Frugal Families Savings Tips

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In conclusion, you should not be out of blue if you are asked to have car insurance in Alabama because it is kind of state policy that you should obey rather than neglect it.

The typical American household’s annual energy costs average $1,900, notes the U.S. Department of Energy. Inefficient energy practices, however, waste much of that money. Following a few simple and affordable tips on smart energy use can save significant money. It also fights air pollution by decreasing the amount of carbon dioxide a home’s energy expenditures release into the atmosphere.

Eliminate Drafts

Drafty homes are energy hogs. Drafts enter a structure around baseboards, electrical outlets and switch plates. They travel through fireplace dampers, kitchen range hoods and front-door mail slots. Damaged exterior mortar, siding or foundations invite outdoor air in. Finding and sealing drafts can mean monthly savings of as much as $50, states the DOE.

Change a Light Bulb

Incandescent light bulbs dating to the days of Thomas Edison use only 5 percent of their energy to light a home. They channel the other 95 percent into heat. A brightly lit room on a warm summer’s evening may be welcoming, but it means a higher cooling bill.

Exchanging compact fluorescent light bulbs for only five of a home’s incandescent ones can reduce the average $209 annual lighting bill by as much as $65. CFLs give off 75 percent less heat than incandescent bulbs, and burn up to 10 times as long. Less heat means lower cooling costs.

Dial Up Or Down

Heating and cooling costs account for 43 percent or about $68 per month of the typical home energy bill. Climate control also pumps nitric acid and sulphur dioxide, two chemicals in acid rain, into the atmosphere.

Lowering these costs and emissions begins with a thermostat set as high in warm weather and low in cold as health allows. Sweaters during waking hours and additional blankets at night compensate for a chilly winter house.

Switching to a digital thermostat and programming it so the furnace or air conditioner does minimal work when a home is unoccupied saves more money. Setting the thermostat timer so the heating or cooling kicks in to high gear at the right time means a comfortable temperature when the occupants return.

Opening blinds or drapes on windows with southern exposure fills rooms with warming winter sunshine. Closing them in summer keeps interiors cool.

Appliance and Electronics Replacement

Appliances and home electronics meeting the DOE’s energy-efficient standards earn the Energy Star label. Replacing worn-out models with Energy Star products boosts energy savings over the long term.

Lately, it seems that everyone is trying to save money, by cutting corners wherever they can and getting rid of unnecessary expenses. No matter how much you can cut out of your life, though, everyone still needs to eat. That doesn’t mean that grocery shopping has to be a pain in your wallet! If you shop smart, you can end up saving a lot more money than you’d think. I’m not saying become one of those extreme couponers, but with just a little bit of preparation, you can turn your shopping trips into money saving experiences.

The most important thing to do is plan out your trips beforehand. Plan out your meals for the week, then make a list of everything that you’ll need to buy to make those meals. While you probably don’t have time to make couponing a full time job, picking up a Sunday paper and clipping a few coupons for items you need never hurt anyone! Check out several local grocery stores’ advertisements to see what’s on sale at each store, and compare them to your shopping list. Since different stores have different items on sale, plan to shop at several stores, picking up sale items from each one. A store that is normally more expensive may ocassionally have some “buy one get one free” deals which cut the prices of those items in half. Also, keep in mind that most stores don’t require you to actually purchase two of an item to get the buy-one-get-one-free price, the register will ring each one up for half the normal price. If you need one, just get one!

That brings up another point- just because something is on sale doesn’t mean you’re saving money if you buy it. When you walk into a store with a list, try to resist impulse purchases. If something isn’t on your list, it’s because you don’t need it, and buying something you don’t need is never saving money, no matter how deeply it is discounted.

The most important thing to remember, though, is to eat before you go grocery shopping. This helps you to stick with your list, and resist those impulse purchases. The bottom line is, as long as you prepare adequately, and stick with your plan, grocery shopping can be just one more way to save money in an economy that doesn’t leave a lot of room for budget errors!

While much attention is paid to saving money with coupons or in other areas, many people overlook the money that they throw away on unnecessary fees on a regular basis. Many people spend hundreds of dollars a year in fees that they do not necessarily need to pay. If you’re serious about saving money, cutting out the extra fees can go a long way towards that goal.

One area that people often throw money away on is bank fees. Banks charge fees for many different items that you do not necessarily need to pay for. For example, some people pay fees just so that they can have a checking account. Many banks offer free checking and you don’t even need to keep a minimum balance in your account. If you’re paying a fee to have a checking account, you should most likely consider switching to a free checking account.

Many bank customers also throw away money on NSF fees. When you write a check that overdraws your account, it is not uncommon for the bank to charge a fee to cover the check. This type of fee could be as much as $35. This problem can easily be solved by keeping a check register and making sure that you do not write checks for more money than you have at any given point. If you get in the habit of paying NSF fees, it can be tough to get out of it. You end up spending more money than you have on NSF fees and it eats up your paycheck quickly.

Many people who use credit cards also throw money away every year on unnecessary fees. For example, many credit card customers use credit cards that have annual fees attached to them. You could easily find a credit card that doesn’t have an annual fee and save that money instead. Some people also pay for payment protection with their credit cards. This is a program that involves paying a monthly fee to protect against not being able to make their credit card payment. If the cardholder becomes disabled or loses a job, the credit card company allows them to skip a few payments. This type of fee is usually not worth it as it costs much more than the benefit it provides.

If you’re interested in spending less money, take a hard look at the fees that you pay each year. You might be surprised exactly how much money you’re throwing away.

Saving money is an important element of living a stress free life. The more money you have in your pocket, the fewer worries you are going to have. However, how do you go about saving money? Here are some good ideas that will save you money and keep you on solid financial footing.

Refinance Loans

An easy way to save money is to refinance a loan that you might be overpaying for. Whether it is a home loan, a car loan or any other loan, you should inquire about getting a lower interest rate to pay less each month. Take advantage of your good credit and get the best rates you can.

Stop Going To The Movie Theater

You don’t need to go see a movie the second it comes out. With newer TV’s being larger and with clearer pictures, you can get a great movie watching experience at home. Considering that you get a movie for 99 cents a night from a movie kiosk, or get cheaper prices through your TV provider, why not just watch movies at home? Is it worth spending 11 dollars when the movie comes out, or is it better to spend a dollar a few months from now?

Buy Store Brand Items

You don’t need to go to the grocery store and buy Pepsi. Instead, buy the store brand that is simply bottled with another name. Most items will come with a store brand alternative that will save you money and give you roughly the same quality. If you are willing to look past the name of the label, you will be able to see that you are saving money every time you go shopping. Isn’t that worth more than eating a brand name food, or drinking a brand name drink?

Saving money can take on several forms. Whether you want to take advantage of your credit score to get better rates on loans, or just want to go for a store brand product, you can save money everywhere you look. All it takes is some research and a keen eye for a great deal.

Travel costs seem to climb daily as oil prices and add-on fees increase. However, it is still possible to enjoy a nice vacation almost for free. Doing so just requires a bit of work and planning ahead of time.

The first step is to leverage the spending one already does every month. Many airlines and travel companies affiliate with a credit card and award travel miles or points based on what one spends on that particular card. If you’re the disciplined type, managing your monthly expenses and paying them off diligently each month can reap a significant number of points very quickly. It’s not uncommon for a person to have generated enough points for two domestic round-trip flight tickets within 12 months.

If traveling overseas, using a domestic hop to a closer airport can reduce the overseas flight leg by hundreds of dollars. Domestic flights are far cheaper than international flights because they use smaller planes that cost less to operate. A flight to Paris from San Francisco will be $400 more per stretch than a flight from New York to the same destination. Using a domestic flight could cost as little as $100 per route, and the flier can then take advantage of the lower New York international flight price. The method just requires careful planning to avoid missing one’s plane, including providing enough time to get through customs and airport security if necessary.

Second, various other marketing programs exist that award similar points when a consumer eats or consumes various brand products. These points can be easily leveraged into either a discount or free days for rental cars or hotel stays. While such offerings likely won’t cover the entire cost on a trip, they can reduce that same expense for a car or room by as much as 20 or 30 percent.

Third, timing of purchase is everything in travel. Travel programs enjoy their highest prices when the travel happens in season. For example, going to Europe is the most expensive during the late summer an early fall since it’s the best weather and the time for harvest festivals. However, for less than half the price the same trip could be had in the off-season when only business fliers are making the same hop across the ocean.

Further, if travel in deep winter is not a viable option, then timing a purchase before big buying surge can also save hundreds of dollars. Early spring and late fall avoid the summer season pricing while still getting to the same destinations with good weather. Especially when traveling with a family, a few hundred dollars per ticket savings can add up to a few thousand dollars quickly.

Introduction

Savvy shoppers frequently look for ways to save money on everything. A disciplined approach may be directed toward energy savings, discretionary spending and certain budget reductions. If you want to save money, you may need to examine your expenses to determine the most appropriate places to start.

Saving Money on Your Energy Costs

Replacing your standard indoor and outdoor light bulbs with energy efficient alternatives could save you a tidy sum. Energy efficient bulbs have a higher upfront cost, but you will save money going forward. Energy efficient bulbs use fewer watts and typically last longer than standard light bulbs. Unplugging electrical items that are rarely used could save you money too.

Eliminate Daily Splurges

Premium cups of coffee from popular resturaunts could negatively impact your monthly budget. You might be able to buy a thermos and a weekly supply of coffee for a modest amount of money. The savings could amount to more than $15 per week. Over the course of a month, you could use the savings to pay for items such as your cable bill or your cell phone bill. Daily meals from fast food resturaunts could be replaced with healthier alternatives. You might feel less sluggish after consuming a salad or a low-fat meal. Avoiding certain daily splurges could enable you to save money.

Using Coupons to Save Money on Groceries

Coupons can provide substantial savings for shoppers who regularly use them to buy groceries. You can generally locate coupons online and within local newspapers. Coupon savings will vary among users. An organized shopper will collect coupons for grocery items and for personal items. A savvy shopper might present coupons for items that are on sale. Some stores may double the face value of a coupon. You can inquire about the coupon policies at your favorite places to shop.

Saving Money on Your Insurance Costs

Using a few minutes to shop for auto insurance rate quotes, you might locate lower premiums for comparable types of coverage. Check local telephone directories and the Internet to find the type of insurance that you need. Call several insurance companies to obtain a free rate quote. You can inquire about discounts for multiple insurance policies such as auto insurance, homeowners insurance or life insurance products.

Summary

A variety of steps could position you to reduce your monthly expenditures. You could apply the saving toward educational costs, retirement plans or a rainy day fund.