Save Money on Practically Everything
Save thousands with our easy tips to trim expenses on food, utilities, transportation, entertainment, investing and more.
February 21, 2008
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Want to save a buck? How about a few hundred or a couple thousand?
We took a look at eight spending categories in your budget and identified dozens of ways you can keep more money. Whether you need to plug leaks in your spending, learn where to find the best deals or even trick yourself into shaving expenses, we've got something for everyone.
And here's a bonus tip: Before you even start looking elsewhere in your budget to cut costs, start at the source with your paycheck. If you get a tax refund, that means you're overpaying Uncle Sam from the beginning. Boost your take-home pay today by adjusting your tax withholding with your employer.
In that spirit of not overpaying anyone for anything, browse our slide shows below, and keep more cash for yourself.
Save Money on Investing
Nine ways to maximize your returns -- and minimize taxes and costly mistakes.
Save Money on Food
Satisfy the hunger without starving your wallet. Here are ten ways to save money on groceries and dining out.
Save Money on Transportation
Ten smart strategies to cut your fuel costs, insurance premiums and parking fees.
Save Money on Travel
Get away without breaking the bank with these 15 budget-friendly tips.
Save Money on Utilities
Fifteen quick, cheap and easy ways to cut your electricity, heat and water bills.
Save Money on Phone, Internet and TV
Talk is anything but cheap, not to mention Internet and cable TV. Try these ten tips to hang up on high costs.
Save Money on Credit, Debt & Banking
Don't pay more than you should -- and get all the benefits you deserve -- with these 12 tips.
Save Money on Entertainment
Having fun doesn’t mean you have to blow your budget. Here are 12 ways to stretch your entertainment dollars further.
Reader Comments (40)
Posted by: KENNETH NAUGLE at 02/21/2008 10:51:24 AM
Want to save money on food, particularly groceries? Here's what I did. 1. Find a discount grocer. Many places have chains like Aldi's or Sav-A-Lot. They are hard to find, low key, with minimal advertising budgets and heavy emphasis on store brands. If you find one, it could cut your grocery bill by 20% or 30% over a major chain store. 2. Don't forget that "dollar" stores often sell a basic selection of food items for less than the super-market next door. 3. Know your grocers. Prices are not the same. Also, always pick up the discount paper on the way in. When staples like canned veggies, macaroni, spaghetti sauce, etc. that you know you will use long term go on sale, stock up. It may be hard to separate this from "impulse" buying, but done properly saves good money long term.
Posted by: Dody at 02/22/2008 03:10:07 AM
We save on food in more ways than you could imagine. 1. Combine coupons with the discount bin. If you have 50 cents off a box of cheerios and they have cheerios in the discount bin for one dollar, you can buy cheerios fifty cents. This works well with rebates too. 2. Always go to a discount bakery. I get bread for 25 cents per loaf in Batesville Ar bakery. 3. Learn to cook whole grain vegetarian dishes. Vegetarian meals are so healthy and really so inexpensive if you don't use all the fake meat stuff. 4. Use the farmers market! Your local farmers market supports your local economy and is usually cheaper then your local grocery store. 5. Grow some veggies your self. "Patio Gardens" are so chic, and so self sufficient. Nothing is nicer then a cup of tea on the balcony next to your "garden". Imagine the beautiful smells of fresh herbs, the taste of vine ripe tomatoes, or the joy of seeing your garden grow. 6. Bring your own bags when you shop, some Kroger stores give you money back for each bag you supply.
Posted by: ladywaterwind at 03/01/2008 09:19:17 AM
I really wish you would have had a better outline on coupons, and really gotten rid of that junk about buying generic. Yes, sometimes generic is a good idea, but by combining a coupon with a loss leader sale and buying multiples of that item, you can really see a HUGE chunk of savings on name brand items. There's many websites out who offer advice on how to do this, including www.hotcouponworld.com where one member is writing about how she is ONLY SPENDING $800 FOR A YEAR on her family's groceries.
Posted by: camille at 03/01/2008 09:54:55 AM
There are tons of ways to save money at the grocery and drug stores. Combining coupons with sales, and clearanced items. Rebates are another way and then stockpiling, so YOU pickwhat price you want to buy something at, instead of whatever the stores normally charge. There are also alot of items you can get for free w/coupons...toothpaste, toilet paper,deoderant are just a few. I almost never but generic anymore because i can get it so much cheaper when on sale with a coupon
Posted by: Jonathan at 03/01/2008 11:43:18 AM
Some things I have done to save money: 1. I pay ALL bills online; 2. Go to matinees; 3. Read newspapers online; 4. Grocery shopping at Aldis; 5. Brita water filter instead of bottled waters; 6. Got a job walking distance from home to save gas and I go home for lunch; 7. Ticket discounts for local sporting events; 8. Keep eye out for discount or free admissions for favorite places to visit; 9. Dollar stores; 10. I take a yearly vacation. I go to a beach that is just a short 4-hour drive away, and I go in the off season anyway. I also get coupons in advance for the places I want to see; 11. I dont know about other city transit systems, but here in Washington, our METRO rail system offers on weekends reduced fares and NO parking fee; 12. I got a gas card from WAWA. When I use that card, it adds points to my record that I can redeem for $25 and $50 gift cards; 13. Annual Passes for places you will frequent anyway.
Posted by: Jane at 03/01/2008 02:12:48 PM
My family of four plus two dogs buys groceries, hba, dog food and eats out for less than $800 a year. We almost always buy name brand food, not store brand.
Posted by: seagullsnest at 03/10/2008 10:02:13 PM
Check out Angelfoods Ministries on line to really save on food costs.
Posted by: Chef Alfred at 05/18/2008 06:07:34 AM
Here is the real secret to saving grocery money - cook. You can make the best pancake you ever put in your mouth for 8 cents worth of Martha White self-rising flour and a teaspoon of sugar. Or $5.00 worth of cucumber salad for a 50 cent cucumber. The greatest boon to all this is the new equipment that is available now.Small kitchen appliances are a better investment than oil stocks. For example, a bread machine can make a pizza dough for $1.20 to make a large pizza worth $16.95 There are easy speed tricks known by chefs.
Posted by: Pete Pallenski at 05/19/2008 03:05:38 PM
Why save money? Bush has tripled the money in circulation and borrowed 4 trillion...
Posted by: Al Schrader at 05/19/2008 04:23:09 PM
There are lots of ways to save money. Some of them are terrific, others are false economy, like buying cheap underwear. If you are serious about saving money...don't spend it. Want to double your money ? Fold it in two and put it back in your wallet!
Posted by: David S. at 05/19/2008 05:49:22 PM
I recently have been introduced to Celebrity foods. They deliver a bulk order, put it away, I go to the grocery store an average of 3 to 4 times less a month. I save about 35% off my weekly grocery bill, not including time and gas!
Posted by: caribe at 05/19/2008 06:44:07 PM
Jane...There is NO WAY on earth that you can spend $800 a YEAR on groceries for a family of 4 plus 2 dogs.
Posted by: SANFORDSTTL@aol.com at 05/19/2008 10:27:19 PM
How to save money of everything? Don't buy anything.
Posted by: Carlos M. at 05/23/2008 05:30:53 PM
I've been saving tons of money at the grocery store for years by using coupons. I rarely pay more than $.99 cents for any item & very often get them for free, all it takes is a little investing on your local Sunday paper & a little time sorting out coupons to match what's on sale on any given week. In order to multiply your savings you can not be brand loyal & you have to buy items when they are on sale & buy them at stores that double coupons. My weekly budget for groceries is only $50 per week & I rarely go over it. Other shoppers are always amazed at how much I can get for under $50.
Posted by: Mary at 05/24/2008 04:17:31 AM
I have tried Aldi's and other cheap foods, yuk! I'd rather watch a sale on Oscar Mayer hot dogs than eat an Aldi dog. And I have also tried the Angel Food, the rib eye steaks were awful, among other things. If I'm going to put this in my mouth, it's going to be the good stuff. If you can eat crap food..more power to ya!
Posted by: Jaime at 06/02/2008 01:38:43 PM
Stores like Aldi and Sav-a-lot offer many items which are exactly the same as the major brands, at about 60% of the cost. An egg is an egg. Many canned goods are packaged in the same plants as name brands, only labeled for different distribution. Although there are products (such as hot dogs) that you may want to buy a higher quality - but I have saved hundreds of dollars at these stores over the years.
Posted by: John Cromens at 07/09/2008 04:33:28 AM
How about DirectBuy? They have helped a neighbor of mine save on his kitchen remodel. The cabinets were the exact same ones I bought at retail but for $5,000 less. Check them out if you want at www.directbuylosangeles.com
Posted by: Brandi at 07/18/2008 01:45:43 PM
Mary - there is no answer for food snobs. I think Aldi's has everything a person needs. It's reasonable and affordable. I had a roommate that was the same way - she was hung up on name brands. It's really not a big deal, it's all in your head.
Posted by: Erika at 07/31/2008 05:52:04 PM
I use a site called dentalpricecompare to help save on dental. It shows how much dental procedures cost based on your location. This really helps me because i can tell if my dentist is overcharging.
Posted by: Ryan howard at 08/02/2008 03:33:46 PM
Some of these on the list I think were great. I really like the save money on food. I'm always spending way too much eating out. I like Upromise.com so you can earn some money for college if you have kids. Also, when I do eat out I try to definitely use a coupon. A lot of restaurants have reward cards now and even special like kids eat free night. Double up on some of those deals if you can. Topwaystosave.com has a nice tips section, and I liked Saveforhouse.com if you're learning for more ways to save too.
Posted by: Fucoubssoync at 08/02/2008 06:03:44 PM
Thanks !
Posted by: Janet Horner at 08/31/2008 05:15:59 PM
I LOVE Aldi's, and they have really helped me bring down my food bill and now that we are getting ready to help out the hurricane victims the store will be my first stop to buy the need items for buckets we are sending from my church!
Posted by: The Frugal One at 09/27/2008 04:00:19 AM
Couple things you can do to save money: 1. Eat out in groups and share food family style. You can often eat more and pay less per person than you would have to if you ate alone (or with your S.O.). My S.O. and I have gone to a number of so-called Yelp events, have met a number of great people that share a common passion for good food (that's affordable), and have had a lot of fun. 2. Also, whenever you buy anything, look for a coupon online and use it.
Posted by: James South at 10/07/2008 02:01:17 AM
Save Money on your remodel. My partner and I did. We bought an older home in the Los Angeles area that needed some major work. It needed a whole new kitchen, the bathrooms were all pink tiled, and the carpet was that Avocado green shag. All and all we saved over $16,000 using our membership at DirectBuy...
Posted by: Linda at 10/09/2008 01:33:47 PM
I have a question for James South. I've been tempted to respond to the ads for Direct Buy, buy I've been told the membership fee is very high. Can you share some insider info on how their organization works?
Posted by: James South at 10/09/2008 11:14:04 PM
Hi Linda, DirectBuy is a buyers club that allows us to buy direct from the manufacture. We are members in the Long Beach Direct Buy location and we have had a great experience. Heres what you need to know. They are very concerned about their confidential pricing so they require you to make an appointment in advance. One you enter the showroom they will have you sit in a presentation and show you how they are able to save you money on everything from luggage to kitchen cabinets and everything in between. They also demonstrate how much the average family spends over a ten year period of time on just markups. They compare that to how their membership dues are. I wish we signed up years ago because I had no Idea how much markup we give to the stores verses what they pay for the product. Because of the confidential pricing you should be prepared to make a decision as to if you want to join. After a lot of questions about that it finally made sense for me. They have just about every major product confidential right there in the showrooms. Now you may have to wait on some items since it comes from the manufacture but we had a the same if a sofa we ordered a few months back. I personal dont mind waiting if I am going to save....Do your homework before you go and remember to think past what your immediate purchases are. Think about how much you could of saved over the years on all the things you buy...Hope this info helps you. You can always check it out and you really dont anything to loose. Best of luck Linda.
Posted by: Marcus at 10/30/2008 12:39:57 AM
I have a bundle package (phone, net, cable) and paid about $180 a month. I called today and threatened, well, I nicely stated that AT&T has a new package and if Brighthouse could help me stay with them. They knocked $20 off per month for the next year, basically a new customer rate. It all adds up. Tomorrow I call my insurance and cell providers.
Posted by: Scamwow at 02/13/2009 08:52:09 AM
Direct Buy is a scam unless you are a contractor who knows what you are doing and you plan on spending a lot of money. Do some research and educate yourself!
Posted by: Melinda at 02/28/2009 08:33:08 AM
I agree, restaurant.com is a fantastic way to save money dining out! In addition to paying only $10 for a $25 gift certificate, now you can also get 7.5% CASH BACK!!! FREE registration at www.gocrazycashback.com
Posted by: Peyton at 03/13/2009 01:58:52 PM
this is very helpful to me....i have saved a lot of money......also i have been spending a lot of money on grocers..and times are getting hard....
Posted by: erika at 03/19/2009 06:42:04 PM
Save money in general by bartering your unused property, items/antiques or a service (carpentry, babysitting, dental, computer savvy, landscaping...you get the picture) on www.tradeaway.com it has thousands of items and services listed! One man’s trash is another mans treasure!
Posted by: Jess Street at 03/24/2009 09:04:26 PM
I got a membership at www.discountsonproducts.com, they have thousands of deals and they update it every hour. It's good.
Posted by: ron johnson at 04/12/2009 12:58:20 AM
Here is the best way to really save money...no kidding its a free tool that brings you the best price on every thing you would ever search for...www.myshoppinggenie.com/mj
Posted by: Bernie at 05/14/2009 04:56:21 PM
GREAT FOOD FOR ALL is the best in Georgia. You get $50-$80 worth of food for $30! They have name brand quality food! Go to www.greatfoodforall.com and look at the menu.
Posted by: Lindsey at 06/10/2009 01:40:48 PM
Even if you rarely shop at that place, having a rewards card for that place will eventually net you some coupons and discounts. Here’s the basic game plan for maximizing these programs: create a Gmail address just for these mailings, collect every card you can, and then check that account for extra coupons whenever you’re ready to shop. If I shop online, I always use SwoopUp.com to save lots of money on any type of purchase.
Posted by: Pharmc663 at 08/13/2009 02:08:31 AM
Very nice site!
Posted by: Chris at 08/15/2009 06:08:50 PM
Ok, want to save money, don't own a car, use public transport and hire a car if you really need one, owning a car is so expensive when you consider a car spends a lot of it' life not being used, have only 1 child or none, and then all the usuals, energy saving light bulbs, careful spending on entertainment/food, i just wanted to mention no car, and 1 kid oh and rent a house as cheaply as possible, don't buy, cos people don't mention these, and i have lots of money saved :)
Posted by: Natasha Assa at 08/25/2009 01:52:24 AM
I am curious to know whether I should buy natural gem stones in basic design and quality or synthetic ones but with interesting design and lower price? Any ideas? Say a large but simple topaz ring with CZ frame for $ 566 or a CZ (sapphire look) ring from a French designer for $99?
Posted by: Designed2Design at 09/25/2009 05:31:07 PM
Another great way to save money is to join a loyalty membership. At CashforGasandGroceries.com you get $25 Visa gift cards each month just for shopping at the same grocery store or gas station.
Posted by: MS at 11/12/2009 04:53:32 PM
I was a member of Direct Buy for 10 years and it was great. If you are a new homeowner, it is the best. You save more on furniture than NC. The high up front fee and yearly maintenance for 10 years was offset just by my bedroom furniture purchase! That doesn't count my dining room, other bedroom, trampoline, big TV and more over the years