How to Save Money Tips

1. Always be aware of and understand the termination fees before you enter into a long term contract.
   
2. Create a budget. This is one of the absolute best ways to save money. You can either create a simple 10-minute budget using this guide or you can use Mint.com (a free online money management tool) to keep track of your money.  Here are 12 ways budgeting can improve your life.
3. Never buy a lottery ticket. No exceptions.
4. Always examine your monthly checking account and credit card statements for fraudulent activity and charges that are larger than they should be.  Call your bank and/or credit card company if you find something that doesn’t appear as it should.
5. Start building an emergency fund now by putting just $30 aside every month.  How can an emergency fund help you save money?  The next time you need to replace a crucial appliance or pay a surprise medical bill, you won’t have to do so with a credit card.
6. Avoid rip-offs on this huge list (compiled by the users of Reddit.com).
7. Quit smoking. It’s one of the best ways to save money.
8. Declutter/get organized. You’ll avoid accidentally buying items you already own.
9. Set financial goals and then stick with them using Stickk.com, a website that lets you put a contract on yourself.
10. Consider using LegalZoom.com for simple legal needs. If you have fairly standard legal needs like creating a will, changing your name, drafting a living trust, etc., save money by using LegalZoom.com, a site that lets you just fill in the blanks on fairly standard legal documents for a fraction of the cost of hiring an attorney.
11. Realize that the true cost of a purchase is not just the value of the item and the interest on the loan you have to take out; it’s also the forgone retirement savings, because you can’t invest that money (this is called an “opportunity cost”).  Here is a great opportunity cost calculator.
12. Get to know your neighbors. Not only do you stand a good chance of finding that your neighbors are great people, but those relationships can be mutually beneficial in far more practical ways too.  For instance, your neighbor can watch your house for free while you’re out of town and you can, of course, borrow items from each other (i.e. tools) instead of buying them.
13. It’s a bit quirky, but design certain “rules” that help you save. For instance, every time you find a $10 bill in your wallet, you could instantly put it into an untouchable savings account (or a drawer in your house until you can later put it into your actual savings account).
14. Send holiday cards via email instead of on paper. Send out stylized holiday emails use a simple email marketing program like Constant Contact.  You’ll save money, time, and stamps.