Saving for SRS

[LostInTime]

Asian food markets.

I can buy local products for a fraction of the price that I pay in the big box stores. Noodles? 5 pounds for a couple of bucks. Rice? Load it up for only a few $$$ and it lasts for most of the year. Fresh bread, fresh fish, etc, etc.

Internet access, see if the library has free wifi. if not then a lot of shops might. get together three or four friends, split a pizza and some water while surfing the 'Net together. Not absolutely free but you can have a blast doing this and save a few $$$.

Programmable thermostat.

CFL bulbs. I have cut my energy bill by 33% and have yet to finish replacing all of the traditional bulbs in the house.

Hand me downs. One of those I was in service with gave me some of her old clothing she no longer needed or wanted.

I also let friends and family know that I am in financial stress. I am taken out to lunch and get occasional gifts of small amounts to out on. At first I felt really bad but then I do treat them to a lunch or whatever when I can afford to do so.

Barter for things that you need. Someone might be able to help fix up something in the house in exchange for you helping them out. Find out what your friends and your friends' friends can do and get started.

Build up equity in a home. Find a nice place in what will be an up and coming area and put what you can into the payments. I was paying over $615/month for an apartment. After my tax return I pay only slightly more for the house and I am building up equity that I may eventually borrow against in order to get what I want.

[CrazyDiam0nd]

Well so far I've quit smoking ciggarrettes (as of yesterday), doing it cold turkey, seems to be the best way for me. I am also starting to bring my own lunch to work and eat healthier, I used to eat waaay too much junk. I just see at as the little things add up, so thats where I am starting out. My biggest task is going to be stop smoking pot, Its my favorite leisure activity and favorite way to relax at night after work. But if I REALLY have to, I guess I am going to have to ditch it at least for the time being.

I am currently in the early stages of figuring out what I want to do, how, and when.....and as of next week I'm probably going to start therapy. Lets hope at least, I dont know of any Special therapists around here but I'm going to ask my sister/dad some information on a therapist they've seen for a while regarding depression, ect. So I am going to see she if she is a suitable therapist for my situation. So I realize, I am going to have to start paying for that and eventually HRT. So I am really cutting down my expenses.

[Thundra]

Asian food markets.

I can buy local products for a fraction of the price that I pay in the big box stores. Noodles? 5 pounds for a couple of bucks. Rice? Load it up for only a few $$$ and it lasts for most of the year. Fresh bread, fresh fish, etc, etc.

That is a great suggestion! Asian Markets have extremely fresh food in most cases, because asian people shop almost daily and demand freshness in their meals. Plus fresh food fills you up more, has more nutrition than processed foods, and enables you to have more energy and eat less.

Internet access, see if the library has free wifi. if not then a lot of shops might. get together three or four friends, split a pizza and some water while surfing the 'Net together. Not absolutely free but you can have a blast doing this and save a few $$$.

Some cities like PDX have free W-Fi now, anywhere in the city, not just cafe's. It is an investment in the equipment to access it, but then you have free net capability. If I did not have my cable/phone/internet bundled together and on a deal, I would not have cable, I'd have Wi-Fi.

Programmable thermostat.

Another great suggestion. Even if you live in an old apt. like mine, you can always turn the thing down or off when you are not home. My cat prefers it. I leave a heating pad on low for her just in case she gets chilled on the coldest days.

CFL bulbs. I have cut my energy bill by 33% and have yet to finish replacing all of the traditional bulbs in the house.

Same here. I replaced all of my lightbulbs with the low energy type that I got on sale BOGO free. And my electric bill is always starkly low even if I accidently leave a light on occasionally.

Barter for things that you need. Someone might be able to help fix up something in the house in exchange for you helping them out. Find out what your friends and your friends' friends can do and get started.

People don't use bartering enough!  I agree. You'd be surprised how many people will work to get stuff from you that you don't want or that you can get for free.

Build up equity in a home. Find a nice place in what will be an up and coming area and put what you can into the payments. I was paying over $615/month for an apartment. After my tax return I pay only slightly more for the house and I am building up equity that I may eventually borrow against in order to get what I want.

I pay $525 for a one bedroom deal that I finagled a lease for a year ago. Now the lease is up, and I am renegotiating the rent. EVERYTHING is negotiable. If you are dependable and trustworthy, lots of businesses and services will cut a deal with you because they know they will never have a bounced check from you, or have to worry about chasing after you to pay off a bill. But you have to be willing to do the negotiation and stand up for yourself.

Great list of idears L.I.T.!!

[LostInTime]

Thank Ya.

It is experience from having singing the Kinks song, Low Budget for quite some time now.

"Cheap is small and not too steep
But best of all cheap is cheap
Circumstance has forced my hand
To be a cut price person in a low budget land
Times are hard but well all survive
I just got to learn to economize

Im on a low budget
Im on a low budget
Im not cheap, you understand
Im just a cut price person in a low budget land"

[Melissa]

Some more ideas are:
If you have a lot of time on your hands, you could either get a second job, or if you want to do something more laid back, you could do some volunteer work.  You can usually find volunteer work doing something you enjoy doing anyhow.

[Kat]

I'm not sure if this would work for everyone, but I made a lot of money doing this:

I went through EVERYTHING I owned, and found things that would sell well on eBay.  You'd be amazed at what some people will buy on eBay.  My dad always told me to keep everything; toys, boxes, anything really.  I made 1/4 of the cost of SRS in Thailand selling my old toys.  Sailor Moon and Power Rangers were my gold mines 

[Cindi Jones]

Kat, this is a good idea.  I've got a few days here where I want to go through the house and get rid of stuff.  I may as well see if I can sell some of it instead of just giving it away.

Cindi