Facebook Messages: Finding Money to Save/Reducing Expenses

1. America Saves Website: http://bit.ly/ASaves

Messages

1. Want to save money? Take advantage of rebates, discounts, and/or wellness incentive programs provided through your employer. Many companies offer college tuition reimbursement and discounted rates for company products, computers, fitness center memberships, movie tickets, hotels, cellular services, and more. Talk to your human resources representative to find out what perks your company offers. For more savings tips, visit http://bit.ly/ASaves.
2. The next time you go food shopping, take a good look at what's in your cart before checking out. Are there expensive snacks or convenience foods that you can do without or make yourself? Are you buying anything that might end up in the garbage because nobody really likes it?  Are you comparing the cost of store and manufacturer's brands and taking advantage of coupons, sales, and special promotions? For more savings tips, visit: http://bit.ly/ASaves.
3. Want to save 10% of your income? Spend 10% less on variable expenses such as clothing, gifts, entertainment, personal care, and transportation. Also determine if there are ways to reduce large expenses such as housing (e.g., refinancing mortgage), income taxes (e.g., tax-deferred investments), and insurance (e.g., policy discounts). It may be possible to save 10% of your gross income without feeling deprived. Also become an American Saver: http://bit.ly/ASaves.
4. How do folks find the money to save and ultimately invest?  By starting small, because every dollar counts. Try eliminating things that you can live without and changing spending habits. An example is brown bagging a lunch to work two or three days a week instead of eating out. Another is buying 12-packs of soda or bottled water on sale instead of using expensive vending machines. For more savings tips, visit: http://bit.ly/ASaves.
5. Need to "find" money to save? Plug your spending leaks. Add up what you're spending on "little things" such as snacks, coffee, soda, candy, fast food (e.g., breakfast and/or lunch), cigarettes, lottery tickets, magazines, take-out dinners, beverages, and more. Let's say you can "find" $5 per day from reduced spending. That adds up to $1,825 in savings per year and even more with interest. For more savings tips, visit America Saves: http://bit.ly/ASaves.
6. Quit smoking or don't start. Assume a pack of cigarettes costs $6. Multiply $6 by 365 days and you could save $2,190 a year, plus interest, with the money you currently spend on cigarettes  (not to mention all of the positive health effects!). Invest $2,190 in a stock mutual fund with a 7% average annual return and you'll have $138,515 saved in 25 years. For more information: http://bit.ly/ASaves
7. Junk the "junk food": soda, fast food, fatty pastries, chips, etc. Not only will you lose weight (cutting 100 calories a day translates to 10 pounds of annual weight loss!), but you'll pocket the savings. Save $7 a day on "empty calorie" foods and drinks and you can save over $2,500 in a year. For more information: http://bit.ly/ASaves. Also check out this Cooperative Extension Small Steps to Health and Wealth™ poster: http://njaes.rutgers.edu/sshw/pdfs/NibblingAway.pdf.
8. "Step down" when buying clothing. For example, from high-end department stores to moderately priced department stores to discount stores, factory outlets, consignment stores, thrift shops, and garage sales. The more steps down, the greater the savings. You don't cut out buying clothing completely, but you explore ways to get more for less. You can also "step down" with other expenses too such as food, travel, and entertainment. For more information: http://bit.ly/ASaves.
9. Save on home energy costs to "find" money to save. Close off unused rooms that don't have pipes, check weather stripping and caulking for leaks, upgrade attic insulation, sign up for an electricity plan that rewards you for shifting energy use during "off-peak" hours, and turn the thermostat down a degree or two. Also, get a free energy audit to provide a list of recommended action steps and projected savings. For more information: http://bit.ly/ASaves.
10. Be phone savvy to "find" money to save. Choose a cell phone plan that best meets your needs (e.g., number of monthly minutes and texts, data usage, number of linked callers) or use low-cost prepaid telephone calling cards as needed. In addition, purchase "bundled" telecommunications service where television, Internet, and phone service are combined, if it saves money. For more information: http://bit.ly/ASaves.