Ways to save money in tough economic times

I apologize if this is a d_b, and the mods can kill it if it is, but I figured maybe we could use a thread with specials we find online, or discounts we know of, so people can try to stretch their dollars a little further.

For the next six days, if you go to www.restaurant.com, you can get a $25 gift certificate to a restaurant near you for $2 if you use the code SURPRISE at checkout. The certificates are good for a year, usually have minimum expenses to be used (usually $35-50) and usually have to have at least a party of two. But I figured it might help some families.

Anyone else, add any other ideas.

 

This may sound silly, but my local library keeps me going. Books, movies, CD's to burn, resources on financial stuff, finding a new job, going to school (which has helped me in my law school research), etc, etc.

 

Stiff the newspaper delivery guy on his Christmas tip?

 

Not helping.

 

I could buy my wife Avon cosmetics this Christmas.

 

YOU SO COULD!

*runs off to e-mail FH*

 

Stop it.

Everyone knows there are no more newspaper delivery guys.

 

I'm canceling my subscription to the newspaper and just reading it online.

 

I did that months ago.

 

I just hope that doesn't end up being widespread.

IJAG, thanks for the tip on the gift certificates -- I just bought $250 worth for 20 bucks. Mrs. Mac Daddy is very pleased.

I'll second the library idea. I recently got a library card for the first time since I was a kid and have read about half of the books on my Amazon wish list. For free.

 

Skip the latte and drink your work's brew. That's what $25 per week? $1200 per year. Adds up.

 

We were able to go from two cars to one car. That saved us $50 a year in license fees and about $220 a year in personal property tax in Virginia and $425 in insurance. Total cost avoidance there $695.

We also do not need to do routine maintenance on that second car - - oil changes, lubes etc. That saves about $100 per year.

By combining trips, we took gas consumption down from 35 gals every two weeks to 15 gals every two weeks. Even at the current "low price" of $2.25 a gallon, that is a savings of $45 every two weeks or $1170 per year.

Add all that up and it's about $2K per year - - and when gas is $4.00 a gallon it's a lot more than that...