Saving Money? Here are some tips

The path to Frugal Living can be lonely if you’re doing it on your own.  The key to success is surrounding yourself with like-minded individuals who will provide the little extra push to get the ball rolling.    One of my favorites is Dawn and her blog Frugal for Life.  

She recently came out with her BIG list of tips to save money.  While some may not be doable in the Philippine setting,  there any many more which made me go… OO nga ‘no??!!!  

• When you go out to eat,  order water.  It’s free AND it’s healthy.
• Take your dinner from the night before to lunch the next day.
• Be obsessive compulsive and keep lists.  Don’t buy on impulse.  Planning ahead is your biggest money saver.
• Save those newspapers, plastics and soda cans.  Your junk can be turned to cash.
• Stay at home more by taking on a hobby or project (hmmm.. transition from paper scrapbooks to escrapbooks). 
• Learn to sew (alteration costs can add up).
• Spread the word when you are in need of a particular item.  Someone might actually have one handy to lend / give to you.  Or at the very least  tell you where to get it a good price.  =)

10 Things to Buy That Will Save You Money

I read this great article at www.pfadvice.com which listed a few items which more than pay for themselves in the savings they provide.* Water Filter: Some people feel their home tap water is not good to drink. If you are concerned about the quality of your tap water and regularly buy bottled water, purchasing a water filter will save you hundreds of dollars over time. A quality water filter will make your water just as pure as most bottled water and pay for itself within months in most cases.* Faucet Aerator: Faucet aerators are small devices you can place on your faucets in your house. They reduce the water flow coming out of the faucet by about half. Even with half the water flow, the water stream from the faucet will often feel stronger than the normal flow due to the way they work. Using faucet aerators will save a typical family of four about 280 gallons of water a month and pay for themselves in less than a year.

* Low Flow Shower Heads: Much in the same way that faucet aerators reduce the amount of water used from your faucets, replacing regular shower heads with low-flow shower heads can reduce your hot-water consumption while showering by as much as 30%. Due to the way they are manufactured, they will provide a strong, invigorating spray. The low-flow shower heads save money in two ways: a reduction in water consumption and a lowering of the energy costs needed to heat the hot water for the showers. An added benefit for those with larger families is low-flow shower heads will make the hot water last longer for multiple showers.

* Compact Fluorescent and LED Lights: While compact fluorescent (CF) light bulbs cost more than regular incandescent light bulbs, they use about two-thirds less energy and last years longer.

* Things You Use When They Go On Sale: Anything that you use on a regular basis that goes on sale is worth buying and stockpiling. As long as you know that you are going to eventually use it and won’t end up throwing out a large portion of it due to it expiring in some way, then it is worth purchasing it ahead of time. So the next time a 3 day midnight madness sale is advertised, make a shopping list of must have items (and I’m not talking about the red shoes or frilly blouse that you like in the window display).

* Rechargeable Batteries: Batteries can cost a small fortune, especially if you have a large number of electronic equipment that are “high drain” devices. While initially more expensive than regular alkaline batteries, purchasing Nickel-Metal Hydride (NiMH) rechargeable batteries can save you a lot of money in the long run. These replaced old-style NiCad rechargeable batteries and have a much higher capacity than NiCad’s do. Best of all, they don’t suffer from memory effect that could quickly shorten their life.

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Motherhood has a very humanizing effect. Everything gets reduced to essentials. ~Meryl Streep

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