Plug Your Money Leaks and Save Hundreds of Dollars Painlessly

Has your current financial situation got you tightening your belt and omitting things like gifts and entertainment from your budget?  Has your weekly trip to the movies been replaced by Netflix?  Do the books that you read primarily come from the library?  Do you find yourself wishing you had more money to buy the things that you enjoy most? Stop fretting and start typing!  By putting your good skills to use, you can acquire your fair share of blockbuster hits and bestsellers.  From writing book reviews to mystery shopping to peer-to-peer swapping, you can acquire an arsenal of reading material and DVDs galore with little to no effort.

Here’s a couple of ideas that will help you curb the urge to splurge but still provide you with all the loot you can handle:

Become a Book Reviewer

Being an ECW Press Shelf Monkey has its advantages.  You select the books that interest you the most by visiting http://www.ecwpress.com and create a list of titles that you would like to read and ECW Press puts your name into a drawing for free copies of their upcoming releases.  After reading the book, post your opinion on the publisher’s website and send them a link to your review on Facebook, MySpace, or Amazon.

Snag Advance Screening Tickets

Visit WildAboutMovies at http://www.wildaboutmovies.com and sign up for their newsletter.  Every time advance screenings of new films are available, you will be the first to learn about them.  Simply reserve your seats by selecting the city that you live in from the drop down menu.  Print tickets directly from your email after registering for the event.

Swap-o-rama

Register for a free account at PaperbackSwap located at http://www.paperbackswap.com and list titles from your library that you are no longer interested in.  You get a credit for each book that you give away and can use them to purchase titles from other members for the cost of postage.

Theatre Checks Anyone?

A number of legitimate secret shopping companies offer free admission to the latest flick in addition to armloads of refreshments free of charge.  Some also pay a set fee for completing the assignment.  Certified Reports, Inc., http://marketforce.com, is one company that conducts checks in a number of markets.  Registration on the site is fast and free—two words that make an impact in this economy.

Scavenger Hunting Fun

Set your books free by registering them on Book Crossing, http://www.bookcrossing.com, and seek out desirable titles by following the clues left by others on the site.  Half the fun of Book Crossing is hunting down the books that you want to read and passing on your good fortune to others.

Being budget conscious doesn’t have to be so dreary.  By “thinking outside the box” and making use of the resources available to you on the net, you can fill your empty bookshelves and squelch your need for films in a matter of minutes.

Charissa Arsaoui is a freelance writer for ChickSpeak, Buzzine, DisFUNKshion Magazine, Student Stuff, and a guest contributor for Wisebread.  She loves thrift related topics and can spot a bargain a mile away.

Do you want to become a millionaire? Stupid question, I know. Who wouldn’t want to be a millionaire? Well, I’ve shared my 5 steps on how to become a millionaire in the past, but there are a few unconventional methods as well. One of those is to win big on a game show — namely, the Who Wants to be a Millionaire show.  The clip below features a college student who would like to become a millionaire, but from the results you can see why he may want to rely on the basics such as spending less than you earn, avoiding debt and saving for retirement rather than count on his own intelligence. In fact, he might want to focus on studying a bit more while in college, getting some sleep, and not being hopped up on caffeine.

Want to become a millionaire? Step one: don’t be like this guy.

Build Up Your Holiday Gift Budget in Just Two Short Months

Can you believe that Black Friday is just a month away? It’s the biggest shopping day of the year and there will be countless deals to take advantage of to ramp up for the holiday season. After that, you have just under a month until Christmas. How does your holiday budget look this year? Have you been saving money for the holidays throughout the year or are you just now starting to seriously think about it?

Either way, the last thing you want to do this year is rack up another credit card bill just to buy gifts and maybe pay for some travel. If you do, you’ll be like millions of other Americans who find themselves with a bad financial hangover come January. So, with just two short months until Christmas how can anyone save up enough money to pay for the holidays?

Save $50 a Week Starting Right Now

Starting today, put $50 in a savings account meant for holiday spending. Do it right now! If you already have a savings account you can just use that, but it’s even better if you create and designate a new account strictly for this purpose so that the money doesn’t mysteriously disappear as it gets spent on other things. A good way to start is to open up an online savings account.

What will $50 a week add up to by Christmas? About $400. How many presents does $400 buy? It depends on who you’re buying for, but that’s a good chunk of change that can put a dent in your holiday budget. If you have to travel to visit family that could even cover your airline ticket. Either way, by tucking away just $50 a week from now until Christmas you can have a nice cushion set aside to use as you begin buying gifts.

Want to do one better? If your spouse or partner also works have them save $50 each week. Now you’ve just created an automatic savings plan that will put $800 in your account by Christmas. That isn’t chump change and it can really make a difference this holiday season.

Yes, You Can Afford $50 a Week

I know what you’re saying. We’re in a recession, money is tight, and there’s just no way to squeeze $50 out of my budget each week. Unless you’re already the most frugal person in the world and there is literally not a single penny left to be saved, there are plenty of ways here and there you can come up with a few dollars a week over the next two months.

1. Ditch or reduce your TV services for two months.

Sure, you’ve heard this a million times. Cutting back on your TV costs can mean big savings. Well, the reason you keep hearing it is because it’s true. But let’s look at the next few months specifically. Usually November and December are very busy months for most people. With all of the holiday travel, entertaining, shopping, and things that go along with the holidays that means you’re spending less time at home to actually watch TV. So, if you won’t have much time to enjoy your premium cable or satellite TV services you might want to downgrade for just a few months. If you reduce your package by $25 a month or cut out a premium channel or two until January that might save another $15-$30 a month. Total savings for just two months of fewer TV options could amount to $10-$15/week.

2. Eliminate just one meal out each week.

Ok, if you already make every single meal at home and never eat out this might not apply to you, but for most of us we grab a meal out at least a few times a week even if it’s just a quick lunch. But this is one of the easiest ways to save some money. Even if you only spend $5 or $6 a few times a week for lunch if you were to cut just one of those out and bring leftovers or a snack from home you instantly save that money.

Even better, if you regularly go out for dinner a few nights a week you can realize even bigger savings. Even a $15 meal at a casual dining resturant can add up to over $20 after a tip and a drink other than water. By just staying home one night a week and fixing a meal yourself you can probably do it for a fraction of the cost yielding a total savings of $10-$15 each week. If you’re married, remember, your spouse has to eat too and if you’re going out you’re spending twice as much while cooking at home usually doesn’t mean double the price so it’s an even greater savings.

3. Entertain at home instead of going out.

Who doesn’t like to have a good time with friends and family? Well, who says entertainment has to mean going out to eat, catching a movie at the theater, or some other costly night on the town? For the next month or two try ditching the entertainment nights out and do some entertaining of your own. Like to catch a movie every once and a while? Invite some friends over, pop some popcorn and have guests bring snacks and you can have a group of people watch a movie for nearly the cost of a DVD rental.

If playing games is more your thing you can organize a game night. Maybe it’s cards, poker, or just board games, but it’s a lot of fun to get people over and have a good time playing games that don’t even cost anything. And if you tell everyone to bring a dish to pass you’ve just killed two birds with one stone! No money spent on cooking dinner or going out to eat and no money spent on entertainment. The savings from just having one entertainment night at home could easily be $50 or more. Do this a few times before Christmas and you’ll probably save $100.

4. Only buy things that are on sale.

When you go grocery shopping, try to buy only things that are on sale. If you’re stocking up on some meat for the week and you see that pork chops are on sale but chicken breasts are not, don’t buy the chicken anyway just because you felt like chicken. Stick to the pork and substitute it for chicken in a dish or simply make a dish that works with pork instead. Same thing goes for produce. If a certain type of apple is on sale versus another type you normally buy, give the one on sale a try. Or if Yukon gold potatoes are on sale instead of Russets you should opt for the Yukon. The savings realized on produce and meat products can easily amount to a few dollars per item when bought on sale. Not only that, but it’s a great way to try new foods and introduce you to different items if you stray from your standard fare and opt for whatever is on sale. The total savings from buying only sale items at the grocery store can easily amount to $10-$20 each week.

5. Saving on holiday items themselves.

While I’ve highlighted a few ideas to save money each week on regular expenses, let’s not ignore the money spent on the holiday items themselves. First, start shopping early. If you have a gift in mind already it might not make much sense to wait until Christmas gets closer. Keep your eye out for sales right now. If you can save 10% on something now and not have to hassle with fighting the crowds as the holidays draw closer it could be the best 10% you ever saved. Also, shop online. It’s a lot easier to shop from the comfort of your home on your own time rather than hitting the stores and searching for items. So, go online and start pricing out the gifts you’re looking to buy and find the best deals. You can then use this information to comparison shop if you do want to check out some of the regular stores.

Finally, don’t go overboard with wrapping the gifts. Guys, raise your hand if you’re lazy and pay for a gift box or wrapping service. I’ve been guilty of this in the past, but that’s what I get for waiting until the last minute to do my shopping. Instead of paying to have your items wrapped you can buy a roll of wrapping paper for a couple bucks and do it yourself. It might not look as nice, but come on, the paper is just going to get ripped off and thrown away anyway. This goes for buying all the fancy bows and ribbons and stuff as well. Some people can spend $50 or more just on gift wrapping supplies! You’ve spent money on the gift already, so don’t spend even more just to cover it up with some paper.

If you really want to get a head start on next Christmas be sure to hit the stores in the few days after and stock up on your wrapping paper and decorations. As soon as the holiday is over you’ll see stuff marked down 50% or more. Buy your wrapping paper, bows, tags, or other decorations you know you’ll need after Christmas and throw them in your attic or storage until next year to realize big savings.

Don’t Let the Savings Stop There

As you can see, it’s pretty easy to come up with an extra $50 each week by making a few small changes to your lifestyle. While this might work for a few months to help you build up that holiday spending money, don’t let it stop there. You’ll probably find that after making a few of these changes that it really isn’t much sacrifice. So, instead of reverting back to your old ways in January you should strive to keep these habits. Think about it this way — if you save $50 a week for the entire year you’ve set aside $2,600 just by making a few minor lifestyle changes. If your spouse does the same thing you’ve just saved over $5,000. That can go a long way in helping you build an emergency fund, invest in an IRA, or apply towards your child’s college fund.

These are just a few ideas and not everyone will be able to utilize them all. But what are some of your money saving tips that can add up without making a huge sacrifice on your lifestyle?

Ah, college. Some say it’s the best time of your life, and while I wouldn’t necessarily agree or disagree with that, there is one drawback about college: you’re usually on a pretty tight budget. As college becomes more and more expensive, and you have to take out more and more loans, there’s not a lot of extra cash to go around for you, which is why it becomes even more important to watch how you spend your money. Here are seven tips that might help you save a little bit of money:

1. Assess your goals

This one should start even before you get to college. For example, think about what you want to do with your career. Getting a degree is important, but paying the high price of a private college for a degree that has limited earning potential could prove to be a waste. This doesn’t mean that some degrees are bad, but you have to realistically look at the consequences. If you’re spending $30,000 a year on a degree that might only bring in $40,000 a year without a lot of upward potential you could be setting yourself up to be broke or in debt and trying to pay off student loans for the next ten years instead of really getting ahead financially. So, think about your situation and see if maybe attending a local or state university where tuition could be much cheaper might actually be a better financial move.

2. Save money on books

There are a variety of ways to do this. First, you can buy used books. Most times you’ll look to use the book for one semester and then sell it. Since you’re essentially just renting the book does it really matter if it’s new? Unless the class demands a new version that can only be had new there is almost never a reason to buy new over used. Other times you can buy the electronic version of the same book, so inquire to see if this is an option for any of your courses. Textbooks can be a silent budget killer as they add up fast. It’s not uncommon to spend $500 or more each semester on books that you’re only going to use for a few months.

3. Carpool

This will depend on whether or not you live on campus or commute to college, but we all know how much money you can save if you’re not using a lot of gas. If you live off campus with some roommates you should try to schedule times to get to and from campus as a group so that everyone isn’t driving to the same place at different times. Understandably, this isn’t always possible, but you should try to cut back on driving when you can to avoid buying gs, paying for parking, and the usual hassle of getting around campus.

4. Live in the dorms for a while

Don’t underestimate the benefits of living on campus. As a young adult there’s nothing more exciting than going out on your own and getting an apartment with some friends, but there are a lot of hidden costs associated with apartment living. You have higher transportation costs, utilities to pay, and your own meals to prepare. Except what usually happens is people get lazy or bogged down with classwork so you end up going out or ordering a lot of delivery food which can get real expensive. So, before making the jump off campus be sure you weigh the true cost compared to living in the dorm for another year.

5. Get a job

Your parents have probably been telling you this for years, but it’s true. Get a job and start making some money while taking classes. Will working eat up some of your free time? Sure. But it also brings in money that can help offset college costs and possibly even give you experience that will help you land a job when you graduate.

I’ve found on-campus jobs to be advantageous for a few reasons. One, since its on-campus it should be close to your classes. In some cases it might be within walking distance of your dorm, apartment, or your next class. Two, a lot of campus jobs are very homework friendly. That means you have a lot of idle time where you can get work done while on the job. Plus, they are very flexible in scheduling. Third, this gives you a chance to network with other students and possibly even faculty. Better connections could mean better job opportunities upon graduation.  Finally, depending on what type of financial aid you receive, you might even get Federal Work Study, in which case you don’t have to pay taxes on what you earn. What could be better than that?

6. Use school printers

Unless you have your own laser printer, chances are you’re going to burn through a lot of ink with your InkJet printer. You will be printing off thousands of pages in college and that ink and paper can be really expensive. In many instances colleges already charge you a certain amount for printing in the computer labs so make sure you take advantage of it.  When your professor wants you to read some 80 page research paper in a PDF he gave you do you really want to sit on the computer and read the whole thing? And do you want to waste your precious ink and paper to print it off? Use your school’s printers and have it printed for a fraction of the cost.

7. Don’t eat out so much

College students are notorious for eating out and ordering delivery food. Those late study sessions work up a big hunger and it’s easy to just call and order a pizza. Or, maybe you’re someone who likes to get work done in the coffee shop. Nothing wrong with that, but if you’re spending five or ten dollars every time you’re in there for a coffee and a snack it can really add up if you’re doing that five days a week. So, cut back on dining out. If you’re in the dorms and have a meal plan just make sure to do the bulk of your eating there. If you’re on your own for food just be sure to keep cost in mind and buy some staples to keep around the apartment so that you can make up a quick meal without spending a fortune.