Please share your money - saving tips

I take out essential expenses, such as food and gas kind of thing. Then I put aside however much I want to save, before working out how much I can spend on non-essential items such as new clothes and food treats. If there's quite a lot after the usual savings, I tend to put a bit extra in to help resist too many new clothes! Then at the end of the month I save leftovers, as I like to treat each month seperately.

I don't really have a saving guideline/principle my myself. But whenever I get my job salary banked into my bank account, I just withdraw $500 from the salary to use as my expense for 2 weeks (my salary is paid every fortnight). More often that not, there will be an excess of money from that $500 after the 2 weeks is up. And then from my next salary, I withdraw just enough money to make my cash on hand as $500 again (the amount withdrawn will be less than $500 obviously). I normally only spend as necessary and I tend to only spoil myself once in a blue moon. I would say this practice has enabled me save quite a lot of money in just a short period of time. I'm pretty lucky because I do not have to worry about expenses like rent, electricity, water or gas bill because it is all paid for by my employer who provides all these to me for free. So my only expenses theoretically are just groceries......

Until recently spending money has been a big problem of mine. Now I tend to stay in more and have less take outs. I spend the essential expenses that I need like food, nappy's, wipes and other things, but then I try to save money. It is hard and it is getting harder, but we have to cut back.

I learned a trick many years ago when I was first starting out that helped me alot. I always take atleast the last three digits of the amount I deposit into savings. Take for instance you receive 534.75 every two weeks. I will take atleast $4.75 and put it in savings every two weeks. Atleast and hopefully more. That means I save $9.50 a month or $114 per year. If you double that or triple the amount you can save alot of money and it isn't taking that much out of each check.

Nice topic you have here. I don't have a lot of savings tips as well but from what I've read, you should always leave within or even better below your means. Also, pay in cash instead of credit cards so that you'll know how much money you really have. However, you can take advantage of credit card points as long as you're disciplined in using it - use only for the equivalent cash you have on hand and then pay the whole amount come billing time. What I do is that since I pay my bills online, after a purchase using my card, I pay it right away with the cash that's budgeted for that purchase. If I don't have a budget for a purchase, I just don't buy it. It doesn't work like this for me everytime (meaning I get tempted at times ) but I try not to overspend. Hope this helps .

The best way to save is to just put aside money each time you get paid and not touch it. Its hard to do but it is possible. It would also help if you spent less. In order to save you really have to cut back on spending. Remember everything adds up, in both cases.

I think that you could work out a budget and stick to it. At home maybe you could cut down on the energy that you use. Then your household bills could be a bit lower. You have to buy food and you could drink tap water if it is safe to do so. You could shop at your local market and the cheapest supermarket near where you live. You could save $50 a week and get a lovely walk somewhere special to celebrate if you achieve that. I manage to afford my traveling overseas by buying my flight six months beforehand and then saving up for my living expenses until my departure day. Coins can be saved and after one year they add up to a lot. Good luck saving money.

I think you have to start by making a diary of how much money you spend. If you do this, then you will be able to see where you can reduce your spending to save more money. I always find it amazing with the amount of money that you could save on your household bills if you became more careful. If you're not in a room, always make sure that you've turned the light off, and if you're brushing your teeth turn the tap off whilst you're doing it. If you normally take baths, don't fill them as deep; or have a shower instead. I did an experiment with my electricity bill a couple of months ago, and turned everything off whenever I could, and didn't put the light on while I was in the lounge; and I managed to cut my bill in half which was absolutely amazing. You could try to do things like this in order to save money. Also, when you do your shop at the supermarket, buy everything a brand lower, for example try buying supermarket's own brand rather than bigger brands, and you will save a lot of money over the course of a year.

A lot of people think if they don't earn enough how can they save? I have to be honest I Am not a great saver...but living on a pension I really have to watch how I spend my money...and I do very well...this is what I do I cut down on things I can live without...like my answering service on the house phone, I don't subscribe to pay TV, I don't buy a news paper I just see the news on my PC, I go to the local cinema, only buy a coffee sometimes, do my shopping once a fortnight, use the car only a few times a week...mainly weekends, don't eat take away and only go to a restaurant for special occasions! some people my think I live a very spartan life but that is not so...I eat very well I entertain at lest once a month. When we want to save there really is a choice...just look where your money is going and the way you spend it...I allow my self an amount a day for a f/n and it works really well I also plan my menu for a f/n so I never run out of food...with extras for when visitors drop in! When it comes to clothes I revise my wardrobe once every 6 month and plan what I need to buy I Am lucky because I can sew and so sometimes I can alter my clothes to suit the current trend! and mix and match with what ever I have. Good luck with your savings I hope this help.

Here's one thing that I keep harping on, but it goes without saying. If there is a place where you need to go and its within walking distance, then don't get in the car, rather walk to it. There are far too many people who tend to drive everywhere, a few houses down the street. Trust me when I say, it really does say a little bit here and a little bit there, on gas money, something that I think is getting far too costly. Also when you go out, look for sales of things that you would normally purchase, but not purchase things just because they are sales. Also, change really is something that you should change. Any loose change that you find, throw it in a jar. When the jar is full, take it to the bank and deposit it. Really that is the best thing to do. I also keep my eyes peeled for any change that people might have dropped on parking lots and sidewalks, because people are careless and they really don't care about the change that they have dropped because its just change. Still save any change. The smallest amounts of money can really add up.