Consumer Credit Counseling Service of Northern Colorado and Southeast Wyoming

Posted by CCCS on 5/17/2007

Food:

Add Spices (cinnamon, nutmeg, etc.) to coffee grounds to make your own flavored coffee.
Buy generic brands when possible.
Plan menus in order to use ingredients in more than one recipe. For example, the roast, potatoes, and vegetables on Sunday can be made into stew for Monday.
Cook up double batches of soups, stews, and casseroles, and freeze half for later.
Make a list of place that have good bargains and routinely check on them.
Eat before you go grocery shopping.
Compare price per unit on food items.
Eat your leftovers. Put leftover vegetables in a container in the freezer and use as a base for stew or soup.
Consider participating in food buying clubs or the Share Programs.
Cut grocery shopping down to once a week.
Buy soda pop on sale and take it to work rather than putting money in a pop machine. Take coffee, tea or juice to work in a thermos.

Eating out:

If you must dine out-use cash. Leave your credit cards at home.
Party in instead of out. Pot luck dinners, card parties, etc., can be lots of fun.
Meet friends for brown bag lunches at the park rather than going out.
Skip dessert. Skip drinks, or have a drink at home before going out.

Clothing:

Buy quality clothing that will last a long time.
Change accessories to an old outfit rather than buying a new outfit. Add a scarf, change the blouse, add a pin, etc.
When you go window-shopping leave your checkbook and credit cards at home.
Don't confuse shopping with fun. Shopping is serious business.
Keep your good shoes at work. Wear older shoes for walking to and from the office.
Wear old clothes for messy or dirty jobs.

Household:

Buy used items rather than new when you can.
Set a timer when making long distance calls and limit your calls.
Instead of buying expensive cleaning products, buy a large bottle of ammonia. It works great for mopping floors and mixed with water in a squirt bottle, can be used on mirrors, stoves, cupboards, and for spot cleaning on carpets and upholstery.
Pay extra on your mortgage. Make an extra principal payment whenever possible.
Turn out lights and turn off the TV when you leave a room.
In the winter, set the thermostat at 65 and leave it there. Put on a sweater if you get chilly.
Write more letters and telephone less.
Practice preventative maintenance.

Self Care:

Many expensive beauty products can be replaced with natural items. For example, corn meal makes a good facial scrub and cider vinegar is a good astringent.
Cut back on the amount of beauty and household items you use. How much shampoo, toothpaste, dish soap, or laundry soap is really necessary?
Choose an easy hair care hairstyle.

Transportation:

Saving and Spending:

Set up savings plans that use automatic deductions from your paychecks or checking accounts. Take the choice out of saving.
Carry only the cash that you can afford to spend.
To become more consciences on how you are spending your money, keep track of all your spending for at least one-month.
When selecting a bank, shop around for the best fees and free services.
Schedule regular family meetings to discuss financial goals and check on your progress. Involve the whole family in saving money.

And more...:

Start a change jar.
Buy reusable rather than disposable items when possible.
Have a yard sale to raise money and get rid of unwanted items.
Trade skills and resources with neighbors, friends, and family.
Give homemade gifts, or give gifts of personal services.
Recycle and re-use. Old towels and clothing make great rags. Old hoses can be cut down to shorter lengths. Old jars can be used for storing nails or other small items.
Look for freebies like concerts, lectures, or literature.
Learn to do things yourself. For example: mending clothes, grooming pets, cutting hair, framing pictures, changing furnace filters, painting, etc.

50 Ways to Pinch Your Pennies