The Bible is packed full of verses about financial lessons.  For example, did you know that the Bible talks about money over 2,000 times?  Pretty crazy huh?  It’s evident just from my last Bible study that money is an important subject to our Lord.

It’s so important, God even says that it’s the hardest thing for a rich man to accept Jesus as his savior.  Hard to swallow, but oh so true.

I got to thinking about verses dealing with finances and I’ve hand picked five that are not only applicable but hit me close to home.  I’ll share each verse and what it means to me in my life.  Hope you enjoy!

Deuteronomy 8:18

“Remember the Lord your God, for it is He who gives you the ability to produce wealth.”

When I’m feeling selfish or feeling like hoarding possessions, I think of this verse.  It’s easy to forget that God gave me certain skills to produce wealth in the first place!  It’s always encouraging to come back to this verse and remember that I’m nothing without Jesus.  If I get a bonus at work, praise God, if I make extra money on some side jobs, praise God.  All the praise should and will always go back to Him.

Proverbs 13:22

“A good man leaves an inheritance to his children’s children.”

Although I don’t have any kids yet, this verse is already convicting me!  My sinful nature doesn’t want to give ANY money away!  It’s a beautiful thing to not only give an inheritance to your kids but also to your grandchildren. It’s also an image of God’s love for His children.  I pray to God that I can honor Him in this way someday!

Luke 12:15

“Then Jesus said to them, ‘Watch out!  Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.’”

I see greed all around me.  I’ve seen people stab other people in the back (not literally!) and lie to people’s faces to get ahead in life.  It’s just not worth it.  It’s also refreshing to come back to this verse and realize that life is more than the stuff we own.  It’s about how we steward the stuff!

Proverbs 3:9

“Honor the Lord with your wealth, with the first fruits of all your crops; then your barns will be filled to overflowing, and your vats will brim over with new wine.”

This is all about tithing and giving the Lord your best “crop.”  You should set aside money for your church or missionaries first, then pay your bills.  Using your money to further God’s kingdom should always come first.  I like to do checklists to make sure I’m still on the right track.  If certain things like entertainment or eating out are cutting into my tithing, it’s time to cut back on those things, not tithing!  I don’t want to stand in front of the Lord someday and be embarrassed about my poor stewardship.

Leviticus 25:23

“And remember, the land is Mine, so you may not sell it permanently.  You are merely My tenants and sharecroppers!”

In closing…

We own nothing in this world!  We might think we do from time to time, but everything is God’s.  This verse helps me remember that and it also keeps me humble.  I’m simply a “tenant” wherever I am.  Nothing is really mine.  Convicting isn’t it!

Well, I hope these verses affected you for the better.  I know they’ve had  a big impact in my own life and have seen them change the way I view the world and my own personal finances.

photo by smemon

It’s 2012 and you’re still eating donuts?  Put that croissant down and get serious about your fitness goals!  Yes, I did just call you out.  You set a resolution this year and you’re not about to fail, that’s why I’m writing this article!

If you tell me money is holding you back, well that’s a bunch of nonsense.  All I hear is excuses, excuses, excuses.

Thankfully, getting fit requires little to no budget at all!  It’s all about your personal drive and ambition.  As I’m a huge fitness nut myself, I thought I’d share my top 7 tips for getting fit on a small budget.  I understand what it’s like to be strapped for cash, as I’ve been poor most of my life.

So please check out the following tips and go reach your personal fitness goals.  Time to start sweating!

Run for free

Go buy a pair of your favorite running shoes and hit the local trails!  If the trails scare you, you can go on the open road.  Whatever you choose, it’s all free!  If you’re just starting out, you’ll want to start small and gradually work your way up.  Start with one mile a day for a week and slowly increase the distance each week.  Running can also be a fun group activity to do with your friends.  Running is one of the best workouts anyone can have.  It works every part of your body and requires some serious effort.  I highly encourage you to start running as it’s easy on the wallet.

Get paid to workout

What if you want to work but also want to get paid for it?  Well, you could become a fitness instructor at a local gym!  Not only would you get a free membership to the gym but you will get a good workout in while teaching others how to do the same.  It’s a win-win in my book.  Go to your local gyms and ask around.  Some don’t require credentials; they just want to see a drive and passion for working out!  What better way to reach your fitness goals than by teaching other people and getting paid for it!

Join a local workout league

OK, so if you’re a group type of person (I’m not), then joining a local workout or running league would make sense for you.  There is typically a small fee associated with this, so it will have a minimal effect on your wallet.  Cities should offer an organized program and there are private organizations that do this as well.  They understand that you want to work out, so you shouldn’t be searching too long before you find a fun group to workout with.

Rent workout DVDs from your library

You know those funny kick boxing DVDs and P90X programs?  Well they are actually a great workout!  Where should you rent them though?  From your local library of course!  You’d be surprised about the large selection at libraries.  They have every workout DVD you can think of.  Stop wasting time and go rent one of these DVDs!

Build a home gym from used equipment

Go hit up some garage sales and start building your own home gym!  This idea only works if you have large property or a big house.  You’ll need some room to make this happen.  You can find some awesome equipment at local garage sales.  Who didn’t have a workout bench growing up?  I see workout equipment at garage sales all the time.  I’ve even seen semi-brand new equipment for pennies on the dollar!  No excuses. Go build yourself a gym if you’re too lazy or too stingy to go to the local gym.

photo by superfantastic

Before you rush to the grocery store to pick up another cheap bunch of flowers (you know who you are) take a look at these homemade Valentines Day gift ideas.  Forget the idea that Valentines Day gifts needed to be expensive?  Whether you’re looking to make a thoughtful gift for your girlfriend/wife or just need a few ideas for homemade valentines gifts for your boyfriend / husband, these suggestions should get your creative juices flowing.

Homemade Valentines Day Gifts for Her

Breakfast in Bed

Serve up her favorite breakfast and deliver it before she gets up in the morning.  Sure, it’s been done year after year…but when was the last time you did it?

Homemade Cards

Hallmark cards can cost upwards of $6 a pop! If you desperately need some inspiration, spend a few minutes in the card aisle the next time you’re at WalMart.  You don’t need to write out a book – you just need to tell her how much you appreciate her.

Picture Frame

If you’re really creative, you might pick up some wood from the hardware store and make a custom picture frame.  Pick out a picture of you two that she likes and frame it for her.  If you have Photoshop skills, add a verse like Proverbs 31:29 “Many women do noble things, but you surpass them all.”

Coupon Book

Cut out 5 hearts and turn them into coupons that she can redeem at any time.  Say things like, “good for one relaxing night off” or “you get the TV remote today.”  Get creative, but don’t forget to write an expiration date in really fine print at the bottom.  I’m kidding! (sorta)

Scrabble Collage

Print a few pictures of the two of you and create a collage that uses scrabble pieces to spell out words like “love, forever, together, happiness.”

Make a Nice Dinner

Take the reigns in the kitchen and make her favorite dish.  Tell her that she has the night off and let her enjoy it with a book or with her favorite movie.

Homemade Valentines Day Gifts for Him

Popcorn and a Movie (for him)

He would love to go one Valentines Day without “The Notebook” being suggested as a movie for the night.  Surprise him with his favorite action movie or comedy from Redbox.  Wrap it in something frilly to throw him off.

Make a Card

Keep it low-key with a nice handwritten card that tells him how much you appreciate him.

Bake Something Sweet

Put together a batch of delicious cookies or a cake with a Valentines Day feel.

Frame a Picture

Update his office décor with a new picture of the two of you.

Jar of Candy

Find his favorite candy and fill up a glass jar or coffee cup with it.

Design a fun shirt

Find a plain shirt and decorate it with an inside joke or a funny phrase.

What are some creative homemade Valentine’s Day gifts that you’ve made?

image credit

Spending money is easy – and saving it? Not so simple.

And the reason for that one way equation is that the odds are firmly stacked against you when you are out on the front-line of shopping. Stores and malls have had decades in perfecting their strategies to part you from your dollar – so it’s hardly surprising that they can fly out of your wallet so readily.

The way out of this dilemma, which is especially important in these days of tightened finances, is to turn the tables. Become the warrior in the retail conflict –  understand the enemy’s motives and learn tactics to put you on the winning side. And rule one of any conflict is to know your enemy.

No, not the guy behind the till – but the retail organization that backs him up. The techniques of persuasive retailing revolve around convincing you that you need the products on display. And also that the store is your friend, helping to make sure you get to own these wonderful things.

It’s all about identifying you with the product, careful product placement, and making the sale seductive. The whole process starts long before you even get out of the door, to go to the mall.  Here’s how to respond:

1. Stay Skeptical

So to start your quest to save money, you need to disengage from the propaganda war waged in your front room. Treat adverts with a healthy skepticism; don’t be drawn into product envy by what the neighbors have; and decide before you go out shopping – your mission is to save money, not spend it.

2. Do Your Homework

Make sure you do your intel. Check out what discount, thrift and close-out stores are in your area, and compare their prices to those on offer in the mainstream stores. These can provide you with useful basement-price information, which will come in handy when you try to negotiate prices down. Decide on your tactics before you go into the store, and then focus on getting the results you want.

3. Find Substitutes

One approach that many seasoned grocery store scrimpers take, is to cherry-pick. That means casting your net of food-stores as wide as practical, and then shopping in each for only those items on offer. If you’re prepared to substitute your usual brands and items, like-for like, for those on discount only, you will easily be able to fill your basket with bargains. Combine that tactic with a fistful of coupons, and you have an ideal double whammy –  capable of slashing you grocery bill right down to size.

4. Buy More Save More

Another line of attack to is to work the volume bartering angle. This works well in clothing stores. Here you tempt the shop assistant with a relatively large sale, for several items. Then insist on a discount – or you walk. If you can back this up with evidence that similar products are on offer at lower prices in other stores, the counter-staff can quickly cave-in. Obviously this requires you to have the money for multiple purchases –  and a definite need for all the items in question. But the savings can be spectacular.

5. Find Lower Prices First

Along similar lines is the commission counter-attack. This is of use when buying big-ticket items, like cars or sound systems. If you’ve done your research, and know what you want, go to the store and find the lowest price possible.

Once the salesperson thinks they’ve convinced you to buy, and has counted on your purchase for their commission, let them know about the better deal elsewhere. Once you start to move out store, the price ticket will come tumbling down.

Retail outlets will always be making money off of the every-day combatant. Just don’t be one of them – be hard-nosed, with precise tactical skill, and the best deals will be yours. Remember – war is dirty!

This article is a guest post from Edward, a blogger who writes about freeware reviews at http://www.bestfreeonline.net/

Many people are still struggling to cope with their new economic reality after the most recent recession. One of the fastest and most effective ways to make a financial change is to lower your cable bill, or even eliminate it completely. 

Here are several options that you have to lower your cable bill. 

How to Cut Your Cable Bill

Get Rid of Unwanted Channels

Look at your bill and cut out all of the channels that you don’t need. It doesn’t make sense to pay for 800-1000 channels when you only watch about 6 or 7 regularly! Many times the company will try to force you to buy packages rather than individual channels; however, you may have some success with paying for only a few stations. 

Take Advantage of a Bundle

Most service providers offer more than one related service. You may be able to combine your cable service, Internet connection, land-line phone, and maybe even your cell phone into one bundled service. Sometimes you can find significant savings by going this route (but not always), so make a quick phone call to your various service providers to see if any of them offer bundles. 

Call and Ask for a Discount

Pretty much all cable companies offer various promotions and discounts. Usually these offers are extended to new customers, but not always. If you are a current customer, call up your cable company and ask them if they have any promotions available for existing subscribers. If not, ask to receive the promotion for new customers. 

If they say that they can’t, then threaten to cancel your service – you will quickly be transferred to their “customer retention department”, who will try their best to get your to stay. Normally, the first thing that they offer is the discount that you were told that you couldn’t receive. 

How to Eliminate Your Cable Bill

Cancel Your Service and Use Cable TV Alternatives

Were you expecting something a little more complex? This is by far the most effective way you eliminate your cable bill ! However, this is usually the last choice for many facing serious financial trouble. Just cut your cable completely, and learn to find enjoyment out of other things in life. 

Since I know that many of us can’t imagine life without television, I list a few alternatives below. 

Netflix 

Netflix is a service that allows you to rent DVDs through the mail for a monthly fee. The way it works is that they mail you the movies that you wish to see, and you are allowed to keep them as long as you want – with no late fees – and once you return them, they will send you the next movies. You can repeat this cycle for as many times as you are able within the month. 

In addition to this unlimited DVD rental feature is the ability to watch movies either on your computer or on your TV (through the assistance of various devices and consoles). We pay about $10 per month and we are able to watch a huge selection of movies, documentaries, series, and TV shows on our television through our Wii. This is also possible using a PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, iPad, iPhone, and even various Blu-ray players. 

Hulu Plus

If you like to follow television shows on a regular basis and don’t want to fall behind, Huluwill work for you better than Netflix. Hulu allows you to watch many of the currently running shows through your computer. Also, many of the same devices that can play Netflix offerings on your TV can handle Hulu as well. Hulu Plus costs $8 per month. 

Other Services

Netflix and Hulu Plus are probably the two most known options. However, there are a number of other options for you to watch movies and television shows without subscribing to an expensive cable plan. I will just list them here, providing links to their websites: 

• Sezmi
• Amazon Video on Demand
• Boxee
• iTunes

*photo by Renjith Krishnan 

Reader Questions

1. What have you done to cut or eliminate your cable bill?
2. Do you have experience with any of these other options?

Clipping coupons is no longer just the domain of your grandparents!

There are serious savings to be made by maximizing your coupon use, and you may not even have to get out your scissors for this money savings tip!

With cash still tight for many families it makes sense to get all the money savings you can by collecting coupons and earning discounts.

However, with traditional coupons you usually only save a small percentage on each item, unless you know how to maximize those savings.

Coupons have also surged into the 21st century [sites likes Groupon have become all the rage!] and you can maximize your savings when shopping online by using coupon codes and discounts.

Money Savings Tip: Maximize Your Coupon Cuts

When you are clipping coupons you want to make the minimum amount of cuts for the maximum benefits and you can do this by focusing your search.

Start by stocking up on coupons for large department stores because these stores are always going to have something you need, so you’re not clipping in the hopes you’ll come across a need for an item before the coupon expires.

Once you have your coupons in order, wait for the sales.

While a coupon may give you a few cents off of an item, if you wait until that item is on sale, you can enjoy the sale price, less the discounted coupon price and save even more.

At the same time if the item is not perishable you can stock up at your great low price and keep saving.

Money Savings Tip: Maximize Online Coupon Discounts

You probably already know it can be cheaper to buy online than in store, but many stores are making online shopping even cheaper by running coupon code discounts. There are three main ways you can maximize your savings when shopping online:

• Collecting coupon codes. Most online stores will have a field for a promotional code which qualifies you for a discount on your purchase. You simply enter a code you have received or found on a coupon site, to redeem your savings.
• Links to coupon discounts. Just like a coupon code you are rewarded with a discount when you purchase online but you don’t need to collect and enter a code, you simply follow a promotional link and the discount is automatically applied when you reach the online checkout.
• Online promotions. A promotional link will take you to an exclusive webpage with a discounted offer and you don’t need to enter a code, but can take advantage of discounts and deals such as free shipping.

To maximize the savings you can make using online coupons you need to make sure to get in before someone else does. There are a number of free coupons websites where companies and other users trade and share their offers and you can make significant savings if you search for discounts on items you need or want.

[Jason: Check out Groupon for instance.  They have a limited number of coupons, but they offer incredible deals in your area!  We recently got a $50 Gap coupon for $25!].

Usually you can only use one online coupon per transaction, so don’t stock up thinking you can buy an item for virtually nothing.

Also keep in mind that online coupons are not usually redeemable in store, even if the online store has a ‘real world’ counterpart. You can further maximize the savings you can make using online coupons by coupling the discounts with rebates which are often available on electrical items and can mean additional savings of several hundreds of dollars when you register with the manufacturer.

Shopping online can save you time and money when you can make purchases at any time of the day or night, and you can avoid crowds, parking and the temptation of impulse buys.

It is also in the interests of the retailers and manufacturers to have you purchase online as they save on overhead and staffing costs, so take the time to learn more about how to maximize the savings you can make by shopping wisely and understanding online discounts.

[Check out Wise Bread's 50 Best Deals and Coupon Sites for more savings!]

Alban is a personal finance writer at Home Loans Finder, which helps to find the best mortgage broker.

Did you know that some of the world’s richest people have frugal tendencies?

So says Jean Folger, in her article 7 Spending Tips from Frugal Billionaires found on Yahoo Finance.

They could buy anything and everything, and yet, they choose to restrain themselves.  Their money tips offers us some good perspective!

Take for example, Carlos Slim, a telecom tycoon, who has a net worth over $60 billion, yet chooses to skimp on luxury items!

This guy wouldn’t run out of money if he spent $1,150 a minute for the next 100 years!

It’s encouraging to see some of the world’s richest people consciously living below their means.

I’ll highlight the money tips in the article and add some of my own commentary.

We can definitely learn a few things from these tips:

1. Keep Your Home Simple

Jean says, “[F]rugal billionaires like Warren Buffett choose to keep it simple. Buffett still lives in the five-bedroom house in Omaha that he purchased in 1957 for $31,500. Likewise, Carlos Slim has lived in the same house for more than 40 years.”

I was shocked to read that inititally.  What we don’t know here is how many vacation homes, cabins, chateaus or palaces they have around the world.

But we can definitely learn something -  Don’t bite off too much house!

2. Use Self-Powered or Public Transportation

Jean tells us that, “Thrifty billionaires including John Caudwell, David Cheriton and Chuck Feeney prefer to walk, bike or use public transportation when getting around town.”

Very cool.  Frugal and envrionmentally safe (aside from the bus fumes).

Here are 10 more tips to save money on your evening commute!

3. Buy Your Clothes off the Rack

Some folks, whether billionaires or not, place a huge emphasis on designer clothes.  It’s cool to see some frugal billionaires deciding it’s just not worth it!

Jean says, “John Caudwell, mobile phone mogul, buys his clothes off the rack instead of spending his wealth on designer clothes.”

And don’t forget the guys from Google who roam around in jeans and t-shirts.   Maybe it’s time for you to embrace the thrift store ethic!?

4. Keep your Scissors Sharp

Jean says, “Billionaires like John Caudwell and David Cheriton opt for cutting their own hair at home.”

These guys can afford to spend money on haircuts at the most posh salons around the world, but they choose to save a few bucks by doing it at home.

Or, they hire beauticians from the posh salons to come to their house, which I imagine would get pretty expensive, but at least you’re at home.

Speaking of scissors, check out what a Cow, a Red Box and a Pair of Scissors have in common.

5. Drive a Regular Car

I love this one.  Especially since, if I was a billionaire, I’d be driving the most exotic cars I could.

These billionaires don’t care about keeping up the image of a rich and famous lifestyle.  Some frugal billionaires pride themselves on driving their beaters!

Jim Walton (Wal-Mart) drives a 15-year-old pickup.  Jean also states, “Azim Premji, an Indian business tycoon, reportedly drives a Toyota Corolla. And Ingvar Kamprad of Ikea drives a 10-year-old Volvo.”

Of course, if you’re going to do this, you need to keep your car in tip-top shape.  Here’s some additional tips to keep your car running longer.

6. Skip Luxury Items

Now this is shocking - Carlos Slim (currently ranked as Forbe’s wealthiest person) does not own a yacht or a plane!

I love what Warren Buffett says about luxury items:

“Most toys are just a pain in the neck.”

In our pursuit of the American Dream, we race around trying to “buy up” on everything.  Luxury isn’t a bad thing, but too often we make it our idol!

What We Can Learn

Here’s a few takeaways:

• No matter how much you make, you still have to spend less than that!
• Frugal isn’t a naughty word.  Embrace it!
• No matter which bracket you are in, you’ll always be tempted to keep up with the Joneses – learn to fight that temptation early, because I imagine it only gets harder when you make more money.
• Look for creative ways to save money.

What Are Your Thoughts?

• Did these tips surprise you coming from billionaires?
• What other frugal tips have you found helpful in your own personal finances?
• Word has it they really love birthday freebies too!

Tip #10 – Start Packing Lunches!

Welcome to our tenth and final day of our journey, where we are looking at 10 money-saving tips to help save $10,000!  

This has been a really fun series of posts and it’s garnered a lot of great comments!  Keep ‘em coming everyone!

If you missed the introductory post of 10 Money-Savings Tips to Help You Stash $10,000 you’ll definitely want to check it out so we’re all on the same page.

But to sum it up – here’s our mission:

• The Goal: Save $10,000
• By When: This time next year
• How: By implementing 10 money-saving tips

For the last couple weeks we’ve looked at one money-saving tip each Monday through Thursday.  If you have a tip that hasn’t been mentioned, or you’d like to add some additional thoughts to one of our existing tips, please let me know your best money-saving tip here!

We’d love to hear your stories of what you did and how much money you saved by implementing your tip!  If you’re a blogger and have posted about your money-saving tip, please include a link to your post!

Remember – each of these alone don’t seem to add much savings, but when combined they add up to over $10,000 of savings over this next year!  Even if you don’t reach that $10,000 mark, saving a few grand this next year will help build an emergency fund or get you started on investing!

Here’s what we’ve been through so far:

Tip #10: Start Packing Lunches!

Ok, so this one is similar to Tip #1, but I think it’s different enough to make a distinction and a separate post.  I guarantee there are some families that don’t go out to dinner very much as a family, but eat out for lunch almost every single day.

This was definitely the case for some folks I use to work with at former places of employment!

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How Much Does It Cost?

Well, this depends if you only have a half-hour for lunch and need to grab something quick, or if you’ve got an hour for lunch and like to hit a sit-down spot!

If you figure the average fast food meal costs anywhere from $5 to $8 depending on what you get and where you live and the average sit-down meal is somewhere in the $8 to $12 neighborhood, you’re looking at $25 – $60 a week if you’re eating out every day! 

Not only does going out for lunch all the time decrease the wallet size, but it increases the belt size!  Going out for lunch all the time is not good for you – unless of course you are disciplined and always make the healthy choice – I know I don’t!

But Leftovers Might Kill My Career…

Think I’m crazy?  Think again.  Helena Echlin from Chow.com says that bringing your leftovers makes you look less successful and also makes a statement to others that you are anti-social!

Maybe you should stop bringing your leftovers in your Superman lunch box – seriously, no one wants to know that you’re a big Clark Kent fan!

I don’t know, maybe bringing a lunch does ding your image.  As a self-employed, independent contractor, I guess I never really had to worry about the silliness of climbing the corporate ladder.  But I guess i can see the point.

Image vs. Reality – What’s More Important?

So bringing some leftovers to work makes you look like you’re at the bottom of the food chain!  It’s like anything else in our society these days – do we live for our image or do we live in reality?

How many people do you know that seemingly have it all – a lot of toys, a big house and nice cars – yet they’re up to their eyeballs in debt!

They aren’t rich, they just act like it!  So, let your co-workers rip on you because you’re bringing your leftover casserole while they throw their $15 lunch on their credit card and have some laughs.

You’ll have the last laugh after you’ve gotten out of debt and stashed $10,000 over this next year!

But I Don’t Know What to Pack!

Need some ideas for packing lunches?  Check out Alan’s Kitchen and his list of quick and easy lunch recipes!  If you have a plan in place you are much more likely to act on it.

One of the biggest tips to help you start packing lunches is to prepare a “leftover container” right after dinner that you can take with you for lunch the next day.  I know for myself that if the food isn’t in an easy-to-grab container the odds of me putting it in one in the morning decrease dramatically!

Estimated Savings: $25 – $150 per month

Let Us Know in the Comments

1. How much have you saved by packing lunches
2. Have you felt the temptation to go out for lunch to protect your image?

Check Out All The Tips From Our Series

Tip #1: Cut Back on Going Out to Eat

Tip #2: Evaluate Your Entertainment

Tip #3: Cut Your Cable

Tip #4: Turn Your Heat Down

Tip #5: Negotiate Your Cell Phone Plan

Tip #6: Get Rid of Your Land Line

Tip #7: Slash Your Grocery Bill by Cutting Out Junk Food!

Tip #8: Use Coupons, For Everything!

Tip #9: Negotiate Your Home and Auto Insurance

Tip #10: Start Packing Lunches!

Tip #9 – Negotiate Your Home and Auto Insurance

Welcome to day nine of our roughly 10-day journey, where we are looking at 10 money-saving tips to help save $10,000!   This has been a really fun series of posts and it’s garnered a lot of great comments!  Keep ‘em coming everyone!

If you missed the introductory post of 10 Money-Savings Tips to Help You Stash $10,000 you’ll definitely want to check it out so we’re all on the same page.

But to sum it up – here’s our mission:

• The Goal: Save $10,000
• By When: This time next year
• How: By implementing 10 money-saving tips

For the last couple weeks we’ve looked at one money-saving tip each Monday through Thursday.  We’ll be finishing up our series this week!

If you have a tip that hasn’t been mentioned, or you’d like to add some additional thoughts to one of our existing tips, please let me know your best money-saving tip here!

We’d love to hear your stories of what you did and how much money you saved by implementing your tip!  If you’re a blogger and have posted about your money-saving tip, please include a link to your post!

Here’s what we’ve been through so far:

Tip #9: Negotiate Your Home and Auto Insurance

This is one tip that most people have probably thought of, but perhaps haven’t paid much attention to.  For whatever reason, we all get into a rut and so when our renewal notice comes we just pay the premium and on we go for another six months.

For many of us, the thought of getting auto insurance quotes and home insurance quotes isn’t all that appealling right?  So what do we do with things that aren’t that fun?  C’mon now, be honest – we put them off!  

 But, this is one area that you can really save some big money with a little front-end effort of getting some quotes!

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How Much Coverage Do You Need?

Before you get carried away and start raising your deductible and dropping coverage, you really need to do a little homework up front to figure out how much coverage you actually need.

Smart Money has a great article on auto insurance that walks you through the different options for your auto insurance and gives an idea of how much coverage you should be looking for.

Shop Around For Home and Auto Insurance Quotes

Ok, now for the fun part.  Before you give your existing company a call, you’ll want to give competitor’s a call and start comparing insurance quotes.  You’ll also want to check to see if your employer offers any discounts with certain carriers.  If you’re a Costco member, you get a discount as well. 

Make sure you know all the angles – most companies will offer you big discounts for buying both home and auto insurance – among other things through them! Make sure you check out as many auto insurance companies as possible, to make sure you get the best deal.

Get as much information as you can and write it down.  You want to make sure you’re comparing apples to apples.  To help get you started here are some toll-free numbers to call so you can shop around:

Geico: 1-800-861-8380

AAA: (866) 539-8033

Allstate: 866 704 9900

Progressive: 1-800-776-4737

Or, you can always go on the web and get some free auto and home insurance quotes as well.

Simple Financial Lifestyle mentioned they recently shopped their car insurance and ended up saving $500 annually!  There’s some great potential savings because this type of insurance is very competitive – and companies want your business!

Call to Negotiate

Once you’ve got a pretty good idea as to what other companies will offer, you want to give your existing company a call first. 

Let them know that you’ve got a quote for “X” amount and you’re wondering what they can do to retain your business.  This works!  It’s amazing how many companies scramble to throw you a deal when they realize you’re about to walk.

There are some crazy discounts offered by the competition these days – ask your current company if there are any discounts you’ve been missing out on, like a safe driver discount, or a “I haven’t had a cold in two years” discount.  Anything!

If your existing company can’t match or beat the lowest price you shopped around for then it’s time to switch.  Yes it’s a pain, but it’s worth it.

Side Note: I don’t advocate going by price alone – you want to make sure you are with a legitimate company that has good claims-paying ability!  The last thing you want is to get into an accident and have a company that can’t pay!

Estimated Savings: $25-$100 per month

Don’t Forget To:

1. Check out the other money-saving tips in this series!

2. Leave a comment below letting us know how much you’ve saved by negotiating your home and auto insurance!

Check Out All The Tips From Our Series

Tip #1: Cut Back on Going Out to Eat

Tip #2: Evaluate Your Entertainment

Tip #3: Cut Your Cable

Tip #4: Turn Your Heat Down

Tip #5: Negotiate Your Cell Phone Plan

Tip #6: Get Rid of Your Land Line

Tip #7: Slash Your Grocery Bill by Cutting Out Junk Food!

Tip #8: Use Coupons, For Everything!

Tip #9: Negotiate Your Home and Auto Insurance

Tip #10: Start Packing Lunches!

Tip #8 – Use Coupons, For Everything!

Welcome to the eighth day of our roughly 10-day journey, where we are looking at 10 money-saving tips to help save $10,000! 

If you missed the introductory post of 10 Money-Savings Tips to Help You Stash $10,000 you’ll definitely want to check it out so we’re all on the same page.

But to sum it up – here’s our mission:

• The Goal: Save $10,000
• By When: This time next year
• How: By implementing 10 money-saving tips

For the next couple weeks we’re going to look at one money-saving tip each Monday through Thursday.

On Thursdays we’re going to look at a tip, but also hear Personal Finance bloggers’ and hopefully some readers’ ideas and experiences on how they’ve saved money!

If you’d like to be included in the Thursday posts – please let me know your best money-saving tip here! We’d love to hear your stories of what you did and how much money you saved by implementing your tip!  If you’re a blogger and have posted about your money-saving tip, please include a link to your post!

Here’s what we’ve been through so far:

Tip #8: Use Coupons, For Everything!

Some of you are going to hate this idea!  Some of you can’t stand the thought of being “one of them” – you know what I’m talking about…a “coupon clipper”.

For some, just the thought of cutting coupons is torture enough.  I totally get that – I do.  I have to admit that I have a major advantage here.  My wife LOVES coupons, coupon-clipping, and finding good deals.  So, I rely on her for our savings in this department.

But, with the internet, coupon clipping doesn’t have to be old school – you know, where you sit down with the Sunday paper and a pair of scissors and clip away!  Although, that does save money too!

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Ways to Find Coupons

Let’s take a look at a few unique ways to get on board with coupons to help you stash some money!

Check Websites

There are a plethora of coupon websites out there that offer deals and keep consumers up to speed on some great savings.  A few that come to mind are Wise Bread, who offers their  ”Best Deals Today” list and newsletter that you can subscribe to.  Mummy Deals is a great coupon site that my wife frequents regularly.  If you’re looking for coupons for restaurants, you can’t beat Restaurant.com!

Utilize Your Email

I had not thought about doing this until I received this guest post from Ann Smarty!  This is a pretty cool little system to take advantage of deals out there without getting overwhelmed!

Sign Up For Birthday Clubs or Fan Clubs

This is one of my favorites!  As long as you don’t mind getting inundated with emails, this is a great way to get special offers and coupons emailed to you all the time! 

A lot of restaurants will give you a free meal on your birthday.  One local place we like gives you your age in years as a percentage discount off the bill! 

Use Google Search

Maybe you’re looking for a new computer and would like to get some good laptop deals or notebook deals.   Before you go to the store, do a Google search and type in best laptop deals, notebook deals or laptop coupons and find out what’s out there to help you save some money!

If you’re a big Overstock.com fan, you can Google Overstock Coupons or Overstock Deals and get some great internet coupon codes for them.

You can find internet coupons and coupon codes for just about anything!  There is no reason to pay full price - Google it and see what kind of deals can be had!

Coupon Trains

This is new to me.  I found this idea on GroceryCouponGuide.com!  Basically what you do is find three to six other people who share your affinity for coupons and deals, preferably with different needs (i.e. one needs pet food coupons, the other diapers, etc).

The “conductor” starts with an envelope of 40-200 coupons, takes out what he or she needs and replaces them with coupons that won’t be used.  The envelope then gets mailed to the next person who does the same thing, and on it goes down the line.

It’s a way to stockpile some good coupons that you need, although it does take some work.  It could be well worth it if you have the right people in your train.

Entertainment Books

This is one of our favorites too!  We love the Entertainment book.  For $20, you get a book full of coupons to restaurants, entertainment venues etc.

We buy one every year and probably get at least two to three times the savings from that book!  It’s great and it allows us to eat out a little more often without spending additional money.

More Money-Saving Tips From PF Bloggers and Readers

Donna, a reader and commenter on R2 says,

A price book is essential to finding the lowest prices on groceries and to recognize a real sale. I also never trust the warehouse store as the cheapest source of all items. By comparing prices and knowing a real sale the savings can really add up.

The Debt Hawk says,

One of my favorite tips is to increase your 401k contribution percentage by the amount of your annual raise. This is one of the best ways for people to reach the 15% contribution limit. Since you have not gotten used to the raise yet as part of your disposable income, you will not even miss the money, but you will be increasing your savings a lot year after year.

 Budgets Are The New Black says,

I gave up my cell contract and switched to prepaid!

Are you a coupon clipper?  Tell us some more great ways to save using coupons!

Estimated Savings: $25 – $50 per month

Check Out All The Tips From Our Series

Tip #1: Cut Back on Going Out to Eat

Tip #2: Evaluate Your Entertainment

Tip #3: Cut Your Cable

Tip #4: Turn Your Heat Down

Tip #5: Negotiate Your Cell Phone Plan

Tip #6: Get Rid of Your Land Line

Tip #7: Slash Your Grocery Bill by Cutting Out Junk Food!

Tip #8: Use Coupons, For Everything!

Tip #9: Negotiate Your Home and Auto Insurance

Tip #10: Start Packing Lunches!