Money for Mouse Ears: Saving Up

A few months back, I went a bit nuts and ended up overdrawing my bank account. Call it holiday shopping, call it boredom...whatever it was, I didn't like it. I didn't like the customer service rep from the bank telling me that I was overdrawn. Not. One. Bit.

So I got smarter about the little things, and it paid off pretty quickly. I'm still working on the big things, but I feel better about my finances now and thought I'd share some insights with all of you.

1. Avoid buying convenience foods, e.g., things that are pre-cut, pre-packaged or in individual servings as these are always priced at a premium; buy in bulk and do a little 'extra' work at home to save money

2. Eliminate all unnecessary memberships/fees, e.g., Amazon Subscribe & Save

3. Determine what is necessary and what is a nice to have, e.g., a mani/pedi every 2-3 weeks is nice, but not necessary. Can be done at home easily for a very, very low cost. Save mani/pedi/wax for vacations or when absolutely necessary.

4. Brown bag lunch as often as possible, eat at home, eat leftovers and plan meals around what you already have to avoid buying duplicate items

5. Sell stuff you don't use; donate things that won't sell

6. Avoid fast food (see #4 above)

7. Turn off lights and water, conserve! Better for your bottom line and the environment.

8. Buy generic/store brands at every opportunity, these are the same quality for a much lower price.

9. Use your public library instead of buying/renting books and movies.