Three Easy Ways To Start Saving $100 A Week

Feeling like you’ll never get ahead with the finances? Believe it or not, there are some very easy ways to save an extra $100 a week. These tips won’t get the best of your budget and at the end of the week; you’ll be amazed at the amount of cash you’ve saved.

Stop eating out for lunch. This may seem tough to do if you like to eat with your co-workers on a regular basis, but this is one of the biggest money drainers of them all. If we figure that the average lunch costs $8 to $10, and then we multiply that by 5 working days, that’s $40 to $50 a week that you could be saving. Instead, start packing your lunch every day. With the $40 you would have spent on lunch, you can purchase enough groceries for a week’s worth of lunches and dinners. Why pay someone $10 to make you a sandwich when you can do it for $2 or less by yourself? You’ll also save on gasoline by not slogging through lunch hour traffic every day just to grab a bite to eat.

Get a Wholesale Club card. Buying in bulk can be a great way to save on things like paper towels, disposable diapers, and other short-term usage items. There is a membership fee of $25, but the savings you’ll see in just a few months time will more than pay for it.

Ask yourself if you need it or want it? Evaluate every purchase, items like beauty magazines, a new pair of shoes, a wrench set, or the latest cell phone might be things you want, but do you really need them? When you stop and think about this, you can save yourself on a lot of impulse buying.

4 Ways to Save when Buying your Next Car

Research
A little research can save you a lot of trouble in the long run. Read the latest issue of Consumer Reports magazine and see what they have to say about the car you’re interested in. You can find one of these in your local bookstore, library, or on the internet if you have a subscription. If you’ve got a friend in the business, try to get some unbiased information. Use the internet and check the pricing to make sure you don’t pay more than you should. Look for deals on sites like eBay and Auto Trader that have enormous quantities of cars available for sale around the country. You might have to drive a hundred miles, but it’s worth it when you find a great buy for several thousand under the bluebook value.

Haggle
If you’re only comfortable buying from a dealership, be prepared to do some haggling to get the price closer to where you want it. Dealerships typically mark their cars up between 15-25%, so bring some quotes from other dealerships and internet sites for extra haggling power. Always try to buy your car at the end of the month, as this is when dealerships might be desperate to sell off some inventory to increase commissions.

Get a Second Opinion
Before you sign on the dotted line, have a friend who has a good knowledge of cars help you check it over thoroughly for any problem areas. In addition, try to avoid dealership finance deals, as they can add thousands more to the final price of the vehicle. Check with your insurance agent to see how much your premiums will be based on the car you buy.

Go Green
Try buying a used hybrid. It’ll save you money at the gas pump and it’s good for the environment. If you live in a city or crowded suburb, you might consider an electric car for the commute back and forth to work. As long as you don’t live far from your job, they’re a great alternative from the gas-guzzlers you compete with on your way home.