what do you do to save money??
just curious on what do you do to save money?? i really need encouragement. i've been putting the majority of my money in a manila envelope tuck inside my undie drawer. i love taking it out when i'm bored and just counting it. i've been doing it for about a lil over two months and i have almost three gs which i'm so proud of since i'm bad at saving money.
Re: what do you do to save money??
based on your other thread 'how much trouble am I in', by the letter of the law the money in your manila envelope actually belongs to the IRS, not yourself. You might consider sending it in as a 2006 estimated tax payment. The money you effectively save on IRS interest charges and late payment penalties will provide a far greater effective rate of return than just about any other place you could 'invest' that money in the short term.
Re: what do you do to save money??
I walk away from the designer purse...
Re: what do you do to save money??
Open a bank account or start a 401k plan.
Re: what do you do to save money??
Use the search function in this folder ;D
Re: what do you do to save money??
I drive a '96 Ford...to me, a new, expensive car is silly...all I need it to do is get me from A to B without breaking down.
I rent a house with four of my close friends and my bf. Rent is $1500 a month, so everyone ends up paying only $300 a month. Personally, I wouldn't want to live alone, I did it for a year back home and hated it...got bored and depressed out of my mind. And I would hate to rent something huge and fancy when I'm hardly ever home to use it. To me a house is just a place to sleep, store things in between adventures, and host parties. :)
Thrift shopping for clothes. I get compliments on pieces all the time, and people have no idea that most of it was taken from Goodwill and altered by me. It's amazing what you can find--things that look brand new, or pieces that, with a little adjustment, can be uniquely beautiful.
Not going out to eat. Simple things like buying bulk teas at the local store rather than going to starbucks every morning. $3 for a whole box of tea which will last a month, or $3 for a single cup? It adds up.
When I worked three nights a week, I'd set a goal--say, $500. I'd make myself deposit at least that much for the week,and then, if I made more that week, I could decide what to do with it--save it, or buy something I wanted. But the first $500 had to go in the bank no matter what.
Re: what do you do to save money??
Recycle religiously. In CA, you're really just redeeming deposits- you should do it anyway.
Water down cleaning supplies- most name brands can bear it.
Buy generic label products- most are just as good as name brand
Clip coupons, especially local grocers'
Do your own beauty treatment at home when you can't splurge- beauticians will now hate me, but hey, you'll go back when you can afford to.
Cook at home more, freeze leftovers and pool money for take-out
Read more books & cancel you cable TV service
Get real sun on skin w/ sunscreen useage...don't pay for tanning beds
Get dial-up internet and spend less time on the net, period
Yep, get your savings portfolio lined up. Others here have better input on that than I.
Re: what do you do to save money??
My club gives out $2 bills, no every night I take all the $2 bills I got and put them in a tubberware container..... its Christmas money, you think
$20 per night X 3 nights per week X 52 weeks in a year = $3120, thats more than enough for Christmas with-out even really thinking about it.
I just don't go to the mall.... keeps me from shopping.
Re: what do you do to save money??
Re: what do you do to save money??
I deposit my extra cash any time I have it so I don't spend it. If I have it in my posession, it's gone.
Re: what do you do to save money??
Depends what I'm saving it for. When I have a short term savings goal, I stash a couple twenties every time I work. Just for saving money in general, I write a check to my money market account every week for whatever I can afford, even if it's only twenty bucks, and then when I have a few thousand I redistribute it to my other investments.
Saving as in not spending... I just don't spend money. I keep my monthly bills under $600/m, no matter what.
Re: what do you do to save money??
Quote:
Originally Posted by Phedre
I deposit my extra cash any time I have it so I don't spend it. If I have it in my posession, it's gone.
me too
being "cash poor" is the best incentive
My rule is basically if it's not going to taxes, retirement plan, mortgage, car, insurance or utilities, I'm not allowed to use money in the bank for it and for some weird reason I stick to this.
Re: what do you do to save money??
Because my husband handles the finances, I always hand my earnings over to him but I ALWAYS keep back 10% and have a very secret spot where he'll never think to look for it. It's like my personal tipout.
I usually keep it around for a rainy day or to buy something extra nice for his Christmas, Anniversary or Valentines gift, but lately I've been shopping for myself! I deserve a treat every once in awhile too! ;D