15 Easy Ideas on How to Save Money at Home

 When Bill turned thirty two years old last November, his friends flocked his house and demanded that he treat them to a cheap lunch. He was embarrassed to admit he was broke on his birthday. They ended up treating him that day.

 During lunch, they discussed their current financial status. Some of his friends were well off. Others were struggling. He was somewhere in between but was in danger of being broke most of the time. They exchanged a lot of ideas on how to save money. Here are some of those tips that came out. Some of these tips apply only to car owners, home owners and parents.

 1. When purchasing gasoline, go to the gas station very late at night or anytime early morning (up to 5:30 a.m.). Gasoline expands when the weather is hot and contracts when the day cools off. People who gas up during hot hours of the day end up with less gasoline in their cars by nighttime.

 2. Have your vehicle tuned up (change in spark plugs, contact point, condenser and idling adjustment every 5,000 km or six months). This reduces engine stress and allows your car to consume gasoline efficiently.

 3. A complete change in oil, along with radiator flushing every six months, or 5,000 km traveled, is another way of saving up on gasoline expense.

 4. Tire pressure should be maintained at an optimal level. Deflated tires account for a 20 percent rate in fuel wastage.

 5. Plan your trips. Avoid rush hour errands unless absolutely necessary.

 6. Car Pooling is always an intelligent option.

 7. Use your car less by taking public transportation.

 8. Housewives and those handling the family budget are advised to open a savings or ATM account and enroll their utilities and other monthly bills there. This saves one from wasting time queuing, especially during peak days. Banks that offer Phone Banking and internet banking are worth the minimum balance requirements placed on them.

 9.  If you are a smoker, stop. With government agencies losing money in a bad economy, the first place they look to raise your taxes are cigarettes.

 10. Bring your own food to work.

 11. Buy in bulk.  

 12. Shop for discounts and don’t forget to use coupons when you go grocery shopping.  If you are shopping online, look for coupon code sites that will help you get some of your money back.

 13. Some internet service providers (ISP) offer unlimited hours for a fixed fee. Some would only charge you for $20 a month for unlimited number of hours. This saves you a lot of money if you are a heavy user.

 14. Use internet based services to send SMS/Text messages. You can send literally hundreds of messages for free by using Yahoo, ICQ, and other sites offering this service. You may only use my cell credits for calls and emergencies.

 15. Recycle old newspapers, scratch paper, cans and cartons. You can still make money from them.