What are your favorite unexpected ways to save money?

My favorite thing to do is automatically deduct $200 from each paycheck and automatically put it in my savings account. I check my savings account far less often, so it's a nice surprise to see how much its grown every few months. And I don't miss the $200! I've chosen an amount that I can live with, you know? Other ways I've saved money in the last year: -- Barbecuing outside instead of turning on my stove has not only saved in my electric bill for the stove, but also keeps my house cool! I like my house to be freezing (68-69 degrees is my preference) so turning the oven or stove on really made a dent in how cold it was. -- Shopping at Saver's and other used boutiques instead of buying new. A coworker of mine does this routinely and comes in sporting adorable $5 brand name skirts. -- Minimizing the amount of detergent I use. I read an article a few months ago that basically claimed that laundry detergent was useless in terms of cleaning clothes. The washer and clean water do it all by themselves; the detergent simply makes it smell pretty. So I've cut back considerably on buying detergent. These are pretty little, but for my family of one, they certainly make a big difference!

DESTROY all credit cards. At the beginning of every month, WRITE down everything you expect to spend for the month and what you will DO with every penny. For every category of spending possible, put CASH in an envelope labeled with the category name. Buy ALL your groceries from the envelope labeled groceries. When the cash in the grocery envelope is gone, you eat leftovers for the rest of the month.

Get rid of cable TV! That's my number one addiction, and if we didn't have all the bells and whistles, we'd probably have more money. (It would help if we didn't own a house in one place and rent elsewhere. LOL)

Get fat, lose your tan. Move in with your mother, & play a lot of video games.. Guaranteed never to spend money on dating.. saved me thousands.. not to mention I'll probably never reproduce , Extra savings right there! ching ching

This one might surprise you, but drink only water for a week.

Keep track of all the money you spend. Yes, regular bills, but also the little impulse things like a candybar or package of peanuts or gumball. Every week or every month review your list of money spent. Each week choose something to cut back on for a week (or more). Reviewing and changing priority weekly keeps the task fresh but still you are accountable.

I would stop buying soda, water.. etc beverages. Save every last coin even pennies. Be really aware of how much electricity you use. Dont buy anything that you don't NEED. Lotion just because you want it isnt a need. If you need some sort of dress for a specific event make sure you look through your closet and choose something that you have. Buy items that are worth the price.. sometimes cheaper is better and it doesnt hurt to buy the store brand items. Print off coupons for food and clip them in your local paper. there are many ways to save money.. the best way to determine what to do is by looking at what you really could do without. i make sure that i pay bills first and then buy the necessities and then if i have some left over i will put it to savings. a small reward at the end of the month is what i treat my family to if we have stayed within those limits.

The key to saving is reduction and resourfulness. The first thing you should do is clean and organize. You may find things you were planning to buy you forgot you had. How many times have we bought new pens because we keep losing the one's we had? Instead of going out to eat with friends and family have a potluck instead. They are much cheaper and more intimate. Shop thrift stores, many which have brand new things. You help a good cause and save a lot of money. Be creative. Make new things out of old. There are so many things you can reuse that don't take much if any artistic talent. My office and bathroom trashcans are litter box containers. Why leave a light on if you're not home? Does it have to be that cool in your house when you're not home? Get cfl bulbs and turn them off when not in use. Get an adjustable thermostat and set it higher when you're not home. Proper maintenance saves money. Check the oil and tire pressure weekly to make sure they are well filled. Keep your car maintenance records so you know when you are due for repair. Poor car maintenance equals less gas mileage.

-i would get rid of your land line phone and use only cell phones. i would keep an extra phone around for when your kids go out and they can still keep in touch with you. -get rid of cable because you can always use your computer to watch tv or get rid of the internet and use it at the library or a neighbors -switch to energy saving light bulbs in any fixtures you can use them in -get rid of tvs in every room (if you have them) and only put one in the family room -cut back on groceries (you can go to your local food pantry if you dont have the money to pay for your groceries) -make sure you turn off lights in rooms your not in -look at your phone bill and cable bill -go to the library instead of buying books -use glass dinnerware and silverware instead of plastic stuff / paper plates -use a towel in the kitchen instead of papertowels -buy a cheaper toiletpaper (but get one thats still comfy) -any time you get change put it in a change jar for a rainy day -dont reproduce anymore -get a more gas-efficient car -go to platos closet for clothes if your used to buying designer clothes (like hollister, abercrombie, etc) -get rid of credit cards. they can destroy your credit score/life ~Lil Stromie (: