How do you save money?

mike_dee23 · Franchise Player Joined: 03 Feb 2005 Posts: 11703

I recently checked out the AAA perqs for being a member. One of the ways is to buy a book of 10 movie tickets for $7 each ticket for any movie, and a book of 10 movie tickets for $6 each for a movie not on special engagement.

Over the life of that book of tickets, I would save $30 over the life of that book... say I see 30 movies a year (2 tickets per movie at least)... that's $90 worth of savings! WOW...

Anyway, what do you guys and gals do to save some cash?

999 · Franchise Player Joined: 19 Oct 2006 Posts: 20269

steal....

j/k....

i deposit my enitre paycheck except for 30 dollars and strech how long i can hold onto it. I try to beat the record every week... the longest was 6 days

Mike@LG · Posted: Sun Jul 08, 2007 10:41 pm Post subject:

This is a lame way of doing it, but I budget my gas.

I fuel up late at night when gas is slightly more dense due to cooler temperatures.

I hang out late in the afternoon or late at night to reduce or cut off all A/C use.

I never fuel up more than 1/3rd tank to save the extra 50+lbs. of weight when I'm driving.

I plan my trips/errands to save gas and save time.
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lakersfreak · Posted: Sun Jul 08, 2007 10:54 pm Post subject:

Are there really 30 movies a year worth watching these days?

I seldom put more than 1/2 a tank in to save weight.

I will buy a bit more when gas prices are going up, and a bit less when they are dropping.
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The_Lakers_Show · Posted: Sun Jul 08, 2007 11:07 pm Post subject:

I make my friends buy me shots at the bar by threatning to not drink with them. Works every time.

"Dude, lets do a shot!"
"Eh, I'm good. Got my beer."
"NO Damn it! Do a shot."
"I dont want to, I got no money."
"I'll buy this round!!!!."
"What are we drinking?"
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Socks · Posted: Mon Jul 09, 2007 8:07 am Post subject:

I've been brown bagging it to work lately. It's amazing how much less money you spend - and the food is smaller proportions and healthier, so better for me. Even if it's say $6 a day x 5 days, that's $30 a week. Over about 50 weeks a year that's $1,500. If I have a sandwich or something from home that costs me something like $500 for the year - a $1000 yearly savings!

lakersfreak · Posted: Mon Jul 09, 2007 10:04 am Post subject:

Got a panini grill for x-mas, use 1-2 times per day, which means less can food for me

Lamar's Bud · Star Player Joined: 24 Jun 2005 Posts: 2319

Exick · Site Staff Joined: 17 Mar 2005 Posts: 15880

Write stuff down. I keep track of all the money that comes in and all that goes out. And I at least have a vague idea of where it goes (rent, bills, food, etc.). When I see I'm spending way too much money on something, I cut back. Food is a big one for us. We also like to buy DVDs. And I have an expensive video game habit.

I highly recommend this. However you do it, keep track of the money you spend. You'll be amazed/horrified.
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tlim · Star Player Joined: 26 Jun 2002 Posts: 6663

Ugh. I don't save anywhere as much as I'd like. I max out my 401k, put some money into my daughter's college fund, and seem to save very slowly.

I always have some sort of bill that I have to pay, and my amex bill usually runs between 2-3k a month, and other months, it just gets ugly...

We put gas on there, as well as Costco stuff, so that eats up a good chunk of dough. Sometimes, I dream of my early days, where the cost of living for me was piddly.

Big Game James · Posted: Mon Jul 09, 2007 10:33 am Post subject:

- Use rewards credit cards. I get all kinds of money back that I normally would not just using my ATM card. Use it strictly at grocery stores, gas stations and pharmacies. I usually net about $600 in rewards every year. I use the Chase Rewards card. It earns the most... 5% back.

- I also live at SlickDeals.net! They constantly have great deals posted and numerous ways to save money. For instance, I recently took my family down to San Diego to go to Sea World. I found out how to get a 3/4 star hotel for the price of a Motel 6 on Priceline!

- I definitely agree with the "brown baggin' it" philosophy!
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mike_dee23 · Franchise Player Joined: 03 Feb 2005 Posts: 11703

mike_dee23 · Franchise Player Joined: 03 Feb 2005 Posts: 11703

Socks · Posted: Mon Jul 09, 2007 10:47 am Post subject:

Big Game James · Posted: Mon Jul 09, 2007 10:53 am Post subject:

mike_dee23 · Franchise Player Joined: 03 Feb 2005 Posts: 11703

frijolero01 · Franchise Player Joined: 10 May 2005 Posts: 13324

not spend so much....

i guess it's as simple as that. I just don't buy myself anything. As far as luxuries i mean. I just spend my money on bills, gas, food, or if i decide to take my fiancee out to dinner or disneyland (we have passes) I buy myself something nice about once every few months whether it be a shirt, video game, movie.

AND, As silly and lame as this may sound, i have a serious disneyland addiction and I thank a good chunk of my savings on getting disneyland passes. Sure, you pay about 200 bucks at first but w/ 3 trips after the fact, it pays for itself. tickets are now almost 70 bucks. With three trips, thats already the price of one pass.

and you guys will probably make fun of me for this but, mommy and daddy paid for my car and are currently paying for the insurance as well. So, that's two major bills I never had to pay.
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Big Game James · Posted: Mon Jul 09, 2007 12:17 pm Post subject:

tlim · Star Player Joined: 26 Jun 2002 Posts: 6663

I currently use Starwood Amex. The points are good, and this August, I'm spending some for a free stay on Oahu.

I'll check out SlickDeals. I need a new digital camera. Mine is 5 years old, and 3 Megapixel.

-thanh

Big Game James · Posted: Mon Jul 09, 2007 12:30 pm Post subject:

Definitely use SlickDeals to get a camera! They just recently had the Samsung DigiMax S1000 10.1 megapixel digital camera for $150 with free shipping!

That's right, I said a 10.1 megapixel camera!!

LINK
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TACH · Posted: Mon Jul 09, 2007 1:08 pm Post subject:

Two words.. Sugar Mama.....

Socks · Posted: Mon Jul 09, 2007 1:32 pm Post subject:

Ziggy · Franchise Player Joined: 10 Feb 2005 Posts: 12806

Put your money in a savings account and forget you have it. I remember reading somewhere that most lotto winners lose their entire winnings within 5 years. Let your brain process exactly how much money you have before you go spending it. Most people overestimate how much they have.

Coupons. I'm not one of those people that obsessively goes through the sunday paper for coupons and alphabetizes them, but if I see one in the mail for a restaurant or service that I use frequently, then I put it in my car or in a drawer. I used to just throw that stuff straight into the trash.

I definitely agree with the rewards credit card. I have one that I only use for restaurants and gas stations. And always pay that ish off in full at the end of the month! This is something my father drilled into my head from a very young age, before I even had a credit card. Paying interest is such a waste of money.

mike_dee23 · Franchise Player Joined: 03 Feb 2005 Posts: 11703

Just thought I'd bring this thread back from the dead considering I did something very money-wise this week... usually I just buy movies when they come out whether or not I've seen them. I buy just regular DVDs, not Blu-Ray or anything, so the quality is fair on my 27-inch LCD. Well, Michael Clayton came out Tuesday and I had the movie in my hands, then I said, "Hey, I'll just rent it on iTunes. The quality will be just as good and if I don't like it, I'm only down $4 instead of $18 (after taxes)." I thought about this and counted all the unopened DVDs I have and if I did this for all of those, I'd have saved probably close to $100.

The moral of this story is that renting is often much better than buying.
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chef · Posted: Thu Feb 21, 2008 1:33 am Post subject:

I buy PCs over Macs.