In this so called "economic crunch" most people are feeling the need to tighten their pursestrings, here are a few simple and practical ideas we can all implement daily:
1. Find a credit card with a lower interest rate - air miles & such don't help you if you're having trouble meeting your bills - shop around.
2. Leave your credit cards at home. If you have to think and plan each purchase, you will spend less.
3. Do your grocery shopping at "discount" stores like the dreaded super store. Yes, it's going to be crowded and you can't buy a latte to enjoy whilst you shop, but you will save money.
4. Pack your own lunch.
5. Bring a coffee maker or kettle to work - with coffee being anywhere from $1.50 to $5.00+ a shot, the savings will add up.
6. Cancel your gym membership - go outside for a walk or run - do some situps & pushups while you save!
7. Find free or low cost entertainment that's fun for the whole family. Buy a boardgame at a thrift store like Life, Sorry or Monopoly for a couple of bucks, and you have many evenings of family fun.
8. Try your best to bank your child care money from the government if you get it. Saving is hard, but with compound interest, those cheques can really add up over the years.
9. Itemize your monthly expenses and allocate the money to marked envelopes. Once the $50 a month is gone for entertainment, it's gone.
10. Review your phone, cable and internet contracts - wherever possible bundle services - get rid of features you don't really need or don't use.
11. Instead of a vacation in the tropics - try a "staycation" a trip to a local sports venue, market, or attraction. You'll definitely be less depressed to return to work after a staycation - and no sunburn!!
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