12 ways to save money

1. Roll your own. I hyperventilate every time I see someone throw coins into one of those coin-sorting machines at the supermarket. A fee of 8.9 cents per dollar counted? You've got to be kidding! Roll your own while you're watching reruns of "House," or let your kids do it and pay them the 8.9 cents! If you're lazy, go to Wal-Mart and buy a cheap coin-sorting machine. Then take the rolls to your bank.

2. Maintain your own car. Really, if you're even a little mechanically inclined it's not all that hard. Get an aftermarket manual, some tools, head cleaner, a floor jack, and you're good to go. Need to replace your air filter or windshield wipers, grease your doors, change your motor oil, refill your radiator or windshield washer reservoir, or install new spark plugs? Why pay big bucks for parts and labor for these generally simple tasks? Get your family to help. You'll all learn something, and you'll know it's been done right.

3. Ditch that power mower. Why not try a human-powered reel mower like your father (or his father) used to have, especially if you have a small lawn? They still make them, and they're lightweight, too. Sure, our tests show that they don't do as nice a job as a powered model, and you might want to keep a power mower on standby, just in case you let the lawn grown too long. But nothing's better for you and the environment than using your own person power to keep your lawn (and waist) trim. And that fluttering sound is sure to bring back childhood memories. You can also buy a cheap back-lapping kit and keep the mower sharpened.

4. Save on software. Computer users, especially those running Windows, can get away with buying little software beyond the operating system itself and the drivers that came with their computer. Really! Need an antivirus or spyware detection program? Try the free Avast! or Windows Defender. A free, full-featured office suite that reads and writes to Microsoft Office applications? Get Openoffice.org (There's a version for Mac, too!). You'll feel like someone gave you a free shopping spree at your local computer store.

5. Buy milk at your gas station? You might be surprised who as the lowest prices in town for certain items. In one New York suburb, the local Hess gas station has the lowest prices we've seen on eggs and milk. The nearby Target beats the supermarket next store on cereal prices by as much as 72 percent per ouncethe store brand was an especially good deal. The dollar store about a mile awaynow a $1.25 storehas great deals on some items, like gold audio cables, which are a fraction of the price charged by the Radio Shack across the street. So figure out which stores have the best deals prices near you and try to map out your shopping so you can hit them all in one trip and avoid wasting gas.

6. Free plants. Forget about buying house plants. You can root spider plants, coleus, purple passions, and other popular varieties right from their cuttings. So trade them with your friends, families, and coworkers, stick them in water or even directly into moist soil, and see what happens. Just make sure the cuttings are bug-free.

7. What, pay for TV? With new digital broadcasting, your over-the-air signal from your local TV station may produce a picture that's virtually as good as you get from off your cable. Although digital TV doesn't replace the old analog service until next February, many stations' digital broadcasts already are up and running. So try out some rabbit ears (or, better yet, rooftop antenna) and ditch that cable service and all those set-top boxes you're renting month after month. Sure you won't get 500 channels, but you'll save a bundle.

8. Free software II. In our last group of savings ideas, we told you about some popular free programs that replace expensive applications such as Microsoft Office. So where can you find more free applications without having to fear that you're downloading spyware or viruses? Try these freeware sites: Download.com, SnapFiles, and SixFiles.

9. Reward your good credit habits with a rewards card. If you always pay off your credit card bill each month, there's no reason you shouldn't be using a rewards card that gives you cash back or other goodies. For example, I just signed up for the Hess Visa Platinum Card, which, for 90 days, will give me 10 percent back on all purchases at Hess gas stations (mostly located in the Eastern U.S.) and 5 percent after that; spending elsewhere earns 1 percent back. Not only is Hess the closest station to my home, but it has the lowest milk and egg prices in town! If you already have a rewards card, make sure you're getting the most out of it. For example, your card isn't doing you much good if it offers points toward a new car or airline travel but they end up expiring before you've accumulated enough to use them. You can compare cards at sites such as Cardratings.com, Creditcards.com, and Bankrate.com.

10. Check for online coupons. Before buying anything, especially online, do a Web search for an online coupon. For example, when I recently wanted to buy Roboform, a computer password manager and Web form filler, I typed "Roboform coupon" into a Google search and instantly found a 20 percent off coupon. That cut $6 off the $29.99 price tag. Coupon Web sites include couponchief.com, couponcabin.com, retailmenot.com, and ultimatecoupons.com.

11. Swear off bottled water. Bottled water is bad for both your wallet and the environment. In fact, concerns about the cost and steady waste stream of empty plastic bottles have caused some cities, including Seattle and San Francisco, to ban the use of their municipal funds to purchase the stuff. Tap water is often just fine, but if you want to remove possible contaminants, you can buy a relatively inexpensive home filtering system. Carafe and faucet-mounted systems are available for around $25, plus the cost of replacement filters. For more information, type "water filters" in the search box on our home page.

12. Get a prepaid cell phone. If you need a cell phone only for emergencies or occasional calls, consider going prepaid. There are no contracts and some pretty good rates. For example, T-Mobile will sell you 1,000 minutes for $100 (that's 10 cents a minute), and you don't have to buy more minutes for an entire year unless you want to. Prepaid can also be a great way to get kids' cell phone use under control. Before you buy, check the prepaid carrier's calling areas to be sure you'll get a signal where you're likely to be making or receiving calls. Prepaid services can have smaller calling areas than traditional cell service, even with the same carrier.

Copyright © 2004-2008 Consumers Union of U.S., Inc.

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