Life Hacks: Saving Monies

Whether you're saving up for a big vacation or trying to cut your spending to pay down your debt, here are a few easy ways we've found to cut costs.

• Don't buy a TV. Not only are there better things to do with your life and other, cheaper ways to watch your favorite shows, it's kind of trendy to not own a TV right now. No better way to sound like a snob than saying "Oh, I don't have a TV..." It is too late for some of you, I know. I'm sorry for not getting to you sooner. You can still save your money by not spending it on Cable, DirectTV, etc. A lot of shows are available for free online either from the channel's website or Hulu. If you can't settle for fewer options, buy a subscription to Hulu Plus, Netflix, or Amazon Prime. If you don't have a computer or internet, well then I guess you may as well keep your Cable.
• Cable: $50/month
• Hulu+: $8/month
• Savings: $42/month

• Don't buy a smart phone either. It hasn't happened yet, but flip phones are going to come back in style and you don't want to be left out when they do! Cheaper option: go with a pay-as-you-go plan and use your phone minimally (Ptel and Ting are some good places to start). Open a free google voice account and use it to make calls or text whenever you have internet. Yes, you will have two phone numbers and your friends and family will be confused at first, but they'll get the hang of it and you'll be laughing all the way to the bank. Also, assuming you have a cell phone, get rid of the land line - only telemarketers call you on it anyway. Tip: I give out my google voice number as my home number because I typically only have internet at home. 
• Smart phone: $50/month
• My phone bill: <$10/month
• Savings: >$40/month

• Speaking of internet, share an internet deal with your neighbor. It's up to you whether you tell him you're sharing or not. We shared several of our neighbors' internets for a few weeks without telling them. Although we could only check email in the bathroom and we had to start loading a 30 minute show at breakfast if we wanted to watch it after dinner, it was surprisingly not that inconvenient. After a while we picked the neighbors closest to us and let them in on our little trick - now we even help out with the bill!
• High speed internet: $50/month
• Split with neighbor: $25/month
• Savings: $25/month

• While I'm on the topic of sharing - share a car. It may seem impossible if you're used to having two, but it's definitely not and it saves you a ton on car insurance. It's actually kind of fun to drop each other off at work and pick each other up! It takes a little extra planning, but it can usually work out without even spending too much extra in fuel. Extra tip: keep a book or two in the car so that you have something to do while you wait for your spouse to get off work. If you really need a second vehicle for commuting to work, consider a motor scooter. They get great gas mileage and the insurance costs are significantly less than full-sized vehicles
• Two cars insured: $240/month
• One car insured: $137/month
• Savings: $103/month

• Don't own a pet. If you can't resist furry things, buy stuffed animals and volunteer at your local animal shelter. Better yet, offer to pet sit for your neighbors and make a few extra bucks! I'm blessed with allergies to all things fuzzy so this will never be a temptation for me. If you're tempted to add a furry friend to your household, just think about the extra costs: food, vet, equipment, toys, haircuts, and pet sitting when you go away. If you're looking for ways to save your money, it's probably not the right time for a pet!
• Small dog: $110/month (according to the ASPCA)
• no pet: $0
• Savings: $110/month

• Watch what you eat. This could have a good effect on your health too! Snack foods aren't necessary and are often more expensive too. Put the Oreos back on the shelf. Grab the frozen pizza instead of ordering it to-go. When friends invite you to go out to eat, counter their offer with a home cooked meal instead. Drink water. Juices and sodas are expensive and sugary. 
• Savings will vary

• Buy used. Whether it's clothes, toys, furniture, vehicle, house, pet (see previous bullet point), etc. Salvation Army has a lot of decent stuff - more than just clothes. Buy a cheap couch (free off the curb on trash day is acceptable as well) and a nice slip cover rather than a brand new one. Always check craigslist.
• Savings will vary

• If you're really serious about saving money, consider these options that we may or may not have tried - I'll never tell. Warning: some may consider these extreme. Wash the car yourself. Bike to work. Don't use your dryer - hang the laundry on the line. Remove your dishwasher (so as to remove temptation) and wash the dishes by hand. Take cold showers. Don't flush #1. Leave your heat off during the winter. See how long you can last with your water turned off - this helps to avoid frozen pipes too.
• Savings will vary

If you follow all of this advice, you could save upwards of $350/month. That's over $4000 a year! Give it a try! Trust me, your life won't be that terrible if you do.