50 ways to save $50
Posted on February 23rd, 2007 – 1:44 PMBy Kara McGuire
I just heard Kevin McKinley, host of the Wisconsin Public Radio program On Your Money,
12 Responses to "50 ways to save $50"
We have a grocery store advantage card and buy the store brand of numerous things to save money. Every time we go grocery shopping and use the card we save at least $15. And that’s in addition to the unknown savings that add up from not buying brand names.
We recently got a packet of coupons in the mail for $12 off our next purchase of $120 or more (which is common for us) along with coupons for items that we frequently buy that they keep track of through our card. Each month we also get a flyer with weekly coupons for $8 off a $70 or more purchase. This is no brainer savings that add up quickly. I had over $30 off in coupons that I used during one trip from the flyer.
Fortunately for us we also bank through our grocery store. We simply have to use our bank debit card in “credit” mode and we receive grocery rewards–cash back which is directly deposited to our account quarterly. Last quarter we recieved $56.81 back again for simply using our bank debit card, which we always pay cash for groceries any way.
Here’s the formula: Think before spending = save money.
But, spending to get money back only is beneficial when the items you are spending are really needed.
This isn’t $50 all at once, but it makes a big difference over time… I realized that my husband and I (we both work and don’t have kids) were spending a bunch of money on convenience foods like Chipotle, Noodles, pizza, chinese take-out etc. We weren’t eating this food because it sounded like fun, but because we were too tired and disorganized to cook.
Our money-saver has been to make big batches of food and freeze them to have easy (and often healthier) dinners around. For example, a friend gave me a great burrito recipe where you brown beef (we use ground turkey) and combine it with spices, frozen corn, cooked rice, salsa, cheese, frozen hash browns, beans, etc. Then you make 8 big burritos and freeze them individually in tinfoil. Voila! Four meals that only require defrosting and 25 minutes in the oven (and no stirring, turning, etc.). It honestly probably comes out to about $1-2/burrito instead of $5-6 (for Chipotle, which IS tastier, but these are good, too!).
Other things that work well are making lasagnas in small pans, soups, chili, etc. This isn’t glamorous, or a one-shot savings plan, but now we can spend money on going out for fun, when we want to, instead of when we’re too tired to cook.
It’s really minor, but we since we enjoy a diet coke with lunch, we bring a 12 or 24 pack to work, stash it under our desks, and keep a cold can in the office micro-fridge. At lunch, we get a cup of ice with our sandwiches instead of buying a soft drink. Since we’re regulars, we’re not charged for the cup.
So — instead of spending $2+ a day for soft drinks for the two of us, we’re spending less than 50 cents, a savings of about $30 a month. Just as nice is that this habit actually simplified the juggling each day!
For Christmas my husband and I purchased an espresso machine. While the initial purchase price was hefty, we both consider it to be more of an investment than a purchase-after two months of making our own lattes, we have almost saved enough on coffee we didn’t buy at the drive-through Starbucks across from our apartment to have recouped the purchase price of the machine. We figure after we recoup the initial investment we will save at least $50 a month in over-priced coffee expenses.
I’m with LMD. I’m saving nearly 80$ every month since I moved out of Uptown, where the temptation to eat out when lazy is easily satisfied. Now that dozens of restaurants aren’t in walking distance, I end up eating in and spending only a nominal amount more on groceries.
I find books I want to read at my local library. If you are in the habit of buying books, this can be a great savings for you. I read the book and then decide if I want to make it part of my permanent collection. By the time I decide, the option of paperback vs. hardbound, commemorative editions, etc. are available to me. I can request a book online and the library staff puts it on hold for me. I just walk into the library and pick it up! A timesaver as well as a money saver!
I also started using the library over the bookstore.
Old fashioned…but…We subscribe to the paper - and not only do we read it, but we cut coupons. We save more from the coupons than we spend on the paper.
Though this may not be right for everyone, we cancelled our gym membership and bought weights and a spin bike. I also run outside. After a year, these things have paid for themselves - and now I don’t have a gym membership AND I’m not driving to the gym 4-5 times a week.
There’s so many other ways to save money too i.e.,- if you and your SO have a cell phone, switch to the family plan.
I buy some things we use every day on eBay. For example, Pur replacement water filters are much less expensive on eBay, as are razor blades (about 40 to 50 percent off retail)- even things like lint traps. Yes, lint traps for the washing machine, which are overpriced in stores are about 1/4 retail on eBay. You may have to buy a bag of 100 lint traps at one time, but it will last a long time!
hydrocodon
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Nice!
