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Savings Challenge 2008
The families are working hard to save money and improve their financial lives. We make the tools the families are using available for you and your family also. Click Below to access forms that will help you build a budget and evaluate your debt.
Savings Tip of the Week
December 15, 2008
Close your fireplace damper. An open damper is like an open window, allowing huge amounts of heated air to escape.
December 8, 2008
Keep your garage door shut in winter. It will help prevent heat from escaping from your home.
December 1, 2008
Do your holiday shopping online or by catalog. It's fast, it's easy, and you can comparison shop! In addition, sice you'll be ordering gifts from the comfort of your home, the temptation to eat out or to make unplanned purchases will be greatly reduced.
November 24, 2008
Agree to limit gift giving. At holiday time many families tend to go overboard when it comes to gift giving. Discuss it with your extended family and agree in advance to limit gifts and save everybody some money.
November 17, 2008
Limit use of the bathroom fan: A bathroom ventilation fan can suck the heated air out of an average house in just over an hour.
November 10, 2008
Have a professional clean and inspect your furnace: An annual inspection and cleaning will help your furnace run more efficiently and prevent a potentially deadly buildup of carbon monoxide.
November 3, 2008
Wear seasonal appropriate clothing around the house: Wear sweater and pants during winter months. You'll find that you won't need to turn the heat up as high.
October 27, 2008
Cook once, eat twice: Double whatever you're making and freeze the excess for a later meal.
October 20, 2008
Calculate the true value of coupons -Before you save 50 cents on the brand you have a coupon for, see if another brand is cheaper in the first place! Just because you have a coupon doesn't make that particular purchase a bargain!
October 13, 2008
Catch the rainwater from your gutter downspouts in large bowls or buckets and use it for watering plants. Saves a good bit of water, and you'll feel good about being "green".
October 6, 2008
When your doctor prescribes a medicine, ask if a generic is available - If you're taking a "maintenance" medicine, consider a mail-order pharmacy - you'll pay less.
September 29, 2008
Before buying a car, compare insurance, gasoline, maintenance, and repair costs for comparable models - You can save thousands of dollars over the life of the car by choosing a model with low operating costs.
September 22, 2008
Check out consignment and thrift stores for gently used items - You can find infant and children's clothing at very reasonable proces. Children's dress clothes and outerwear are often in "like new" condition
September 15, 2008
Evaluate the way you shop - Start using the "Need or Want" strategy. Before you spend a single dollar on anything, ask yourself, "Do I NEED this item, or do I just WANT it?" You may find that many of the items you purchase are impulse items and not really necessities.
September 8, 2008
In grocery stores the most expensive versions of a product are the ones at eye level - Take a look at the arrangement of different choices for a particular product, such a laundry detergent. Almost every time, the most expensive options per unit are placed at eye level, so you see them first when you enter an aisle. The bulk options and better deals are usually on the bottom shelves.
September 1, 2008
Shop around for auto and home insurance - Before renewing your existing policies each year, check out the rates of competing companies. Contact your current insurer to make sure you are taking advantage of all available discounts.
August 25, 2008
Swap Toys - If you have kids, instead of buying lots of expensive toys, consider buying fewer toys, and then swapping toys with friends and family. Kids often lose interest in their toys, but have greater interest in new toys. By swapping, you can increase the frequency of new toys without spending any additional money.
August 18, 2008
Replace your auto filter and wiper blades yourself - Buy them on sale at a discount auto-parts store rather than having a garage or dealer replace them. Replacement is simple for either part, a 5-minute job.
August 11, 2008
Cut your energy costs - Dry your clothes outside on a clothesline or inside on a rack instead of putting them in the dryer.
August 4, 2008
Ask your local electric or gas utility for a free or low-cost home energy audit - The audit may reveal inexpensive ways to reduce home heating and cooling costs byhundreds of dollars a year.
July 28, 2008
Catch a Matinee - Matinees aren't just for senior citizens or little kids. You can often get cheap tickets to movies, theater productions and other shows if you attend in the early afternoon instead of the prime evening time slot.
July 21, 2008
Use free ATMs - A buck or two here and there may not seem like a big deal. But if you're frequenting ATMs outside your financial institution's network, the surcharges can add up quickly. Get money from an ATM that belongs to a surcharge-free network. (Connex is part of the AllPoint network which gives members access to 32,000 surcharge-free ATMs nationwide.)
July 14, 2008
Keep your home cooler - Install white window shades, drapes or blinds to reflect heat away from the house. Close cutains on south - and west-facing windows during the day.
July 7, 2008
Pass on extended warranties - A $129 two year extension on a $300 product is just not worth it. Warranties are insurance, and we rarely need to insure such a small amount.
June 30, 2008
Beware of shppoing carts! If you stop at the store intending to buy just an item or two, don't take a shopping cart. You're more likely to purchase items you don't need when you have all that empty space in a shopping cart.
June 23, 2008
Look for Energy Star appliances - Energy Star products are ones that have met strict efficiency standards for energy efficiency. You can find out more about Energy Star products on the Energy Star website.
June 16, 2008
Take advantage of free entertainment in your community - parks, museums, exhibits, etc. Go to free park concerts and other community activities.
June 9, 2008
Eliminate some cable service. Take a look at all the charges on your cable bill and consider getting rid of some premium stations. Try it for a month and see if you really miss those channels.
June 2, 2008
Save money on clothing for you and your family. Buy clothes for the following year at the end of the season or during the off season. You'll find great deals on many clothing items.
May 26, 2008
Take your lunch to work. Eating lunch out is fun as a once a week treat, but bringing lunch from home will keep money in your pocket.
May 19, 2008
Get DVDs from the library. Many libraries now have movies on DVD that can be checked out. If your library offers this service, it sure beats paying rental fees.
May 12, 2008
Replace incandescent bulbs with compact fluorescent light (CFLs) bulbs. These bulbs use 75% less energy and last 10 times longer. They do take some getting used to, and they won’t work in every light fixture. But use them where it makes sense and save energy and money.
May 5, 2008
Save on over-the-counter medications - Purchase store brand over-the-counter medications. Store brand medications often cost 20-40 percent less than nationally advertised brands. The savings could easily exceed $100 year.
April 28, 2008
Save at the grocery store- Shop with a list and stick to it. People who do food shopping with a list, and buy little else, spend much less money than those who decide what to buy when they get to the food market. The annual savings could easily be hundreds of dollars.
April 21, 2008
You can save up to $100 per year by keeping your engine tuned and your tires inflated to their proper pressure. Remember to drive sensibly. Aggressive driving - speeding, rapid acceleration and braking - wastes gasoline.
April 7, 2008
Don’t underestimate the effect of saving just a little - Deposit $5 per pay period into your savings account. (If your employer offers direct deposit, make it an automatic deduction!) If $5 per pay period is painless, then increase it to $10. You’ll be surprised how much you can save when you save regularly.
