How to Save Money Part 2

This hub is part two of my series of How to Save Money. Tips and tricks 6-10 are listed below in an effort to help individuals save money during these tough economic times.

6) One of the sneakiest ways that people loose a lot of money is through printed media such as magazines and newspapers. The saddest for me is to see a friend or older family member have trouble balancing their checkbook while there are 5 or more different magazines and news papers delivered to their home. Often times newspapers and magazines lure people in by offering special low rates for the first year or by guilt tripping you into buying them from your local boyscout troop, middle school, etc. Additionally, the overwhelming majority of newspaper and magazine articles are just opinion pieces and are very rarely actual news.

But what most people should realize is that most of these magazines and newspapers have websites and post all of their content online for much less and most times for free. Aside from the enormous annual savings of hundreds of dollars, the information gained by accessing the news or magazine online is instantly available and constantly updated for accuracy.

7) A necessary evil of being human is that we have to eat. Food costs have been soaring lately, and it is getting harder and harder to feed oneself or larger families without spending a fortune. A lot of articles online and television programs advocate "extreme coupon" policies for shopping, but I think that that is a lot of work and extremely burdensome.

Extreme coupon usage is valid and more power to you if you have the time and patience to do that, but I have found that taking the extreme out of "extreme coupon" makes food prices and shopping much more tolerable. It is important to save and use coupons, but not everyone wants or needs to buy enough pasta to feed the entire US military each time they go shopping.

My advice is simple. First, save coupons for products you know that you will use or need to buy. Next, go to your grocery store and write down the prices for what you want to buy before buying the items. Finally, don't be pressured into buying that minute! Ask a manager or clerk if there is an upcoming sale, and you could wait to purchase and save yourself big dollars at checkout.

8) Traveling for business, pleasure, school, or any reason whatsoever is extremely costly. My first article discussed the benefits of hybrid cars on saving gasoline for travel within driving distance, but what about travel outside of driving distance?

People frequently utilize buses or trains to travel long distance thinking that it is cheaper than airfare. But long bus trips and even the best train trip are torturous for any traveler, and the time lost that could otherwise be spent working or enjoying yourself adds up to a lot in opportunity cost. All of my flights are CHEAPER than any bus or train ticket I could have purchased.

My friend Mike always asks me how I am able to fly to my destinations and not go completely broke. Since these tips can benefit him and my readers, they will be placed below.

• Do not use the 3rd party travel sites to book your trip! This will go against everything that society teaches you, but it is very important. These sites such as Orbitz, Kayak, etc can get you great deals on the COMBINED packages of hotel and car rental in addition to flights but cannot actually save you on the flights alone.
• Go to the different airline websites directly to look up ticket prices and information! Airlines do sales just for the people buying directly though them. This can include seasonal and direct flight deals not included on the sites listed in the first bullet point. Some airlines offer special spring break rates to certain destinations that can only be found though the airline website.
• Make your travel plans flexible! By this I mean make your plans for departure and return flight flexible in both the days you schedule your flights and the airports you select as destinations. Just adjusting your flight day by one or two days can save you hundreds of dollars per flight, and picking a different airport from the one closest to you can net you similar savings.
• Use the "Web Only Fares" if available. Southwest Airlines has great specials titled "Want to Get Away" and "Web Only" fares. The "web only" concept is very simple and great for both parties. You can get a super cheap rate if you buy online though your computer and then print out an e-ticket. This saves the airline money by allowing them to get rid of ticket counter employees and costs of printing tickets, and it ultimately makes your flight cheaper and more enjoyable.
• Realize that the front of the plane arrives at the destination at the same time as the back of the plane. First class is not what it used to be with airlines cutting back on everything from food and drinks to leg room. There is not even a little curtain to separate the snobs from the rest of us anymore. The only advantage to flying first class is to get off of the plane faster due to physical proximity to the terminal. Each time I see someone, who paid first class price to sit closer to the front, I laugh at how ridiculous the dollar difference between the cost of my ticket and their ticket was wasted. If they could put me in the luggage compartment and take an additional 25% off, then sign me up!
• Food, drinks, and snacks are super expensive inside of the airport! My best advice is to wake up in enough time to eat a meal somewhere else before going to the airport; however, that is not always possible. Remember that bringing your favorite solid food items through security is allowed and can save some money. Most people forget the most important thing though about drinks. Although you cannot take liquids past security, you can bring an empty water bottle in your backpack past security and then fill it up for free in the terminal. It might not be exactly what you wanted to drink, but it is free, easy, healthy, and thirst quenching.
• Finally, pack lightly when you travel by plane. I have not packed more than could fit in a duffel bag and backpack (2 carry on items) in 15 years, and I have also never paid those outrageous baggage fees either. My philosophy on the matter is that ten days worth of clothing can be washed at my destination for under five dollars, which is much much less than any baggage fee.

9) Read the labels on all of the products you use! This is a free tip you can use to save a lot of money around your household, and only requires that you are physically capable of reading. One of the most shocking examples I have found recently around my house regards my Tide brand liquid laundry soap. I used to take the cap off of the soap, fill up that cap with the soap, and then pour it into the washing machine to clean my clothes. WRONG! The instructions on the cap stated that I only needed like a quarter of that amount to get my clothes equally as clean. Realizing this, I changed my laundry soap habits and saved a lot of money by making the product stretch. The same concept applied to my dish washing soap, air fresheners, and even some of my cooking ingredients. Ultimately, this will save a lot of money by making your get the most use out of your products.

10) One man's trash truly can be another man's treasure! A great example of resourcefulness saving me money occurred when I was 12 and discovered that the grocery bags my mother brought home could be re-used as trash can liners for the small trash cans in the house. In fact they were more convenient than the small, commercial trash liners because it was simple to just tie the handles together and carry it out to the bigger trash cans. Although it might have just saved me five dollars per month, over the course of a year that totals to sixty dollars, which is the cost of a few fun nights on the town.

Anyway, the point is that everyday items can often be utilized in creative ways to save descent amounts of money. Companies make products that expire or are intended for use in a certain way, but that does not mean that you are forced to use the goods exactly how they specify. Unless the good is electronic or hyper technical (for safety reasons follow the instructions on these items), you have the freedom to use that good and anything that comes with it as you please.

Thanks for reading this article! God bless you, and God bless the United States of America. :)

Please read my other articles! Some of those articles are posted below, and full listing can be accessed though my profile page.

How to Save Money:

http://adaus2011.hubpages.com/_2ei0qx971gzy2/hub/Voting-ABO-in-2012

How to Save Money Part 3:

http://adaus2011.hubpages.com/_2ei0qx971gzy2/hub/How-to-Save-Money-Part-3

Top 5 Most Annoying Things About Society:

http://adaus2011.hubpages.com/_2ei0qx971gzy2/hub/Top-5-Most-Annoying-Things-About-Society

Major Flaws in the US Political System:

http://adaus2011.hubpages.com/_2ei0qx971gzy2/hub/Major-Flaws-in-the-US-Political-System

Turn Your Head and Cough: How the Obama Healthcare Legislation is Flawed and My Better Solutions:

http://adaus2011.hubpages.com/_2ei0qx971gzy2/hub/Turn-Your-Head-and-Cough-How-Obama-Healthcare-is-Flawed-and-a-Better-Solution

The Forgotten Law:

http://adaus2011.hubpages.com/_2ei0qx971gzy2/hub/The-Forgotten-Law

Economics Lesson for President Obama and Congress:

http://adaus2011.hubpages.com/_2ei0qx971gzy2/hub/Economics-Lesson-for-President-Obama-and-Congress

The Rise and Demise of MTV:

http://adaus2011.hubpages.com/_2ei0qx971gzy2/hub/The-Rise-and-Demise-of-MTV

Thanks for reading and please refer some friends. God bless you, and God bless the United States of America. :)