Ten on Tuesday

Ten Ways to Save Money

If you're looking for something creative or clever, I fear I will disappoint you: Heloise I am not. All the same, here are my ten ways.

1. Dry laundry outside. I do this winter and summer. Granted, it doesn't save me huge amounts, but it's a tiny green gesture, and the clothes smell better and last longer.
   
2. Carpool to and from work. I'm lucky enough to be able to do this with Grant. It saves us a little money (more when gas prices go back up) and a fair amount of gas, and we get an hour of uninterrupted adult time.
   
3. Eat in. Restaurants are way expensive.
   
4. If eating out, avoid the highest-markup items: drinks and desserts. Drink water (most tap water is the same stuff they put in the pricey bottles) or at least stick to soft drinks: alcohol carries a huge markup. Defer dessert until you get home, especially if you want something easy to make like a sundae. (We stock up on sundae syrup and heavy cream at the grocery store. Even if we buy whipped topping we still come out ahead.)
   
5. Use long-life fluorescent bulbs.
   
6. If there's no bulk discounter (Costco or BJ's) near your house, or if they don't carry items you need, negotiate bulk discounts with local stores. I get Taz's diapers three or four cases at a time from my friendly drugstore.
   
7. Know what things cost at the high and low ends and decide which end you can live with before going shopping. I try never to buy a big-ticket item on impulse, even at a discount store: with my luck, that one item is where they make all their money.
   
8. Buy used cars. A new car depreciates 10-15% as soon as you drive it off the lot, so buy one that's been around the block once or twice. The same goes for furniture; keep an eye out for good stuff on Craigslist. (Marjorie is an absolute genius at this: you should see their dining table. I am less skilled, but working on it.)
   
9. Buy anything that you don't need to last long used or cheap. That includes maternity clothes and baby equipment, both of which are consignment-shop and yard-sale staples.
   
10. Do minor repairs yourself. We are not at all handy, but Grant probably saved us at least $100 by finding replacements for our broken sink stoppers online and installing them himself.