1. Use credit cards only for emergency. Although convenient, credit cards are dangerous and damaging.
2. If you have credit cards and your credit is in good standing, call your credit card company, and ask for your interest rate to be lowered.
3. Have you ever received a nice gift that you like from someone but will never use? Rather than take it back to the store for an exchange, consider keeping it to give as a gift to someone else.
4. Utilities are expensive and a great money saver is to monitor how they are used in your home.
5. Eating out can be expensive. Rather than stop eating out, simply cut back and look for options of two-for-one.
6. It is always fun getting your favorite magazine or book in the mail but you should cancel them or at least most of them.
7. Shop around for insurance and work with a good agent that can provide information on discounts such as good student, multi-car discount, etc.
8. If you are married, make sure you and your spouse are working on the same agenda. If one is trying to save money while the other is busy spending, what is the point?
9. One to three days after a holiday, stores mark their holiday items from 50 to 75 percent off. This is an ideal way to stock up on next year’s Hari Raya or Christmas decorations.
10. You need to make sure you take care of yourself physically. Missed dental cleanings (every six months) can lead to gum disease or tooth decay that can cost thousands to fix.
11. Make sure you work with a qualified banker that can set up the right kind of account for your type of spending. There are numerous options specifically designed for people that write a good number of checks versus those who do not.
12. Make sure the thing you want to spend your money on is a NEED and not a WANT.
13. Everyone has a skill – find yours and turn it into money. Perhaps you are computer savvy and could teach a class at your local community college.
14. Everyone should create a budget. Knowing where you are spending your money is by far the best way to save.
15. Be patient and remember that just because you want something, do not rush to buy just to satisfy your urge. Instead, wait for sales in order to get the best price, which in turn will save you money.
16. Try eBay or other auction sites to buy top quality merchandise for a huge discount.
17. Sell some of your stuff. Go through your house and pull together all the items you no longer use.
18. Cigarettes have become quite expensive and if you can quit smoking, you will enjoy breathing easier and having more to put away for a rainy day.
19. Instead of buying expensive baby food, make your own. You can use fresh vegetables such as peas, green beans, or corn, run it through the blender, and then freeze individual servings in ice cube trays.
20. Do not forget to give yourself an allowance for things you enjoy. Even if on a tight budget, buy something that you enjoy, which could be as simple as buying a new shirt or grabbing lunch at your favorite café.
21. If you have a particular weakness, stay away from it. If you have a weakness for shoes, drive past your favorite shoe store.
22. Many people tend to try to heat and cool the entire home. Instead, take the time to close off areas that you are not using.
23. The quickest way to get in debt is to live beyond your means. Sure, most people want more than they have but life is not all about spending money.
24. You do not have to compete with anyone. Stick to what you can afford regardless of what anyone else has or pressure you might be feeling.
25. To save gas, organize your day of errands so you get as much done in an organized manner as possible.