First of all, I’m excited to say that this is the 100th post on this blog. I’ve enjoyed writing for this site and am looking forward (hopefully you are too) to hundreds more. (Note: Fiscal Musings has also transitioned to its own domain name.)

I’m always thinking of ways I can save money, cut costs and make more money. Here I’m going to focus on 5 ways that I use to save money. None of them are difficult.

1. Rent Movies for Free: I’ve previously written about how to score free movie rentals from Redbox. These are big red DVD vending machines that you’ll find in MacDonald’s or some grocery stores; however, they aren’t all over yet, so you may not be able to find one near you. I also rent movies from the library. This isn’t a new “flashy” way to save money, but it’s free.

2. Don’t Pay Full Price at Restaurants: I’ve also written about the Restaurant Lifestyle and how you can save a lot of money by doing just a little planning ahead of time. Visit Restaurant.comto buy gift certificates at extreme discounts. For $10 you can get a $25 gift certificate, and for $3 you can get a $10 certificate. They also run promotions all the time where you can save even more. I’m always being notified of these promotions of up to an additional 60% off so just email me if you’re interested (fiscalmusings@gmail.com).

There are also a ton of coupons out there for different restaurants. Just last week my wife and I used a ‘buy one get one free’ coupon at a Chinese place. Great food for both of us and it cost us just under $8. The point is, don’t be too proud to use a coupon.

3. Re-evaluate Your Needs and Wants: Take a look at your expenditures and your spending habits. Take a moment to assess whether those things are needs or wants. It’s one thing to buy things you want; it’s another to mistake them for things you need. I’ve talked before about the line between needs and wants, but it’s good to check yourself every once and a while.

4. Take Your Lunch to Work: This can save you a lot of money in the long run. Some would argue that groceries aren’t all that cheap themselves so why not grab a quick value meal for a couple bucks. Based on my experience, though, it’s hardly ever a “quick cheap value meal” on a consistent basis. The temptation is always there to upgrade, add on, or even sit down somewhere (oops, I forgot about a tip!). By bringing your own lunch, you’re also able to use up some food at home that might otherwise have gone bad or been wasted.

In high school, I worked at a department store (JC Penney’s) and would almost always eat at the food court in the mall. I finally realized that I had to work about a full hour just to pay for the lunch I was eating that day. It was almost like working for free for an hour. Also, when I graduated high school, my uncle gave me $1,000 for college. He told me that in order to do that he had brought his lunch to work for about a year and saved difference. It was a great lesson.

5. Shop with a List: This doesn’t just apply to grocery shopping. Know what you’re going shopping for (this is what you “need”) and don’t deviate from this. Retailers are in the business of selling and up-selling. They are very good at getting you to buy something you don’t need or didn’t even really want. It’s called merchandising. I’m always amused when I hear that people found something they just had to buy because it was such a great deal. Interestingly, they’re always finding these “great deals”. Remember, you save more money by not buying something than by buying something on sale.

Thanks for reading this site’s 100th post. If you’re new to this site, take a look around at some of the previous entries, and remember…

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