How Americans Can Save Money, Even if They Think They Can't

For the last few years America, if not the whole world, has been hit hard by the slumping economy. People have lost jobs, cars, homes, and worst yet family members and friends. Many of the so called 'experts' have given advice on how Americans should cut back. What most Americans don't realize is that they have it easier than most throughout the world. The essentials are not really essential at all. This article can provide helpful, maybe even shocking, ways to cut back on your expenses so that you can stay in the black.

A dollar may not seem like much. But in time those dollars add up. Ten dollars, a hundred dollars, even more. A simple dollar can pay for a meal if done right. The problem is that many people don't know how to do right. They think they need something rather than taking it as a luxury. The first and biggest tip I can give is that besides food and shelter, everything else is a luxury. It is not a necessity. In time those luxuries can be purchased, but only when the time is right. Despite all the tips I list, the most important to remember is what you think is a needed item, is not.

As time goes on I will continue to add to this list. But this list has given me what I needed to have a house, car, and more by the time I was just thirty years old.

• Shut off the Cable TV! Cable has all the new, fancy gadgets now. DVR, hundreds of channels, movies, PPV, etc. Some people's bills can peak to over $100 per month! That is crazy considering the alternatives that are out there. To stream movies via Netflix it only costs me $8 per month. Even during the entire year I don't peak over $100. That is an incredible savings. There are other alternatives as well, such as Hulu. You can even watch TV on the network websites where the show is based.
• Stop buying all of those video games. There are multiple gaming systems out there, with the games costing from $50-$60 each. Even if you limit yourself to buying two games per month, that is over $100 each and every month. Gamefly offers a great service that allows you to rent games from the comfort of your own home. Once you get bored or beat the game, simply return it. Another alternative is to buy used games only. So what if you don't get the newest release, it will always be there! You can also sink your money into a MMO, which can be as little as $15 a month, which provides endless hours of gameplay. MMO's have cut my video game buying down to nothing.
• Power usage is through the roof! Each month I spend less than $100 per month. The most I peaked since moving into my house was $80 a month. In fact, I get statements from my power company all the time stating I am below the average in my city. Want to know the secret? I don't have an air conditioner or heater. I use window units or units that just hit one room. Sometimes I have them going in two rooms if I have multiple people in the house. Get the hint? Shut off your units! You can suffer a little bit in the weather if it means cutting your bill from a few hundred dollars a month to less than a hundred. I should mention I constantly have my TV and computer on. So I am not cutting back in other areas. Another tip? Shut all of the lights off. If you aren't in the room, why keep the lights on? Start unplugging things you don't plan to use! Those game consoles can eat up power even when shut off. All of that adds up.
• Shut the water off. Americans waste water - to excess. We take long showers, over water our plants, and wash everything the moment it gets dirty. In the summer months I peaked at $80 per month for water. In the winter months, there were times I was below $20 in a month. Want to know how? Wear the same pair of pants twice in a row. Yes, twice in a row will prevent laundry from being done as often. Pants are huge and take up a lot of space in washers. Want to know what else to wear two days in a row? Underwear. Sounds gross, but it's not. Again, it's a money saver. Stop watering your plants and grass so often! Buy plants that don't require that much water. Or if necessary let some of them die out. Sure, your home may look ugly, but at least you will have money for food. Reuse your dishes. Use one glass to drink from the entire day. Consider using one plate for all of your food instead of multiple small plates for various dishes being prepared. Cut down your showers, and if you don't plan to go out one day, don't even bother taking one. You won't smell that bad after a day, trust me.
• Do we really need that many phones? Landline use is totally 90's. Cut the landline and move directly to your cell phone. Speaking of cell phones. Do you have that special phone with all the bells and whistles? Cut back on those unlimited whatever plans to something you actually need. Keep the mobile to mobile calling though - that is the real money saver!
• Craigslist is your friend. So many have heard the horror stories coming out of Craigslists. But I have sold off more of my items and found more deals there than anywhere else. I wanted to landscape my flowerbeds with some lavarock. That stuff was expensive. I found an ad on Craigslist that was giving it away for free - I just had to get it myself. Was a total deal, and I got some great lava rock out of it. There is also furniture, cars, etc. that can be found on there. Buying and selling used items are never a bad thing!
• Keep those old clothes. Just because the style has changed, doesn't mean you have to. I have worn some of the same shirts for five years now. It doesn't bother me. They still look nice and feel comfortable. When I do buy clothes, I hit up Wal Mart. I can afford Macy's, JCPenny, etc. But why when I can find similar clothes at a cheaper prices.
• Stop having kids. That's right. Want to know what is bleeding money from your wallet? Your children. Now don't go getting rid of your children. Just don't have any more. Too many times I see families with four or five kids. Only because they couldn't keep it in their pants. Well, keep it in your pants! Your current children will thank you.
• Sleep more. Wait, what? That's right, get your full nights sleep. The less you sleep the more you will be awake. That means you are using power, eating more food, and wearing out your clothes some more. It may not seem like it makes sense, but, in my own experience I spend more money the more I am awake. I get myself a good nights rest, and I find myself spending less money.
• Buy in bulk! Right now I have five deodorants, four shampoos, four toothpaste bottles, 2,000 napkins, and a whole bunch more things I buy in bulk. Besides not running out of these items for a long time, but it also saves money in the long term! Don't buy in bulk of food that could go bad, or other items you don't need. Just the items you use on a day to day basis.
• Make your own meals. This goes for food you take to work, on trips, or even when you are at home. A fast food meal can put a serious dent in your wallet. Why do that when you can eat a cheaper, healthier, and better tasting meals in the comfort of your own home.
• Do your errands before 5pm! If you wait until after rush hour starts to do your errands, you will be contending with a lot more people. This causes strain on you, your car (using more gas), and taking more time. It could also distract you and make you buy things or do things you don't need to do. If you do your errands in the early morning, you will contend with a lot less people, and get things done before you make any mistakes.
• Watch your money daily. My bank e-mails me each time I spend a certain amount, and my total balance each day. I also 'balance my checkbook' on a daily basis. So I always know what I have. The best thing ever? Having software that allows you to plan a budget, and warning you if you go over that budget. It's kept me in line more times than I can count. Totally worth the cost.
• Move to an apartment. There is nothing wrong with living in an apartment. My last apartment was small, but, I had free cable TV and free water. I had no plants to take care of, and no housing costs. I was saving a lot of money during my time there. Once the housing market took a nose dive, I pounced on a house that cost me less than $100000, and my mortgage payment is the same as my apartment rent!
• Hit the local scene. Some of the best forms of entertainment can be found locally. Just this past Friday I went to a local hockey game. Free tickets from a friend, and $10 for food for a night out on the town. I used no power at home, and had a great time out.
• Use the Internet. Reading this right now? Then you are saving money by not doing other things. The internet has enough reading material to last an entire lifetime. Not to mention videos, comics, games, and more. The internet can provide a wide variety of entertainment that will never end. The internet is a great place to find deals and how to cut back further on your budget.
• Don't get in trouble with the law. That sounds obvious, but some people don't get that. This isn't just the bad crimes that land you in jail. These are ones as simple as traffic violations. Run a red light at a camera light? You are looking at a few hundred dollars. A speeding ticket can cost you a fine and driving school. Slow down and keep your nose out of trouble. We are in too big of a hurry now a days, and it costs us some coin.
• Cancel your newspaper. As well as other magazine subscriptions. I read more up-to-date news online than I do in my paper. Most magazine articles are available online and up-to-date there as well.
• Re-gift. Have a birthday coming up? Christmas? Other gift giving events? Re-gift! It sounds horrible, but most times if you know someones taste, they may like it. And you are passing on something you like to someone else so you know it will continue to be enjoyed. My parents have given me things that way, and I have done it with others. Saves money, and clears up some clutter in the house.
• Get rid of the household pets. Under no circumstances get rid of your pets in a inhumane way. Turn them in to an animal shelter. Pets are a huge drain on the money. Just today I spent $30 on food that will last about a month. As much as they are an attachment, give yourself as well as them a better life by humanely turning them over.
• Don't buy the latest and greatest. Going to buy the iPad 3 when it comes out? It's the latest and greatest right? Wrong. That sucker will be $500 at least, for the basic model. If you have to have the fanciest technology, buy the previous model. Each time a new iPad is due to come out, the others bottom out in price. Same goes will most tech gadgets.
• Keep your furniture. I have a couch in my computer room that is over 10 years old. Not the best looking couch, but it is still doing the job. Same goes with this computer desk I am on, as well as other pieces of furniture. Again, may not look great, but if it still works why get rid of it? You can also spruce things up with paint, fabric, etc. Just do it yourself.
• Use credit - responsibly. I keep reading articles on stopping the use of credit. I believe this is wrong if it's used the right way. Sometimes it's necessary to use credit, and can be helpful to build your credit score. Though at the most I have two credit cards, none more than that. Set those on reoccurring payments so you don't incur late fees.
• Use people. Ouch, this one is harsh. But really, use people. Someone willing to buy you lunch? Take them up on their offer. Someone offering a night out, their treat? Go! I know it sounds like you are taking advantage of the person, which you are, but in these times you have to do things to survive. Just remember who your friends were and pay them back later when you can afford it.
• Make lists. Not just grocery lists, but of things that you need all over. Once you have a sufficient list, go out and buy the items on that list only. Places like Wal Mart are great at crossing off items off your list, but you could just end up spending more on crap you don't need. Stick to the list, always.
• Shop at your local discount grocery store. There are many discount grocery stores around, that are not chains nor mom and pop stores. These places get rejected food, discontinued products, etc. They never have the same thing twice, but the deals they can offer are incredible.
• Estate sales, not yard sales, are your friend. Yard sales can be tricky. You never know if you are getting a good, decent item. Estate sales, however morbid, are where you can pick up some great items. Some of those items can be brand new, and you can get them at a great price.
• Keep your house clean. Huh? How does having a clean house save money? Simple, we live in a world of electronics. Keeping them clean and orderly is a great way to save money by not replacing them. My Xbox 360 is still working, and I purchased it close to launch. The same goes with my large TV, speakers, etc. All clean and untouched, leaving them in the best workable condition. Most of my major electronics have lasted over 5 years now.
• Avoid your co-workers. No, not completely. But come on, if they have kids, they have fundraises and the like. I figured last year I spent a few hundred dollars on stuff. Most of it I didn't use. Some of it is just crap you gotta store or food that will go bad. If a co-worker shoves a catalog in your face, shove it right back.
• Don't tip! Well, still tip, but don't feel you have to. But now a days we tip for everything - food service, haircut, even to get our car washed. I know in some states some of these people work off tips, but not the one I am in. I tip for a service well done. Even then, I only tip about 10% or so of the meal. If the service his bad? I don't tip. In this bad economy, those in their chosen professional have to do well to earn their keep.
• Complain. Receive bad service? A broken product? Complain to someone high up! Don't complain if you don't have a legit complaint, but, you can find yourself getting discounts or free items if you have an actual problem. One time I took my car in for service, and the company physically lost my vehicle for a couple days, resulting in me keeping my rental car for a couple more days. I complained, and received a refund for my rental car fee as well as a personal apology. Don't be afraid to complain - this is your money we are talking about here.

By living with a lot of these rules I have managed to purchase myself a home, a new car, and have quite a lot saved up in the bank. I've been very fortunate, as one of the biggest money savers I have had has been my family. They have helped and supported me too. Look to your family for support, and help one another.