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Archive for May 1, 2012

10 Foolish Money Saving Ideas

Driving Around for Cheaper Gas
Within range of a few miles, the gas price could be 3 cents to 5 cents different. Let’s do the math. Now the average price per gallon is $4.00. Driving 2.5 miles (5 miles for a round trip) on a 25MPG car will cost you $4*5/25=$0.80. If you found a 5 cents cheaper gas station, for a 12 gallon tank, you can save $0.05*12=0.60! You see, you are not saving money at all! In some cases you could probably save a quarter or two, if you have a bigger tank or the gas station you found are selling gas at 10 to 20 cents cheaper. But why don’t spend a few more minutes with your kids? Besides, you can easily save more money by turning off the light when you leave the room.

Cut your own hair
I actually tried a few times myself. It didn’t work out. The worst part is that I felt terrible for at least a month! It is just not worthy to save $10 to $20 every month on hair cut.

Get a cheap dress
You probably wear dress once or twice every year. When the moment comes, you don’t want to embarrass yourself with cheap looking dress. It also applies to men. A good suit or a pair of dress shoes can last for years.

Get Cheap Luggage
When you purchase a luggage, you should pay attention to warranty. A good brand can come with 10 years or even 30 years of warranty. And it can last your whole life with good care, while a cheap one can last at most 3 to 5 years.

Shop for Promotions
Not all sales promotions are born equal. “Save 10% with any purchase” is a good one. But “Save 10% with $100 order” is not. You end up buying something you don’t need. Ignore the sale tag that marked with “80% off MSRP”. The MSRP could have been raised 800%.

Shop Black Friday
Standing outside the store and waiting for the Black Friday sale is the worst idea to save money. You probably get bunch of cheap items. But ask yourself, do you really need them? Isn’t it better to stay with your family and not buy anything at all?

Buy things in bulk
Buying things in bulk from Sams Club could reduce the cost per item, but you waste a lot as they went bad before you could consume them. Buy only as much as you can consume. Or if possible, split the bulk items with your friends or neighbours.

Get cheap insurance
Many people have turned online to shop for health or auto insurance. There are many cheap ones for you to choose from. But a good insurance doesn’t come cheap. Read the fine print carefully to find out. If you are not sure, go visit a insurance agent and get the answers.

Refinance Unnecessarily
Refinance is a good way to save on your mothly mortgage payment. But it usually comes with a one time fee, – read the GFE (Good Faith Estimate) and locate the fees and costs associated with your loan. There are many articles that cover this issue. Do your research before you refinance.

Do your own tax
Turbo tax is a good software, you could finish the tax report if you spend a few nights. But if you spend a hundred dollars on a tax professional, you could probably get a few thousand dollars in return!