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The purpose of this blog is: Less economic stress - more solutions!

We're here to help readers by providing economic analysis as well as by offering a rich source of ideas for making the most of the money you've got in a world gone mad financially.

Craig has been a small business owner for thirty years and is a former college instructor. He now seeks to thrive in the current economic crisis as an individual investor specializing in trading e-mini futures.

Michelle writes on more practical financial topics.

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Archive for the ‘Saving Money Tips’ Category

Couponing – Best Places to Find Grocery Coupons

If you want to get started couponing, one of the best places to start is with grocery coupons. Using coupons to help pay for groceries can help you save a lot of money. Here is a look at some of the best places you can find grocery coupons.

  • Grocery store websites – Many groceries stores have websites that have printable coupons.
  • Sunday Paper – If you get the Sunday newspaper, you’ll usually find a lot of grocery coupons.
  • Coupon Sites – Many coupon websites offer promo codes and printable couples for grocery items.
  • Product Websites – Look at product websites to find coupons for specific food items.
  • Store Fliers – Grocery stores often send out fliers that have special deals and some even have coupons to help you save more.

 

Couponing – Cut the Price of Your Christmas Dinner in Half

If you’re having a tough time figuring out how you’re going to afford that big Christmas dinner for family and friends, couponing may be the answer. Whether you’re already using coupons on a regular basis or you’re new to couponing, the right coupons can help you create a tasty Christmas dinner at half the price.

Start looking for coupons that are specifically for items you’ll need for that dinner. Many manufacturers, grocery stores, and other coupon sources are putting out special holiday coupons for baking goods, Christmas dinner sides, and even coupons for hams, turkeys, and other main meat dishes.

Find as many coupons as you can. Then, start looking in your grocery circulars for the best deals on the items you need to buy. Combine the best deals with good coupons and you’ll cut the cost of Christmas dinner in half, or you may serve even more!

Saving Money Tips – Simple Ways to Lower Your Electric Bill

More than likely a good portion of your cash flow goes towards your electric bill every month. It can get frustrating to watch so much money go to the electric company, but there are some things you can do about it. To lower your electric bill, here are a few saving money tips you may want to begin using.

Go with Energy Efficient Appliances

One of the best saving money tips that will help you lower your electric bill is to go with energy efficient appliances. If you are purchasing a new washer, dishwasher, dryer, air conditioner, or furnace, ensure you go with options that are energy efficient. You can find out how energy efficient they are by looking at the Energy Guide Labels, which the federal law requires on all appliances. It may cost a bit more up front for the more efficient appliances, but it is sure to save you in the long run.

Keep Appliances Tuned Up and Clean

Keeping appliances tuned up and clean can also help you lower that electric bill as well. Make sure they are working the way that they should. If not, get them fixed. Also, keeping them clean can help. Simply vacuuming off the coils for the refrigerator can help to save on electricity.

Turn Off and Unplug Appliances

When you are not using appliances, make sure you turn them off, but you also need to unplug them. Many appliances end up pulling power even if you have them turned off. To avoid this, unplug them when you are not using them to help you save.

With these saving money tips, you can avoid going into shock next time that you open up your electric bill. Use all of these tips and you’ll notice a big difference in the amount you pay through the year for electricity.

Saving Money Tips – Spend Less on Gasoline

Gas prices are still pretty high, and sometimes it can hurt financially when you fill up at the pump. However, there are saving money tips that you can use to start spending less on gasoline.

Tip #1 – Compare Prices – Take a look at the prices that local gas stations charge. Simply comparing the prices and going to the lowest priced one can save a lot of money over time.

Tip #2 – Make Sure the Gas Cap is Tight – Ensure that your gas cap is tight when you fill up your car. Tighten it up good when you are done filling up with gas. If your cap doesn’t fit tightly, then purchase a new one. If your cap isn’t tight, the gas can evaporate easily.

Tip #3 – Tune Up the Engine – Simply tuning up your engine on a regular basis is one of the best saving money tips to remember for gasoline. When your engine is well tuned, you will use less gas.

Tip #4 – Keep Tires Inflated – Keeping those tires inflated to the proper tire pressure will make a difference in what you save on gas. When tires are not inflated as they should be, this can waste fuel, not to mention it damages the tread on your tired.

Tip #5 – Get the Junk Out of the Trunk – If you have a lot of junk in your trunk, it’s time to clean that all out. The more weight you have on the engine, the more you lose in fuel economy. Only leave the items in the trunk that you really need to have in there.

Tip #6 – Choose a Vehicle that is Fuel Efficient – Choosing a vehicle that is fuel efficient is another of the best saving money tips to remember. Consider the fuel costs long term when you are making your decision. Spending a little extra on a vehicle that is fuel efficient can really save you long term.

Saving Money Tips – Enjoy Entertainment While Saving

When you are trying to save money, one of the ways you can save is to cut back on what you spend on entertainment. Of course, this doesn’t mean that you can’t have fun. After all, you need relaxation and entertainment from time to time. The great news is that you don’t have to give up fun. With these saving money tips you can enjoy great entertainment while saving.

Rent DVDs Instead of Going to the Movie Theater

One of the saving money tips that will allow you to have a good time on a budget is to rent DVDs instead of going to the movie theater. Many times, you can rent DVDs for as little as a dollar per night. Buy your own popcorn and other snacks and you’ll have a family fun night without spending $100 at the movie theater.

Find Free Concerts in Your Area

Another great idea is to find free concerts in your area. Check in the entertainment section of the papers in your area. You can look online as well to see if there are any free concerts being held. Often you can find these concerts during the summer months as part of a series.

Check Out Local Parks

Checking out local parks is another of the saving money tips to help you save money on entertainment. Most parks are totally free, and others only cost a couple dollars to get in for the entire day. They allow you to have many hours of fun without spending a lot of money.

Go to Your Local Library

Simply going to your local library is a wonderful way to enjoy entertainment without paying anything. Most libraries won’t charge you for a library card. You can find wonderful books, great DVDs, CDs, and the internet can be used for free as well.

Play Board Games as a Family

Playing board games as a family is a lot of fun and it’s a cheap way to enjoy some entertainment as a family. You’ll only have to purchase board games once, and you’ll enjoy them over and over again.

Saving Money Tips to Remember When Purchasing Clothing

The cost of clothing has increased within the past few years, making it more expensive to purchase quality items of clothing. If you are clothing an entire family, it can really become quite expensive. The good news is that there are some saving money tips that can help you save when purchasing clothing for the family.

Go for Quality

One of the most important saving money tips to remember when purchasing clothing is to go with quality. It’s not a deal if you end up having to replace clothing all the time, even if it was cheaper in the beginning. You’ll save money by purchasing items that are high quality, since they’ll last a long time. Although they may seem more expensive in the beginning, over time you’ll really save some money.

Purchase Items a Season Ahead of Time

Another important tip that can help you save some money on clothing is to purchase items a season ahead of time. At the end of the winter season, purchase items for the next season, since these items will be on sale. The same can be done at the end of any season.

Avoid the Trends

It’s a good idea to avoid the trends in clothing if you want to save money. You are better off to stick with basic items of clothing that are always going to be in style. This way you don’t have to update your wardrobe every time the fashion changes.

Purchase Items that Coordinate

Purchasing separate items that coordinate can help you save money on clothing as well. With a few clothing items that are similar in colors and style, you can come up with many nice combinations so you have great outfits. The look can be changed with the right accessories as well. This is one of the saving money tips that will help you to have a nice wardrobe without spending a lot of money.

Financial Tip: Lay Off Credit Cards to Weather the Recession

Everyone is dealing with tough economic times right now. In fact, people are even more on edge with news that a double dip recession is still a possibility. While this may seem like the time to use credit if you have to, you actually should be laying off credit card spending if you want to weather the recession.

When money is tight, those credit cards look real tempting. However, you cannot afford to get trapped in a vicious circle of debt because it will only make it more difficult for you to deal with emergency situations. Instead of spending on credit cards, work to save money and only use credit cards in emergencies. You’ll avoid more debt, which will help in the long run.

Money Tip – Ways to Save on Utilities to Survive a Recession

At this point, it seems like the current recession is far from over. This means you need to keep learning ways to save money. One way you can save and survive a recession is to learn how to save on your utility bills.

Here are a few tips that will help.

- Unplug your electronics each night, which can be done easily by putting them on power strips.
- During the day, keep your lights off if possible.
- Allow dishes in the dishwasher to air dry.
- Stop paying for cable. You can watch many shows online for free.
- Open the windows in your home when possible. You’ll save on heat or air conditioning costs.
- Go with low flow showerheads that reduce the amount of water that you have to use when showering.
- Use fans in your home. They’ll help you save money during the summer and the winter.

Financial Tips – Budget Friendly Entertainment

One of the main things taking a hit during the recession is entertainment. Many families feel like they can’t afford it anymore. However, you don’t have to give up fun. You can have some great entertainment without straining your budget. Here are a few budget friendly entertainment ideas.

1 – Try using Cheap Seats to get tickets to concerts. Concerts may seem like they cost too much but Cheap Seat offers great deals on concerts and other events for a fraction of the price.

2 – Check out Netflix. If you love watching movies as a family but you don’t want to buy them, pay steep rental fees, or pay for premium cable channels, Netflix is a great option. Watch all the movies you want for a set monthly fee.

3 – Find local free events. Many towns today are holding free family events, offering entertainment for the whole family without fees. Check in your local area to see what is available.