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I find I'm usually already doing them all, or they just don't seem worth the hassle. I do a Starbucks or Dunkin Donuts splurge once a week, otherwise coffee at home. We just went to Olive Garden, as they have their "buy one, take one" special going on right now and even with drinks and a shared dessert, it worked out to around $12 per person this way...and I usually have a $4 off coupon that I use to lower even further....at that price, you're nearing fast food territory.
I try to shop sales at the grocery store and use coupons for stuff I will actually use and shop on the 10% senior discount day...even at thrift stores! My weakness is books...even buying at library sales, garage sales and thrift stores...well, I already have too darned many books!
Have Consumer Cellular for phones, but still comes out too high, IMO...they don't quote you the cost for data usage...which always seems high to me....and I have not yet cut satellite TV...addicted to sports and my granddaughter addicted to reality shows, etc. Internet/cable/cell phones just all seem too high, no matter how you try to save. I even got a $200 gift card from AT&T for signing up with them when I moved.....
I hope others chime in with money saving ideas that are new.....seems like no matter how I try to save, the money goes out at an amazing rate!
We don’t eat out unless we travel, and always drink water when we do. Prepare many meals ahead and put them in the freezer, when we’re tired from cooking, we just pull them out and heat them up for dinner.
Someday I see calling Goodwill, setting up an appointment for them to haul most of it away and heading out and living on bare minimum.
Instead of Goodwill, please consider the Salvation Army or one of the myriad veteran's organizations. Why? Look into the compensation package the CEO of Goodwill receives, the amount of money he puts back into the community, and what he pays his employees.
I'm sorry if this has been covered before and I imagine maybe it has and I'm sure parts of it has, like with the cutting cable thread. There are many pretty well known things like senior discounts at restaurants. (I don't qualify for all of them yet)
I'd be interested in programs that those who are retired can take advantage of to pay out less. I already cut cable and I've started on the process of cutting cell phone costs. (anything cheaper than $100 a month for 4 phones unlimited)?
There has to be a lot of things I've not even considered yet.
Pay for everything with a credit card that gives a cash rebate. I buy everything with a Fidelity card, 2% back, automatically deposited in my account.
today I've decided to stop buying overpriced coffee at Panera and Starbucks - actually gave away my last giftcard that I received from one of them.....not happy w/ some of their issues in the national news, and think it has become overpriced, really......not that I can't afford it, but again, when you can make a cheap pot of coffee, why go and spend $3-4 a cup at Starbucks?
We switched from go to Starbucks to Eight O’Clock at home around ten years ago
Instead of Goodwill, please consider the Salvation Army or one of the myriad veteran's organizations. Why? Look into the compensation package the CEO of Goodwill receives, the amount of money he puts back into the community, and what he pays his employees.
Or better still, donate to local charities that help people right in your own area. We donate, and sometimes shop for bargains, at the local area rescue ministry thrift store which serves homeless people in our nearest metro area. We've found really decent furniture for our vacation rental there, as well as decor items that fit in with our theme.
We switched from go to Starbucks to Eight O’Clock at home around ten years ago
I need to start using a thermos as well. I'm not a cheapskate, but I drink a lot of coffee and like to have it available when I'm out and about. Just don't like the idea of supporting the highly inflated places ---I grab one for $1 at my local gas station that tastes about the same to me.
Eat and drink at home. Watch what you eat to stay healthy.
Don't use shopping as recreation. Bundle your trips to save gas.
Use the services of the library.
We joined the YMCA using Silver Sneakers type disounted program and found the Y has most programs totally free of cost.
Use it up, make do, repair all you can, do without. Empty those closets and rooms piled with "stuff".
Budget and learn exactly what you actually spend money on and see if it is really what you WANT to spend money on or is it impulsive and/or emotional purchases.
If you watch the pennies, you could have the dollars to travel. We did and have traveled the world since 1982. I know that buying coffee at a coffee house is not what I want to spend my dollars on. I make it at home. We carefully chose the restaurants we eat at to ensure an excellent meal and not a chain produced mediocre one.
We cut the cord ad only stream one service a month and change them out. No more automatic monthly TV bills. Our antenna gets the local stations now.
Even better for saving money is eating at home but it's not as much fun.
I agree. No tax and no tip when you eat at home. Also, the beverages add cost to any meal.
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