastries, visit a
bakery thrift store. For your fresh fruits and vegetables, visit your local
farmer’s market. Try eBay or other auction sites to buy top quality
merchandise for a huge discount. Watch for neighborhood garage sales or
estate sales and auctions to find items you need. Just because you are looking
for bargains as a way of saving money does not mean you have to skimp on
quality.
34. Utilities
Set up some rules in your home such as turning lights off when leaving the
room, having only a parent adjust the air or heat, leaving the doors or windows
open when letting either cold or hot air into the house. Utilities are expensive
and a great money saver is to monitor how they are used in your home.
Another great idea is the investment of buying an energy-efficient hot water
heater. If you cannot afford one, lower the setting so you are not heating
water so hot. The hotter the setting, the more energy used.
35. Check the Garbage
One woman had her teenage daughter clean her room. The daughter proudly
did just that, filling two huge trash bags of things she no longer wanted. Out of
curiosity, the mother peeked into one of the bags to see what was being thrown
away. In shock, she found a new tube of suntan lotion, two perfectly good
sweaters, makeup, lotion, a picture frame, hair curlers, all good things. The
daughter did not realize that just because the items were of no interest to her,
they might be to someone else. After talking to her daughter, the mom turned
around and listed the items on eBay, making a $35 profit on her daughter’s
“junk.”
36. Written Plan
When a person goes into business, they create a Business Plan, which becomes
the blueprint of their business. The same should apply if you are trying to save
money. Create a master plan that the entire family can get involved with and
learn their role. When you start to spend too much, go back and look at your
plan to see where you are messing up and how you can fix it.
37. Attitude
Good money management is an acquired skill. As you go forward with the
process of saving money, you need to have a good, positive attitude, which is
often what will keep you and your family heading in the right direction. If you
think you cannot save, then you probably will not. Be determined and stay
positive about saving.
38. Unsecured Creditors
Make a list of all your unsecured debts along with creditor contact information
and payoff amount so you can have an accurate record of how much you owe.
Choose one creditor, possibly a credit card, and focus on paying off that bill.
Once you have achieved that goal, choose another. Start with the debt that
has the highest interest rate since it is the one costing you the most money.
39. Off-Season
The next time you plan a vacation, consider off-season. Generally, the prices
for airfare, hotel, and cars are substantially lower than traveling during peak
time. If you look at all your options, you will find that in many cases, you can
come close to the date you would like to travel. As an example, flying to
Hawaii through June 8 is considered off-season while June 9 is peak. One day
makes a huge difference in price.
40. Buy versus Rent or Lease
When looking at homes or automobiles check the rent and lease options.
Depending on your particular situation, renting or leasing may be a better
financial decision. Weigh all your options and see which choice makes the best
sense from a financial standpoint.
Stay tuned for 41-50 ...cheers
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