Five Simple Ways to Save Money

During tough economic times every little bit of saving helps. Here are five simple ways you can help your pocketbook:

1) Clip coupons. If you buy a Sunday paper make sure you clip at least enough coupons that will cover the cost of the newspaper. For instance, if you pay $2.75 for the newspaper, use at least $2.75 worth of coupons for that week.

When it comes to grocery shopping, plan to buy a lot of items that are on sale. Only buy them if you will use the items. This method will save you a lot of money. You will be stocking up on items you use when they are at their cheapest. If you have a coupon for the item, that is even better.

2) Walk or ride a bicycle instead of drive. This may sound simple but we take our vehicles for granted. With the gas price slowly creeping back up, walk whenever possible. Not only will you save money on gas, wear and tear of your vehicle but you will be helping to keep your heart, mind and body healthy. All in all, it is a win-win situation.

3) Check online for gas prices and compare shop. Get your gas in your town or nearby town. You can get your gas on the way home from work or in an area you are already at. It does not make sense to save money buying cheaper gas yet you are driving twenty five miles out of the way to buy it.

4) If you are gone all day at work turn your thermometer down to 66 degrees. When you go to bed, turn your heat down, too. This will save a bundle on your electric or gas bill.

5) For your entertainment instead of buying books use the library. If you cannot find the book you want, ask the librarian. Many libraries are in the same group and the book can be sent to the library you use. Most libraries offer free movies. Instead of going to the theatre or paying to rent a movie, wait for the library to purchase the movie.

If you love popcorn while watching the movie at home, you can buy a bag of popcorn kernels. Line the popcorn in a brown paper lunch bag, fold it over so it is closed and put it in the microwave. Stand by the microwave and listen for the popcorn to stop popping. Add butter and salt if desired. This is much cheaper than buying single bags of microwave popcorn.

Every little bit of saving will add up fast to save money, just as spending a little here and there adds up quick to a big bill.

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