Know before you buy: Never buy anything that costs a decent amount without a little research first. Consumer Reports is an excellent place to start researching products of all sorts. If you’re in the market for electronics, the reviews at CNET have never steered me wrong. Not reading reviews of a product can cost you in the long run.

It’s better to spend less than to try and earn more: Spending less is usually less time consuming than scurrying about trying to earn more money. Spending less is a life-long habit you can start, while earning more is something that can come and go. Make saving a priority over earning.

Reduce, reuse, recycle: By used before new when possible. Always consider items that may serve more than one purpose as a better deal than an item that only works to fulfill one need. If you can fix, clean, or reuse an item as something new, do that before getting rid of it.

Trade and share: People used to actually share items rather than buy two of them. Do you and your friendly neighbor both need a lawn mower, or can you share? Can you trade a day of babysitting with another couple, rather then hire a sitter? Can your kids participate in a toy or book trade? When you think about spending money, look to the community around you before making a final decision, because there may be another option.

Quit buying junk:  If something is not going to provide a good value to you, yours, or your home, why get it? If it’s going to break or be a hassle, it’s not a cost that’s worth it. Consider long-term value when shopping. If the cost of a long-term item makes you want to faint, consider how you’ll feel when that lower-priced item breaks in three months.

What sorts of hard and fast rules does your family use to save money all the time? 

Post from: Thrifty Mommy

If you bank at all, and I’m sure you do, then make sure sloppy bank habits aren’t crushing your budget and savings. Sloppy bank habits may include things like:

Not recording all transactions in your checkbook immediately. If immediately is too soon, at least get into the habit of sitting down each evening for 10 minutes and recording your daily transactions. Missing even one purchase, on a tight budget, can make a mess of your account with issues like overdraft fees.

Falling for silly saving deals: Programs like “keep the change” and auto savings may be handy and force you to save, but if you don’t keep track and record correctly, you can run up fees. If you’re a little lazy, don’t apply for auto deduction programs run by your bank.

Banking away from your bank. If you know you’ll need cash, get it from your bank ATM, not some store ATM that charges you for the cash privilege. These fees add up, so plan ahead for stops at your own bank, or simply carry a check card.

Not understanding your accounts. If you have no clue that your bank charges you a fee when your account falls under a limit, that’s a problem. If you aren’t sure how many checks you can write a month, you should know. Know what rules apply to your accounts, and change accounts if it’s not working for you.

Signing up for automatic bill-pay: Automatic bill-pay might seem like a great plan, and in some cases it can save you cash, with companies offering discounts for auto-pay. However, the big problem with auto pay is that people often one, forget to record their deductions each month, and two, auto pay can follow freaky schedules making it hard to keep up on. A better choice is to sign up for online bill pay to save money on stamps (and to save paper) BUT to go online and pay your bills yourself each month, writing down transactions as you go. It’ll only take about an hour of your time, if you do it all at once, and you’ll be sure where your account stands.

Post from: Thrifty Mommy

Baby Cheapskate is a blog run by mama Angie. This mama locates all sorts of nice deals to help out other parents. You’ll see all sorts of posts designed to save you money like…

• Top 10 Most Useless Baby Items
• Free Huggies Diaper and Lotion Sample
• Printable Coupons: Seventh Generation Baby Products
• Two FREE Years of Parents Magazine
• And more.

Visit Baby Cheapskate and start saving a bundle on your little bundle today.

Post from: Thrifty Mommy

Coffee and other beverages: This is a big ticket item for many people, especially if you work out of your home. Buy three or four well-made thermoses and water bottles and make and take coffee and other beverages along to work or school. A side benefit is calorie slicing; most of those lattes and fountain drinks are loaded with calories, while juice, water, and coffee from home have far less.

Water: While we’re talking beverages, check with your local water company and ask to view your water plant report. If it looks good, drink from the tap instead of buying bottled. If your water is not great, or you’re just picky, buy a water filter, which still costs less than bottled over time.

Save on gas: Make sure your tire pressure is checked every few months. When tire pressure is correct it can save you up to 75 cents a tank. Another good idea is to roll up your windows which can save$6 plus per tank. With gas prices so high, this is a good area to be watchful of if you’re trying to save.

Replace paper with cloth: Cloth napkins, handkerchiefs, and cloth cleaning rags that can be re-washed can save you tons of money over the span of a year. All cost less in the long run than paper towels, tissues, and napkin. Bonus points for going green.

Cut out lunch meetings: Or lunch unwinding (for some of us). Taking your lunch to work will save you hundreds. If you haven’t been taking your lunch at all, and you work five days a week, even taking your lunch 10 times a month can add to your saving goal.

All of the above will add up to extra savings over a year. What other little things can you think of?

Post from: Thrifty Mommy