Save on Laundry

There are a number of ways you can save money when it comes to laundry.

If you are in the market for a new washer and dryer, think big....The bigger the capacity laundry machines, the less often you have to do laundry.

Try to only do two or three loads of laundry a week.  This will be a little more difficult if you work in an industry where your clothes are completely soiled at the end of the day.  But if you can manage to get two days out of one set of clothes, you've just split your laundry bill in half.

Think about it, you get home from work, whether you work in an office or a factory, you want to get out of those work clothes right away.  So you put on your comfy pair of casual pants or jeans.  You wear them for two or three hours while sitting in your living room, or while having dinner.  Why not wear that same outfit later in the week, instead of tossing them into the laundry right away.

Buy whites, whites and lots of whites!  I'm talking about underclothes.  Sure, you're not going to like folding them.  But, if you only have to wash whites once every three weeks, it's not that big of a deal.  You shouldn't run out of skivvies before you have a full load.  If you do, you're wasting money running that washer and dryer.  So next time you want to splurge on yourself, take an extra ten bucks and buy yourself a pack of new bloomers.

The same with sheets.  You should own at least three sets.  It usually takes two to fill a nice size capacity washer, so why do them ahead of time.

Next, do your laundry at night!  Some people doubt it, but it is true.  Electricity costs less at night, between the hours of 9pm and 7am.  Try it for a month, and see if your power bill doesn't drop.

Finally, watch for sales on laundry detergent.  Not just any sale, because if you look at all of the weekly fliers, you'll find at least one store has laundry detergent on sale every week.  What you want to keep an eye out for is the best deal.  When you get that really good deal, keep that price in mind.  If you paid $10 for 100 ounces.  Refuse to pay more.  That's $5 for 50 ounces, or $15 for 150 ounces.  Just keep that figure in the back of your mind, and when you find that great deal, buy extra so that you're not running out and paying full retail when there's no need!

Open the Blinds! Save on Heating

Open Your Blinds and Save on Your Heat Bill

A lot of people sit in their apartments or houses with the blinds closed for privacy and don't give it a second thought.

First of all, keep in mind, people usually can't see inside during the day.  The reflection of the sun usually blocks their view inside your window.

Second, open the blinds and let the sun shine in!  We shouldn't be surprised that the sun can help us heat our homes in the fall and winter.  It heats the whole planet!

Opening your blinds and letting in the natural heat from the sun, can increase the temperature in your home by 2 to 4 degrees.  That's gonna keep your furnace from working that much harder and also give you some natural light.  Therefore, you're not only saving on your heat bill, but also your 'light bill' as everyone called it when I was a kid.

Don't Shop the Clearance Rack

Ok, I'm not going to say don't shop the clearance aisle or rack, at all.  But you should certainly stay away from that rack if you don't need something, especially if you are the type who can't resist a good deal.

Usually, when you buy something on clearance, it isn't something you need.  Think about it, how many items do you have sitting in a corner, or hanging in your closet with the tags still intact.  You got a good deal on it, but it's money you would not have spent on an item you didn't  need. 

Say it's the end of summer and you completely wore out your summer sandals or were short on summer apparel this year, then, of course it's not only acceptable, but a smart choice to hit that clearance rack.  Find those much needed shorts and get a great deal on sandals for next year.

However, if you are looking at the rack just to see what kind of good bargains they have.  Skip the rack. 

You won't get the good deal on something you don't need, but the money will remain in your pocket!  And that's an even better deal!

Quit Living Week to Week!

Follow these steps, and you'll see how easy it is to quit living week to week.

Stock Up While It's On Sale

All of us have certain items that we use on a regular basis, from your favorite soda or your favorite cereal, to your favorite laundry detergent.  These are items that are always in the house, or we need to pick up if we run out.

If you watch the ads close enough, you will find certain items go on sale at certain times of the year.

For example, my favorite soda is Mountain Dew.  It goes on sale frequently enough, but it's usually at it's lowest price for about two weeks before each holiday.

If I buy a case of Mountain Dew when it's on sale for $5 instead of the regular price of $7, I save $2 a case.  Considering I go through a case about every other week, that's a savings of $52 dollars a year!

If you do this with everything you buy, these savings add up!

Another example, canned vegetables usually go on sale in the fall, just before Thanksgiving.  It's September and I still have enough vegetables in my cupboard from last Thanksgiving, to do me until November. 

It may seem like a lot of money to put out, at first, but after a while it will be less than your normal grocery bill. 

Next you'll find yourself only going to the store to buy necessity items, unless there is a good sale. 

Do this with your meats, too.  Keep your freezer stocked so that you aren't running to the store two or three times a week to pick up something for dinner 'tonight'!

You'll find you are not only no longer living week to week, but you also have free time to spend with your kids.  Or you'll have the extra cash to go out for dinner and a movie without worrying about next month's rent!

 

Homemade Pet Flea Shampoo

Are you tired of paying outrageous prices for flea shampoo for your dog or cat?  Here's a great homemade recipe that can be made with items you already have in your home.

Homemade Pet Flea Shampoo

1 cup dish liquid
1 cup vinegar
1 quart water

Mix ingredients and use just like you would normal pet shampoo.

Increase Your Income

Have a little bit of savings, but don't want to dip into it.  Use it to increase your income, why not, that's what the wealthy do!

Check out Value Line, (you can also find their reviews at your local library), for a list of companies that regularly raise their dividends.

Take that extra savings, and purchase shares of stocks from these companies and enjoy the benefits of quarterly dividend earnings.

Do a thorough background check on the companies' whose stock you wish to purchase.  Find companies that also allow you to purchase additional shares direct.  Save on brokerage fees by only making the first purchase through a broker, and additional shares directly through the investment relations department of the company!

Gift Cards vs. Cash Back

I, for one, have been using the Cash Back program from Discover to make all of my monthly purchases since 2004....that's almost a decade!

Recently, I decided to review their gift card program.  Since I am planning a trip, I have found that it is worth the money to cash in my cash back for gift cards instead of cash. 

If you dine out often, travel or shop at one of their affiliates often, it is definitely worth your time to investigate the program.  You can get gift cards for less cash than the cost of the card.  For example: $50 Red Lobster gift card for $45.  Same deal with Best Western.

An even better deal thru the Discover card is their Hyatt gift certificate.  You can get a $100 Hyatt gift certificate for only $40 cash back dollars.  If you are going to be staying at the Hyatt on vacation, why not save $60!  What a great deal.

Check with your other credit cards and bank accounts as well.  I recently signed up for a bank account that gives 1 point for $2 spent.  The points can be cashed in for gift cards, gift items, and more.  I received 5000 points for signing up for the program.  When I referred someone, I received another 5000 points.  I'll end up with about $75 worth of gift cards with just the sign up points. 

What an easy way to pay for vacation.