Ways to Lower Your Monthly Expenses

We are facing challenging economic times. Finding ways to reduce your monthly expenses will help you better utilize the financial resources you have so you can save money for a rainy day. Here are some ideas to trim your monthly expenses:
Automobile
Automobiles are money pits - they constantly go down in value, devour fuel by the gallon, and often require all manner of repairs and maintenance work. How can we reduce the cost of automobiles in our monthly budget?

Buy used vehicles People with normal incomes cannot afford new cars. New cars lose 60% of their value in the first four years. Save your money and pay cash for a used car. You will pay thousands of extra dollars over the life of a car loan.

Use public transportation If you have an option that enables you to ride to regular destinations (such as work, the store, or a shopping center) instead of using your automobile, you can save quite a bit of money on gas and maintenance by just dropping a few coins on the bus or the rail system and leaving the car at home (or parking it at a station).

Sell an automobile If an automobile is sitting in your driveway or garage and isn’t used, consider selling it. If nothing else, the insurance expense will go away, and if you can use the money from the sale to pay it off or, better yet, pocket some of the money, even better.

Carpool If you have an opportunity to share a ride to and from work with someone else, that not only significantly reduces wear and tear on your car and gas expenses, it enables you to use any carpooling lanes on the commute, which almost always save time when commuting.

Keep the tires on your automobiles inflated properly Once a month, stop by a local gas station that offers free air and check the air pressure in your car tires, then fill each one to the maximum recommended amount as stated in your manual. This improves gas mileage by one percent for every two PSI of air you are able to add to your tires.

Energy
We all face a continual onslaught of energy costs, especially as we use more and more electronic devices. Luckily, technology has brought us a few effective ways to reduce costs as well.

Install CFLs Compact fluorescent light bulbs are receiving a big push right now and their advantages are great: a longer lifespan and significantly less electrical usage. Stick with the name brands for now, even at a premium - my entire house switched to GE CFLs more than a year ago and I have yet to replace a single one. A tip: when comparing bulbs, use the lumens number to compare bulbs, not the equivalent wattages - the lumens indicate the actual amount of light emitted by the bulb. Remember also that under normal usage (4 hours a day) and normal electrical rates ($0.10 per kilowatt hour), replacing a 75 watt bulb with a 20 watt CFL saves $0.66 per month. Multiply that by all the bulbs in your house to see how much you’ll save every month.

Install a programmable thermostat A programmable thermostat allows you to automatically alter the heating and cooling of your home when you’re not at home, when you’re asleep, and so on, saving significantly on your heating and cooling bills.

Unplug all unused electrical devices Are there any electrical devices around the house that stay plugged in, but that you rarely use? Most electric devices use a small amount of electricity constantly, a phantom charge. To eliminate that usage, unplug the items.

Utilize timers and power strips Along those lines, consider utilizing power strips and power timers to turn electrical devices on and off. A power strip with a switch on it, when turned off, blocks the phantom charge on those devices; a timer can automatically turn off the charge going to a power strip (or anything plugged into it) at a certain time each night. This is a great way to eliminate phantom charge on your home electronic equipment at night.

Install a blanket for your hot water heater and reduce the temperature In many homes, the hot water heater is a major energy drain; the water is kept hotter than most people ever use, plus the heat is constantly lost to the environment, meaning you have to burn more energy than ever to keep the water so hot. Solve both problems by dropping the temperature down to 125-130 degrees Fahrenheit (around 60 degress Celsius) and also installing a blanket on your water heater to keep in the heat - a blanket can pay for itself in about a year.

Air seal your home Air sealing your home can prevent drafts, which can often cause the loss of cool air in the summer and the loss of warm air in the winter, both of which can increase your housing costs. Here’s a great guide to this weekend project from the EERE.

Entertainment
Many people look at entertainment as the first thing to cut when trying to trim costs, but they often forget to look at the regular expenditures that slowly eat away at your financial foundation month in and month out. Here are some things to consider that you may have overlooked before.

Cancel club memberships Look at things like a health club, a country club, and so on. How often do you really use these services? If you’re using a gym membership less than once a week or a country club membership less than once a month, you’re likely throwing away money.

Reduce or eliminate your cable/satellite bill For many people, this advice is beyond the pale, but it’s worth looking at. Perhaps you could trim back on your premium channel selection and just go with basic cable, or perhaps you could even eliminate your cable bill entirely - it will also help with electricity costs because you won’t be watching television as much and you’ll suddenly find you have much more free time.

Look for inexpensive entertainment options Do you utilize the local library? Do you attend local community events like municipal band concerts and so on? Are you aware of local volunteer groups and organizations? Your community often offers many options for inexpensive or free entertainment of all kinds - you don’t have to have a big entertainment budget each month.

Strongly reduce or eliminate travel By being selective about what we travel to - and also open to inviting people to visiting us - we signifcantly cut down on travel expenses.

Cancel newspaper and magazine subscriptions If you get a magazine or newspaper in the mail but simply don’t read it, cancel that subscription when it comes up for renewal, no matter how much you “like” the magazine. An unread subscription is nothing more than expensive clutter.

Look at and consider reducing/eliminating other regular paid services Look at services like Netflix - are you really getting $19.95 a month out of these services? If not, just drop the service and look for other options, like a local rental store. What about satellite radio? If you use that but find yourself not using it or just sticking with the same things you listen to on regular radio (like NPR or top forty), then cancel the service.

Food
For many people it just seems more convenient to eat out, even though it’s incredibly expensive and not as much of a time saver as you might think. Consider these options.

Cook (and pack) your own meals at home When you cook at home, make plenty so that you can freeze some of it for future meals and, even better, take some of it as leftovers to work, drastically reducing the cost of the typical workplace lunch. Some people may shy away from leftovers, but you can make leftovers as good as the original.

Reduce or eliminate eating out or getting take-out Take-out and dining out can be a huge timesaver for a busy family, but the expense can be tremendous - and it often doesn’t save much time, either. Instead, look at other options for dining at home: prepare lots of meals at once and freeze them for easy cooking later, focus on simple recipes, and choose recipes that utilize the fresh produce in season in your area.

Buy nonperishable items in bulk Many people never even bother to look at some of the larger packages of nonperishable items - they think it’s just too much. Try looking at the cost per unit of all of the sizes and choose the one that’s the best deal; often, it is the big bulky package, but that just means you won’t be buying it again for a long time. Spread out over months and over a lot of items (think of all of the nonperishables in your home - food is just the beginning), this can add up to a lot of trimmed fat.

Start a garden Vegetable gardening is a splendid hobby that can often turn a profit if done well. Focus on vegetables that are easy to grow and produce abundant fruit, like tomatoes, and learn how to store the excess through such processes as canning. Opening up a jar of tomatoes in the winter that were grown by you in the summer and canned in the fall is a wonderful experience - and it can really help with trimming the food bill.

Buy generic Many products (not just food) are available in a store-brand or generic form for significantly less money - quite often with the name brand, you’re paying for their advertising budget with the higher cost. Look carefully at the ingredients in generic and name-brand products and if they’re the same, go with the generic one on a regular basis, which will consistently trim money from your shopping bill.

Insurance
We all have insurance to protect against the unexpected, but when we overpay for insurance, we leave ourselves vulnerable in a different way by stretching our budget too thin. Look into these options for ways to reduce your insurance premiums.

Comparison Shop for homeowner and auto insurance If you haven’t shopped around for homeowner and auto insurance lately, now’s a good time to get a few quotes, especially if your credit is strong. If you can save a substantial amount and maintain your current coverage, it’s well worth switching to another provider, but give your current one a chance to match.

Switch to term life insurance If you’re paying for whole life insurance or universal life insurance, look strongly at a term package instead. The cost per year will be significantly cheaper and at the end of the term, your life insurance needs will likely be far less than they are right now.

Raise your deductibles If you’re paying a large premium in order to have a small deductible, you might want to consider switching that, particularly if your claims are infrequent. Raising your deductible can often significantly reduce your annual premiums, easing the monthly strain on your bills.

Other
There are many other areas of your budget that can also afford a bit of fat trimmed from them. Let’s look at a few more possibilities for lowering your regular expenses.

Reduce or eliminate your cell phone bill Ask yourself how much you really use your cell phone; if it’s not all that much, look at perhaps getting a prepaid phone with a small number of minutes on it for those emergency situations when you actually use it. If you do use it a lot, look at the features you’re paying for on your bill and see if you can trim any of those.

Reduce or eliminate organized child activities Look for activities that your child is sincerely interested in (if you don’t know, ask them what they really like) and focus on those while cutting back on the rest.

Eliminate services (housecleaning, landscaping, etc.) If you hire out household services to others, consider trimming back or eliminating them. Instead, put aside some time each week to do them yourself - not only will you save money, but you’ll find that many activities can get the whole family involved (like housecleaning).

Shop Garage Sales and Thrift Stores You can find great deals on clothing, children's toys and household items at garage sales and thrift stores. Rather than buying a new bike for our son when we discovered his new bike was too big for him to ride without training wheels, we found a perfect-sized bike for $5.00 at a garage sale. Now he can ride his used bike sans training wheels and will grow into his nice new bike eventually. We often find name brand childrens' clothing at garage sales for ridiculousy low prices.

Strongly reduce or eliminate clothes shopping I have a close friend who insists on having a significant monthly clothes budget. I challenged her to trim her spending in half and instead focus more on looking for bargains - and she’s never looked back. If you need to dress well for work, don’t let that slide, but putting in some effort to look for a bargain can often pay huge dividends. Even better - have a moratorium on shopping for new clothes until you really need something new.

Reduce grooming expenses Instead of having your hair cut and styled weekly, cut back to every other week. If you have your nails done twice a month, cut back to monthly, or have manicure parties where you do it at home with your friends instead. If you buy expensive shampoos, look at lower cost options. It doesn’t have to cost a truckload to keep up appearances.

Move to a less expensive area Many people leave this option out when looking at trimming their budget, but if you can find work in another area, it may be worth considering. Look around at other areas of the country where you can find employment, see what your salary would be there, and look at the housing costs. Quite often, you’ll find yourself significantly ahead by looking at areas like Minneapolis rather than areas like San Francisco, even at a significantly lower salary.

Clean out your house and sell your stuff
If you aren't using that old set of golf clubs in your basement, sell them. Hold a garage sale or sell them on e-bay. You might be surprised at the money you can add to your budget when you sell unwanted or unnecessary items.

Using even a few of these options can really open up some breathing room in a budget, enabling you to break free of debt and chase your dreams.

Source: Most of this is quoted from an article by Trent found at http://www.thesimpledollar.com/ with a few of my ideas injected as well as those of Dave Ramsey http://www.daveramsey.com/etc/cms/why_buy_a_used_car_5153.htmlc

101 Ways to Stretch Your Food Dollars

Food prices are going up. But here are lots of ways — 101 of them — to shave off pennies, dimes and dollars from your food costs. 

Not every tip fits every situation. A vat-size container of salad dressing is cheaper per ounce, but not if it sits in a single person's fridge for months on end. Remember, the most expensive food you can buy is the food that goes to waste.

Before you go
1. For a week, track what your family actually spends on food. Don't forget to include work lunches, restaurant meals, vending-machine snacks and convenience store stops. These add up quickly.

2. Have a plan. Jot down simple dinner menus for the week, using the weekly grocery store ads so you can take advantage of what's on sale that week. Having a plan ends the 5 p.m. "what's for dinner?" plight.

3. Make a shopping list from your menu. Having the ingredients you need for the week eliminates extra trips to the supermarket, where more incidental items can end up in your grocery cart.

4. To save time, compile a basic shopping list of things you usually buy on a weekly basis, such as milk, lettuce, etc. Organize the list by the store layout and make lots of copies. Then each week it's just a matter of penciling in the extra ingredients from your menu.

5. Get out of the dinner rut. Check out cookbooks or magazines from the library or attend local cooking classes for new ideas.

6. For low-cost, nutritious recipe ideas, check the Food Stamp Nutrition Connection at recipefinder.nal.usda.gov. The recipes have cost-per-serving and nutrition data.

7. Consider making from scratch many of the things you usually buy in prepared form, such as brownies or salad dressing.

8. Time is a valuable resource. It's usually not worth the time (or gasoline) to hopscotch from store to store to save a few dollars.

9. Consider the advantages when you choose where to shop. Some stores offer credit cards with rebates, discounts on gasoline, special coupons and so on.

10. Club warehouses can save money, but be judicious. Can you use 18 cartons of yogurt at a time? Often you can find similar good buys and a better selection at a regular grocery store

11. Sometimes you're lured into buying things that lose their appeal and end up sitting on the shelf. To cure yourself of impulse shopping, every so often force yourself to make a meal out of those items in the cupboard.

12. Consider group strategies. A neighborhood group or extended family might save by buying in bulk directly from wholesalers and farmers.

Shopping
13. Try shopping with cash, taking only an allotted amount to the store.

14. Statistics indicate that people buy more when they are hungry or accompanied by others, especially children. (However, grocery shopping can be a good learning experience for kids; let them find all the coupon foods and comparison shop with you.)

15. Don't dawdle. The longer you're wandering through the store, the more chance of impulse buys.

16. Avoid convenience stores. They have higher prices and very few specials.

17. Guard against nonfood impulse buys that could end up in your cart, such as the latest DVD, perfumes or toiletries. Do you really need them?

18. Limit trips to the store. Multiple trips usually mean more incidental items added to the cart.

19. Try "catch-and-release" shopping with high-end items. Put that bottle of name-brand, extra-virgin olive oil in the cart, and while you finish the rest of your purchases, ask if it's something you can live without. Then before you check out, put it back on the shelf. After all, dreaming is free. (However, if you end up convincing yourself to buy these things, or you forget to put them back, this method isn't for you!)

Coupons
20. Use the coupon inserts in your Sunday newspaper ads.

21. To maximize coupon savings, use resources such as Pinchingyourpennies.com, the Grocery Guru at http://www.gurusdeals.com/, or Couponsense.com, which help you to coordinate coupons with sales at local grocery stores. By using the coupon with the sale price, you can get items for a fraction of the cost.

22. Multiply the savings. Some people take multiple Sunday newspaper subscriptions for the coupons, and you can also ask your neighbors or relatives for the coupons from their paper.

23. Check other sources for coupons: the "blinkies" in the red boxes on grocery store shelves, home mailers, "peelies" that are peeled off the product itself and printables off Web sites.

24. Be wise about coupons. Sometimes a brand name with a coupon is still more expensive than a generic brand. And resist buying things you may not use just because you have a coupon.

25. Some grocery stores match competitor coupons if you have the advertisement with you.

26. Organize your coupons so you can use them efficiently. A women uses a three-ring binder with clear photo pages or baseball card pockets. Others use a filing box and take out the coupons they will be using and clip them to their shopping list on their way to the grocery store.

27. Send in rebates. One women puts all the money she receives from rebates in a separate account, and she's now up to $200.

Cereals & baked goods
28. One reason people avoid buying cheaper bagged cereals is because they're hard to store and pour. Store them in a plastic pitcher with a pour spout.

29. Consider how much you can save by cooking whole grains for breakfast instead of cold breakfast cereal. Homer Cook of Layton said as a welfare volunteer, he helped a single mother of three cut her breakfast costs from $1,000 per year to $58 per year by cooking cracked wheat (based on Honeyville Grain prices).

30. Buy whole-grain cereals and breads. They're more filling, so you are satisfied with less. And they're better for you.

31. Go '90s retro and pull out your old bread machine. Besides bread, it can be used for rolls and pizza dough.

32. Make croutons or bread crumbs from day-old bread or hotdog buns. The crumbs can be seasoned and used as a "shake-and-bake" chicken coating.

33. Seek out day-old bread "thrift" stores. But be wary of the temptation to overbuy empty calorie items such as cupcakes, potato chips and doughnuts.

34. Bake a batch of muffins from scratch for on-the-go breakfasts. Even if you use a mix, you'll still save over bakery prices.

Produce
35. Buy fruits and vegetables in season when they're cheaper and taste fresher. When compared to the price per pound of meat, cheese, chocolate, etc., they're a nutritional bargain.

36. If you're preparing a commercial meal kit (such as Hamburger Helper or a frozen pasta dinner), toss in a few more vegetables. Chopped bell peppers or celery, and frozen broccoli or peas add color, flavor and nutrition to what is usually a lot of starch, sauce and salt. They can also stretch the meal into more servings.

37. Ready-prepped veggies cost more but may be worth it if you actually use those peeled carrots or sliced mushrooms. A huge percentage of fresh produce goes to waste sitting in refrigerators.

38. A pound bag of chopped iceberg lettuce salad costs more (about $2) than a head of iceberg lettuce (approximately $1 per pound) that you clean and chop yourself. But if bagged salad greens keep you from buying restaurant salads, there's still a savings.

39. If lettuce prices are up, vary your veggies. Consider cabbage, spinach, carrot or broccoli salads.

40. Grow your favorite herbs year-round in your kitchen window. It's convenient to be able to cut a few sprigs as needed, and packets of fresh herbs can cost $1.50-$2 in grocery stores.

41. If you're not up to planting a garden, add a few strawberry or tomato plants to your flower beds. You have to weed and water them anyway. Or add a fruit tree to your back yard.

42. Yellow onions are often 40 cents to 50 cents less per pound than red (purple) onions.

43. When your favorite fresh vegetables are offseason, look for canned and frozen versions. Do the math and figure out which offers the best price per serving.

44. Beans are an inexpensive protein. Add them to tacos, casseroles, salads, etc., so you can use less meat.

45. Dried beans, per cooked serving, are often less than half the price of canned beans. But they take a lot of time to cook. Soak a batch overnight in your slow cooker on low heat, then portion and freeze for later use.

46. Vegetables frozen in butter sauce usually cost more than plain frozen vegetables, and they have more fat and calories.

47. Price fruits with an eye on the cost-per-edible serving. If you are buying by the pound, you are also paying for any inedible seeds and rinds.

48. When buying fresh greens by weight, be sure to shake off the excess water before you put them in your cart. Water hidden in between the leaves adds weight and raises the cost.

49. Serve a vegetable "medley" when you have small amounts of several different vegetables. Mix together and microwave, and top with a little cheese or a sprinkle of nuts.

Dairy
50. Unless you buy powdered milk in bulk for a price break, you won't save money over fresh milk. On a recent shopping trip, the Deseret News found that a box of generic-brand powdered milk that yields 31 cups of milk was $6.49. If you can buy fresh milk at $3 a gallon, you can get 32 cups for $6.

51. Buy a large container of yogurt and divide it into portions yourself. A 32-ounce container, at $2.79, yields four 8-ounce portions at 34 cents a serving. The same brand in single-serve containers was 50 cents each.

52. Milk fat costs. You can often save about 10 cents to 20 cents per gallon by dropping from 2 percent to 1 percent or skim.

53. If you use margarine instead of butter to cut costs, don't use anything less than 100 percent margarine for baking. The lower-fat spreads have water and fillers that bake up poorly (and when poured over popcorn turn it to mush). Real butter is approximately $4 per pound; 100 percent margarine (such as Nucoa) can be $1.50 to $2 per pound. Save the less-expensive spreads for your toast.

54. Consider home delivery of milk and bread. It costs more, but it might save on extra trips to the store.

55. There is no nutritional difference between brown and white eggs; it has more to do with the color of the hen. White eggs usually cost less.

56. Freeze butter to keep its fresh flavor. Grate it, frozen, over toast, baked potatoes, etc. for portion control.

57. Finely shred cheese when topping pizzas, grilled ham and cheese, etc. You'll use less.

Meat
58. Unless they're on special, breasts are the most expensive part of the chicken. Boneless, skinless thighs offer the same convenience for less, and dark meat is more moist and flavorful anyway.

59. Take a cue from restaurant chefs who can make a small portion of meat or chicken look plentiful. They slice it thinly and fan out the slices on top of a mound of rice or potatoes.

60. Tough cuts of meat are usually cheaper. Place a beef brisket in you slow cooker in the morning and by dinner time you'll have tender beef (and a tantalizing aroma in your kitchen).

61. Don't throw out your bacon drippings. Some suggestions from Every Day With Rachael Ray magazine: Stir it into grits, use in place of oil when popping popcorn, saute bread cubes in it for croutons, add to cornbread batter, add to barbecue sauce and brush on ribs or chicken while they're cooking.

62. Compare meat costs by servings, not pounds. Bony meats are cheaper per pound, but they yield less edible meat per pound.

63. Likewise, a large store-cooked rotisserie chicken at $6 is cheaper than buying a raw, 5-pound whole raw chicken at $1.30 per pound and cooking it at home. As a bonus, you can use the carcass and bits of meat on the bones to make chicken broth.

64. Although the price of eggs has nearly doubled in the past year, a $2 carton of eggs can still supply a protein-rich meal for a family of six. Scramble them with leftovers such as chopped ham, crumbled bacon, chopped peppers, onions and so on.

65. Buy ground beef in bulk quantities to get a better price. When you get home, divide meal-size portions in zip-lock bags and freeze.

Canned goods
66. Big cans are often cheaper, but not always. Check the price per unit guide on the grocery shelf, which shows the cost per ounce. Also, consider how you use the product. If you buy a big can of tomato sauce, use a little and end up wasting the rest, you're better off buying the small can in the first place.

67. What to do with the last of the jam or jelly jar: Pour in some milk, refrigerate for a little while to loosen the jam stuck to the jar sides, and shake into a flavored drink.

68. Generic brands can save money. But try one can first before you invest in a whole case to make sure it appeals to your family.

69. Stockpile pantry items you normally use, such as spaghetti sauce or pasta, when they're on sale. Keep a list of quick-fix possibilities on the inside of your cupboard door, such as spaghetti, meatball sub sandwiches, baked tortellini, etc.

Snacks70. Invest in a popcorn popper. You can make 10 times as much popcorn for the same price as microwave popcorn. A three-pack box of microwave popcorn yields about 10 1/2 cups of popcorn for $2 to $3, depending on the brand. A $1.99 bag of regular popcorn yields 113 cups. You'll have to add you own butter and salt, but you have more control over the amounts.

71. When making s'mores, instead of buying chocolate bars and graham crackers, place the marshmallow between two chocolate-striped cookies. A package of Keebler Fudge Shoppe cookies is approximately $3 and makes 15 s'mores. You'd spend at least that much money on chocolate bars alone.

72. Break the soda pop habit. If you normally drink a can per day, at 50 cents per can, you could pocket more than $180 a year.

73. Every time you have a few leftover strawberries, peach slices, etc., store them in the same zip-lock bag in the freezer. Then every so often, whir them all together in the blender for a smoothie snack.

74. If you like the look of designer bottled water, buy it once and keep refilling with tap water, which is free. Many bottled waters cost more per gallon than gasoline.

75. Use food as a reward sparingly. Make treats more significant by using them only for special occasions. With obesity on the rise, most people don't need them on a regular basis.

76. Nip nighttime snacks. Go to bed a half-hour early and keep yourself from wanting a handful of chips while watching David Letterman. Your waistline will thank you.

Storage
77. Keep an eye on your pantry inventory so you use up all the pancake mix or corn syrup before buying more.

78. Oil goes rancid fairly quickly. Unless you use it often, buy in small quantities or refrigerate after using.

79. Post a "must use" list on the fridge to remind yourself of the half-empty can of pineapple, three hot dogs, etc. that will go bad quickly.

80. Label leftovers with date and contents before putting them in the freezer. You'll actually use these things instead of having mystery containers stuck in the back of the freezer.

81. Use and rotate your food storage. If you aren't using it, it is basically a waste of space and money. Rule of thumb: Store what you use and use what you store.

In the kitchen
82. Use smaller plates. Studies show that when people are served on larger plates, they take larger servings, whether they're really hungry or not.

83. One night a week have leftover night. Pull out all the leftovers from other meals — the half-cup of spaghetti sauce, the slices of ham or stray chicken breast, the chunk of cheese, the corn or peas. Bake some potatoes and let everyone pick the leftovers for toppings.

84. Pack a lunch for the next day from dinner leftovers instead of eating out.

85. Use meals to stretch your entertainment dollars. Go on a picnic in a park or get out the Dutch oven pots, have a hot dog roast or go fishing and then cook your catch.

86. When serving buffet-style, put the low-cost items, such as salad or rolls, at the beginning of the line and the most expensive item — meat — near the end.

87. Have meatless Monday meals.

88. Homemade soups are a good way to use leftover meat and vegetables. Their liquid content also makes them more satisfying.

89. Pasta or rice can also stretch small amounts of food into a meal. Throw in chopped pepper, ribbons of spinach or basil, chopped tomatoes or chicken or ham.

90. Instead of serving fruit punch or juice at meals, use a pitcher of ice water with a few lemon or lime slices floating on top.

91. Use small appliances, such as the microwave, slow-cooker and electric frying pan; they use less energy than a stovetop.

92. Use the dishwasher only when completely full. Washing dishes by hand can cost more than one load in the dishwasher. Let the dishes air-dry rather than using the "dry" cycle.

93. Don't open the oven door to preview baking food. Each time you open it, the temperature drops by 25-50 degrees. It takes longer to cook your food and adds to your energy bill.

Dining out
94. Use your gift certificates soon after getting them. Many have expiration dates.

95. Use frequent-diners' cards. Some restaurants offer punch cards — if you buy 10 meals, the next one is free. For a family of six, it takes only two visits to earn a free meal.

96. Go out to lunch when entree prices are often a dollar or two less than dinner.

97. If a full-course dinner comes with soup, salad, drink and dessert, it's only a great buy if you really want (or need) all that. You may be satisfied ordering an a la carte entree without the extras. Ditto combo meals in fast-food restaurants.

98. Guard against up-sell, when you're asked if you want guacamole with your taco or extra cheese for the fondue. If it costs extra, you might not want it that much.

99. At fast-food restaurants, order a kids' meal for yourself (if there's no age limit). Most of the time, you're getting a more appropriate portion of food (and a toy to boot!).

100. Watch beverage costs. Alcoholic drinks can double your tab, but even soft drinks can add $10 to $15 to the bill for a family of six. Water is a healthier choice anyway. Be sure to specify "tap" water, some restaurants may bring you bottled water at $3 or $4 per bottle.

101. If you feel you can't afford to tip, choose a fast-food or fast-casual eatery where tipping isn't expected. In sit-down restaurants, servers' salaries are less than minimum wage. Tips make up the difference.

Source:  Written by Valerie Phillips, Deseret News
Published: Wednesday, April 16, 2008 12:12 a.m. MDT

Make Your Own Cleaning Supplies

 

In today's economically challenged times, every penny counts. One way to save money is by making your own cleaning supplies. These homemade cleaning formulas are non-toxic and cost about 1/10th the price of commercial cleaners.

SUPPLIES

Baking soda

Washing soda

White distilled vinegar

A good liquid soap or detergent

Tea tree oil

6 clean spray bottles

2 glass jars

CREAMY SOFT SCRUBBER

Simply pour about 1/2 cup of baking soda into a bowl, and add enough liquid detergent to make a texture like frosting. Scoop the mixture onto a sponge, and wash the surface. This is the perfect recipe for cleaning the bathtub because it rinses easily and doesn’t leave grit.
Note: Add 1 teaspoon of vegetable glycerin to the mixture and store in a sealed glass jar, to keep the product moist. Otherwise just make as much as you need at a time.

WINDOW CLEANER

1/4-1/2 teaspoon liquid detergent

3 tablespoons vinegar

2 cups water

Spray bottle

Put all the ingredients into a spray bottle, shake it up a bit, and use as you would a commercial brand. The soap in this recipe is important. It cuts the wax residue from the commercial brands you might have used in the past.

OVEN CLEANER

1 cup or more baking soda

Water

A squirt or two of liquid detergent

Sprinkle water generously over the bottom of the oven, then cover the grime with enough baking soda that the surface is totally white. Sprinkle some more water over the top. Let the mixture set overnight. You can easily wipe up the grease the next morning because the grime will have loosened. When you have cleaned up the worst of the mess, dab a bit of liquid detergent or soap on a sponge, and wash the remaining residue from the oven. If this recipe doesn’t work for you it is probably because you didn’t use enough baking soda and/or water.

ALL-PURPOSE SPRAY CLEANER

1/2 teaspoon washing soda

A dab of liquid soap

2 cups hot tap water

Combine the ingredients in a spray bottle and shake until the washing soda has dissolved. Apply and wipe off with a sponge or rag.

FURNITURE POLISH

1/2 teaspoon oil, such as olive (or jojoba, a liquid wax)

1/4 cup vinegar or fresh lemon juice

Mix the ingredients in a glass jar. Dab a soft rag into the solution and wipe onto wood surfaces. Cover the glass jar and store indefinitely.

VINEGAR DEODORIZER

Keep a clean spray bottle filled with straight 5 percent vinegar in your kitchen near your cutting board and in your bathroom and use them for cleaning. I often spray the vinegar on our cutting board before going to bed at night, and don’t even rinse but let it set overnight. The smell of vinegar dissipates within a few hours. Straight vinegar is also great for cleaning the toilet rim. Just spray it on and wipe off.

MOLD KILLERS
Tea Tree Treasure

Nothing natural works for mold and mildew as well as this spray. I’ve used it successfully on a moldy ceiling from a leaking roof, on a musty bureau, a musty rug, and a moldy shower curtain. Tea tree oil is expensive, but a little goes a very long way. Note that the smell of tea tree oil is very strong, but it will dissipate in a few days.

2 teaspoons tea tree oil

2 cups water

Combine in a spray bottle, shake to blend, and spray on problem areas. Do not rinse. Makes two cups.

Vinegar Spray

Straight vinegar reportedly kills 82 percent of mold. Pour some white distilled vinegar straight into a spray bottle, spray on the moldy area, and let set without rinsing if you can put up with the smell. It will dissipate in a few hours.

Source: Annie B. Bond, http://www.care2.com/greenliving/make-your-own-non-toxic-cleaning-kit.html

Things You Should Never Buy New

According to Yahoo! Finance, certain things are a much better value when purchased used. 

1. DVDs and CDs You can save a ton of money buying used DVDs and CDs.  We rarely buy new DVDs when we can buy previously viewed DVDs for half the price.
2. Books:  I buy used books all the time from Amazon.com and they are a fraction of the cost of new books.
3. Video Games:  Kids tire of games quickly.  Most are available used on sites like ebay and Amazon a few months after they are released.
4. Special Occasion and Holiday Clothing:  These items have usually been worn very little and can be located at yard sales, thrift stores, online and even in some dress shops.  In high school, my friends and I traded formal dresses with each other.  It saved a ton of money and didn't seem so wasteful to only use our prom dresses one time! 
5. Jewelry:  Jewelry depreciates dramatically when sold used.  Diamonds have a very low resale value.  Visit estate sales and pawn shops to find unique pieces. 
6. Ikea Furniture:  Why aggravate yourself putting furniture together?  Check online sites like Craigslist and Freecycle and buy them already assembled, especially in summer when college students are changing apartments and getting rid of their old stuff.
7. Games and Toys:  Look for them at garage sales and on Craigslist.  Organize a toy trade day with family, friends and neighbors.
8. Maternity and Baby Clothes:  We have saved tons of money by shopping at thrift stores or at yard sales.  We often find name brand, designer clothes for as little as 25 cents!  Let others know you need maternity or baby clothes and you might even get hand-me-downs for free.
9. Musical Instruments:  Wait to buy your budding virtuoso a new instrument once you've determined he/she is truly committed to playing it.
10. Pets:  Shelters provide pets at very little cost, if any. Pet stores and breeders charge hundreds, sometimes thousands of dollars. 
11. Home Accent Pieces:  Many only get better with age.  Look for them at estate and garage sales.
12. Craft Supplies:  Hold a craft swap with others to trade supplies.  If you have crafty items you've never used, consider donating them to a local school.
13. Houses:  You're typically able to get better and more features for your dollar when you purchase an older home rather than building new.
14. Office Furniture:  Good office furniture should stand the test of time.  With so many businesses closing, you can easily find deals on used office furniture.
15. Cars:  Cars drop in value the minute you drive them off the lot.  Buying used saves not only on the price of the car but also the cost of insurance. 
16. Hand Tools: Simple tools like hammers, hoes and wrenches, will keep for decades so long as they are well-made to begin with and are well-maintained. These are fairly easy to find at neighborhood yard or garage sales.
17. Sports Equipment: Most people buy sports equipment planning to use it until it drops, but this rarely happens. So when sports equipment ends up on the resale market, it tends to still be in excellent condition.
18. Consumer Electronics: Most folks like shiny new toys, but refurbished electronic goods are a much sweeter deal. Consumer electronics are returned to the manufacturer for different reasons, but generally, they'll be inspected for damaged parts, fixed, tested, then resold at a lower price. Just make sure you get a good warranty along with your purchase.
19. Gardening Supplies: This is an easy way for you to save money, and all you need to do is be observant. Take a look outdoors and you'll likely find such gardening supplies as mulch, wood, and even stones for free or vastly reduced prices. Used garden equipment and tools are also common goods at yard sales.
20. Timeshares: Buying timeshares isn't for everyone but try a resale.  On average, you'll save 67 percent on the price for a comparable new timeshare. If you're new to timeshare ownership, give it a test run first by renting short term.
21. Recreational Items: It's fairly easy to find high ticket recreational items like campers, boats, and jet skis being resold. Oftentimes, they're barely used at all. As long as they're in safe, working condition, they'll make for a better value when purchased used than new.

Source: Lynn Truong, 2 Things You Should Never Buy New--Yahoo! Finance

Preparing for Financially Hard Times

How would one prepare for financially hard times?

1. The breadwinner(s) in the family should make every effort to stay employed and keep earning wages or salaries, profits, and benefits.

2. Try to build tenure or seniority with your employer, and demonstrate both creative and productive skills.

3. Keep knowledge and skills current through continuous upgrading; thus, you can compete with the best and offer the best service or product available in your field. Even family members not employed should do the same. Where possible, everyone should have or work toward a potentially marketable skill or product.

4. Protect yourself during a recession—or times of inflation—by keeping monthly expenditures well under control. It is no time to have any excessive debt or large installment payments. Also, you may not be able to borrow money for major things like houses, farms, or businesses. Wait until money is more available and the interest levels are moderate.

5. Have an emergency cash reserve. The longer or deeper the economic downturn, the greater the need for ready money in such cases as unemployment, reduced income, illness, or injury.

6. As much as possible, get ownership and clear title (or deed) to cars, major appliances, homes, farms, businesses, etc. During a recession or depression, repossession, foreclosure, and garnishment—and the resulting risk of bankruptcy—are more likely since cash demands continue and income may stop. Ownership of your major possessions would provide you with great security.

7. Have an adequate supply of food and clothing. It takes most families months and even years to build a good supply and learn how to store and rotate it properly. Get started now.

8. Be willing to make significant life-style changes. Economic hardship could force you to sacrifice many comforts and luxuries such as recreation, travel, nonessential clothing, eating out, entertainment, and gifts; can you make some of these changes voluntarily now? Expenditures might have to focus on essentials such as food, housing, utilities, health care, and transportation.

9. Organize your extended families to give help to each generation as needed.

10. Self-reliance is important. Knowing how to make bread, sew clothes, make gifts, toys, and home decorations, paint the house, fix the plumbing, etc., will become increasingly valuable. As much as possible, be able to sustain life. Grow a garden, cultivate fruit trees, keep animals, etc., wherever practical, or have access to these resources.

One of the best defenses against a recession or a depression is owning things like food surpluses (such as grain, sugar, corn, rice, beans, and dried fruits), precious metals and gems, coal and wood, land, etc. They have intrinsic value, demand for them stays high, and they can be used in many ways.

11. Be good friends and neighbors. During hard times, you’ll be exchanging products and services much more.

Source: Ensign, "Questions about Coping Financially: Welfare Services Suggests Some Answers," June 1980.