I'm back with more tips. If you're sick of hearing me ramble on about this stuff, blame Dan (and check out his blog while you're at it). Every time I talk to him, we end up going on and on about budgeting and saving. Ok, let's do this.
How to... save money on groceries
It's sometimes hard to save money on groceries. We all need food, but we do have some choices to help save the pennies. My tips:
- Buy frozen veggies. They are delicious, cheap, and won't go bad.
- Buy some frozen fruit while you're at it. Though a little less firm than fresh fruit, they are still great in smoothies or used as toppings.
- Our greatest super market discovery: buy frozen chicken breasts instead of fresh. The ones glazed in ice are particularly good as the glaze prevents freezer burn.
- Cut coupons. Yeah, I know. It's kind of a pain, but it pays off. Rob and I have saved $40 on a single grocery store total by just cutting coupons and buying things on sale.
- Stock up when things are on sale. Kind of a no-brainer, but if it's an item you eat regularly, why not take advantage of the temporary price drop and fill your freezer or cupboard?
- Do you tend to buy more than you need and end up tossing out the uneaten food that's gone bad? Avoid this by planning out your meals for the week, making a list, and limiting your shopping to only the items on the list.I'm not organized enough to do this myself, but SparkPeople.com has a nice tool that does it for you (you can even input your personal preferences like vegetarian, no seafood, etc.).
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Save money on clothesI just read in Real Simple Magazine that the average American spends $749 a year on clothes. Does that seem outrageous to anyone else? Here's my advice:
- Simplify and maximize your wardrobe. Buy basics (tees, tanks, cardigans, button-up shirts) in solid colors that can be mixed and matched. You can find great basics at Target, Old Navy, or the Gap.
- Update your look with accessories. If looking modern is important to you, instead invest in a few inexpensive accessories. Ex: you can buy a scarf or two at Wet Seal or a skinny belt (or whatever else is in style at the time) at Forever 21 to make your basics a little more trendy.
- Avoid the "it's only $20" trap. Those small purchases (often impulse purchases) add up big time. Make one $20 impulse purchase per week, and that adds up to $1040 a year. If you already have a decently sized wardrobe, I would bet that most of those purchases were quickly forgotten or the item might even sit unused in your closet. You could spend that money on a larger purchase or something you really want but didn't think you could afford.
- Finally, think about what you have and if you really need any more clothes. I believe most people have way more clothing than they need, yet continue to buy new things regularly. If you're brave, take an inventory of your clothing collection. Divide it by category and function (ex: 5 pairs work pants, 4 casual sweaters, and so on). I'm betting you have more clothes than you realize. Seeing the numbers on paper can really motivate you to stop buying more things you don't need.
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How to... save money on gas and car costsDriving an older car (or at least one that isn't brand new) can save you a boatload of money. Insurance and payments are less, and you don't have to feel guilty about your new car's immediate drop in value as soon as you drive it home. Here's an excerpt from a
great article that sums up on my feelings on new cars:
"Cars are terrible investments. In their most basic form, they are merely a tool to get us from A to B. In their most elaborate form they can be a “shiny” tool that gets us from A to B, but with more luxuries. But either way, they are not likely to be much of a financial benefit. Everyone has heard that a brand new car goes down hundreds or even thousands of dollars the minute you drive it off the dealer’s lot. This is just the beginning. Over the first year some cars depreciate at a rate as high as 35%. KBB.com says that the average car loses 65% of its value in the first 5 years. Add on maintenance, repairs, interest on the loan, and insurance and you can quickly see that automobiles can have quite a large negative effect on our finances. We dump all this money into our cars and what do we have to show for it? An asset that just continues to go down in value and still becomes LESS reliable."If you're buying a car and care about your financial situation, a used auto is the way to go.
There are many other ways to save money on your auto bills. You can save 50% easily on oil changes by taking your car to a regular auto shop (I mean places like Tires Plus and Goodrich) by appointment rather than one of the quick-change type places like Jiffy Lube or Express Oil. Why pay twice as much for the same service? If you do insist on going to Jiffy Lube, at least print out one of
these coupons for $5 off.
(Always checks the Internet for coupons before purchasing.)Rob and I are big believers of lifetime warranties. If you have work done on your car, consider paying a little more to get the parts with the lifetime warranties. It can buy off bigtime if you drive your car for 10+ years (like we do).
If you have the choice of where you live, I highly recommend living close to work. I'm only about 6 miles from work, and Rob is around 7 miles from his. The short commute means less gas purchases and less mileage put on the cars (extending time between oil changes, routine maintenance, and new tires).
Of course, if you have the option of
public transit, you can potentially save even more by not shelling out dough for parking (which is a big deal in Minneapolis).
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