Don't run water long

Brushing your teeth while leaving the water running the entire time can waste a lot of water, especially if you have a big family.

Play games with just a deck of cards

You can play a lot of games with just a deck of cards. They cost very little and are great fun for kids and adults. You can save money rather than buying expensive toys all the time. I have some simple games I thought of on my Fun Card Games blog.

Share the house phone

If you share just one phone in the house you can save a lot of money. If you have kids and everyone has their own phone, you will pay much more per month for the additional lines. Use e-mail to save money on long distance. You can write around the world to someone for just the Internet cost per month.

Walking is great

Walking is great exercise and it cost nothing. If you don't have money to buy exercise machines, walking is a great way of getting fit for free.

If you rent a car

If you must rent a car on your vacation, check to see the prices for certain models and also if it is cheaper for renting the car for a day or the entire weekend.

Cut the vacation time short

You can cut your vacation short by a day or two and save money. Try to visit all the places you want to see in a shorter time frame.

Ask for a refrigerator

You can save money when you travel if you have a refrigerator in your hotel room. You can buy your own drinks and food at the supermarket and keep them cold in there rather than eating out all the time.

Don't rent a car

If you are travelling and just are going to be staying in the local area of the airport, you can save money by not renting a car for the week and using public transportation.

Buy soup

Buying soup is a good way to save money if you are on a budget. They have so many different kinds today. You can find any flavor you like. I buy a lot in the winter months to stay warm.

Save money on batteries

Constant flipping of channels with the remote for your TV waste the batteries much faster. If you do use a lot of batteries, try buying them in bulk to save more money rather than buying them with just two in a pack.

Stock up when food is on sale

If a certain food item is on sale at the store, see how long you can keep them before they expire. Food like rice usually last a very long time. When it goes on sale, just stock up on many boxes of it. This can save you a lot of money over time.

Yearly memberships

Some places like zoos are cheaper if you purchase a yearly or season pass. If you go often, see if you will save more money this way.

Pay cash when shopping

Most people will spend more if they are shopping with a credit card rather than a fixed limit of cash they have.

Buy your own gym equipment

You can save a lot of money this way. You also find some used at garage sales or online.

Use coupons for car repairs

Many local papers may have coupons for bringing your car in for oil changes and other repairs at local shops. Visit the websites also for any current discounts offered on car work.

Don't accelerate or brake too hard

If you accelerate too fast or brake too hard you will use more gas. Steady even acceleration is best. Braking slowly is better rather than slamming on the brakes.

Shop food stores for best prices

Check the prices of the same food items at different local stores near you. They may only be a few cents cheaper, but the money can add up to big savings over the year on multiple items.

Keep just one credit card

By keeping just one credit card rather than several, you can save money on the $25 annual fee for having it. Five credit cards with a $25 annual fee is $100 a year in fees.

Don't shop when you are hungry

If you go food shopping on an empty stomach, you may buy more food. I know I usually buy bigger portions of meals if I am more hungry.

Don't wear shoes in house

Besides making the carpets more dirty, you will have to spend more time to clean them more often. Carpets also wear out faster if you walk on them with your shoes on all the time.

Fly during off season

If you fly during the summer when everyone else usually travels, you will probably pay more money for the tickets. Flying during the off season is usually cheaper.

Public school is cheaper

Private schools usually cost more money than a public college. Find out ahead of time and compare each school and see the cost you will save.

Eat less meat

Meat is expensive. Eating less can save you a lot of money each month especially if you have a big family.

Clean refrigerator often

This can save some money. A dusty and dirty refrigerator does not operate as efficiently.

Make your own decorations

Some decorations you can make yourself or print out for the holidays. This can save you some money if you usually buy many.

Buy less newspapers

How many newspapers do you buy each day or week? Save money by buying them just on weekends or a few times a week rather than every day. You can also subscribe to them and save more money rather than buying them off the newsstand.

Use coupons for shopping

You can save a lot of money by using coupons for your food shopping. The amount of savings can be in the hundreds or even thousands of dollars depending on how much food that you usually buy. You can save at least $1.00 a week using coupons, probably much more than that. That would be a $1,040 savings after 20 years. This is a big money saving tip that.

Get rid of one of your cars

If you can, make do with just one car in the family. How much money does it cost every 10 years on gas and car insurance for each car you own?

Save money on Internet

Check into how much you may save if you combine your phone, Internet, and cable all in one package deal. It may save money if you get a all 3-in-one deal.

Play board games

If you have kids, you can save money once in awhile by playing board games indoors rather than going out all the time. I still play them and they are a lot of fun.

Fuel efficient cars

Make sure you shop around and see what car gets the most gas mileage if you buying a new one. With the high gas prices we have now a more fuel efficient can save you a lot of money if you travel a lot.

Check car repair history

Make sure if you buy a new or used car that it is reliable. Check the repair history for it online. If you will spend a fortune fixing a car, you will be wasting a lot of money in the future repairing it.

Park car in shade

Parking your car in the shade in the summer will keep the inside of the car cooler. You won't have to blast the a/c when you first start the car up because it is 120 degrees inside. This will save money on gas.

Don't wash clothes often

Wait until you have a full load of clothes before you wash them. This will save water and electricity and wear and tear on your washing machine.

Rebates

Be sure to send in rebate forms when you buy something. Many don't fill them out and lose out on getting money back on something they just bought.

Cut extended warranties

Most extended warranties are never really used. Look into before buying them. Most products that break you may find cheaper to just throw out rather than paying for extended warranties on them. It may save you money by not buying them.

Pets

Be sure before you buy a pet that you will have money to keep up with the cost of owning one. It is good to find out ahead of time how much per year you will need to spend on them.

Cancel phone features

Get rid of any features on your house phone or cell phone that you do not need. This can add a lot of money to your monthly phone bills.

Join movie programs

Ask if your local movie theater has a program where you can save money on tickets if you join. The programs are usually free to join and you can sign up online for them. This can save you money if you go a lot.

Use Internet at library

You can save a lot of money each year if you use the Internet at your school or library. It does not cost anything this way.

Text messages

You can save money on cell phones by not buying extra features like text messaging. You it less if you already have it.

Halloween costumes

You might be able to make your own Halloween costume from things already in your house. If you already have store bought costumes, share them with your other kids when the older ones outgrow them.

Rent video games

You can save money if you rent the games rather than buying them. This is a good money saving tip if you buy a lot of games. Some new games can cost near $45 when they come out.

Clean your own carpets

You can save a lot of money by cleaning your own carpets. You can buy your own machine and save a lot of money in the long run.

Dry cleaning

Cut back on clothes that require dry cleaning. You can save money in the long run this way.

Rotate tires

You can save money from having to replace tires if you rotate your tires often so they wear out evenly.

Energy saving windows

Installing energy saving windows can save money in the long run even if they cost more. If your windows are old and you are going to replace them, look into getting new windows that are more energy efficient.

Skip desserts

You can save money by skipping desserts if you eat out all the time.

Idle cars

Don't warm up your car too long. It uses a lot of excess gas.

Reduce car weight

Be sure not to carry excess weight in your car. A lot of people store things in their trunk. The more weight you add to your car, the more gas you will use when driving.

Buy reliable name appliances

Buy name appliances that are known to have better repair records than other brands. They usually last longer and have fewer repairs.

Keep lights off

You can save a lot of money on electricity by not leaving lights on in rooms when nobody is in them. Don't forget to turn them off during the day also if the room is already bright enough.

Clean entire house

Clean every room in the house and have a garage sale for items you no longer use.

Switch cars to save gas

A good tip to save money on gas if you have more than one car is to use the car that gets the most mileage on the longer trips, and the car that gets the lowest mileage on the shorter trips.

Grocery shopping

Set a limit on how much money you will spend at the supermarket before you go. If you are strict and never go over this amount, you won't keep adding extras to the shopping all the time and making the bill higher.

Free bags

You can get free bags if you eat at fast food places. If you order to go, save the bags they put the food in when you get home.

Pay cash for gas

You should pay cash for gas rather than using a credit card, otherwise you will owe interest if you don't pay the bill off quick enough.

Keep tire pressure correct

I read that if tires are not inflated to the correct tire pressure, you will use more gas. If you drive over bumpy roads, your tire pressure gets knocked out over time even more.

Buy an electric car

Some hybrid cars are now out that get near 44 mpg. Hybrid cars use gas and electric. The prices of them are still a little high as of now. Maybe in time they will drop as more people buy them.

Combine trips to save gas

You can save money on gas if you combine all the places you have to go to in just one trip. Don't forget things and make another trip later. Try to buy things all in one store also. This saves gas and road trip time.

Check bills for mistakes

A lot of people pay their bills without looking at the charges on them. Make sure everything is correct with bills like cable and phone. Credit card bills should always be checked for errors or charges that are not yours.

Cap your pens

When I was younger, I left all my pens with the cap off when I wasn't using them. Many kids probably do this. I wondered why my pen ink was gone all the time. The pen dries out if you leave the cap off when not using it. Always cap your pens.

Squeezable bottles

You may think that nothing is left when you squeeze the bottle and nothing comes out. Usually a lot is still left in the bottle if you take the cap off. If you buy things in squeezable bottles, you will save a lot of money by making sure you use everything.

Paper towels

If you use paper towels, they now have some that allow you to cut off a smaller piece rather than just a big size piece all the time. You can make the roll last a lot longer this way.

Sink clogs

You can save money on expensive plumbing bills by not allowing any food to go down the kitchen sink drain. Over time it will clog up the drain and you are left with a big repair bill that may cost hundreds of dollars to fix.

Save on storage boxes

You may never need any if you save the boxes that you buy items in at the store or through the mail. You can store anything in them, from junk to clothing.

Save your driveway

Keep patching up the cracks on your tar driveway. The cracks keep getting bigger if you don't patch them up. You can save money by increasing the lifespan of your driveway.

Get free calendars

Sometimes you can get free calendars from your bank. You can save money if you usually buy calendars each year.

Save money on chairs

If you have a chair in your house that has a worn out seat cushion, you can avoid buying a new chair by putting a few blankets on the seat. The seat is now raised, and when you sit on it, it is no longer hard.

Save for college

If you are a kid and plan on going to college, save money that you get when you are young or work. The extra money can at least be used for some entertainment when you finally go. Since it is your money, you can use it for what you like when you go.

Share a car at college

If you are going away to college, if you are lucky enough to make friends or go with someone you know, share a car. You can save money this way. Even going half on getting a car or sharing car expenses.

Buy a digital camera

If you use the cameras where you take pictures one time and then throw them out, you can save a lot of money if you buy a digital camera instead.

Take items to college

If you are going away to a college and staying on campus, try to bring everything you can from home before you go that you may need. If you don't have items, see if you can borrow them so you can save money. Appliances and lamps and other things you may need.

Pick up store circulars

Pick up the store circulars when you walk in. You can find stuff on sale that you may not know about. This works for all stores.

Buy products you have coupons for

Buy the food for the week that you have coupons for. So whatever you get a coupon for, look into buying that item even if you don't use it as much as other brands. You can save a lot of money this way on food.

Make calls at night

Most places it is cheaper if you call at night than in the day times. Check your phone company rates and see how much cheaper it is at night than in the daytime for making calls.

Use email

You can write someone free anyplace in the world through email rather than calling a foreign country. With web cams, you can also see people as you talk if you both have one.

Garage sales

You can find cheap items at garage sales, and you can also resell some things that you buy. You can also sell your own items you no longer need at your own garage sale and make extra money.

Watering lawns

When the Sun is out in full force the lawns dry up faster. Water in the morning or just past the afternoon hours when sun is not at full force and the temp is lower. You will probably have a better lawn and save money on water.

Invest in bank CDs

CDs can pay as high as 5% interest. Regular savings accounts pay only 1.5% or less. The bank CD rates change all the time, but usually are higher than a savings account. You can open one for just $1,000. Time lengths could be from three months to five years.

Turn the TV off

If you are in other rooms and leave the TV on still, you are wasting electricity. The same goes for lights in the house. Computers use a lot of power also.

Walk when you can

If you travel a lot to work, try walking rather than taking a bus or train on certain days. Transportation savings add up over the year.

Cut your own grass

You can hire someone, but if you have a small area only it is cheaper doing it yourself. If you live in warm climates all year you can save a lot of money.

Save a quater or dollar daily

If you did this for 40 years (a quarter saved every day) you just saved $3,650. If you can find a dollar to save each day for 40 years, you just saved $14,600.

Don't buy paper cups

It is cheaper using glasses than buying paper items all the time and throwing them away. If you like using paper dishes, make sure you reuse them many times before you throw them away.

Get free shipping

Some places online offer free shipping if you buy a certain dollar amount of items. This can add up if you purchase a lot of items through the mail or the Internet. Shipping charges can be expensive. You can save a lot of money this way if you can get free shipping.

Buy items in bulk

You can sometimes save money by buying food and other items in bulk instead. Price them in a supermarket and see if they are more expensive.

Stamps

Stamp prices keep going up. You can actually pay some bills online through your bank instead. You can also email someone rather than send them snail mail. You can also email pictures this way for free.

Bring your own lunch

If you buy lunch at work you are probably wasting more money. Bringing lunch from home is usually cheaper and over a lifetime you can save a lot of money over the years.

Don't speed

Driving slower rather than speeding uses less gas. This can help with some money saved on gas. Don't floor the gas pedal.

Use cheaper gas

Using low octane gas is just as good for most cars. The higher octane gas is usually never needed and cost much more money.

Credit card rates

Look for credit cards with cheaper interest rates. Also, pay off the balances as soon as you buy something. Some credit cards have rates near 20%, others have rates near 10%. The money you can save is big.

Rent books

Renting books at the library is free. If you read a lot of books over the year, this is the best option sometimes instead of buying them all. Good tip if you have a lot of kids or big readers in the family.

Wash your own car

Saving money over the lifetime of owning your car amounts to a lot if you wash your own car yourself. If you live in a warm climate all year the savings is huge. In the winter of course it is best to not do it on your own if you have below freezing weather.

Movies

You can save a fortune over your lifetime if you go during the day rather than at night. The tickets are a few dollars cheaper during the daytime. If you have a large family you will save a lot of money by going in the daytime instead of at night.

Senior discounts

You can save money if your older and ask for a senior discount at movie theaters, usually $0.50 a ticket in savings. They also have senior discounts at many places besides movies that you may visit. Always ask.

Magazines

If you buy a magazine all the time, subscribe to them instead. Some magazines are $5.00 per issue, but only cost $20 per year to subscribe to.

Fix car repairs early

Most of the time car repairs not fixed early can lead to bigger repairs later on. Maintenance is important for cars to avoid large repairs.

Wait for sales

Usually most things are on sale for the holidays in almost every store. Online stores have a lot of sales for the holidays so look into them also. You can save a lot of money this way if you have a big family and buy a lot of gifts.

Do away with appliances you do not need

In place of a dishwasher, wash dishes yourself, or even use paper plates and cups. Most of the time when I put something in the microwave oven, I reuse the paper dish several times before I throw them away.

Buy used textbooks for college

You can get a good discout if you buy them used from stores. College campuses should have some used book stores where you can buy them. This is a great way of saving money on textbooks.

Cut back on smoking

You can save a lot of money each year by cutting back depending on how much you smoke. You can save even more money if you give it up.

Print out cards

If you already have a computer, you can print out family cards. This can save you a lot of money. Most computers have software where you can design your own cards. Birthday, Christmas, and all occasion cards.

Use grocery bags

If you use those plastic grocery bags for shopping, you can save money by using them at home. When you get home and take the food out of them, you can use them as garbage bags or for the small trash can in the bathroom. You never have to buy bags again.

Save money on fast food

If you go to any fast food restaurants, look for specials during certain days of the week. Usually they reduce the prices on some food if you go on that day.

Shop for cheaper gas

Shop around for cheaper gas prices at gas stations in your area. If you do a lot of driving, a few pennies here and there can add up to some big saving over the year.

Keep thermostat a bit lower

You can save on on fuel bills if you turn it down a little in the winter. With the price of oil high, you can save some money in winter months.

Buy energy saving light bulbs

These can save you money in the long run on electricity cost. If you use a lot of light bulbs in your house, it can add up to a big savings over time.

Don't run shower water long

Watching TV and running the shower water before you go in will waste a lot of water. You can save some of Earth's water and money at the same time. Don't run the shower water until you go in it.

Fix it yourself

Changing a washer in a sink is not that hard and you can save yourself a lot of money. A small plumbing book can show you how to fix simple problems with sinks and toilets.

Drink water

If you are short on money when you go to the supermarket, cut back on the soda and other fruit drinks. They usually cost more even if you buy bottled water.

Borrow items

If you are only going to use a tool one time, try to borrow it from a friend instead. It will save you a lot of money since you don't have to buy it.

Avoid late fees

You can save money if make sure that you don't pay any fees for bounced checks or not maintaining the minimum amount in your checking or savings account. I know bounced check fees can be near $25.00

Carpool if you can

Carpooling can save you a lot of money with high gas prices latley. Going with friends shopping or to work can save you money. One less car on the road and less gas used.

Use shopping list

It is best if you shop with a list. If you don't have a shopping list, you will wind up buying more. You will spend more money if you don't use one.

Ask for older toys

If you know someone in your family or friends who has kids who have gotten older, you can ask them for toys if they no longer want them. If you have your own kids, you can pass down the toys and games. This works well with clothing also.

Maintain your weight

You can save some money on clothes no matter what age you are if you maintain your weight. How many times did you buy new clothes because the old ones did not fit? You can save money on clothes and your health at the same time.

Buy clothes a little bigger for kids

This is a good way to save some money on clothes. If you buy them a little bigger at first, they can get some extra years out of them.

Budget your gas money

You can set aside a certain amount of money for gas each week. Never go over this amount. With high gas prices, you can save a lot of money this way.

Budget when you eat out

Set aside a certain amount of money you will spend when you do eat out. Do not go over that amount ever. If you eat out once a week and you go over you budget by only $1.00, after 30 years you wasted $1,560 in extra money.

Save on maps

Streets on maps change, but usually not the major roads, at least that often. Minor streets may change, but usually you can still find you way in most cases. If you don't buy a new map each year, you can save a lot of money over time.

Saving picture frames

If you have old pictures you no longer want in picture frames on your wall, or pictures that are just worn out, keep the frames. The picture frames should last forever and you can just keep putting in new pictures all the time.

Don't throw away posters

If you paint a room with posters on the wall, all you have to do is take the posters off the wall and lay them flat down on the side with no tape. They should go back on the wall with no problems.

Save the old computer monitor

Usually if you buy a new computer, the old monitor still works. Rather than buy a new monitor with the new computer, just hook up the old one.

Save those pennies

When you go out shopping, you usually come home with a lot of change. Most people put the change at home and forget about it. If you keep saving the coins, you will have some extra money after some time.

Save old toys and games

You can save money if you have kids by saving the old toys and games they used when they were younger any use them for any new kids that you have now. The old toys and games can also be sold at any garage sale.

Save the old TV set

If you are buying a new TV set in order to get a bigger screen size or the latest LCD or Plasma, save the old TV if it still works. You can use it in another room in the house. The set is also good as a backup set in case anything ever happens to your new TV.

Don't print out every page online

You can bookmark Internet pages and just go back to it when you like. Or you can copy and paste what you want and save it in a notepad file.