Money saving tricks

[Atlanta Z3]

It doesn't appear that we will get any kind of merit increase this year and the cutbacks are very apparent.  My company is thinning to the bone, self service holiday party etc.
With rising costs of everything what tips or tricks do you have for saving money or trying to stay even with a budget.  (Personal not professional) 

[Katie G]

One thing I've noticed can be a real money-eater in our household is not planning our meals. Those "quick trips" to the supermarket to just "pick up a few things" can add up very quickly.  If we plan, then we make sure we have the stuff onhand to make dinners and lunches (including plans for leftovers and how they'll be used).  And if you eat chicken in any quantity, buy it whole and cut it up yourself.  A good pair of kitchen shears is great for this.  (I save the giblets, back, neck, and skin in a freezer bag to make broth for soup - another "economy" meal.....)

I'm the queen of the clearance racks when it comes to clothing!  I honestly can't remember the last time I bought something that wasn't at least 40% off.

Shop around for better deals on car insurance, cell phones, etc., budget plans for utilities (watch these guys though.  My local electricity provider changes our "budget" payment every three months.)

I realize this may not be for everybody, but...unless cable is the only option for TV in your area, consider dropping it.  I don't know about the rest of the country, but where I am, when the transition to digital TV happened, we picked up a lot of new broadcast channels - some show movies, some show "classic" shows from the 50s, 60s and 70s, etc.

Luckily, we have a produce store that's just down the block from our supermarket.  I get our fresh produce there.  It's considerably cheaper than the supermarket, and, since they don't take credit cards, we only buy what we have the cash to cover. 

[countrigal]

We dropped our local phone company since we both have cell phones, and then got a "free over IP" phone to use in the house for "just in case" situations.  Definitely do as Katie stated and work on planning your meals out, and ensuring you stick to your shopping lists when you go to the store, as a lot of lost money disappears on incidentals that we pick up while shopping.  Watch for case lot sales and the such in your local grocery stores.  I often pick up meats and canned goods at these with a huge savings, and then package them into the right storage sizes for my family and freeze them.  My freezer is well-stocked with less expensive meats, so I normally have any meat on hand that I need for a recipe.

[msmarieh]

First thing to do is to write down where your money is currently going, then evaluate each item for flexibility.

for instance, if commuting expenses are taking up a big chunk of money, options could include:
Trading in your car for a more fuel efficient one
Changing your work hours to avoid traffic congestion or switching to a 4 day, 10 hour work week (obviously that requires that your company is on board)
Carpooling to work
Getting a motorscooter
Taking public transportation
Watching for cheaper petrol/gas stations along your route
Trying to drive more fuel efficiently (google hypermiling)

Those are just some ideas off the top of my head, but the key is to look for alternatives to reduce, reuse, recycle, do without... Evaluate each item in cash flow spreadsheet. Be especially vigilant about "little" leaks, like the cup of coffee, magazine at checkout counter, etc.

[diamondlady]

For me with dietary issues I always try to buy store brand products as much as possible, with my issues the store I use has excellent labeling for this as well, so it is two fold for me to buy their products, ease  of labeling and cheaper product, and the taste is usually better than name brand products.

I try not to use stamps for the simple reason online and I can pay ontime that way without having to buy .45 cent stamp and spending time remembering to mail.

There are several other things you can do but those are a couple of items on my big list.  Travel in groups, is always more fun or do all trips in one big sweep all at once instead of several at a time.

Good tips! Thanks!