Ways to Save Money

[Star Ferry]

Interested in hearing the ways people from around the world save money (without being a cheapskate — not interested in ripping people off, stiffing tipped workers, haggling with tradesmen who are asking their standard rate, etc.)

Here’s a few.

— Brewing coffee at home
— renting movies at home. typically costs me around $5 a movie.
— Going on a diet. Less food cost and makes me less fat.
— Not owning a car currently. feasible for me due to location in Manhattan.

[huncho]

i get starbucks twice a day when i go in the office so there's no hope for me

[7sins]

Stop buying watches...

[Star Ferry]

Originally Posted by 7sins

Stop buying watches...

Let’s be realistic here, man

[brandrea]

Probably sticking to a shopping list is #1 for me.

If I go without a list to the grocery store … I have a cart half full of stuff I didn’t intend on buying

[-dustin]

The coffee thing still amazes me.

$5/ day vs. roughly $1/ per day.

Now if only my wife could make Diet Coke at home.

[MrGoat]

I used to drink Corona Light. Was $28 for an 18 pack. Now I drink Natural Light and it’s $18 for a 24 pack.

I buy quality used whenever possible, let someone else take the hit of initial purchase.


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[beshannon]

Originally Posted by Star Ferry

Interested in hearing the ways people from around the world save money (without being a cheapskate — not interested in ripping people off, stiffing tipped workers, haggling with tradesmen who are asking their standard rate, etc.)

Here’s a few.

— Brewing coffee at home
— renting movies at home. typically costs me around $5 a movie.
— Going on a diet. Less food cost and makes me less fat.
— Not owning a car currently. feasible for me due to location in Manhattan.

With all due respect, this is just my view

You have listed ways to SPEND LESS not SAVE MONEY

Many people make this mistake. Unless you are actually investing that money you have not saved anything. The terms used in advertising to describe discounts and "free" things are grossly misleading. Stores telling people to spend more to save more are doing much harm to the average consumer.

If your really want to SAVE, cut expenses and channel money via payroll deduction and automated transfers into investments before you ever have that money.

How do I save money? Dividend paying stocks that reinvest their dividends, services that give me benefits ie., points, rewards etc. for spending money that I was going to spend anyway.

Good luck.

[Star Ferry]

Originally Posted by beshannon

With all due respect, this is just my view

You have listed ways to SPEND LESS not SAVE MONEY

Many people make this mistake. Unless you are actually investing that money you have not saved anything. The terms used in advertising to describe discounts and "free" things are grossly misleading. Stores telling people to spend more to save more are doing much harm to the average consumer.

If your really want to SAVE, cut expenses and channel money via payroll deduction and automated transfers into investments before you ever have that money.

How do I save money? Dividend paying stocks that reinvest their dividends, services that give me benefits ie., points, rewards etc. for spending money that I was going to spend anyway.

Good luck.

I certainly hear your point. I did mean saving money in the sense of cutting expenses. I understand the next step for most would either be investing what wasn’t spent, or building up a cash emergency fund if they don’t already have one in place.

[dddrees]

By groceries in bulk. Sometimes you can get better deals in volume but often with certain items anyway because I buy in bulk I have enough that generally I am able to buy them when they are on sale.

A good number of the items I buy in bulk are also delivered to my house for free so I save on gas as well.

It's also made it easier considering the last few years we suffered times where you can't get certain items.

[dddrees]

Buy items that come with lifetime warranty guarantees. Darn Tough socks although they initially cost more to me are a great example where the initial investment over time has been more than worth it to me.

[1st amg]

Don't have kids...they are money-sucking machines BUT I love them to death!

[Chewbacca]

Made pasta, instant coffee, used my rickshaw last week and had this built yesterday with the savings.

[brandrea]

Originally Posted by Star Ferry

I certainly hear your point. I did mean saving money in the sense of cutting expenses. I understand the next step for most would either be investing what wasn’t spent, or building up a cash emergency fund if they don’t already have one in place.

Taking Brian’s example to the first step … is to pay yourself first. Many folks fall into the trap of trying to save what is left over, but that generally doesn’t work.

EDIT: I know what the point of your OP is, and I’m finding it interesting to see what others do to reduce spending.

[dddrees]

Originally Posted by 1st amg

Don't have kids...they are money-sucking machines BUT I love them to death!

Just wait until you get grandkids.

[beshannon]

Originally Posted by Star Ferry

I certainly hear your point. I did mean saving money in the sense of cutting expenses. I understand the next step for most would either be investing what wasn’t spent, or building up a cash emergency fund if they don’t already have one in place.

No problem, just trying to point out that many people cannot seperate those two terms. I blame marketing, advertising, FOMO and the must have it now culture

Originally Posted by brandrea

Taking Brian’s example to the first step … is to pay yourself first. Many folks fall into the trap of trying to save what is left over, but that generally doesn’t work.

[brandrea]

Originally Posted by 1st amg

Don't have kids...they are money-sucking machines BUT I love them to death!

Absolutely true! They used to say it cost $100,000 per child. I bet it’s double that now

[1st amg]

Originally Posted by brandrea

Absolutely true! They used to say it cost $100,000 per child. I bet it’s double that now

Especially when you have a 13yr old competitive dancer with some talent, who has brought us to Nationals to Boston, New York, and Florida twice. She has been invited and obviously, my wife will never say no to her little superstar....This year I have calculated about 30k in total for her!!!

[MrGoat]

Originally Posted by brandrea

Absolutely true! They used to say it cost $100,000 per child. I bet it’s double that now

I heard 1m per kid from birth till college graduation and I heard that like 6 yrs ago.


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[Krash]

So I made a decision to retire at 59. Apparently the best way to spend less or save money is to not have any health problems. LOL!



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[brandrea]

Originally Posted by MrGoat

I heard 1m per kid from birth till college graduation and I heard that like 6 yrs ago.


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Holy crap ... I guess these folks must feed their kids three times a day

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[AzPaul]

Amongst my oh so many talents, I'm pretty handy in the kitchen. And I'm versatile enough to think I can make a great meal from just about anything. So rather than going to the market with a list, I look for what's on sale and make my dinner (or weekly menu) from that. Actually enjoy the little challenge it presents.

[BigBlue1]

Originally Posted by 1st amg

Don't have kids...they are money-sucking machines BUT I love them to death!

Yes the revolving account that seems to have no end for them. My son was a lot cheaper than my daughter. Holy Moly!!!!!
Love em to death though, they are what I look forward to everynight.

[GB-man]

Based on this dry January I’m doing don’t drink alcohol or coffee lol

[1st amg]

Originally Posted by BigBlue1

Yes the revolving account that seems to have no end for them. My son was a lot cheaper than my daughter. Holy Moly!!!!!
Love em to death though, they are what I look forward to everynight.

Absolutely on all accounts, the love and pleasure of having them and yes, my daughter trumps my son in all categories of wanting and spending!

[Mifune]

saving money?

buy low, sell high...

[Maleg]

We stopped shopping at Whole Foods and shop at Walmart and Costco.
We don’t buy anything from Amazon that can be found locally.
We expanded our vegetable garden and canned enough tomatoes, green beans, and dried herbs to last us until next summer (our Victory garden).
We set our thermostat at 62 and wear all the sweaters we have been gifted over the years. In the summer we set it at 76.
We don’t go on vacations. A vacation = A watch. Have to make hard choices sometimes.

[Blansky]

Don't get divorced.

[TNT009]

Stop enjoying finer things in life....... No Sir!

[Lonehiker]

Perhaps the obvious is more a frame of mind: buy what you need and not what you want. Examine whether you really need something, and if the answer is no, just move on.