Comments in parentheses
R.O.I. - WSJ.com:
"Don't wait for the politicians to pass a law or some bureaucrat to mail you a check. Don't wait for Uncle Sam to put more money in your pocket. Here are 14 ways to do it that you do tomorrow on your own."
1. Change bank accounts. (pending, but for service)
2. Stop using other banks' ATMs. (I don't use any)
3. Brown bag it to work. (lunch is standing at the sink...)
4. Change your household and car insurance. (done)
5. Sign up for rewards credit cards. (we do it for miles, and see #2)
6. Get rid of your POTS. That's "Plain Old Telephone Service." (we have simple service, no LD)
7. Change your cell phone plan, or your provider -- or both. (done)
8. You pay how much for TV? When you count the cable or satellite service, often in several rooms, premium channels, and TiVo, some people spend well over $100 a month. (keeping this luxury)
9. The biggest waste of money for most people? "No. 1 on the list is eating out and drinking out," says Jan Geiger, a veteran financial planner in Atlanta, Ga. "That's absolutely, by far, No. 1." She says most people never add it all up. When she makes her clients do just that, "They usually freak out. It can easily be $400, $500 or $600 a month." No, you don't have to live on noodles. Just cutting one $100 meal, or two $50 meals, a month will save you $1,200 a year. (well, we enjoy eating out at least once a week, sometimes more)
10. Buy a cheaper car and pay cash. (or just keep the old one)
11. Change your investments. (done)
12. Shop online. (we do, and shop little... see the next one)
13. Cutting out crap. Remember before we paid for "iced tea" and water? And half of what people buy has no obvious purpose or merit. If you don't believe me, go to the mall and look around. And most gifts are a total waste of money. I'll bet the typical household could save $500 a year just cutting out crap. (first off, we rarely go to the mall, and gifts tend to be gift cards so the recipient can choose what they need)
14. Stop wasting energy. (pretty much done)
These are only ballpark figures. The actual savings will vary enormously by household. But just the steps above can save a household thousands a year.
1. Change bank accounts. (pending, but for service)
2. Stop using other banks' ATMs. (I don't use any)
3. Brown bag it to work. (lunch is standing at the sink...)
4. Change your household and car insurance. (done)
5. Sign up for rewards credit cards. (we do it for miles, and see #2)
6. Get rid of your POTS. That's "Plain Old Telephone Service." (we have simple service, no LD)
7. Change your cell phone plan, or your provider -- or both. (done)
8. You pay how much for TV? When you count the cable or satellite service, often in several rooms, premium channels, and TiVo, some people spend well over $100 a month. (keeping this luxury)
9. The biggest waste of money for most people? "No. 1 on the list is eating out and drinking out," says Jan Geiger, a veteran financial planner in Atlanta, Ga. "That's absolutely, by far, No. 1." She says most people never add it all up. When she makes her clients do just that, "They usually freak out. It can easily be $400, $500 or $600 a month." No, you don't have to live on noodles. Just cutting one $100 meal, or two $50 meals, a month will save you $1,200 a year. (well, we enjoy eating out at least once a week, sometimes more)
10. Buy a cheaper car and pay cash. (or just keep the old one)
11. Change your investments. (done)
12. Shop online. (we do, and shop little... see the next one)
13. Cutting out crap. Remember before we paid for "iced tea" and water? And half of what people buy has no obvious purpose or merit. If you don't believe me, go to the mall and look around. And most gifts are a total waste of money. I'll bet the typical household could save $500 a year just cutting out crap. (first off, we rarely go to the mall, and gifts tend to be gift cards so the recipient can choose what they need)
14. Stop wasting energy. (pretty much done)
These are only ballpark figures. The actual savings will vary enormously by household. But just the steps above can save a household thousands a year.
No comments:
Post a Comment