How to Save Money on Your Car
Cars are a necessity or so we believe! Have we ever considered the country we live in and the excellent public transport system available for our use? We have buses, trains, trams and the monorail to choose from. We can always choose to walk rather than drive short distances; good for your health and the wallet. Being in a constant rush means we drive everywhere! Of course there are times when we have to use the car but there are still ways to save.
The following tips will help you to save on gasoline and extend the life of your vehicle.
• Speed is fantastic and zooming off when the light turns green is great fun, but smooth driving gives you more mileage for your fuel. Ramming your foot down on the gas or coming to a sudden neck snapping stop will only waste the fuel in your tank. Speeds above 60 mph use up more fuel so when possible drive within this speed. That does not mean you drive at 60 mph in a 100 mph speed zone!
• A cold engine uses more fuel and creates more exhaust emissions. Avoid making short trips frequently where the engine keeps heating up and cooling down. A little planning and you can combine many trips to make one long one and get it all done at once.
• When you buy fuel you need to know whether your car specifies regular. Most cars take regular fuel and run just fine, so there is no need to pay more for premium. In fact the engine is designed to run on regular so don’t go spending more than you need to.
• Run your car’s air conditioner only when you really need it. When the air con is turned on, additional fuel is used and the engine loses power.
• It is important to keep the tires on your car properly inflated because when they are under inflated they require more energy to move. This wastes fuel and wears out the tires faster. Always check tire pressure when the tires are cold and inflate at least once a month.
• On the highway approximately 50 percent or more of engine power is used to overcome the aerodynamic drag. When you carry things on top of your vehicle you are only adding to the drag and decreasing fuel efficiency by 5 percent.
How to Save Money the Painless Way
We live in a society that preconditions us to spend money rather than save it. But let’s face reality, there’s a recession on and the economy is not doing all that well. It’s time to forget about spending that next paycheck even before you get it on the latest electronic gadgets or designer clothes. You can save money in many painless ways, but it will require some sacrifice.
1. If the television is your temptress with all those lovely commercials to buy, buy and buy, get rid of the cable connection. In a few short days you won’t miss it at all. Take up some outdoor activities like walking, jogging, nature hikes or a hobby that keeps you busy. The idea is to spend more time outdoors than inside on the couch with your TV. Then check your bank balance and see how much money you have saved!
2. Save all your change. Get a big jar and simply drop your change into it. Every time you break a note even if it’s just a dollar, put the change into the jar. Every time the jar is full, count it up, turn it into paper dollars at the local coin star (these machines convert coins to paper notes) and put it into your savings account.
3. Stop paying unnecessary bank fees. Every time you withdraw money from an ATM that is not associated with your bank, you pay a fee. Organize your withdrawals from your own bank so that you don’t have to pay this fee. Keep a close watch on the money in your account so that you don’t pay overdraft fees. All simple steps that will help you save your money.
4. Take firm control of your spending. There is no need to spend more than you actually have. That’s when we are forced to use the credit card and end up working up a huge bill. Only buy what you need and cut out strolling around the malls if you have a hard time controlling your impulsive buying urge.
5. When you know that you have a spending habit that is difficult to control, get rid of your credit cards. This is actually a very important step in saving money. If you don’t have a card, you cannot spend, and what you cannot spend you can save. Anyone who has difficulty paying off the credit card bill in full each month should not have one.
These are very basic money saving tips to help you start saving money the painless way. Once you get started, it definitely becomes easier to save because it becomes a habit.
How to Save on Home Improvements
Any kind of ordinary home improvement can be expensive and all too often we want it all. The only problem is the budget does not support this desire! Some amount of sacrifice is called upon in terms of quality or features. The main question here is what is the best way to save money when doing home improvement projects?
Apply the tips given below to help you trim the excess costs off your remodeling budget.
Water is the best natural resource we have and it is very good for health. For people who drink a lot of bottled water, the cost can really add up over time. Why not install a water filtration system, it will purify the water and you will actually get a better quality of drinking water from this system than your bottled water. You save the environment by cutting out the plastic and save your money, which is the main aim of this exercise.
Restructure your heating and air conditioning to cover the main areas of the home that you use. There is no need to pay extra to maintain the entire home at a particular temperature. You will need to consult with a HVAC provider to see what type of zoning your home requires and then you can save money on your energy bill.
Another money saver for your energy consumption is to have a programmable thermostat installed. This will save money because you can program the thermostat to run at energy saving temperatures when you are away from home or at nights.
Revamp your lawn and make it 100 percent organic. The initial effort to achieve a healthy organic lawn will take some doing, but the end result more than justifies the effort. You will not need to spend money on chemical applications once you have an organic lawn. You may also want to consider xeriscaping, which is the use of plants and landscaping that do well in the existing climatic conditions. With xeriscaping you will not need to frequently water your garden and maintenance costs drop considerably.
If you need to redo flooring, why not consider vinyl rather than slate or ceramic tile. Natural materials are frightfully expensive when compared with vinyl sheet flooring or tile. Vinyl has come a long way and looks very realistic, is easy to clean and maintain and will save you a bundle.
These tips are just the tip of the iceberg. Do some research to find help for any area of home improvement that you are considering.
How to Save on Household Costs
There are plenty of innovative ideas to keep household costs down and save your money. Often when we want something it involves making sacrifices to get it; the same principle holds good for saving money. There are simple habits and strategies that can be incorporated into daily living to make sticking to your budget easier.
In most homes especially those with children, grocery costs are generally very high. If you can manage to reduce the amount you spend each week, you will be able to save quite a bit of money. Rule number one, do your best to avoid taking your kids to the store. Parents invariably end up spending what they did not plan to because those soulful eyes are so hard to resist.
Make your shopping list based on what you really need and stick to it. Have a snack or meal first and then set out shopping. The walking around will help you digest your food and more importantly, keep you from buying everything edible that you see.
You need to shop around and find the best store that will give you overall best prices. It may be slightly out of your way, but if you plan your trip once a week there should not be a problem. You may end up shopping at two different stores for two lots of products. It is still better to do so and save money in the process.
Buying in bulk is not always all it’s cracked up to be. Unless you really have a regiment to feed at home, bulk buying may actually cost you more. It blocks cash and when not consumed in time food goes to waste.
By the time we are done shopping for household cleaners the budget is pretty much exhausted. Cleaning agents seem to cost more each day! Go natural and see how much you will save. Check the internet for a wide range of natural cleaners that you can make at home. Simple things like soda bicarbonate and lemon juice will work wonders. Get the family organized to clean up after themselves, wipe up spills immediately, pick things up and put away stuff once you are done with it. Your home is going to be clean enough!
This may sound like going overboard, but learning to do basic repair work around the home, can save you a whole lot of money. Plumbers, electricians and other handymen charge a fortune for the smallest repair jobs.
Think about what you can do to save money and get started right away!
Money Making Tips for Teens
Teenagers are at an age when they need money for a million things, or so it would seem. Parents who are struggling to pay bills, feed and clothe the family and stay afloat, find it hard to cope with the myriad demands a teenager makes. It is important to teach children from a young age the importance of money and managing finances.
Here are a few simple tips for teenagers who need money but get little or nothing at all from their parents because of their financial circumstances.
Find out what you are good at and use those skills to make money. If you can play a musical instrument, you can give music lessons. If you are good in languages or math, you can give tuitions. You may be good at acting, in this case why not consider playing a clown or do a juggling act for kids’ birthday parties.
If you are really good at playing a musical instrument you can form your own band and hire yourselves out to play at parties. If you are a good writer, try selling articles or short stories to newspapers and magazines. The internet is full of opportunities for people who can write.
Are you good with computers with a fairly decent typing speed? Why not look for simple data entry jobs that will earn you good money?
There is good money to be made in taking surveys. Companies in America spend billions of dollars to get people to buy their products. You can earn cash by giving your opinion to companies.
You can make money by reading emails. There are companies that pay people to read emails.
Think about starting up your own little business to babysit kids or walk people’s dogs. You can take up painting, gardening, lawn mowing, cleaning houses, garages and cars, house sit, run errands and type papers to make money.
With good computer skills, there is money to be made building websites and blogs, teaching basic computer skills, updating websites and submitting articles to article directories.
Check sites like Craigslist, you will find listings for a variety of odd jobs that you can do to earn money.
Selling stuff online has become a very popular method of getting rid of clutter. Sites like eBay are available for you to sell your stuff. Convince your parents that you will help them clean out the garage and you can sell what they don’t want on one of the online sites.
There are many ways for an enterprising teenager to make money. It just needs a little thought and effort.
Money Savers that Work
We live in an economic climate that has become unpredictable and saving is quickly moving up the top of most people’s list. We need to save if we want to be able to enjoy a decent quality of life. It does not matter whether you earn big bucks or struggle to make ends meet. You have to have a fall-back plan for when things go wrong and borrowing is not the answer.
In order to make saving a reality, start out small and it will soon add up. Use the tips in this article to help you take that important first step toward setting up a saving account.
• There is nothing miserly about bringing a packed lunch to work. Here’s an idea; get your office mates involved in bringing packed lunches too. Tell them you are tired of eating out and need a change. Then start swapping interesting lunch ideas that can be made easily and quickly at home. Use the lunch hour to spend quality time with friends at work.
• The same holds good for eating out. Why spend all that money eating out when you can come up with creative recipes that can be shared with a lot of fun and laughter at home. Get your friends sold on the idea and take it in turn to host a weekly night-out dinner. You can also have potluck with each person bringing a dish – oh and the wine too!
• Avoid bulk buying; it really isn’t that good an idea. You end up with heaps of stuff that will take forever to finish, but you also block up a lot more money than you needed to.
• There are smart ways to use your credit card; make full use of the facility to pay for an important item and put the money you would have paid for it into your savings account to earn you some interest. What you need to do is pay off the full amount when it is due before you get charged for late payment fees. Credit cards when wisely used earn you rewards points, discounts and other freebies.
• Sign up for store memberships that do not have a fee and benefit from the discounts and other offers. Make use of your coupons, there’s absolutely no need to feel that you are being frugal. If the truth be told, you are being wise.
You don’t have to feel that in order to save you have to stop living! Live life to the full, but spend wisely and keep that savings account growing.
Money Saving Guide for the Family
When it comes to saving money, the best rule to apply is the one that states, it is better to maintain what you have rather than trying to exercise control over what comes in. So your aim should be to accumulate wealth; not give it away, which is what we are doing when we spend.
Here are a few thought provoking money saving tips to help you get started.
Avoid financial deals when you don’t fully understand the entire concept of what you are dealing with. Credit cards are a good example. If you must have a credit card, fine, but make sure to research credit cards till you understand the ins and outs of it thoroughly. Remember that there is always the fine print waiting to trip you up.
What you need to do is pay close attention to all the promotional offers on your credit card. It is important to always pay off the amount before the due date to keep the balance down to zero. This is the only way you will not lose money on the high interest charged on your card. Make use of the credit period offered and then pay up so that you are not the loser.
When buying something, always try to negotiate. The worst that can happen is a firm refusal, but it costs nothing to try. More often than not you will be surprised to find that you are given a discount when you ask for one.
There are better financial opportunities to be had if you will only take the time to do your homework. There are online banking institutions that offer higher rates of interest than what you would get from regular banks. You could get a better rate on your savings by opening an account with one of these instituti