This is the perfect time to start tightening your belt. Not only is the economy still struggling, summer is here and many of us would like to take a vacation in the next few months. If you are left with too little after paying your bills, perhaps you need to start focusing on little ways to save money. Add all of these frugal habits together and you will actually save quite a bit of money throughout the week.

  1. Switch from name brand groceries to store brand.
  2. Pack all lunches for school / work.
  3. Join a carpool. This helps the environment and your budget.
  4. Turn off all lights as soon as you leave a room.
  5. Water the lawn at night, as evaporation from the sun will waste water.
  6. Set your lawnmower to cut the grass as short as possible.
  7. Keep your showers brief.
  8. Consider hand-washing your dishes if you don’t have a full load to clean.
  9. Save your leftovers for a second meal.
  10. Eat everything in your pantry before you make a new trip to the grocery store.
  11. Use a bicycle instead of your car for shorter trips.
  12. Wash your car at home, rather than a commercial car wash.
  13. Keep your credit cards at home.
  14. Save your loose change in a jar.
  15. Fill up your gas tank when it is cool outside.

While some of the above tips will only save you pennies at a time, instilling these new frugal habits will definitely help in the long run. The money you save can be used for investing, paying down debt or for that summer vacation you thought you couldn’t take.

By Line:

Heather Johnson is a commentator on the subject of 0% APR credit cards. She welcomes your feedback and potential job inquiries at heatherjohnson2323 at gmail.com

MANAGE YOUR MONEY TOGETHER

Here are some simple guidelines for DINKS to build wealth:

1) Collaborate: Meet regularly to talk about money, set goals together, track and monitor them.

2) Understand and respect your partner. Take time to understand your partners values about money.

3) Watch the numbers. Get a budget, monitor your spending and track your net worth.

4) Max your retirement. Maximize contributions to your tax deferred retirement accounts.

5) Invest in stock. Stocks perform better than bonds or cash.

6) Avoid high interest debt. Credit cards and title loans are financial cancer.

7) Diversify. Don't put all your eggs in one basket.

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