21. Avoid spending through credit cards.
Spending through credit cards is one of the best ways to pile up your debt. Thus, if you want to save more money, you should purchase on cash basis only. Save the credit cards for emergency situations only. Every item you purchase with the use of your credit card can add more to your existing debt and your monthly surcharge; thus, it is time that you leave them at home when you go out to shop.
22. Gaming at nights.
If you and your friends are quite fond of going out at nights, especially on weekends, then you should invite them for a gaming night at your place. This would help you all in saving lots of money. All you have to do is to take out your favorite board game, buy some snacks and drinks, and enjoy a good time at your place, without spending lots of money in bars or coffee shops.
23. Watching movies at your place.
If your family wants to spend some time with you by watching a movie in town, you should consider watching one at your own house. Renting a video at a shop near your place should do the trick. Pair it up with some popcorn and sodas, and your family would have a great time with you, while you are not worrying about the total cost.
24. Swaps are good.
Swapping your things that you are not using anymore for a new item, is one of the ways of saving money, when it comes to acquiring something new. Swapping can be done through the internet, with your friends, or with certain shops. You can swap your shoes, books, music, movies, games, gadgets, and more, for items that you want to have so that you won’t have to spend a dime in getting it.
25. Buying magazines at a newsstand.
If you are quite fond of certain types of magazines, buying them at the newsstand should be avoided. This is because they are usually priced too high when you purchase them from these types of stores. To save money, you can always subscribe directly to the magazine. Aside from that, check out their websites, since they might even offer e-magazines, which you can conveniently download into your computer for free or for a very affordable price.
26. The lottery.
If you are fond of playing the lottery, you should seriously think about your odds of winning it. There is very less likelihood that you would hit the jackpot in the lottery, and each time you play it, you are actually spending more cash. Thus, if you simply want to be entertained, then you should consider playing at a casino, since the cost is pretty much the same, the odds would be better, and it can provide you with more entertainment.
27. Traveling.
In traveling, one of the best things that you can do in order to save huge amounts of money is to book way ahead of time. This is true, especially if you book online. Lots of airlines are actually offering discounts for early bookings today. Aside from that, you should also keep in mind that booking a vacation package is also more affordable, than booking your hotel, flights, and cars separately.
28. Your travel times.
To save up some money, you should be flexible when it comes to your traveling times. For example, in booking flights, if you are not in a hurry, red-eye flights are actually good to book in terms of saving cash, although you may not want your children traveling late. Aside from such types of flights, traveling to certain vacation spots during off-season can also be a good idea, when it comes to saving on costs.
29. Going from one building to another.
If you are at a city center, where you are anticipating to move from one building to another to look for certain types of items, then you should park your car at a garage or parking area, which is located centrally. This way, it would allow you to leave it there, instead of driving it around town and consume more gasoline. With that, you would be saving more money, and even get some exercise.
30. Car rental insurance.
If a car rental company offers you an add on car rental insurance, you should stop for a moment, and think about your own auto insurance. Most auto insurance companies today provide policies, where your auto insurance coverage would also apply to your rental car. Thus, if this is the case, then you should decline the offer. However, it is still best to call your insurance provider for that, just to make sure.
31. Riding a bike.
When you are on your way to a place where it is a bit far for a walk, then you should make use of your bike. Biking can prevent you from using more fossil fuel, which can harm the planet, aside from costing you money. With that, you should always ride your bike, so that you consume lesser amounts of fuel, and save more money.
32. Talking to a travel agent.
If you are not getting anywhere in trying to book more affordable fights and accommodations online, you should know that many travel websites have travel agents working for them. They are usually reachable through their 800 numbers on a 24 hour basis. Thus, giving them a call should provide you with the assistance that you need, in order to find the package that you really want.
33. Having an affordable vacation.
During the holidays, people usually go to distant places to spend their vacations on. However, if your finances is quite tight or you simply want to save money, then you should consider having a vacation at the city where you are living it. By doing that, you would be able to rediscover your place. Aside from that, since you won’t be going out of the place, you won’t have to spend quite a hefty some of money for your flights.
34. Using the ATM.
It is always best to use your bank’s ATM machine, whether you want to process a withdrawal, fund transfer, or even just checking for your balance. This is because when you do these things in another bank’s ATM machine, you would be charged by that bank, as well as your own bank for certain fees.
35. The card’s annual fee.
There are credit cards today that offer free annual fees, while some do not. Credit card companies that charge annual fees may have added features into their cards. However, in most cases, such features are not very applicable to lots of people. Thus, it is best to choose cards that won’t charge you annual fees, so that you can save more money on a yearly basis.
36. Rate reductions.
If you are carrying a balance in your card and it has been like that for quite some time, then try to negotiate for rate reductions. There is a good chance that your credit card company would agree to this. This is because they don’t want to risk more defaults, since it is bad for their business. They would rather ask lesser amounts of money from you, than suffer the consequences of more defaults.
37. Bundling insurance policies.
There are certain insurance providers today, which can offer not just auto insurance policies, but also homeowners, and other forms of insurances. If you want to save some money, you should ask your provider for possible discounts if you bundle your policies. When you do that, aside from saving money, it would also become more convenient for you, since you won’t have to deal with paying different providers.
38. Take advantage of deductibles.
If you want to reduce your monthly insurance premiums, then you should recheck your insurance coverage for possible deductibles. Deductibles are the amount of money that you need to shoulder in an event of an accident. Your premium would decrease when you have it, since part of the risk would be transferred to you from the company.
39. Paying insurance premiums.
When you pay your insurance premiums, you should do it way ahead of time. This is because insurance companies can offer you with more discounts when you pay it before the due date.
Thus, it is best if you ask your insurance provider about this, so that you would be able to take advantage of it.
40. Have a savings account in more friendly banks.
There are certain banks these days that can charge you so many fees that you won’t even get the chance to earn any kind of interest. One of the fees that are quite common for some banks is called the maintenance fees. Thus, if you read your bank’s booklet and found this term, then you should consider switching banks as soon as possible.
