Emergency money saving tips!

 Many people are in a *very* tight fix financially with these high gasoline
prices. Here are some ways to cut expenses. Some of these things are not
pretty, but if you want to survive, might just need to do some of these
things.

How to lower your standard of living 101...

1. What are your most important priorities?
Examples:
-Water.
-Food.
-Shelter.
(Along with the things you need to obtain these like: Job, transportation
to job, etc.)

2. What are your *least* important priorities?
Examples:
-Going to movies. Don't go.
-Unnecessary driving . Make a list, buy a months worth of what you need -
make one trip. Carpool to work. Ride bike, walk.
-Eating at restaurants including fast food. Eat at home instead.
-Buying name brand products. Buy in bulk or generic.
-Cable or satellite TV. Have it disconnected.
-Phone or cell phone. Have it disconnected.
-Trash collection. Discontinue service, take your trash to dump or transfer
station yourself.
-Bath/shower. Several people use same bath water, or take shower every
other day, or not on weekends (an electric water heater can equal 30% of
your electric bill).
-Heating or cooling whole house. Get window A/C and cool just one room -
Electric space heater and heat just one room. Close off unused rooms.

3. What can you do to reduce your monthly expenses?
-Refinance mortgage at lower interest rate.
-Get higher deductible on insurance which will lower rates. Shop around for
best rates.
-Get 2nd mortgage on home - pay off credit cards and cancel them (saves on
interest charges).
-Get roommate to share expenses.
-Install "Energy Star" double/triple pane gas filled windows.
-Install heavy curtains.
-Add more insulation to your home, especially attic.
-Get new "Energy Star" appliances which save on electricity and/or hot
water like: air conditioning, heating, refrigerator, dishwasher, and
washing machine.
-Get used high MPG car. List here...
http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/byMPG.htm
-Other energy saving tips... http://www.energystar.gov
-Group on this subject: misc.consumers.frugal-living

More...
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&q=frugal+living&btnG=Search

  You really need to take these suggestions a step further.
Movies?  I can go 15 minutes in one direction and pay almost $10 per
person, or I can go 10 in the opposite and pay $2 per person, guess
where I go. I haven't rented a movie since I found out that the Library
rents them for free for 7 days.
 Driving? buy an electric scooter, I love the bike thing.
I much agree with the resturant comment, I feed my family for as little
as .30 per serving.
Generic brands: if you don't like it you wont' eat or use it, this will
require experimenting.
 Cable TV: Read a book, but borrow the book from a nieghbor, (gas
money)
 Phone: don't disconnect, emergencies happen, just learn to use it.
 Trash: it would cost me more in gas to take my trash to the dump,
however, you may be able to share with a nieghbor.
Shower: spend $3 on a shut off for the shower head, You turn it on to
get wet, off to soap up, on to rinse off and you will use less then a
1/3rd  of normal use.
 Electric H/W Get a insulating blanket,, and a timer. saves a bundle.
 Window A/C: To each his own. I wouldn't

More to come

 loupark@hotmail.com wrote:


Besides, what would you do for your internet connection if you don't have
cablemodem service?


We are required by the City to have electricity, water and trash collection --
all of which are provided as City services at roughly $100/month in our case.
If you disconnect they can declare your home uninhabitable and lock you out.
Not frugal.

--
Cheers,
Bev
==================================================
Is the Pope Catholic?  Do bears shit in the woods?
Does Rose Kennedy have a black dress?

 


Careful here.  Minimal phone is OK but what if the house is on fire or your
mate has a heart attack?  I'd like to be connected with basic phone service.
There is frugal and there is stupid.

Also, if you are cutting cost because you are out of work, the prospective
employer needs to call you too.



Maybe.  We can put a bag of trash out for a dollar.  A trip to the dump at
today's gas prices is probably $2.  Of course either of these is cheaper
than the $300 for "subscription service" weekly pickup.  This all varies
with each town, of course.


I can heat my house with oil for less than the cost of electric to heat one
room.  This will vary according to location.  Check it out.  Keep all rooms
above freezing as hte damage will be more than the potential fuel savings.

 
In many cities, you *CANNOT* discontinue trash collection.  Not
even if your property is now an empty lot.  Or always has been an
empty lot.  In Texas in the late 1970's, my area was annexed by the
city of Houston (has Houston annexed all of Mexico yet?).  Some
nearby neighborhoods ended up with duplicate trash collection
services, which they could not avoid paying for for SEVERAL YEARS.
And worse, there were two collections on Tuesday from different
companies, which they were paying for.


This tends to cost a lot up front, and it may take years to recoup
your cost.


This tends to cost a lot up front, and it may take years to recoup
your cost.


This tends to cost a lot up front, and it may take years to recoup
your cost.  Of course, if you have to buy a new one anyway because
the old one is under water, this is a good idea.

                        Gordon L. Burditt