Ways to save money

[shanaalbo]

During morning walks, I find lots of beer bottles and cans. I've started to pick them up and take them home with me. It's amazing how many I find each morning on my 30 minute walk (I've started to take a reuseable bag with me). Each can can be returned to the Beer Store (in Ontario) for cash, and I'm cleaning up my neighborhood while I'm at it.
It won't make you rich, but it does add up after awhile.

[drusilla]

picking up the cans is a good idea. i buy drinks from work and i always put them into the big recycle box we have there but then i thought one day why am i giving the company my 5 cents.

ok ok it is only 5 cents but it is true they add up. so now i bring them home.

[ashedfc]

Only way to SAVE Money - "SPEND LESS"

[kris10]

If you ever drop garbage off at the dump, we do @ our cottage and cuz we usually end up over the limit then look around for emptys there to, we've found a couple cases before and returned them for $

[ladynetz]

any good advice about car insurance?

[brunt]

any good advice about car insurance?

Increase your deductibles. You will pay more if you have an accident, but your premiums will also decrease. Chances are over a lifetime of driving, you will only make a couple of claims. This can save a lot of money.

[shell4you_etsy]

Following the lines of knowing your bank account...

- If you are a full-time college/university student you can get large discounts on your bank fees. The plan I'm with at TD is normally $8.95 and since I'm a student it only costs me $3.45.

- If you are going to use your bank account a lot upgrade your banking plan. It's better to pay $12.95 in bank fees for an unlimited account, then to pay like $20 in transaction charges.

see when i was a student and had more money leaving my account even with the discounts then going into my account each month i just about blew a gasget, then my boyfriend pointed out a pc financial bank account that is free to use, and doesnt have small limits or anything and a decently good intrest level on savings account (used to be way better, but now even ING is comparable since everyone is lower) and if you shop at a PC owned groshery store (zehrs) you earn pc points for money spent, and for bringing your own bags, and those points = dollers at the store so you then get free food / whatever.

[shell4you_etsy]

There are repeats in here i know this but i got going and couldnt stop.

My mainones i can think of are:
-i have a PC bank account thats free, and has a decent intrest rate for the also free savings account. I can call any time to talk to a person and love using online to pay bills and see my bank statment almost up to the minute (Somethign i didnt even have when i had royal online.
-I make my own laundry soap (well have before and plan to again this week but will be trying a different recipie once i get washing soda that i couldnt find last time)
-I buy oxyclean by the box from costco since its SOOO much more costly in the pocketpacks sold at the groshery store or in a spray and i use oxyclean to wash cloth pads
- I use cloth menstral pads (come perfectly clean with oxi clean) (i use them not as a money saving thing hounestly though but with Endometriosis its to much time wearing a pad to deal with a plasticy thing touching me and enviromentaly nice).
-I also once and a while buy a bunch of onions and cut them up and stick them in freezer bags and into the freezer, saves me time and tears each time i need chopped up onion and much less waste and so likely cheaper then buying pre-cutup and frozen onions.
-enjoy samples and coupons where posible and even more if can use them with items when on sale.
-invested in a really nice coupon orginizer fron a seller on etsy so i will acturaly be able to find my coupons i need and not waist so much time.
- use CFL's
- mix water and conditioner in a spray bottle or re use a bottle for leave in conditioner or no more tangles since thats what i use it for.
- (used to) buy the guys gelet raiser blades at costco (even not through costco still cheaper) and split the pack with hubby since they clip onto the venus handle with no issues and i find they work alot longer then the venus blades (granted the venus ones give a smother shave they only last a few times where as the guys give a consistantly good shave for tons of times and my skin is very sencitive but can re use 10+times with guys without problems but venus ones only a couple times)
-keep a poket calender with me at all times so i always know what is comming up this doesnt forsure save money but it stops us from planning multiple things and then being unable to do them, also since hubby does shift i try to keep updates what shift he will be and when.
-keep a little note book in purse (i dont have a cell but those who do might be able to do this on their phone) of all the important numbers and addresses i could need while out and about and also have multple lists going on at once in there of what is needed but of different levels of importance or for different stores.
-split purenials that are at max size if i want more of them rather then buy more since they will fill to that same size by the end of next season anyways.
-grow a few items you know you will use. I have one small raised garden at the side of house its about 1foot by 8feet and in it i have a bunch of rasberry bushes (to many in fact) a cherry tomato plant, 16 cloves of garlic growing, and 10 spanish onions, dill, basil and catnip. Next year i plan to take advantage of the fact this is against a wall and have peas or beans growing up wall after i attach some wire mesh.
- use "magic dryer balls" that can be bought at doller stores, or linen and things for $16... i bought them for a buck. though i still use dryer sheets since a) we have a cat and i wear alot of black, b) one year on doller days from nofrills my guy bought enough sheets to last 3lives worth. but the balls help the items dry faster.
-use the doller store for things that it makes sence to. I have a tendency to destroy brushes unless i am using waterbaced and even then sometimes since i am horible at caning so i often buy paint brushes there, cards, photo frames (then paint them to make them nicer), craft supplies, stocking stuffers, and small kitchen items including small spoons since hubby used to take yogurt to work each day and some kept seeming to disapear but 5 for a buck it didnt matter so much when they dissapeared.
- matrice heater so when my furnace of a hubby is all for turing the house down lower on winter nights (when he thinks its "plenty warm" in the house at 17C) i can still be warm even if he wont cuddle, also have a bunch of throw blankets in living room including one heated one if cranky/sick or overly pmsing so i dont kill him for the temp. in the house.
- Hang clothing out to dry, rality is i dont do this much since i like the clothign soft and so does my guy, but i do it in the summer with bedding and any white loads since the sun will remove stains that it would take tons of bleach to get out and bleach alot more harmfull to use, also sun will take stains out of items that have colour, true it will also fade them but when i do get a stain on my cloth pads its still nice to lay them on deck (where no one can see) and have them nice looking when i bring them in)
- we burn alot of tvshows, movies and programs. more then i would like to admit but in our defence we also have a huge bought dvd collection also, its just that our way to relax while eating dinner and after is to watch something and we refuse to pay for satilight or cable since we dont watch enough for it to be worth it in our mind.
- adobe gives free 30day trials of new softwear, and thats awsome... and if you know someone handy at getting keys that trial can last you a year (but a year to the day it magicaly dissapears i learned this lol)
- my guys a computer geek so whenever one of needs a new computer system (us or family/friends) we get him to build it for us since then we can have exactly what we want in the system for a cheaper cost since he buys all the parts and assembles it.
- rarely buy groshery bags except when we forget our own bags but when we do we reuse them as the liner to the garbage we put the cat litter in so saves on smell.
-always use the doller store for gift bags, rybons and package wrapping paper, though paper by the roll can be bought cheaper at places like zellers if you buy the big rolls, but make sure you look at how much you are getting (hint, if it says length in inches leave it alone, if it measures in feet your likely doing good) also doller store for tissue paper and small items if making a gift basket.
-but items used, clothing and anything elce that you are willing to have used. especialy on "Dress up" clothing since i get dressed up about once a year for christmas and HATE dress shoes or heals so unless i paid only a couple bucks for them its a huge waste since i will never wear them out.
- use sites such as freecycle, and also kijiji and cregslist
-share and trade coupons with family or fiends. list extras no one wants on freecycle.
-sew items for around the house, like lately pillow cases since hubby desided he only likes flannel and jersy ones *twitches* and also items of clothing for family if its easy enough.
-dye cloathing, if something is faded that you love it works, though sofar i have only dyed to change the colour or something (like zellers had some awsome yoga pants i liked for $7 but only came in a really light grey that i hated so for $1 plum coloured dye i now have purple yoga pants that i love and live in and the colour has only faded slightly in 10months.
-got a medium chest freezer so can stock up if something we always eat is on sale.
-learn how to do things around the house, and how to fix things if someone is willing to teach you (have to be willing to learn) so far since we have moved here i have learned some pluming, drywalling, washer fixing, floor instaling and soon will learn some welding (haveing a really handy guy helps haha)
- garage sales and thrift stores, and used stores for items that i would like to get people but cant afford or rationalize the cost of (certian nick nacks, or toys or books) Dollar stores are good sometimes for books to, you can sometimes find hardcover picture books that have $25 doller cover price on it for a doller since an editor missed a spelling mistake :D
-Buy plants in the fall, if they are perenials they will still come back next year but come fall most things are maked down 40-70% off, i reolised this last fall, though dont do what i did and buy more then you have time to plant. Thankfully even the items i didnt get planted all came back to life anyways
- make your own plant markers
-if you have trees or bushes that you trim you might be able to use the trimings as stakes for you plants.
-use rain barrles (hopefully this week i will finaly have my 3 up and going)
-bbq outside when its hot and you have the AC going inside instead of using the stove/oven.
- start christmas of birthday (or any gift) shopping early, since you might find that perfect gift and see if it comes on sale, or perhaps find a one of a kind item at a great price. I keep these gifts then in an old trunk that i have and a few other handy items for when needed.
-knowyour prices if shopping at costco sometimes the valuepacks are acturaly more costly then someting regular priced at a higher end groshery store (i was shocked)
-using a britta water jug and filter and stainless steal water canteens to take water places in rather then buying water bottles. same goes for making coffee and using a travel coffee mug.... but dont get me wrong we still have tim's at least once a week since its a love thing but the coffee needed for waking up my guy every morning is now brewed at home.


Ideas i plan to adopt from here: (and thanks for these ideas!)
--Keep a price book. (Can't know if it's a good sale price if you don't know what pay)
--I am a size 8-8.5 womens and i fit into a size 6 boy's and with children's footwear i only pay one tax. ((SOOO smart i wear 7.5 and have bought boys 6 before!!))
--considering trying the divi cup (havent yet i am afraid it will be really unhappy and messy since i am heavy that time of the month)
-- making own food mixes, hamberger helper and such
-- knowing what cheaper meals are and making them.

[shell4you_etsy]

I LOVE shopping at salvation army!! I picked up scrabble for only $1.99!!! and many many books.

i generaly avoid value village since it is more pricy then other trift places but i was ther last month with my mom and found a brand new "scene it" (SEALED) game for $6, and a board game set (its a stand with drars with 2 games on each thing that pulls out) that was also sealed for $10 i was loving that trip.

[ashedfc]

Hydro One prices - going up like a rocket. Sad part is " there is nothing you can do"

http://www.windaction.org/news/28849

[lekate]

--considering trying the divi cup (havent yet i am afraid it will be really unhappy and messy since i am heavy that time of the month)
.

I haven't used the Diva cup, but I've heard a lot of great things. I'm told many people will buy two, just so that if they're out in a public washroom and need to change it they can just do a quick switch, rinse off the used one and pack it away to disinfect once they get home.

[shell4you_etsy]

I am thankfull for good friends, and thankfull for them living in great locations haha. My best girlfriend lives in toronto so its great staying in town and seeing her but it also makes getting to doc apt.'s easyer when i have to find a place to stay i can always come to her place.

Its great, i am here now with an apointment tomorrow and also a shopping date set with her, hopefully dont blow to much money lol

[funn2009]

love the tips.
thanks

[secheltsaver]

I was just cutting up Brandsaver coupon sheets,and thought I'd post this tip.I cut the part with my name and address off each sheet and use tape to make return address stickers.Doesn't save any money really,but it's handy if you don't get any free ones

[Cheap]

Curious, I googled "Diva Cup".

I suggest that women get more information about it before deciding on whether or not to use it.