Credit crunch still hitting you? I would not be surprised if most of you answered yes. The sad truth is that while some people are living their lives as they normally would, most of us feel the effects of the times. If there was ever a time for us to save, this is it. Don’t fret, though, here are some of the most effective money saving tips that I have ever encountered. And, trust me, they really work.

Don’t hesitate to complain.
Create a fuss, if you must. While some people think it is unnecessary or embarrassing to complain, this could actually help you save. You see, if you do not get a satisfactory product or the service that you receive is below your standards, then you are right to complain. And you just might be surprised at where complaining can get you. I have done this many times – within reason, of course – and have gotten product replacements, reimbursements, and freebies. While complaining might not always give you your money back, you will probably end up with a better deal.

Exercise patience.
Give yourself time to think and ruminate before making a purchase. Some of the most expensive purchases I have made were because I wanted to buy that thing (whatever it was) then and there. While I do not regret making many of those purchases, I do regret the fact that I could have spent less on some of the products if I had waited a while before buying them. Patience is really a virtue, however exacerbating waiting can be.

Track your expenses and income.
You are bad at numbers? You can’t balance figures? LEARN! There really is no excuse for not tracking your finances. Not doing so is one sure fire way of making a mess out of your finances. If you do not know how to do it, then ask for someone’s help. Get free software that can help you. Laziness will always cost you more at the end of the day. My favorite tool right now is Expensr.com – it’s free and it’s online. Try it out and see the difference it can make.

Turn off lights and other electric appliances when not in use.
This may seem to be a no brainer, something that everyone knows. But hey, do you do it yourself? I used to think that I did, until I spent some time looking at my electric bill. I then decided to be a little bit more vigilant in turning things off. Even the TV was turned off – totally off and not on standby mode. The computer was shut down – not on hibernate, but shut down – at night. The modem and router were unplugged. After a month, I saw a considerable difference in my bill. Lesson learned.

Make your own lunch.
Seriously. How long will it take you to make a sandwich? How much effort does it take to put coffee in a thermos? Compare that to the savings you can make if you do not eat at a restaurant every single day. You will be convinced.

This entry was posted on Tuesday, March 3rd, 2009 at 2:49 pm and is filed under Budgeting, Saving, Personal Finance, Advice . You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.