|
|
|
Hello,
I hope everyone is having a nice New Year. This week's newsletter is about Saving Money in the New Year. We have a bunch of great tips sent in by readers. I hope you enjoy them. We also have a poll on the website titled "Poll: Are you planning on saving more money this year?". You can post your response at the link below or by visiting our home page.
http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf34311017.tip.html
Thanks for reading,
Susan
Enter The Photo Contest:
http://www.thriftyfun.com/post_photocontest.ldml
Enter The Tip Contest:
http://www.thriftyfun.com/post_contest.ldml
Frugal solutions to everyday problems: Submit a request...
http://www.thriftyfun.com/post_request.ldml
This newsletter contains:
Tips:
Today's Sponsors
Print brand name coupons and use them at your favorite store! Sign up to take advantage of over 81 money-saving offers inside.
http://www.thriftyfun.com/lk/print_coupons.lasso
New Contest
Submit Your Tips and Photos!
Tip Contest!
To enter, visit: http://www.thriftyfun.com/post_contest.ldml
Photo Contest!
To enter, visit: http://www.thriftyfun.com/post_photocontest.ldml
Contest ends January 31, 2005
Tips
Saving Seeds
I will be saving money by using my free seeds I have received during the past few months and I am still receiving them. This will save a huge amount of money. You can too, just go to one of the many seed exchange groups at yahoo groups. By exchanging seeds or just giving ones you no longer need or have too many of, you will also have many more seeds (that the seeds you plant this coming year produce.)
Peace and Love,
By Barb from Sioux Falls, SD
Using Debit Instead of Credit
I have an ATM debit card that has a MasterCard logo on it. I also joined PayPal. This way I no longer use a credit card, even if a merchant only takes credit cards.
With the logo card, or PayPal, I can pay merchants who take credit cards, but the "charge" is debited from my checking account, and there is no interest to pay. I am saving a lot of money, and it's great to be credit-card free.
By Carrie Singer from Pasadena, CA
Increasing Deposits in Savings
Best money saving tip would have to be a three-part plan we've adopted for increasing our deposits to the savings account.
1. Saving all coins to be wrapped and deposited to the account. A money mill helps with this as at the end of each day, we just empty our change ~ ALL of it ~ into the mill. We don't carry it with us so we don't spend it.
2. Saving all $1 bills in a bank envelope to be deposited each week. You will be shocked at how many $1 bills cross your palm in a week!
3. Activating an automatic electronic deposit to our savings account from our paycheck before the pay check even comes to us.
We began three years ago with the coins, then two years ago added the $1 bills, and last year, activated the direct deposit to our savings account.
As we got used to each level of savings, we anticipated the next, and if you aren't sure it will make a difference to you, then at least use a calculator to keep track of the change and the $1 bills for a week.
I think you will be surprised at how much you could be saving. We were!
By Ronsan from Southwest Missouri
Repaying Savings Account
If you're forced to dip into your savings for an emergency, consider it a loan that must be paid back in a reasonable period of time, and set up a repayment schedule.
By Nancy from Madison, WI
Saving Money for Next Christmas
Having trouble saving enough money for the end of the year holidays. Buy cards from retailers and add a little money each week. The trick is not to use the card until the holiday is near. Retailers like Wal-Mart don't take money out of the card if you don't use it. Be careful tho' because some retailers do!
By Loretta from Mesa, AZ
Saving at Christmas
One year we all made Home Made Gifts. It was the best Christmas I have ever had. Some made crafts, some foods, woodcrafts, paper cards, homemade wrapping paper, bows etc.
By PJP58 from Oklahoma
Editor's Note: It's a good time of year to contact the family to make plans for next year for everyone drawing names, making homemade gifts, family members going together to buy gifts or whatever plans you wish you had done this year.
Saving on Energy Bills
If you have windows you don't use - that you don't need to open or to see out of often - cover them with insulation to cut your utility costs. Get the foam board insulation, cut it to fit snuggly into the window frame, and just wedge it in.
In the winter, it keeps cold air from coming in and warm air from going out. In the summer, it does the opposite. Keep your curtains closed and no one need know it is there. If you want to use the window one season or another, just take out the insulation during that time. This can make a huge difference in your heating and air conditioning energy bills.
By Coleen from Alaska
Saving Money on Breakfast Coffee When Eating at a Restaurant
My husband and I go out for breakfast most every morning. It is our social time to strengthen community ties. It keeps us from getting cabin fever during Alaska's long dark winters.
We plan to save money this year by having our coffee at home first. If we do this just five days a week, it will save us about $500 a year.
Instead of drinking our coffee at home on the run as we get dressed, we decided to make it into a special time for us. We're taking time to sit together and plan our day, review goals, and make sure we are on track to accomplish what we want in the new year.
By Coleen from Soldotna, Alaska
Feel free to add your tips below or submit them on the contest page.
Post Feedback: Click Here
Today's Sponsors
Print brand name coupons and use them at your favorite store! Sign up to take advantage of over 81 money-saving offers inside.
http://www.thriftyfun.com/lk/print_coupons.lasso
More Stuff
Coupon Swap!
Swap coupons with other ThriftyFun.com users:
Seed Swap!
Swap seeds with other ThriftyFun.com users:
Tip Contest!
Submit a tip and enter our contest.
Submit a Request
Frugal solutions to everyday problems.
Search ThriftyFun!
Use Google technology to search ThriftyFun.
Like ThriftyFun on Facebook
