Fall semester 2009 begins Monday, August 17th, which means that summertime is coming to an end. I hope you have all enjoyed your summer and have done something fun!
I decided to share some cash-savings strategies to help you save in this tough economy.
Form a Cooking Co-Op
Cooking is a lot cheaper than eating out, but who has time to cook every single night? A woman in Virginia, solved her scheduling and budgeting dilemma by forming a cooking co-op. Every Tuesday, she cooks dinner for her family and three other families and delivers it to their doors. Monday, Wednesday and Thursday, the three other families cook for her family.
Her Web site has recipes and tips for starting a co-op. Be sure to check it out, here.
Use the Public Library
Home entertainment cost can be expensive when you add up cable TV, satellite radio, video games and movie rentals. Get familiar with the local library. The library might offer free children's events, language programs or financial workshops and performing arts events. They offer free video rentals-and, if all else fails, you can even check out a book!
Bargain Shop
When shopping, try to save some money doing it. Try web sites like Craigslist where one can find used goods and search for promotional codes for discounts on other purchases. Some stores allow you to print coupons to use in the store.
Communicate Cheaply
These days, most people have cell phones with long distance calling, so cut the long distance on your land line. Or you can switch from a local phone service to Vonage and save.
Negotiate
You can negotiate for good bargains; all you have to do is simply ask. You can negotiate your APR on your credit card, missed payments and even the cable bill. I had missed two payments on my credit card and I called explaining that I have been a great customer and asked if they would be willing to waive the fee. The fee was waived both times.
These are just a few tips from an article on Yahoo Finance. To see the article with more tips, click here.
