Tips!!!

[Andit]

Regarding mortgage payments, pay bi-weekly instead of monthly. It adds up to roughly one extra payment over the course of the yr, but can shave a few yrs off your mortgage. In my case, an extra $20 a month will save me 5 yrs of payments. BIG savings in the long run.

Also, the posted rate is not necessarily the only rate the bank is willing to give you. I've had an account with Can Trust since I was 12 - I get 1% below the posted rate on my mortgage.

[Giving-Small]

Great tips.

Here's a few ideas.

Tip #1: Gardening

Start a veggie garden or join a community garden if you don't have a yard or garden space.

Some universities / colleges / communities have a hort club where you plant a large garden together and then get to harvest items. Often these groups will do group projects like pesto making, tomato sauce or ketchup, pickles, cider and wine, etc. The fee to join is very modest and if you like visiting while you garden it's a fun way to go.

Consider converting a flower bed to veggies.

If you're a lazy gardener plant root crops or squash and pumpkins. You can sit back and let them grow until fall harvest. To keep the cost of watering down use soaker hoses that you attach together and run along the rows and mulch on top. You no longer have to water the whole garden area. I did this last year and ended up with enough carrots that lasted to February.

Tip #2 Fruit

Keep your eye out for people offering extra fruit if you come and pick. I ended up with 15+ gallons of apples and froze some apple pies and lots of bags of apples ready to use.

The apples took less than 2 hours to pick them and maybe 3 or 4 to core and slice and freeze.

Most people who have rhubarb are happy to give some away.

I also have berry bushes in my yard to my freezer is full up by the end of summer.

Tip #3 Join freecycle group and/or look at the free section on Kijiji, Craigslist

It's amazing what people give away and if it's not something you need new, then sometimes you can find just what you need. It's also a way to give away things you don't need and you don't have to pack them up and haul them off to a place that accepts donations. Also places that accept donations don't take certain things - sometimes furniture, windows, doors (if you're remodelling), wooden siding that you may have removed etc.

[Andit]

With regards to gardening, I know my neighbours have plots in the community garden down near Leslie & Commissioner. It's a little plot of land on city property that goes up for grabs each spring for those living in condos & apts.

I stay away from these sorts of things, since I've killed every plant I've had in my place.

[Sunraven]

Sign up for the free loyalty programs out there. I`ve put together a couple of lists (if I`ve missed any, PLEASE let me know):

http://forum.smartcanucks.ca/129559-...ograms-canada/

http://forum.smartcanucks.ca/129621-...ograms-canada/

Pay for your monthly bills (phone, cable, internet, etc) with a credit card that has some sort of rewards program (AirMiles, cashback, PC Points, etc) - you have to pay the bill anyway, this gives you something for your efforts.

If you`re a fan of live theatre, many of the smaller theater (there are over 100 in Toronto) are in need of volunteers (you feel good helping out & you get to watch the play for free).

Andi's post reminds me that there's "Shakespeare in the Park" every year… it can be a great night out with your other half.

Sitting under the stars watching live theatre at High Park. And cost to attend is PWYC.

Bring folding chairs and a blanket and snacks for yourself (or to share)...

If you're into live theatre.

[Sunraven]

I second everything screamy said about the way you should approach a mortgage.

My desire to rid myself of my mortgage is what got me into couponing in the first place.

[travelgeek]

Also, the posted rate is not necessarily the only rate the bank is willing to give you. I've had an account with Can Trust since I was 12 - I get 1% below the posted rate on my mortgage.

A broker will likely do better than that. When I had a mortgage, a broker was able to consistently beat any rate I was able to get even by being a long term customer with lots of products.

[travelgeek]

This is how I've been buying cars for awhile now..... yes, I've had to drive the old rust bucket for the first few years to build my 'car fund', while watching my friends drive new (leased) wheels.

http://www.daveramsey.com/article/drive-free (watch the video)

of course there are a few things I have issues with.... namely that he ignored cap gain taxes, and that the stock market rate of return is usually less than 12%, but the main point is still there.

[screamy]

I second everything screamy said about the way you should approach a mortgage.

My desire to rid myself of my mortgage is what got me into couponing in the first place.

I transfer my coupon savings into a special account and chuck the total onto my mortgage every time it hits $100 (the minimum amount they'll add, or believe me, there would be $3.24 and $2.79 payments every few days, LOL).

I'm definitely a coupon / math / savings nerd.

[kittyc]

I am so happy that there are sooooooooooo many tipssssssssssss

[ChristieJ]

I try not to pay more than $0.65 cents for a chocolate bar. 2/$1.00 was a killer deal, but that price is very hard to find now. So it's $0.65 max or 3/$2.00. But, there is this Greek chocolate with hazelnuts that I love called Ion Break. I'll splurge for this at $0.75 or $0.99 at the most. That's my tip for today