General

1. Mint.com to track your spending
2. Celebrate a spending moratorium - challenge yourself to not spend for a weekend, a week or A MONTH! (You write the rules)
3. Pay off credit card purchases each month
4. Pay more than minimum if you can't pay off a bill
5. Use a credit card with a good rebate program
6. Delay major purchases to research and evaluate
7. Look for alternatives to memberships; kids gyms vs free playgroups, library storytimes - Gold's Gym vs YMCA
8. Create a budget to monitor your spending
9. Freecycle, Free-craigslist
10. Half.com or used bookstores for books
11. Prioritize money for savings
12. Consign your stuff (or garage sale)
13. Don't buy what you can borrow
14. Host a swapmeet
15. Have friends take your "Professional" photos
16. Have all family members create a gift list so everything received is desired
17. Give cash or very intentional gift cards to loved ones
18. Adjust withholdings if receiving large tax returns
19. Free tax preparation
20. Understand your taxes.
21. Make your own clothing soap, softeners and dryer sheets
22. At home hair cuts
23. Discount vision perscriptions
24. Use cloth rags in place of paper towels and kleenex
25. Use auto pay and avoid fees
26. Pay ahead on mortgage
27. Avoid disposable
28. Apply for reimbursement (transportation, lodging, food)
29. Automate your savings deposits
30. Pay yourself first
31. Budget a freedom fund for regular non-monthly expenses
32. Have an emergency fund
33. Have a replacement fund
34. Decide to do something and do it; acting now on your retirement on a good idea is better than waiting and waiting for the best inspiration
35. Have a monthly family meeting and talk about goals, money and schedules
36. Go to a junior college first
37. Bury raises directly into savings/investments
38. Use your benefits; free legal on post will write your will, many schools have take home office software for teachers
39. Keep yourself healthy to avoid healthcare costs
40. Sell your stuff
41. Get a fiscal accountability partner
42. Make your own gifts; cookies in a jar, lotions, bath soaps
43. Stay home/isolated during cough and cold seasons
44. Have less and love what you have-resist spending/purchasing
45. Have savings goals and complete them - then move on
46. Write down your goals
47. Use a visual reminder for goals (can even put a progress bar on it!)
48. Buy a shredder or put everything on paperless to protect your accounts and credit
49. Agree to personal allowances but do not allow skimming or borrowing
50. Avoid malls and Walmart like the plague - nothing good comes of it. Too easy to overspend.
51. Write down your spending for a month - then be creative with what you can make or do for yourself; making granola bars, cutting hair - see what's there
52. Live on less than one income; if you are a two income family stash away the entire 2nd check!
53. Comparison shop online for everything; compare features AND prices
54. Keep a Penny Ledger - some sort of written record of everything you spend
55. Don't buy clothing you don't need
56. Sign up for samples! Someone can use them even if you can't
57. Invest money wisely. Who is more foolish - the cautious man sitting on his money so it doesn't go away or the risk taker who grew his money?
58. Know yourself: be realistic about your abilities and your limits
59. Save your tax return. Do you really need that hot tub?
60. Reduce stress and exercise more - stay healthy
61. Quit smoking
62. Protect your stuff - tell the parents next door to supervise children around cars, join your HOA, lock your doors
63. Ask for a deal with your credit card company - ask for a lower rate or for fee forgiveness. Look around for somewhere else before calling.
64. Use only as much as you need. Shampoo is expensive - how much do you NEED to use. What else could you use less of to make it last longer?
65. Get inspired - read magazines and blogs for ideas of how to save.
66. Setup alerts on your financial accounts to make you aware of your major transactions and of fraudulent transactions.
67. Be generous.
68. Count your blessings.
69. Review and adjust your priorities, goals, and budget regularly.
70. Finish what you start.
71. Try anything once.
72. Don't try to keep up with the Joneses
73. Put off upgrading devices.
74. Use a paper shredder.
75. Avoid banks and fees.
76. Live on your OLD income - don't eat your raise.
77. Save for GOALS.
78. Goals board - make what's in your head visual.
79. Set goals and dream about the future.
80. Ask for discounts and freebies.
81. Goals are MOVING targets.
82. Practice balance.
83. Pretend you can't afford what you can. Do with less.
84. Gifts of Communication.
85. When out and about have snacks handy to avoid spending on food.