25 Ways to Save Money

25 WAYS TO SAVE We know it's not easy to save, even in the best of times, but these days it is critical and we want to help. In conjunction with our "Savings Pledge," which was designed to encourage you to commit to save, we have enlisted our DealPros to share with you some useful tips; things you can start doing today to save in five key areas of your life. For more tips and ways to save, click on the links to the DealPro's website: Around the house Fix it: Instead of throwing away a stained linen or garment, do a quick online search for ways to remove the stain. You will be surprised by how many things can be saved. - Jennie, Bargain Blessings bargainblessings.com Close it: Save on energy costs by closing heating and air conditioning vents in unused rooms.Also keep those doors to those rooms shut. If a room in your home gets full sunlight all day, keep the vent closed; there is no need to heat it. - Andrea, Savings Lifestyle savingslifestyle.com It's a wrap: When giving pres- ents, use a cereal or other food box to wrap the gift. You can wrap them with paper or let the box be the wrapping. - Shannon, Coupon Princess couponprincess.net YUMMY Not-so disposable income: Use rags SI instead of paper towels. Make your own from old t-shirts and bath towels no longer fit for normal use. Buy a couple of sets of everyday cloth napkins instead of paper. Use reusable containers for lunches and food storage rather than plastic bags and aluminum foil. - Mir, Want Not wantnot.net It's a breeze: Most ceiling fans can spin two ways. During the summer, set your ceiling fan to spin counter-clockwise to cooler your house. During the winter, the fan can be used on a low setting, spinning clockwise, to help dis- tribute the warm air around the house. - Melissa, Consumer Queen consumerqueen.com Eating out How appetizing: Two op- tions: If you're not really hungry, order just an appetizer. If you are having a meal, skip the appetizer and save. - Kristie, Saving Dollars and Sense savingdollarsandsense.com Be happy: Go to restaurants off times, like "Happy Hour." Often restaurants will have specials from 4 to 7 on drinks and appetizers, which can be like full meals. - Shannon, Coupon Princess couponprincess.net Join the club: Sign-up for restaurant online and birthday clubs for discounts when dining out. - Jennie, Bargain Blessings bargainblessings.com CLUBCARD Evany lits Aeles 634000 02000000000 Home sweet home: After dining out, eat dessert at home. For the price of one slice of cheesecake at the restaurant, you can prepare or buy a very nice dessert for the whole family to enjoy and still have leftovers for breakfast. - Kristie, Saving Dollars and Sense savingdollarsandsense.com Drink water: Instead of ordering soda or other beverages, have a nice cold glass of water. You can save easily $10 on a meal with a family of 4. - Shannon, Coupon Princess couponprincess.net 10 Transportation Don't wait: Fill up when you still have a quarter of tank of gas. This will allow you to buy gas at a price you want to pay. 12 Plan your stops: As a general rule, gas is more expensive just off the interstate. Buy your gas closer to home. Go online: Use the internet or 13 mobile application to find the cheapest gas in your area. Gas price websites allow you to map your route and find the cheapest gas near your location. - Alex and Cassie, The Thrifty Couple thethriftycouple.com Take the bus: Seats on the Megabus and BoltBus start at $1.Yes, $1. Donna Freedman, Surviving and Thriving donnafreedman.com 15 Map your errands: Figure out the most economical route to eliminate driving back and forth. Remember if it takes you $3 in gas to save $2, it is not a deal. Shannon, Coupon Princess couponprincess.net Shopping Keep it on ice: Stock up on your favorite fresh fruits and vegetables when they're in season, and put them in the freezer for year-round use. - Erin, About.com Frugal Living Guide frugalliving.about.com 16 Reuse it: Using cloth or heavy plastic shop- ping bags get you 5¢ off per bag at some grocery stores. - Alex and Cassie, The Thrifty Couple thethriftycouple.com Be thrifty: Instead of always trying to buy brand new, consider shopping at second hand or thrift stores. You can get a great deal on some clothing, furniture, decorations, and even tech gadgets. - Andrew of Money Crashers moneycrashers.com 18 19 Check it off: Prepare a shopping list and stick to it. If it's not on the list, don't buy it. Impulse purchases add up quick. - Andrea, Mainstream Mom mainstreammom.com bread Watch for sales: 20 Don't wait until you're in need to shop - most of the stuff you buy is predictable (clothes, food, even holiday gifts), so always be thinking ahead and stock up on sale. Buy the next size up for the kids during end-of- season clearance, start putting away gifts for next year during the after-holiday sales and grab extra school supplies during the penny sales. - Mir, Want Not SALE wantnot.net Health & Fitness Volunteer: Check with 21 your local YMCA, many facilities offer memberships in exchange for your time. Check it out: The DVD 22 section of you library is full of exercise videos to exer- cise inside when the weather gets cold. Fat Blasting Workouts Do it yourself: Run or walk around your neighborhood, take a bike ride or hike local nature trails. None of these require special equipment and they will help you stay fit. - Dana, The Coupon Challenge thecouponchallenge.com 23 Stretch it out: Add rice or tex- tured vegetable protein (TVP) to your ground beef or turkey, it will make you food dollar go further and it will improve your diet. - Alex and Cassie, The Thrifty Couple thethriftycouple.com Shop online: Buy your protein bars and shakes on the internet. If you can find your favorite flavored bars for $0.89 or less, then it's a deal. You can also signed up for Jamba Juice and Smoothie King coupons to lower the cost of your post-workout drink. - Courtney, My Crazy Savings mycrazysavings.com 25 ENERGY BAr ENERGY BAR.