Some ways to save $$$$

[Jennybeann]

My friend made a $10 bet with me that I couldn't go a whole day without spending a single penny. It was hard, but not only did I abstain from spending an entire day...I got 10 bucks.

I suggest you should weasel your friends in the same exact way. It'll add up.

[DC_Jessica]

Ahhh you guys are so hard on the grocery stores! I go as much as I feel like, because I pack my lunch every day (like a five year old) so I spend ZILCH at work, and then I hardly order food or go to restaurants (at least WAY less than I used to) because I can get so much more for so much less. I am weak and when I'm out of groceries, I'll go get premade food from somewhere if I don't want to spend more of my "grocery budget."

[buzzingtalk]

im a bit shite at saving money. i travel to asia every year and im lucky in the sense that my flights are free and accomedation is at my dads house. but i still manage to save £500 or so for each trip to travel around asia. i guess if i had to pay for flights and accomedation i would find the money - there is always a way!! heres some ideas that i do...

1.even if you work for a shit wage, dont dismiss it. i work for £4 an hour, an stupidly low wage for someone in the UK, but i still save. set targets and dont let yourself down! be realistic about how much of your wages you can save - once in a while, dont save for a week and use that £10 or whatever to treat yourself, and remind yourself why you are saving - buy a guide book, look for travel goods, get yourself motivated!!

2. ebay is your freind. sell all that stuff you dont need. blitz your house when your in a good mood and sell all that crap you been hanging on to for no reason. i sold a load of cds i didnt want for a lot of cash. dont miss them at all

3. use your legs. i dont have a car no one in my family does, and now the sun is coming out, im enjoying walking. its frustrating at first, i have to walk 2 miles to save £1 twice a day, but it adds up to £10 at the end of the week. that x30 is a lot of money.

4. and my biggest tip - dont save up mammoth amounts of cash to splash out on crap you dont need while travelling - if your really that skint im sure you dont need to go on a shopping trip in each country!!

[lost in texas]

Until the last couple of years I was a negative saver. I'd always spend whatever I had plus a little on the credit cards to get what I wanted. It took working overseas and getting some bank up to change my perspective. Maybe its just maturity kicking in, but it's like the more money you make the less you feel like spending it... it's strange.

One way to save money is to take a good look at what you're actually spending. Little things like fast food and coffee (my personal addiction) add up really quickly. If you get an energy drink or bottle of water every time you hit the gas station-- stuff like that. When I'm aware of how much money is going down the drain, I'm less likely to spend it.

[BigE]

This is what I have done:

1) I quit smoking. I am saving big bucks.
2) Large jar for pocket change. Every time I walk into my bed room in the evening I drop my pocket change into the jar. It is already half full.
3) I make coffee at home. I'm trying not to go to Dunkin' Donuts & Starbucks anymore. Not easy when I am at school and I need some caffeine.
4) I drink cheap beer when I go out. Big difference between a $3 and $5 beer.
5) I eat out less. I'm trying to eat at home with grocery store food. My bad habit was stopping at the pub on my way back from night school to have dinner. Much cheaper to eat at home.
6) Opened a savings account where I keep the money I have saved for my trip. I never take money out of it. 10% of whatever I save will go to charity because I feel it is the right thing for me to do and I can use it for tax purposes.

I have saved a lot so far doing this.

[Delaney]

I have part of my paycheck automatically go into a savings account at a different bank than the rest of my money. That way I don't see it and it's harder to get to, so I rarely spend it!

[mish99]

Thanks guys for all the tips!

[Canadian Bacon]

Originally Posted by DC_Jessica

Ahhh you guys are so hard on the grocery stores! I go as much as I feel like, because I pack my lunch every day (like a five year old) so I spend ZILCH at work, and then I hardly order food or go to restaurants (at least WAY less than I used to) because I can get so much more for so much less. I am weak and when I'm out of groceries, I'll go get premade food from somewhere if I don't want to spend more of my "grocery budget."

That's EXACTLY what I do too! Saving money by not buying useless crap = more backpacking money =)

The most saving comes from 5 general rules...

1. Bringing lunch everyday
2. Leaving a bowl and box of cereal at work (but you gotta buy milk)
3. Bringing your own tea... although I do buy coffee
4. Buying only what I need at grocery stores (skipping on chocolates, chips, jellybeans and stuff like that)
5. the MOST important one - only eat out when you're with company! (It's not a rule, but more of a general guideline... sometimes I go to the patio bar for breakfast)

And, and only buying clothes and stuff when you need it goes without saying.

[MeTurk]

I don't know if ye've got credit unions in the US but they must be in the UK. The one in my town only opens on a Thursday and Friday (pay days) so it's not convenient which is great once the moneys in there. To get to one that's open all week I have to travel 10 miles most the time I keep forgetting I've got money in there. They give you a great dividend at the end of the year because your a shareholder.

Follow the Guinness van! In Ireland Guinness send inspectors around to all the pubs in Ireland to make sure the Guinness is up to scratch. I've been there when their inspecting and pints gilore are pulled, checked using fancy equipment and if somebody doesn't drink the pints they go down the drain. I got 3 free pints off the Guinness man this way.

Whatever pub you go into in Ireland always ask what guniess is like, you've never tried it, if it's quite (during the day) they'll throw you out a free glass. If you get the chance be a pure tourist and drink it before it's settled, say it's rotten, he'll explane the waiting game and maybe pour you another.

[Inside]

Okay, so everyone has some great saving tips


But what are some of your weaknesses in regards to saving????


Mine is obvious, i go out, with the intention of drinking cheap beer and not shouting anyone drinks.
But then i end up getting smashed, drinking bourban, shouting everyone shots, and sometimes playing the pokies

eg the other night i went to a free concert and drank before hand, so i only took $10 (for a cab) with the intention of spending no more


After the concert and within two minutes of being inside the pub, i met up with some female friends from uni and did a $50 shout............and i wasn't even trying to pick up *sigh* anyway, i ended spending $120 (i gotta stop taking my eftpos card out)

[TheJake]

yeah that happens to me as well but usually it involves a weekend trip to someplace.

"no no i am only gonna spend like 50 bucks"
....two days later.....
"yea well it ended up costing like 250 all told but still, I had fun"

[buzzingtalk]

i dont carry more money than i need on me. ever.

all my money is at my mums house as is all of my cash cards and credit cards. each week when i head to uni i take £30 with me - £20 for travel and £10 for shit like food in the day. last week i lost a £5er on firday and had to bunk the trains home and blag free bus ride into uni cos i literally have no money. was a bit awkard there was a conforntational guy at the station by my mums who wouldnt let me out, the police intervened and i explained to the, they just let me go. safe as!

i find the small things ad up to the most. many people put 20 aside a week or whatever and thats a lot of money so you notice it and feel proud youve not spent it...but we sometimes spend double that amount on crap each day, like drinks and crisps and chocolate and poncey sandwiches. also bus rides when you blatently could have walked it! all the small things add up the most

[kiwichick]

Im terrible if studying and working alot is getting me down, i splurge on vids or chocolate or nights out or really whateva will perk me up at the time. Sure i know saving for my trip is important but so is my mental health!study and work can be a lot of pressure and waiting over a year for a release is a loooonnngg time! I do do my best to keep it in perspective and not splurge to often and i think its actually harder with the more i work as i feel like i have more money to spend!
I'd rather put some on credit and work it off when i get back than be miserable for the entire lead up to the trip

[MeTurk]

Originally Posted by Inside

But what are some of your weaknesses in regards to saving????

Going out. I don't know what I do with my money when I go out I think I must just give it away to people. I reckon I spent about €300 this weekend. It was a friends birthday, I had to get her a present and rounds at the pub where over €30 but still. Other than going out I spend little or no money, I suppose that's usually because I've none left after the weekend

[Sunkist]

When traveling:

Avoid eating at the airport. It's usually overpriced food. Buy something at a grocery store, drugstore or inexpensive bakery before you head to the airport. Also, unless it's something you absolutely cannot get elsewhere ( a local publication) that you MUST have, try not to buy books at the airport because they are sold at cover price at the airport, and you can get them for less elsewhere. Bring your own reading.

When at home:

Cook instead of eating out. Pastas, stews, and stir frys are all delicious and inexpensive! Keep an eye on sales at the grocery store, and stock your freezer and pantry with basics (meat and frozen veggies for the freezer and pasta and rice for the cabinet/pantry) when you see a good deal. Also, buy in-season produce instead of out-of-season produce. It will cost less and taste much better.

Buy your textbooks for school used directly from other students, either in person on online at half.com or a similar site.

If you really want to eat out, get lunch instead of dinner. Many restaurants have lunch specials or a lower-priced lunch menu.

[jess116]

Thanks for the great advice everybody! I will keep it all in mind when I set off on my travels later this year.
I don't have much experience on saving money while actually traveling except for a few things that have already been mentioned, but I am very good at saving FOR a holiday... I earn bugger all at my job but I save everything I can.
The most important thing I can say is BUDGET! Work out your money and bills and rent and shopping in advance, plan where your money is going to go, and how much of it, and set yourself limits. If you do this then you will look at amounts of your money as basically already spent and you will be more reluctant to spend it. You've got to be disciplined to stick to a budget though...
But when doing your budget, be realistic and allow yourself a little bit of a margin for unexpected expenses, and if nothing unexpected comes up for the week then treat yourself.
You need to have some rewards for all your hard work, just spread the rewards out if you know what I mean.

[BigE]

Way to go Jess brining up an old thread!!!!



Saving money isn't the easiest thing in the world to do.

[jess116]

Thanks! This is a great thread and I hope people add some more tips for me to use while I'm overseas cause I'm gonna need them!

One thing I forgot to say in my previous post is that I almost never pay for any drinks. I don't drink much alcohol, and don't drink coffee or tea or soft drink, so that kind of makes it easier... but I save a fortune compared to what other people spend. I usually just get a glass of water when I go out for a meal (cause it's free!) and other times I carry around a bottle of water with me.

[lauren313]

Argh, my weakness is clothes, even if I know full well I don't need anything new, I can't help but buy stuff anyway. I really really need to stop doing that!!

[expatben]

My weakness is DVDs I probably watch more DVDs than I do actual TV these days.