Debt Consolidation Lowdown: 101 Ways to Cut Your Daily Costs

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101 Ways to Cut Your Daily Costs
America is becoming more affluent and prosperous - but many Americans, individually, aren‘t.  Even as our lifestyles are generally improving, the number of Americans declaring bankruptcy or otherwise in financial trouble is at an all time high. Whatever the reason for this, the fact remains that more than ever before, we need to figure out how to get more for less; and how to squeeze all those unavoidable expenses in one paycheck. Read on...
Honey, I shrunk the grocery bill!
Planning your grocery shopping carefully may help you save up to 20% or more.
1. Don’t shop from only one store. Pricing and sales vary widely on any given day from one store to the next. Of course, balance the savings from shopping around against the price of gas to get there.
2. Plan your weekly menu and shop accordingly. Avoid ‘crisis shopping’ for food items after work; you are likely to spend much more.
3. Be aware of the grocery store product placement strategy. Items that have highest markup are generally placed at chest level where they stand a better chance of being picked up. Stand to your toes or kneel down to have access to cheaper house or generic brands.
4. Try to follow your shopping list strictly and avoid stopping by attractive impulse purchase items on your way to the destination shelf.
5. Try shopping without your kids in tow. They help you buy those things that you never wanted to buy in the first place.
6. Try not to be picky about brands. Try out new brands and you may get a fabulous ‘introductory’ discount.
7. Don’t shop when you are hungry. Research says that you are likely to buy more when your stomach is growling.
8. Scan your local newspaper daily for the best grocery sales.
9. Don’t be embarrassed toclip coupons from news papers and other periodicals and use them while paying your grocery bills. You could even visit your super-mall’s website and see if they provide online coupons.
10. Pay for coupons if you have to; it helps you trim your monthly grocery bill. There are a lot of national-brands coupon-offering services on the Web. Make use of them and order coupons for products that are relevant to you and see your grocery bill shrink
11. Items such as painkillers and contact lens solutions cost more when you buy it from your grocer. Therefore avoid purchasing non-grocery items from these places.
12. Look out for opportunities when the grocery shop lowers the price of items simply because they are approaching their expiration date. Buy and use them quickly.
13. Keep a calculator handy while shopping. This way you will be able to know if buying a case is significantly cheaper than buying stand alone items.
14. Check and total the items on the receipts before leaving the store. Sometimes you may be able to catch that error and save your self a lot of dollars and not to forget loads of hassle.
Trim your utlity bills
14. Cooler months necessitate increased energy consumption for keeping the house warm. This is in fact one of the largest contributors to expenditure.  No, you don‘t have to switch off that room heating system to save on energy costs. But do note a few pointers that can help you spend less on keeping your self warm this winter:
15. Almost all utility companies send their energy expert to do a house call and check if everything is in place and there is no energy wastage due to insulation problems. This is generally done free of cost. Even if you have to pay, go for it since it will help you save a lot in the long run.
16. Keep your house a little warmer in summer and a tad bit cooler in winter. Remember that reducing every degree of temperature helps you save approximately 3% of your energy cost. So it makes sense to set the thermostat setting at 70 degrees or lower at night, and between 56 and 60 degrees during the day.
17. Try wearing a sweater rather than a T-shirt even inside the house. This will help you to bring the temperature lower than usual and save you some more dollars.
18. Try not to open and close doors too often. Heat seeps out and brings down the temperature making you spend more on re-warming the room.
19. Getting a homeenergy audit every couple of years with your power company can help you save a lot on your utility bills
20. If your house is vacant for most part of the day, it may make sense to invest in a programmable thermostat that can be turned on half an hour before you arrive. This way you will have a warm house when you come back from a hard days work and will also not have to worry much about energy consumption.
21. Remember that clogged filters can bring down the efficiency of the heating unit translating into more spending on heating. Therefore carry out the simple procedure of changing filters regularly and cut down costs.
22. Use Compact Fluorescent bulbs instead of standard candescent bulbs as they are more energy-efficient and last for years instead of months. They also consume little power and generate very little heat.
23. When not using a room, do remember to switch off that extra light bulb. The same goes for the computer too. After all small savings translate into bigger gains.
24. If you planning to buy a washing machine in the near future, go for a front loading machine. The front loading machine uses 50 % less energy and one-third less water.
Pay less at the hospital
Medical care may be required at the most unexpected times and may cost the sun, moon and the stars if one is not careful. Here are some ways by which you can cut down on medical expenses and lead a healthier life.
25. Kick that smoking habit, go for a jog or swim, eat right, sleep well and do just about all those things that are so very important to keep you healthy. A healthy body is less likely to pay a visit to the doctor in the near future and save you a lot of money in the bargain.
26. Good habits like ‘no-smoking’ can also add several dollars to your savings in the form of lower premiums on life insurance.
27. If you HAVE to visit the doctor, do remember to negotiate the cost of treatment. It is nothing to be shy about. According to a study, 70% of adults who talked with a hospital to bring the cost of treatment lower say that they were successful in negotiating a lower price for their medical bills.
28. Do not take all the prescribed tests and procedures for their face value. Question the rationale of getting each and every test that has been prescribed. A lot of people are subjected to ‘overkill’ of medical procedures every year. So ask questions and save money.
29. In this era of escalating medical costs, health insurance is a must to give you that peace of mind and a night of good sleep. Go in for a health insurance that has a high deductible. This will help make the insurance more affordable.
30. While on the topic ofhealth insurance – check if your medical coverage is part of your employee benefits. If it is then you may not need that extra health insurance after all.
31. If you are due for a dental job like straightening and brightening teeth or perhaps fix dental problems, try approaching a dental school for it. You pay less since the under trainees carry out the less complicated procedures at far cheaper rates.
Limit phone expenses
Telephone usage cost is another key contributor to bloated monthly expenditure. Communication is critical to existence so the need to have a phone cannot be overemphasized. Having said this, it is also important to keep the phone costs low for better cost control. Here are some ways in which you can make sure that you are not spending more than what is required on your phone.
32. Look around and compare cost of various telephone companies, both at the time of getting a new connection but also from time to time. This helps you to know which company is giving a better deal and helps you to either negotiate with your company or make that timely switch.
33. Carefully analyze all the services being offered by your telephone company. You could perhaps cancel some extra services that you normally may not require but come to you at a cost. Services like call waiting, caller ID, voicemail, call forwarding and three-way calling can easily be done away with.
34. If your low cost carrier charges you a fee if you receive a paper bill, try paying the bills online. This may also lead to some cost saving
35. Check out your long-distance carrier’s policy regarding call-rounding. Some carriers offer a six second call rounding rather than one minute call rounding. This helps the subscriber to save on shorter calls thus translating into big savings.
36. Try using a prepaid phone card so that you are able to keep your phone costs under check. Once the amount on the prepaid card is over, you may have to discipline yourself to wait for the next month to buy another card
37. If contemplating using a cell phone, do a thorough need analysis before going for it. Remember cell phones can be expensive if you start using them for making all phone calls.
38. And the ‘master’ tip for cutting costs while using your phone – Talk Less! Save more!
Clothe yourself without killing your wallet
You love to dress well and look good! You can still do so by following these simple dressing tips that not only help you be presentable but also help you cut down on clothing expenditure.
39. Wait for the end of season sale to help you pick up some good bargains. Stock these clothes to last you for the entire year.
40. Known brands come with high mark up price tags. Try to buy lesser known brands that will save you a lot of money.
41. Be creative (not lavish) with your dressing. Include basic colors, such as blue, black and gray in your wardrobe and then have a great time mixing and matching different scarves and blouses to create a new look every time.
42. Stay away from trendy stuff. The ‘here now gone tomorrow’ fashion trends make you spend unnecessarily. Also remember that the trendier the outfit, the less chances of it seeing the daylight (or nightlife) because of your fear of being labeled as a ‘master’ of repeats.
43. Accessorize, but don’t go for an over kill while attempting to have matching handbags, shoes, bracelets with every single outfit.
44. Dry-cleaning can be very expensive, therefore reserve your silks for extra special occasions. Use wash and wear clothes more instead.
45. Got anasty stain on your dress? Try removing it yourself. Click here for more tips on cheap stains removal.
Cut down while dining out
Dining and wining with loved ones and friends has become an integral part of our lives. It breaks the monotony of eating home-cooked meals (not to mention the monotony of cooking!) and gives us something to look forward to. As such it is blasphemous even to think of eliminating its existence from our lives.  Some pointers however may help us tone down our food and beverage expenses while leaving the fun component intact.
46. Swear to drink just one coffee or soft drink less than your usual intake. This is guaranteed to lower your beverage cost over a month. Water is a good inexpensive substitute.
47. Try to carry lunch from home to work. This will prevent you from going out every day during lunch time to grab a bite. Trust me this is a much cheaper and healthier option.
48. Look out for new restaurants in town. Their opening specials and discounts can help you celebrate even while spending less.
49. Reserve dining out for special occasions – birthdays and anniversaries!
50. If you have to take someone out, take him out for lunch rather than for dinner. Dinners are extendible and a lot of dishes get ordered. Lunch times are tight and every one is in a hurry to get back to work.
51. Do remember to check out your local newspaper before deciding where to go for that special dinner that you have promised your family. You may find some fabulous ‘happy hour’ or ‘early bird’ discounts.
52. Try to dine out on a week day rather than on a week end since some restaurants jack up their prices over the week end.
53. Avoid having alcoholic drink at the restaurant along with your dinner. The price you pay for the drink is very high. Instead you could have a drink or two before you leave for dinner or a brandy after you come back.
54. Vegetarianism is in and don’t forget that the cost of vegetarian entrees is much lesser than non-veg entrees. Try being a vegetarian. It pays!
55. Create a romantic ambience at home, complete with soft background music and candle light dinner. Then stroll down the block for desert or coffee. This actually can be an inexpensive yet romantic affaire.
56. If you are really hungry and need large portions to bring in a sense of satiety, try ethnic food like Chinese, Mexican, Italian, Indian or Thai. A lot of restaurants offering these cuisines offer large portions at a reasonable cost.
57. ‘Take away’ or ‘Order Out’ may be a far cheaper option than eating at a restaurant where you have to pay 15 to 20% of the check as tip.
Feed your soul for less
Just as eating out refreshes the taste buds, entertainment nourishes the soul. However one needs to strike a balance between what is required and what is in excess. Herein lies the secret of making your dollar walk that extra mile.
58. If you are a book lover, why not join a library instead of buying all those books? This way you can read more for less.
59. Create a book club with friends, relatives, coworkers or like minded people and recycle books.
60. If you read multiple periodicals, do a ‘reality check’ once in a while to gauge what you are reading and what you are not. Do not renew subscriptions of magazines that you do not read or read just once in a while.
61. When buying a book, make sure you let the book store know where you are coming from. Some stores give discounts to employees of select companies. Likewise students and professors are also given price offs at some stores.
62. If your favorite magazine has an online edition, compare its cost with physical magazine subscription cost. You might find that online versions are much cheaper.
63. Movie buffs can still view the first run of movies at an affordable cost if they go for the matinee show.
64. A lot of communities show movies that have been around for few weeks for much lesser price. Therefore you can cut your movie going cost by a sizable amount if you have the patience to wait.
65. Skipping popcorn while watching a movie in the theater may help you cut some more costs. Chew gum instead!.
66. By simply switching to a basic cable offering for your television you can cut some costs. And when did you have the time to watch the 1000 channels being aired anyway?
67. And if you want a more drastic cut – eliminate TV viewing completely. This will not only save you the cable cost but also put a curb on your ever evolving ‘desires’. Less informed in this case may actually work out best and prevent you from becoming a victim of alluring advertising.
68. You could also win tickets to concerts or movies by simply tuning to your local radio channels and answering questions asked by the Radio Jockeys from time to time.
69. Become a volunteer at fairs, festivals and sporting events. You not only get free admission to these events but as a bonus get to mingle with the artists too.
Commute wisely
70. Commuting and travel form another huge chunk of expenses, what with fuel prices soaring higher everyday. Take some extreme measures to get your fuel expenditure under control. Here are a few tips:
71. Carpool to work with coworkers and with friends when going shopping. This reduces the fuel expenses drastically.
72. Use public transport instead of driving your car. It is not only a far cheaper option but also protects you from stress of driving.
73. If your place of work is just two blocks away from where you live, consider walking down to work every day. While cutting on your commuting cost, you may find a good way to be physically fit.
74. Trust your good old bicycle to take you to places that is a little far for walking and too near to go by car. It’s a healthy way of commuting.
75. When you use public transport for commuting, buy a multiple-ride discount card or a monthly pass. This will help you travel even more affordably.
76. If your job gives you the option to telecommute, take it. Telecommuting is a work arrangement in which employees enjoy limited flexibility in working location and hours. So in essence you do not have to travel to your work place but just go where your job takes you.
77. If you have no option but to drive, find out the shortest and thus the cheapest route to your place of work.
78. Check with your insurance agent if by driving the car less you would end up getting auto insurance a whole lot cheaper. You therefore not only save on fuel cost but also on your auto insurance.Keep the air pressure in your tires just right. Under-inflated tires not only wear faster but also cause a lot of fuel wastage.
79. Invest in regular car checkups and tune-ups. This helps the engine to be more fuel efficient and makes you spend less.
80. Don’t keepunnecessary weight in the trunk of your car. More weight causes more fuel to be used.
81. Before paying for your fuel by credit card check with the petrol station if they charge extra for payment through credit cards. If this is so, pay cash!
82. Try to combine errands in one trip. This makes the entire effort a whole lot cheaper.
83. Plan well and fuel up at the petrol station that offers quality fuel and also offers it at a lower price.
84. Try to use air conditioning only when you are driving with out much gear change like on a highway. If you have to keep on stopping at the traffic signals, switch off the air conditioning and roll down your window. This helps prevent fuel wastage.
85. Make sure that the cap of your fuel tank fits well else fuel will evaporate and cause wastage.
Cuttin‘ card costs
Today, it seems impossible that anyone can exist without a credit card. The number of people who use credit cards today is unimaginable. This boon of our times has however caused many to fall prey to heavy debts. Judicious and guarded use of the plastic card can bail you out in emergencies. But it can also break havoc if used for indiscriminate spending. Here are a few tips to help you:
86. Don’t blame the credit card for your debts. If you cannot discipline yourself while using the card, I suggest that you destroy it. In the long run this will help you manage your expenses better.
87. Even if you have a credit card in your wallet, try to pay by cash wherever possible. This will help you take charge of your expenses.
88. While selecting a credit card take a few minutes to actually figure out who offers the lowest interest.  Then make an effort never to actually use that interest.
89. Always try to pay the entire amount reflected in your statement. Don’t carry forward a balance and save the money that you would have paid as interest.
90. Check all the entrees in your statement. If you disagree with a particular entry, quickly bring it to the knowledge of the credit card company. It might well be an error entry.
91. Don’t get pulled into buying acredit card because it is offering ‘interest free’ terms. Very few companies are offering them today. It is usually an introductory offer and after the term expires, the interest that your credit card company may charge you can be killing.
92. Don’t pay the fees that you do not have to. For example if you have sent the payment on time but it reached the credit card company late sue to some unknown reason, ask then to waive off the ‘late fee’ that they have imposed on you.
Other smart ways to cut your daily costs
93. Due for a manicure or a pedicure or that exotic spa facial? Try approaching the local beauty school, it may be far cheaper than your regular well established beauty parlor.
94. Try to do some housework yourself. Things like washing and waxing your own car, mowing your own yard or painting your own fence may help you save some more of those precious dollars.
95. You can cut child-care expenses through flexible scheduling. Try telecommuting, job sharing or perhaps working more flexible hours so that you can reduce the hours that you spend away from home.
96. When arranging for a get together at home try organizing a "pitch-in" dinner where every one gets something. This does not limit the fun, but helps you cut costs in a big way.
97. Be creative with leftovers and don’t throw them away. Remember how pizza was invented. This way you avoid wastage and save money
98. Try drinking water instead of soda or sweetened juice. It is not only healthy but will also help you save.
99. Carry Less Cash when you go out shopping. This limits what you will spend and keeps you miles away from temptations of making impulse purchases.
100. Try renting rather than buying expensive items that you rarely use – For example: Lawn Mowers.
101. Do remember to collect receipts for the donations that you make like clothing or other items to charitable groups. A signed receipt from them can help you lower your tax liability and hence help you save those extra dollars.
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September 21, 2006 inHelpful Tips |Permalink
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