How Not To Crack The Piggy Bank: 8 Ways To Save A Buck!

Lately, I've been in serious debt reduction mode. We're talking a no-frills lifestyle. We're talking PB and J for lunch. Last week you might have spied me on Fox Business News blathering on about how to pinch pennies in these precarious economic times. However, I wasn't able to fully cover all the ways in which I'm trying to save money without dumpster diving.

1. View your day job as a freebie-filled mecca: From those mind-numbing 401K free lunches to the decaying coffee pot in the communal kitchen, your workplace is crawling with cost-saving opportunities. Don't like the coffee your company brews? Split gourmet or whole-sale bags of coffee with your coworkers and make your own brew at work. Also, make nice with the key assistants who manage the conference room and lunch meeting schedules as they have the inside scoop on choice leftovers. However, if you're not in the know, attend as many "info" sessions as you can bear, put out a candy till so you and your co-workers can have your 3pm fix satisfied at a low cost.

2. If you own it, odds are you can swap it: I'm an evangelist for the clothing/accessories/home items/book/cd/dvd swap. If your items are in fabulous condition and you're deft at shopping your closet, consider hosting a swap in your home, or consider participating in the large-scale affairs. Remember, set friendly ground rules of what kinds of items can be accepted and ensure (if you're swapping clothing) that all sizes are accommodated. Nothing is more horrifying than my J Lo ass amidst the skinny set. Get your friends to chip in for goodies and you have a bonding, swag-filled affair.

3. Buy in season produce/veggies: I've been preaching the buy local game for quite some time. Rather than buying $6 strawberries in December, consider $3 at the farmer's market, in season. I shop for most of my produce at the farmer's market. Additionally, consider splitting a CSA membership with friends/neighbors, so you can snap affordable produce (and possibly poultry) at rock-bottom prices.

4. Leave the credit/debit cards at home: Want to bludgeon your coworker with a stapler and your only solace is your lunch hour and retail therapy, reconsider. Leave the cards at home (I take out a set amount of cash/week and only bring out the cards when I KNOW I have a shopping trip planned or I'm traveling) because it's mostly the case that you'll be sucked in by impulse buys. Also, give it the 24-hr test. If you're debating a purchase, wait 24 hours. Odds are, the craving will dissipate.

5. Don't be afraid to negotiate or ask for a lower price: I've priced trips out online and haggled with store clerks. Leave a little pride at the door and be willing to ask for a bargain. The worse they can do is say no.

6. Freebies galore!: I score tons of freebies by dressing in a fox outfit, hitting the department store/speciality circuit and asking for freebies/samples. Over the course of a day I can secure enough free products to last me a few months.

7. Blog your way to free goods: Of course you shouldn't be a walking advertisement or a rotten product placement whore, however, if you blog passionately and authentically about what you love (books, cosmetics, cat food) and your blog garners a fair amount of traffic or loyal readership, don't be afraid to ask for review discounts (I've scored loads with salons/spas/restaurants) or free items to sample/keep.

8. Nix the single item purchase: Because, by god, you never just walk out of the store with a jar of peanut butter. I have scheduled shopping trips and I buy on sale, in bulk. And I'm a freezer evangelist. Check out this book on what you can/cannot freeze. And please, please do not buy household/beauty products from the supermarket. Snag them from big-box stores or pharmacies where they are infinitely cheaper.

Negotiate your interest rates, pay yourself first, invest in your 401K plan - you've heard these tips all before, so tell me: what are your penny pinching methods?

Comments

[thesis]

I got pregnant and I'm saving a load of money as result. I didn't realize how much smoking and going out really added up. I think I'm saving approx $1000 per month. Of course, all those savings are going towards baby!!!

[Rule Of Law]

Where can I get the fox outfit? And if I can't find one, would a monkey or bear outfit do?

[loril]

I think that the big news here is that, for a significant portion of the population, it has gone beyond drinking Folgers instead of designer latte. Is it just me, or are we seeing a pretty large shift in the lifestyles we can realistically expect to maintain?

Here are some of my new realities:

No car of my own. Much more walking for daily errands. Instead of replacing our second car, we are investing in a nice wagon so that I can pull my daughter and a few grocery bags around town during the week.

No new clothing except discounted or used. My mall rat days of style, makeup counters and cute shoes are over. I get my daughter some inexpensive new stuff, but pass all her old things on to a friend and am fortunate enough to get hand-me-downs from another friend.

No vacations. No travel outside the region. Last year we took 2 small day trips over the summer, not more than 90 minutes from our home. This is our fifth year with no overnight/hotel vacation.

No dining out except for one inexpensive carry out place on the corner. Frugal home cooking.

Outings with friends are cheap, free and less frequent. Perhaps a visit to a book store for a cup of tea and a browse...no buying though. I get books and other media from the library.

My daughter's "activities" are the free local parks and playgrounds and the library.

[RHR]

First of all, you can have faith that NO readers here saw you on Fox Business News, so feel free to repeat whatever you chatted them up about.

And when you do, how about some really useful NEW information? Buy in-season fruits and veggies? No kiddin'!

Try not to take this too personally, but we have all heard this drivel before.

Jon Stewart did a hilarious piece on the "incredible crisis" reporters are having in reporting the gas price crisis. Consider your report in the same category.

[TucsonEd]

WHY would they let you appear on Fox Business with this??? According to all the right wing propaganda (which FOX is the biggest spin machine) the economy is is great shape and all the so called bad ecomonic bad news is just lies spun by the liberal media.

[njdon]

large cardboard boxes can be very comfortable to live in. with the proper recyclable accessories you can make your box a cheerful, happy place.

[Shaddup]

Yeah, it's pretty obvious if this is the kind of stuff you're doing to save money you've never actually had to live a real life. Try it. Go out in the street with no money, no job, no friends, family, or prospects left. Now start. It's a fun game, if you survive, you get to learn about truly being human. Unfortunately, so few in the so called real world have ever done this, and look down on the ones that have. Get over it. There are people out there that have survived things you can't imagine.