HOW TO SAVE ON RESTAURANTS




If you have a particular restaurant that you like try to check out their Web sites and sign up for their regular email newsletters ,you will receive coupons and special offers.


When it comes to saving money on restaurants my advice is :" Order water instead of sodas,milk or other beverages". At least you will be saving $2.50 or even more.

Avoid eating on restaurants at dinner time , usually prices goes up at this time.

You can buy discounted gift certificates at http://www.restaurant.com/. or check your city's local newspapers for local coupon sections. . Websites as OpenTable.com and MenuPages.com post their menus from many restaurants around the world.


Make an appetizer your meal. Appetizers’ portions are often very good portion for 2 people ,or consider buying one meal and appetizer instead of 2 whole meals.













HOW TO SAVE MONEY FOR COLLEGE


Ways to help reduce college costs:

Consider community college first then ,transferring to a four-year college or university could save you a so much money in tuition costs.

Think about your goals , so you don't have to change majors, , the more time you lose, the more you will spend money.

Research scholarships

Take more tests mean ,less time on campus means fewer tuition bills, since colleges charge for every courses taken.


How to save on books

First try to find out if someone else on campus had to already taken that course .Borrow if it’s possible. instead of buying it.

On sites like Amazon used hardcover books are often cheapest.

Sell your own books online after you don't need them, or sell them back to campus bookstore.

Upromise, a free program that help to save money for college, you will earn free money in a college savings account when you eat at participating restaurants. For more information go to this site http://www.upromise.com/.

Scholarship sites to look for:( Scholarships Around the US )
www.fafsa4caster.ed.gov/
http://studentaid.ed.gov/PORTALSWebApp/students/english/index.jsp
http://www.collegeanswer.com/index.jsp

SAVE MONEY ON ENERGY BILL


SAVE MONEY ON ENERGY BILL


Switch to compact fluorescent light bulbs.


Don't leave lights on when no one is in the room. If you are going to be out of the room for more than a few minutes, turn off the light.


Clean your air conditioner by cleaning the furnace filter at least once a month.



Opt for a ceiling fan to save more energy when the weather is not to hot.


Set the water heater temperature at 120 degrees This will help save energy and prevent scalding.


When washing clothes set the laundry machine at cold water cycle energy use by 75% , use only the hot cycle when you really need it only. Don't overload the dryer washer's .


Refrigerator and freezer Keep the refrigerator temperature about 36-38 degrees, and the freezer at 0-5 degrees .


If you are not using your computer, turn it off.


Use a microwave to warm up small amounts of food rather than use the stove.


If you leave a security light on overnight, change the incandescent bulb to the compact

fluorescent ones fluorescent lamps come in yellow so they won't attract bugs.


For more information look at these pages

http://www.alliantenergygeothermal.com/stellent2/groups/public/documents/pub/phtv_se_000498.hcsp
http://www.energysmart.com.au/brochures/energy_bills.pdf

HOW TO SAVE ON CREDIT CARDS


One of the biggest problem about credit cards are high interest rate. When you already own money to credit cards , pay more than the minimum , as much as you can,(credit card companies collect extra interest when you pay only the minimum payment.

Also this will increase your available credit line Which combined with a good payment history can increase your FICO score.

Negotiate with the card company for better rates or fee. Ask your credit card company to lower your interest rate to match a competitor. Chances are, your credit card company might be willing to negotiate with you.


Another important point Stay away from credit card that offers rewards, like getting point every time you use your card and can be redeemed for airline tickets or other kinds of rewards,they aren't worth the risk of finding yourself deeper in debt.


If you have more than one credit card Pay the highest rate loans first rather than the card with the highest balance.Also make sure about your accounts because credit cards sometime could charge you with hidden fees or unexpected rate increases.


To eliminate the temptation of credit cards, Consider cutting some cards up. You could also close credit card accounts.



For more information click here :

http://www.cardweb.com/

http://www.bankrate.com/

HOW TO SAVE ON PLANE TICKETS


-Start as far ahead as you can. When you want to find cheap tickets,you need to act fast . You might have to pay double the price if you book only a couple of days before your departing day. If you book around 20-days in advance is much better than booking at the last minute.

Cut airfare costs by traveling on off-peak days such as Saturday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday,comparing Friday through Monday when most people fly.

Whatever ticket price you're going to buy. Make sure it includes taxes and fees. They can bump up a ticket price by $100 or more. Some ads for low fares don't include taxes and fees.

-If you want to buy only a one-way ticket Try to look into round trip tickets first . Sometimes, round trip airfares are cheaper if bought in advance.

- Tuesdays @ midnight. This is when many airlines post their sale fares -. (airline agents load new fares into their computers)


Be Flexible on Your Airport

-Travel packages. If you are also going to need a hotel and rental car, consider travel packages as they can be less expensive than reserving each individually.

-Compare prices on the Web. See which ones are having discounts or specials on the day you need to travel.(A good idea is to look around first and later on, name your own price and see if you could save even more)

HOW TO SAVE ONLINE


Online shopping
Is a great way for you to find the largest selection of products on sales, deals on electronic equipment, toys, software and other technology related items.. It also good for you to compare prices from different stores.

Product Comparison
The Internet provide shoppers with the quickest and easiest method of product comparison. A regular retail store might offer several products to compare, but shopping online offers the ability to compare prices around from many stores, plus the convince of getting what you want a cheaper price ,also the advantage of getting what you want at any time (open seven days a week, 24 hours a day) and delivered right to your door.

Before you buy ,check the company out.
Only do business with companies that provide their address and a phone number,if possible ask for references and check them carefully. A reputable company will be pleased to provide you with lots of references, if you happen to need them.

Keep your records.
Always print out a copy of any online products or services you purchase.
Do not use your debit card online. It is much, easier to dispute a purchase with a credit card company than using a debt card.

HOW TO SAVE ON GAS


Keep the tires inflated properly. Under inflated tires waste fuel and wear out the tire tread. Keep tires regularly for alignment and balance tuneups and follow through with routine maintenance.

Replace filters regularly it. It should be changed every three months or 3,000 miles Dirty filters use up more gas since less air gets in creating a richer gas mixture.


Don't top off the gas tank. When is warm weather, fuel expansion could cause an overflow, Set the Pump Trigger on lowest position as well

While driving Don't make fast starts or sudden stops.It burns more gasoline


Turn off your radio before starting your car. It will put less strain on your engine.


Avoiding jack-rabbit starts and keeping highway speeds below 60 are also helpful.it will help you save more gasoline even driving at 55 mph give you up to 21% better mileage when compared to former legal speed limits of 60 mph .


Parking your car in the garage instead of in the driveway. During the winter the car won't get as cold and so will start easier and take less time to warm up your engine, also a good idea is to park your car in forward gear; avoid reverse gear maneuvers to save gas.

Consider a gas-station card Many gasoline companies offer point cards which provide discounts on gas .

Gasoline truck pumping Don't fill up gasoline when is being stirred up as the gas is being delivered, you might pick up some of the dirt that settles on the bottom.

The best time to fill up your gas is after dark. When the sun and traffic volume are down. station sometimes raise prices for rush hours.

If you’d like to save even more money, check out the website http://www.gasbuddy.com/ for a list of the cheapest gas stations around your neighborhood it provides current prices at stations around the country, Prices are updated daily.

HOW TO GET STARTED

My family, with the holy wisdom that God has provided for us,Have just started to discover that no matter how much you owe or how much you make, you could save hundreds of dollars a month by taking some drastic measures in your life.

What you need to get started....

- God's help and direction. You could argue, "hey!, you don't need God to have a lot of money" but I tell you, those that don't have God in their lives misuse the money they accumulate and end up losing their money, their lives and their souls.

- You gotta have a motive or a need to get started. My family's personal motive is debt.

- All the members in the family have to be clear on what the whole group is trying to accomplish.

- Track your expenses, no matter how small these are. This will help you identify where all your money goes.

Drastic steps for saving money:

- Stay away from restaurants. My husband and I and our 2 kids would regularly go out to eat at least 5 times a week, we would spend approximately 600 dollars a month eating out in restaurants.

- Cut your cable subscription. Nowadays, a digital cable subscription can cost you from 65 to 100 dollars per month. Cut it, save money and keep your kids away from all the violence and pornography in it.

- Eliminate junk food from your diet. I don't know about you but whenever we went to the supermarket, 40% of our groceries would be junk food. The only way you can eliminate all of these cravings is by eating more fruits, they are cheaper and healthier.

I have just listed some of our personal drastic measures that my family has undertaken. You might have some unique weakneses that are draining your money away. You could be a casual drinker, a smoker or a fashion lover that is why I mentioned God in the beggining. Only Jesus is a specialist on the drastic and on the impossible, believe and God will make you stronger against all your weaknesses. If you think about it, your weaknesses are the ones that take most of your money away.

Some other personal tips:

When grocery shopping....

-Bring a shopping list and don't bring more money than what you plan to spend. Also look for stores that offer price matching bring the other stores flyers for proof.

- Buy family packs. If it's meat, divide meat into portions, you could have enough meat to prepare up to 3 meals depending on the dish you are trying to make (Some simple and economic dishes include Chow mein, Burritos, Pasta)

-Use coupons. Coupons work best when they're combined with another deal or when the item you buy will be cheaper than or equal as the store brand.

When looking for healthy entertainment....

-Don't overspend. Visit your local public library where you can borrow the latest in DVD movies , books , newspapers, magazines. Stay away from movie renting and newspaper/magazine subscriptions.

- Visit local municipal parks

When looking for an item that your family needs.....

- Compare prices : Be sure to shop around.

- Check on the internet. Usually they offer the items at a discount when you shop online. Some stores offer free delivery.