SAVING MONEY IS ONLY FOR SMART FOLKS - HOW SMART ARE YOU!

You read all those "save money" and "stretch your dollars" articles. You hear about coupons, freebies, a dollar here, a dollar there, take your lunch, buy generic - - - and you still say "what the heck is the big deal? How can you expect to pay your bills on this silly little stuff?".

All it takes is commitment and common sense. Do you know what those mean? A commitment means a promise you make to yourself to do something ALL THE TIME! To stick with it. Make it your goal. Every goal has to have a commitment. Without commitment, how do you know if or when you meet your goal? Or are you just wasting your time and money? Commons sense means just that. Common sense. Not what "everybody else" says or does. Not what the current money guru says is "how to do it". Neither of those entities pay YOUR bills at the end of the month. YOU have to think about what YOU have and what YOU want and use YOUR common sense to put them together. Here's what the smart folks know.....

Saving money is the goal. What you do with it is the choice.

This is what the smart folks know..... How smart will you be? You've done the coupons, the freebies, rebates. You've shopped the clearance racks, bargain tables and made compromises. Now what? "Where's my savings?" you ask. Well.......what did you do with them?

To know what savings you have and to know how much you have saved, you have to do 2 simple things.

Simple Thing #1: Like everything else you do in life, you have to keep track. Keep track of what you spend and how much you saved. If you bought something regularly priced at $20 and it was on sale and you paid $15 - keep track - $15 is the expense, $5 is the savings. Knowing this as you walk out the store is one thing, SEEING it on paper is another! Visual comprehension is a HUGE part of "finally getting it!"

Simple Thing #2: Set aside what you actually saved! Literally... set it aside! In a savings account, a piggy bank or that hiding place you have in your bedroom! Somewhere, set your actual savings aside.

How Do You Know What You Actually Saved?

Create a log or balance sheet for yourself. It can be on the PC, but hey, do a quick handwritten list. This way is quick and easy and you can do it at anytime, instead of waiting to get back on the PC.

Title columns the following:
Item / Regular Price of Item / Price I Paid / I Saved...

For example:
Sweater: Regular price $20 - Price I paid $15 - I saved: $5
Lunch: Regular Price $8 - Price I paid $5 - I saved $3
Groceries: Regular Price $150 - Price I paid $122 - I saved: $28

Total savings $36 - NOW GO WRITE YOURSELF A CHECK FOR $36 and put it in your savings account!

You can also include things that you usually spend money on, but have made the committment to NOT spend the money on. For instance - If you have decided to give up your flavored coffee each morning - That's $3.75 a day you can write in the balance sheet

Coffee: Regular Price $3.75 / Price I paid $0 / I saved $3.75

Now add that $3.75 to your total. Do this daily. Keep the balance sheet in the car. Keep a tablet in the car and write it down and then transcribe it to the balance sheet every night or at the end of the week. Which ever is easiest for you. At the end of the week, add up the savings and write yourself a check! Now sometimes, you aren't able to save the entire amount - maybe just half because you need some of it for an unexpected expense. Well, just write the check for half of what you actually saved. If you are stretching your dollars, instead of saving, sometimes you just need that money to go elsewhere other than a savings account. That is good to - keep track of it. Write where it went so next month you can see where you got that "extra" money last month and do the same thing this month to collect it again!

Where else you can find things you spend money on so you can choose not to spend it?

Would you REALLY miss that magazine if you didn't renew it for another year? Do you really want to renew a membership to someplace you don't really go to often. Would it hurt you to miss one months issue of your favorite magazine? How about renting only 2 movies every Friday night instead of 4? Can you cancel that automatic deduction for that program you have that you hardly use? Do you really have to eat out EVERY Friday night? Can't you eat out just 2 of them and make a fun, easy meal at home and relax the other 2 nights? And the kids...do they really have to have all those cool and expensive snacks - couldn't a generic brand do? The name doesn't mean they will taste any better! Here is where alot of the common sense comes into play.

Think about what you are spending and ASK yourself:

"Do I really want that item MORE than I want my GOAL?

This balance sheet procedure helps in a big way for you to actually SEE how much you really are SPENDING! A little here and a little there, adds up over the week! You don't realize it while you are spending it ("it's ONLY 3 bucks!") but that $3 bucks adds up over the course of 7 days to the tune of $21 a week or $84 a month and $1,092 a year!

In addition, SEEING what you have SAVED is a sure fire way to perk your eyes open and see that it is possible, you aren't any worse for the "wear", it wasn't that hard to do, and didn't cost you anything to do it - and wow! Look how close you are getting to your goal!

Commit to 30 days - commit to it honestly! Get your balance sheet ready, tablet handy and start writting. When you swipe that debit card, when you pull out the dollar bills, when you write that check - enter the amounts in your balance sheet. Talley your savings weekly - it will show you that you can do it and that it is working. Just think of what will happen if you keep doing what you are doing?

On a limited budget and have to stretch the dollars instead of saving it?

Been there, done that! That is how I figured out alot of these "tricks of the trade" and how I was able to support a family of four on limited income due to unemployment all the time in the construction field. To me it wasn't a choice - there was no choice. I streteched my dollars or my kids didn't eat. Period. That alone is the only factor I needed to commit and use common sense. I would add up my coupons BEFORE I went to the store and add that much back into my grocery budget for a bit more to spend. I watched the sales and followed those big red CLEARENCE signs to the back of the store so I could cloth both kids instead of just one. I bought generic instead of name brand. I often did "without" some little thing, until I realized that it was a waste to have it in the first place or found a cheaper way to "have it". And our lives were good and happy and my kids grew up to be great adults with a great mind set for their own budgets now. They are now doing much better than I was their age! Guess they learned something for ol' Mom!

Quite frankly, and I say this as I know it to be true, you can turn this savings thing into a game! You see that first month or 2 of savings and know your goal is on its way...you see that you were able to buy that necessary item this month, because you saved elsewhere last month. You will start looking for new ways to save and the game has begun! Try to beat your own earnings every month! Look for new ways to save! Commitment and common sense - they can be your new best friends!

3 Simple Words to Save You Money......

There are alot of ways to save money - and the biggest is to not spend it in the first place if you don't have to!!!

"Sounds to simple to be profitable", you say. Truth of the matter is....It is simple. And it is profitable. And ANYONE can do it.

Three simple words: Freebies, samples and coupons - and you have 3 new best friends! Why pay full price when you can get it for less?

Freebies and samples! Good grief, why pay for a product when they are willingly giving you the product for FREE!!

I have recently gotten back in the freebie/sample/coupon saddle again and it is very profitable.

At my blog Coupons, Samples and Free Stuff I am posting and blogging about the how's and where's and all you have to do is click and start saving money! Come on over and check it out!

Tips To A Sizzling Successful Summer Garage Sale

9 Tips To A Sizzling Successful Summer Garage Sale

With the
temperature heating up outside now is the time to sell your guilt by clearing the clutter in your home. The saying is “one man’s junk is another man’s treasure”. You can start organizing clutter and make money at the same time. The way to do this is to have a Sizzling summer garage sale. If you can, have a street or neighborhood group sale that is even better.

It is very important to figure out why you are having a garage sale while clearing the clutter.

·Is the goal to make as much money as possible so you can take your dream vacation?

·Or is the goal to get rid of as much stuff as possible to make some spending money for your vacation?

Okay you have been busy going through your home organizing clutter now it is time to have the yard sale and get rid of it:

1. Have everything prepared and ready to sell the night before. The morning of the sale is too late to prepare because people will be there bright and early to start buying.

2. Advertize well, if you live in a small town advertize in your local paper, also Craig’s list and other places on the internet.

3. Make good signs directing people where the sale is: Make them Big and Bold, only put the address and arrow pointing the direction to the location on the posters.

4. Identify who is selling: wear a bright apron, hat, or a tag saying “I Work Here”.

5. Price EVERYTHING. People don’t like to have to ask how much something costs. Buy colored dots and put dots on everything. If you are selling everything in a certain area all for the same price—on a table or in a box have a sign saying “everything in this box is 50 cents”. If you don’t want to put the price on every sticker make a BIG poster with the color of sticker and the corresponding price. Have a couple of these posted in prominent places.

·(yellow sticker) $1.00
·(blue sticker) .25 cents
·(green sticker) .50 cents

6. Have some free items to give away. My friend got some free magazines which she enjoyed looking through one evening so you never know what someone will take.

7. If you are selling clothes—hang them up or at least separate them out on a tarp on the lawn. You could hang them between two sturdy, heavy ladders that have a clothes line strung between them or string a clothes line between trees.

8. Don’t over price items. Price to sell– Don’t guilt the buyer. Never say “it’s never been used”—people don’t care — don’t price based on sentimentality. The buyer doesn’t care that it is important to you. Don’t be a stalker—don’t follow customers around.

9. Have plenty of change! Start the day with $10.00 in quarters and $20.00 in one dollar bills, 5 $5 dollar bills and 4 $10.00 bills. You can keep your money in a cash box, or a shoe box, but if you do someone should watch it at all times. A fanny pack could be used for money instead.

10. A good time to hold the sale is from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm. It is really busy the first couple of hours. After 2:00 traffic really drops off. Anyone who shows up after 2:00 tell them prices are slashed to 75% off. Or make everything free, or give them a grocery bag and tell them everything they can fit in the bag is only $1.00. You may get rid of everything but for sure will have less stuff that you have to cart off to your local charity.

Have fun, visit with the people who come and reap the rewards from clearing clutter.

Article Source: http://www.wahm-articles.com

Marilyn is a professional organizer, a sought after public speaker and author who is passionate about teaching ways to organize your life and how to reduce clutter. She works with women in their homes and offices. On her web site she teaches you to get rid of clutter by using her Lights On Organizing System. She provides practical information on how to declutter your home, office and life. In her blogs, articles, and videos she gives timely tips on how to clear clutter and how to declutter everything in your home and office. She is the author of a book called Go Organize! Conquer clutter in three simple steps which will be in major bookstores in December 2009. Marilyn invites you to visit her website www.marilynbohn.com Marilyn is a professional organizer who works with women and seniors in clearing clutter and providing organizing tips. Visit her website www.marilynbohn.com for free organizing tips on her blogs, articles and videos.

Rhonda White helps Work at Home Moms learn how to market their home business.
at MommyRevenue.com

Save Money by De-cluttering!

We all think, "Oh, I don't have that much". But if you were to actually SEE what you have, you'd be surprised! I'm telling you, clutter can get into the nooks and crannies of places you never knew you had!

Now I'm not only talking about the stuff like too many clothes, too many toys, too many shoes...that is pretty obvious that clutter has been visiting you. There is a cure for that, but I'm also taking about clutter in places you didn't know you had - which only means CLUTTER you didn't know you had! And this is not hard at all. At worst, it is time consuming, but what job isn't worth time spent on it?

What Determines CLUTTER status?

Well, short and sweet - more than 2 of anything you don't use regularly. More than 2 of anything you don't really need. More than 2 of anything that you haven't "seen" in a long time! I always believe in a back up - "better to have it and not need it, than to need it and not have it" but st the same time you have to remember what you have so you know if you even have it if you do need it! Are you still with me?

What Determines De-Clutter?

Items that you have more than 2 of! And throw in the thought process of "how long have I had that and have not used it?" and "do I really need to keep that - I have 2 already" or "do I really need to keep that? I've had it for years and never used it".

Trust me...de-cluttering is a GOOD THING! Martha Stewart would even agree! And once you are done - you'll be so pleased with what you've accomplished and how much nice and cleaner and more comfortable your house or apartment will look, you'll wonder whay you don't "de-clutter" more often!

How Do I Start the De-Clutter Project?

Well, first, don't look at it like it's a chore. Having to make yourself do a chore that you really don't have much interest in is a really hard thing to do - we all know this when it comes time to clean the toilets! So get your mind set to be thinking, "If I get rid of stuff I don't need or use, I'll have so much more space to get new things!". HOWEVER... this is just a trick for your mind! Don't actually plan on filling all the spaces again, just plan on enjoying the fresh, clean, non-cluttered space for awhile! Trick your mind! Your goal is to get rid of the clutter and not let it collect again!

Start small. If you're like me you can start on a huge project to de-clutter, but I am a old hand at it from having had to move so much in the past 30 years. But if you aren't, or think that you can't do this...start small. Take that bottom drawer in the bathroom, the one you don't get into but maybe once a week or so, and take it out to the table. With a trash can, a "give away" box and a "maybe/maybe not" box in front of you, take each item out of the drawer, and ask yourself "Do I really need this? Do I even use this? If I use it, how often and is it a necessity or just something that I do because?". BE HONEST.

Ask Questions!

So you find a wad of bandaids in this drawer... you don't need 20 questions but here's a good few to always use:
1. How old are they? Is the adhesive dried? Are they faded, are they crumbled and open? None of these things is good for a first aid item...dump them.
2. They've been in this bottom drawer for so long I forgot I had them...dump them.
3. I know I have a bunch in that other bathroom, let me look at that and combine the stash, dump the old ones, dump the opened ones, and then think...do I really need this many? Cut down to a reasonable amount and get a ziplock baggie and put them in and lay the stash aside.

Now just go through everything in this drawer with the same procedure and mind-set. The key is to be HONEST! Come on! If you haven't used something in the past year, how likely are you to use it in the next week? Month?

If you do this with every drawer in your house, you end with a huge bang of satisfation! In a way, this is a huge project - a whole house of how many people's clutter! But don't look at it that way! I have found that starting out small is the best place to start. Do one drawer a day... trust me... you'll get so enthused about how much headway and extra space you are creating and how clean your house is getting, you'll want to do more each day!

What About the Closest?

There has been so much said about closets, I don't think I need to repeat it. You know, if you haven't worn it in a year, donate it. If you didn't wear it last winter, you most likely won't wear it this winter - donate it. You've heard the drill. HOWEVER... this does work. I recently did this with my own closet. It started with just the things I know I don't wear or have not lost the weight to fit in- I pulled it all out and gave it to my sister, her daughter and my mom. Then a few months later when we set a move date, I did it again, and if I hadn't worn it in a year I donated it to my church for their rummage sale. I did it again in May and if I hadn't worn it in the last 6 months - to the church it went. And when we moved in August, I did it again and am now down to literally and honestly ONLY the things I wear daily. Do I miss any of the things I had? No. I never worn them. How can you miss something you never used? I am glad I could help others that needed clothes. Is my mind set to go on a shopping spree? No, I don't want all that clutter again. I do plan on watching the upcoming holiday sales and pick up A FEW things for dress or nice but that's it.

So just go through your closet - little at a time. Let a month pass and do it again. You'll be surprised at what you actually admit you don't need, want, can't wear or just don't wear! And look at all that space? Now, just cause it is a closet, doesn't mean it is solely for clothes. Right now I have 2 book shelves in my closet with craft supplies on them!

Kitchen Drawers and Utensils

The same procedure and mind-set applies for the kitchen. Start with one drawer at a time and move to the next. Do you use all those little kitchen gadets? Do you need all those mixing spoons? A good step in this case is to take what you ALWAYS USE - daily or weekly - and set that aside as "keepers". THEN go back through and start asking questions. I had an apple peeler - what a cool gadget! I had intened to use it to peel the apples to dehydrate for trail mix. I did it once and not again. I have packed and moved that thing with me 3 moves. So this time, I admitted, I wasn't using it, I wasn't going to use it and didn't want to waste space on it! So to the donate box it went. Now, that you have gone through and found "keepers", move all the donated stuff out to the garage and go through it once more as you put the things away. Ask again, "am I going to use this this week, next week, next month? Do I really think I will use it in the next 6 months?". And if you get a no answer - donate.

Kitchen Food Shelves

First and foremost, think of food safety. All food expires at some point in time. Maybe it isn't going to kill you if you use it expired, but at the same time, why take the chance? Again, pull all the items out. Clean the shelf, then take each item indivifually and

1. Check expiration date. Within reason, dump if it's expired.
2. How long have you had that food item and how long has it been sitting there open?
3. Does anyone in the family really eat this stuff? It's been sitting here so long and no one has - dump.
4. Do you already have 2 other packages of this same item..and they are opened to?

Another trick is to use clear plastic (or glass if you can get it) storage containers. Use square instead of round as they stack better and take up less space. Clear so you can see what's inside and plastic or glass for longevity and freshness. Then stack like items together. One shelf for baking things, one shelf for canned foods, one shelf for cooking items like season packets and such. The top shelf is for things you use the most, the bottom for things you use more seldom.

Toys, toys, toys!!

They seem to multiple between themselves! Well, no, they don't, it is just that since you don't play with them, you don't really know how many there are there and don't think much of it. I watch these shows about redesigning rooms and a common room is a living room/play room. Toys everywhere and the parents are complaining about it. Well, first QUIT BUYING SO MANY TOYS! No brainer there! Second, for every new toy you buy, one toy has to be donated! Simple and easy. However, keeping the toys you do want to keep and are playable, not broken, not out grown and not missing parts - what a lazy thing to do!

So.... again, start small. Take that one box of "stuff" over there and go through it. Your boxes this time would be trash, donate, keep. Trash toys that are broken, or have lots of missing pieces. Donate toys that are out grown, seldom played with or not even played with! Keepers are toys that are played with alot, favorite character things and complete toys and games. Start one box at a time and work your way around the room. Just doing this much will greatly improve the looks of the room. Then wait a month, and go through the "keeper" toys againg, with the same boxes - donate, trash and keep. Donate toys that have not been played with in the money. Trash ones that have gotten broken or pieces missing. Keep the ones played with.

Once this is all done, take a look at your house and rooms. See how great they look! No clutter, no mess, a place for everything! Next step? Do it again in about 6 months! Really - it will make you see how much you still can get rid of PLUS it will show you how much money you WASTE on things you don't need or even want! Just think - all that money could be going in a savings account for next years summer vacation. It could be going toward paying off a credit card or for retirement savings. So many places that money could go and be helpful instead of just in a drawer somewhere or on the floor!

This works. Trust me. I have done it many times in my 25 moves. Clutter clutters quickly. Say that really fast three times and you're on your way to a clutter-free house!

And don't forget....

YARD SALES! Selling your de-clutter collection only makes for a collection of money for you - to put away for the kids collge expense, or these days, elementary school! If you sell and just make $100 - how far would that be on your grocery bill? A months utility bill. Nice payment on a credit card or to add to a savings account. The sales I have I usually make about $200 and I do the sale on Friday and Saturday only. It's a win-win situation! When are you going to start?

Get the Most Miles from Your Gasoline Money!

I got this information for a public forum site that I belong to - where you get to talk! Anyway, some one there posted this information. She works for a gas company in San Jose, CA and she offers these tips on making your car's gas last long, get the most out of your gas dollars. These are things us average filler upper's wouldn't know about...so thanks to this lady for sharing these tips, and I hope you can make them work for you to help you "save a little to save alot".

"(The gasoline company she works for) in San Jose, CA we deliver about 4 million gallons in a 24-hour period thru the pipeline. One day is diesel the next day is jet fuel, and gasoline, regular and premium grades. We have 34-storage tanks here with a total capacity of 16,800,000 gallons.

Here's tips on getting more for your gas buck at filling stations:

Only buy/fill up your car in the early morning when the ground temperature is still cold. Remember that all service stations have their storage tanks buried below ground. The colder the ground the more dense the gasoline, when it gets warmer gasoline expands, so buying in the afternoon or in the evening....your gallon is not exactly a gallon. In the petroleum business, the specific gravity and the temperature of the gasoline, diesel and jet fuel, ethanol and other petroleum products plays an important role. A 1-degree rise in temperature is a big deal for this business. But the service stations do not have temperature compensation at the pumps.

When you're filling up, do not squeeze the trigger of the nozzle to a fast mode. If you look you, will see that the trigger has three (3)stages: low, middle, and high. In slow mode you should be pumping on low speed, thereby minimizing the vapors that are created while you are pumping. All hoses at the pump have a vapor return. If you are pumping on the fast rate, some other liquid that goes to your tank becomes vapor. Those vapors are being sucked up and back into the underground storage tank so you're getting less worth for your money.

One of the most important tips is to fill up when your gas tank is HALF FULL or HALF EMPTY. The reason for this is, the more gas you have in your tank the less air occupying its empty space. Gasoline evaporates faster than you can imagine. Gasoline storage tanks have an internal floating roof. This roof serves as zero clearance between the gas and the atmosphere, so it minimizes the evaporation. Unlike service stations, here at the plant where I work, every truck that we load is temperature compensated so that every gallon is actually the exact amount.

Another reminder, if there is a gasoline truck pumping into the storage tanks when you stop to buy gas, DO NOT fill up--most likely the gasoline is being stirred up as the gas is being delivered, and you might pick up some of the dirt that normally settles on the bottom. Hope this will help you get the most value for your money.

Also, here's some more tips for Getting the Most Miles for your Gasoline Bucks!

More Miles for Your Money, Part I

More Miles for Your Money, Part II