Easy Ways to Save Money

Try these money saving strategies and you'll save loads throughout the year.

Gift Exchange

Whether or not you have a large family, holiday spending for gifts is expensive. Make an agreement, with friends and family, to buy gifts for the children only. The adults can participate in a name exchange and buy only for the name drawn.

Christmas Savings Clubs

In general, spending during the festive season leaves most of us in debt. Join a Christmas Savings Club through your bank or Credit Union. A Christmas Savings Club lets you deposit funds into a special account throughout the year. You withdraw your savings just in time for all that holiday spending.

Make Your Own Gifts

Instead of expensive store bought items, why not make your own gifts. Not only do people appreciate the thoughtfulness of a home made gift, you'll save money.

Save Your Change

Keep a container and throw in all your loose change at the end of each day. When the container is full, deposit it in the bank and start again. Even if you only save $1.00 a day, you'll have $365.00 extra at the end of the year.

Freebie Sites

Do a quick internet search of freebie sites and you'll find hundreds of thousands of sites offering free items. Check the sites for everything from free samples to clothing.

Homemade Gift Wrap

Purchase a roll of brown packaging paper from your local Dollar Store. Whenever you have a gift to wrap, cut a length of paper, get creative and decorate it anyway you like. Wrap the gift in your handmade, totally unique wrapping paper.

Reuse Everything You Can

This applies to any item that can be used repeatedly. Why pay for expensive plastic food containers when clean margarine tubs work just as well?

Clothes Shopping

When shopping for clothes, always check the clearance racks first. Another way to save money when buying clothes is to shop your local Thrift Store. Oftentimes, you'll find name brand items at a huge savings.

Create A Budget

All of us need a budget that lists our income and expenses. Writing it down shows us where our money goes each month, it provides us the opportunity to spot more ways to save money.

Credit Cards

Put your credit cards away. Use them for emergencies only. There simply isn't a way to save money using credit cards.