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Posts Tagged ‘recession’

Economic downturns aren’t ever much fun, but as Adam Smith noted centuries ago, these cycles of paucity and plenty are a fact of life. Although none of us can say for sure when this latest slump will reverse, there are at least sure ways of stretching your cash in the meantime. Here are some penny-preserving ideas tailored to our 21st-century lives:

 

1. Plenty of people are in the habit of cutting out paper coupons, but even though many of us do some of our shopping on the Internet now, not as many of us seem to have learned to coupon-hunt on the Web. Sites such as CouponCabin.com, CouponMountain.com, and DealofDay.com offer thousands of current offers at retailers all across the Web.

 

2. Use price-comparison websites such as Shopping.com, Pricegrabber.com, mySimon.com, and Google Product Search to find the best deals online.

 

3. When you’re at a store, send a text message to 46645 (Google’s text number) and enter the letter “f” followed by the name of the product you’re considering. Google will reply with a text quoting its online prices. To compare prices at stores in your area, visit ShopLocal.com.

 

4. If you don’t already belong to one, consider joining a warehouse club like Costco or Sam’s and buying things in bulk. This can be especially helpful if you have a large family.

 

5. Buy generic instead of brand-name products. A lot of the difference is usually in the marketing hype and not the products themselves, anyway.

 

6. Withdraw your money from surcharge-free ATMs, which can be located on AllpointNetwork.com and MoneyPass.com.

 

7. Buy locally-grown food at farmer’s markets or stores that sell local produce. Prices there are usually lower since the food doesn’t have to be transported far.

 

8. Shop at dollar stores. You shouldn’t have a hard time finding one since they’ve been turning up all over the place recently.

 

9. Purchase discount prescription drugs from online pharmacies. You’ll often end up paying less than half as much for the generic medicines stocked by these discount prescription drug stores than you would for the same brand-name medications at brick-and-mortar pharmacies.

 

10. If your car is seven years old or older and/or worth $2,500 or less, consider dropping comprehensive and collision from your insurance.  Your deductible may be closing in on the value of your vehicle anyway, in which case a major collision would send your car to the junk dealer and you to the dealership.

 

11. Keep cell-phone costs under control. Kids today love to send text messages, so save yourself from unexpected high bills by paying the flat monthly fee for unlimited text messaging.

 

12. Use online classifieds to find used items. Sites like CraigsList.org and Kijiji.com are excellent resources for finding everything you need, from pre-owned furniture to baby gear. By buying from local sellers, you can save on shipping costs as well.

 

13. Go to matinees. Matinee showings are usually more reasonably-priced than peak-time showings.

 

14. Install Power Planners (see www.energycsi.com/energysmart) to lower the power usage of your electrical appliances.

 

15. For your next date, have a romantic picnic instead of going to a high-end restaurant. Pack a blanket and a cooler full of your favorite foods and you’ve got yourself a cheap rendezvous. Add some color with a bottle of wine.

 

16. Instead of buying software, look for (legal) free software from places like Download.com and SourceForge.net. Depending on how you use a given type of program, the free alternatives will often be just as good as the paid versions.

 

17. If anyone in your house is a student, get the Student Price Card from SPCLive.com. It’s only $8.50 and it will get the holder 10% to 15% discounts in dozens of participating stores.

 

18. Control your thermostat. Using a programmable thermostat to adjust the temperature will save energy when you’re asleep and away from the house. Prices range from $30 to $120, but you’ll lower your bill by 10% to 20%.

 

19. Consider leaving your health club. More economical options might include a gym at your work, in your building or community, or at a nearby park and rec. center.

 

20. Reduce your water bill by installing low-flow showerheads and $1 toilet displacement bags.

 

21. When you eat out, choose waiter-less restaurants where you order at the register and pick up your own food. You’ll avoid paying a tip, and these types of restaurants often have more reasonable prices as well.

 

22. Buy used books. Major online book retailers offer a “buy it used” option, where you will often find books in like-new condition at substantial markdowns.

 

23. Have a friend or family member cut your hair. This works best for men and boys who like to keep their hair short and simple, because someone without any experience can do as good a job as a barber using a set of clippers. Professional clippers are sold in department stores for less than the cost of some high-end haircuts.

 

24. Swap babysitting responsibilities with neighbors. Instead of paying a teenager to surf the Net, send the kids to the neighbors’ place on your nights out and take their kids into your house for a few hours when they need some couple-time alone.

 

25. Replace your incandescent light bulbs with CFLs (compact fluorescent light bulbs). They use about 1/4 as much electricity, last about 10 times longer, and can now often be found on sale for only about $1 each if you shop around.

 

26. Use financial-planning software like Quicken or the free applications from Rudder.com.

 

27. Swap one-time-use items (such as books) with friends once you’re finished using them. If you each have things you’ll never use again but that the other wants, you can save yourselves the cost of buying them new.

 

 

All rights reserved. Article may be reprinted as long as content remains unchanged and links remain active.

Economic downturns aren’t ever especially fun, but as Adam Smith observed centuries ago, these cycles of paucity and plenty are a fact of life. Though none of us can say for sure when this most recent slump will reverse, there are at least sure ways of sparing your wallet in the meantime. Here are some penny-preserving techniques tailored to our 21st-century lives:

 

1. Plenty of people are in the habit of cutting out paper coupons, but even though many of us do some of our shopping on the Web now, not as many of us seem to have learned to coupon-hunt online. Sites such as CouponCabin.com, CouponMountain.com, and DealofDay.com offer thousands of current offers at merchants all across the Net.

 

2. Use price-comparison websites such as Shopping.com, Pricegrabber.com, Google Product Search, and mySimon.com to find the best online deals.

 

3. When you’re at a store, send a text message to 46645 (Google’s text number) and enter the letter “f” and then the name of the item you’re shopping for. Google will reply with a text quoting its online prices. To compare prices at local stores, go to ShopLocal.com.

 

4. If you don’t already belong to one, consider joining a warehouse club like Costco or Sam’s and buying things in bulk. This can be especially helpful if you have a large family.

 

5. Buy generic instead of brand-name products. A lot of the difference is usually in the marketing ballyhoo and not the product, anyway.

 

6. Withdraw your green from surcharge-free ATMs, which can be found on AllpointNetwork.com and MoneyPass.com.

 

7. Buy locally-grown food at farmer’s markets or stores that sell local produce. Prices are often lower there because the food doesn’t have to be transported far.

 

8. Shop at dollar stores. You should have an easy time finding one since they’ve been turning up all over the place in the recent past.

 

9. Buy discount prescription drugs from online pharmacies. You’ll often end up paying considerably less than half as much for the generic pills available at these discount prescription drug stores than you would for the same brand-name pills at brick-and-mortar pharmacies.

 

10. If your car is seven or more years old and/or worth less than $2,500, consider dropping comprehensive and collision from your insurance.  Your deductible may be approaching the value of your car anyway, in which case a major collision would send your car to the junk dealer and you to the dealership.

 

11. Keep cell-phone costs under control. Today’s kids love to send text messages, so save yourself from unexpectedly high bills by paying the flat monthly fee for unlimited text messages.

 

12. Use online classifieds to buy used items. Sites like CraigsList.org and Kijiji.com are superb resources for finding everything you need, from pre-owned furniture to baby gear. By buying from locals, you can save on shipping costs as well.

 

13. Go to matinees. Matinee showings are often more reasonably-priced than peak-time showings.

 

14. Install Power Planners (see www.energycsi.com/energysmart) to lower the power consumption of your electrical appliances.

 

15. For your next date, have a romantic picnic instead of going to an expensive restaurant. Pack a blanket and a cooler full of your favorite foods and you’ve got yourself an inexpensive rendezvous. Add some zest with a bottle of vino.

 

16. Instead of paying for software, look for (legal) free software from places like Download.com and SourceForge.net. Depending on how you use a given type of software, the free alternatives will often be just as good as the paid versions.

 

17. If anyone in your house is a student, pick up the Student Price Card from SPCLive.com. It’s only $8.50 and it will get the holder 10% to 15% discounts in scores of participating stores.

 

18. Control your thermostat. Using a programmable thermostat to adjust the temperature will reduce energy usage when you’re sleeping and out of the house. Prices range from $30 to $120, but you’ll reduce your bill by 10% to 20%.

 

19. Consider quitting your health club. More economical options may include a gym at your work, in your building or community, or at a nearby park and rec. center.

 

20. Reduce your water bill by installing low-flow showerheads and $1 toilet displacement bags.

 

21. When you eat out, choose waiter-less restaurants where you order at the cash register and pick up your own food. You’ll avoid having to pay a tip, and these types of restaurants often have more reasonable prices as well.

 

22. Buy pre-owned books. Major online book dealers offer a “buy it used” option, where you can often find books in like-new condition at substantial markdowns.

 

23. Have a friend or family member cut your hair. This works best for men and boys who like to keep their hair short and uninvolved, because someone with no experience can do as good a job as a barber using a set of clippers. Professional clippers can be purchased in department stores for less than the price of some high-end haircuts.

 

24. Swap babysitting responsibilities with neighbors. Instead of paying a teenager to watch TV, send your children to the neighbors’ place on your nights out and take their kids into your place for a few hours when they need some couple-time alone.

 

25. Replace your incandescent lightbulbs with CFLs (compact fluorescent lights). They use about 1/4 as much energy, last about 10 times longer, and can now often be found on sale for only about $1 each if you shop around.

 

26. Use personal-finance software like Quicken or the free offerings from Rudder.com.

 

27. Exchange one-time-use items (such as books) with friends once you’re finished using them. If you each have items you’ll never use again but that the other wants, you can save yourselves the expense of buying them new.

 

28. Use public transportation or a bike to get to work, if possible.

 

 

All rights reserved. Article may be reprinted as long as content remains unchanged and links remain active.

Economic downturns are never much fun, but as Adam Smith noted centuries ago, these cycles of paucity and plenty are a fact of life. Although no one can say for sure when this most recent slump will reverse, there are at least sure ways of saving your money in the meantime. Here are some penny-preserving techniques tailored to our 21st-century lives:

 

1. Plenty of people are in the habit of cutting out paper coupons, but even though many of us do part of our shopping on the Web now, not as many of us seem to have learned to coupon-hunt on the Internet. Sites such as CouponCabin.com, CouponMountain.com, and DealofDay.com offer thousands of current offers at retailers across the Web.

 

2. Use price-comparison websites such as Pricegrabber.com, Shopping.com, Google Product Search, and mySimon.com to find the best deals online.

 

3. When you’re at a brick-and-mortar store, send a text message to 46645 (Google’s number) and enter the letter “f” and then the name of the product you’re looking at. Google will reply with a text message quoting the online prices. To compare prices at stores in your area, visit ShopLocal.com.

 

4. If you don’t already belong to one, consider joining a warehouse club such as Costco or Sam’s and buying in bulk. This can be especially helpful if you have a sizable family.

 

5. Buy generic instead of brand-name products. A lot of the difference is often in the marketing ballyhoo and not the product, anyway.

 

6. Withdraw your money from surcharge-free ATMs, which can be located on AllpointNetwork.com and MoneyPass.com.

 

7. Buy locally-grown food at farmer’s markets or stores that sell local produce. Prices are usually lower there since the food doesn’t have to be transported far.

 

8. Shop at dollar stores. You should have an easy time finding them nearby since they’ve been turning up all over the place recently.

 

9. Buy discount prescription drugs from online pharmacies. You’ll often end up paying well under half as much for the generic medications stocked by these discount prescription drug stores than you would for the same brand-name pills at brick-and-mortar pharmacies.

 

10. If your car is seven or more years old and/or worth less than $2,500, consider dropping comprehensive and collision from your insurance.  Your deductible may be approaching the value of your car anyway, in which case a major collision would send your car to the junk yard and you to the dealership.

 

11. Keep cell-phone expenses under control. Kids today love to send text messages, so save yourself from unexpected high bills by paying the flat monthly fee for unlimited text messages.

 

12. Use online classifieds to buy used items. Sites like CraigsList.org and Kijiji.com are great resources for finding everything you need, from vintage furniture to baby gear. By buying from locals, you can save on shipping costs too.

 

13. Go to matinees. Matinee showings are often more reasonably-priced than peak-time showings.

 

14. Install Power Planners (see www.energycsi.com/energysmart) to lower the energy consumption of your electrical appliances.

 

15. For your next date, plan a romantic picnic instead of going to a pricey restaurant. Pack a blanket and a cooler full of your favorite foods and you’ve got yourself a low-cost rendezvous. Add some color with a bottle of vino.

 

16. Instead of paying for software, look for (legal) free software from places like Download.com and SourceForge.net. Depending on how you use a given type of software, the free alternatives will frequently be just as good as the paid versions.

 

17. If anybody in your house is a student, pick up the Student Price Card from SPCLive.com. It’s only $8.50 and will get the holder 10% to 15% off in scores of participating stores.

 

18. Control your thermostat. Using a programmable thermostat to adjust the temperature will reduce energy usage when you’re sleeping and away. Prices range from $30 to $120, but you’ll lower your bill by 10% to 20%.

 

19. Consider leaving your health club. Less expensive options may include a gym at your work, in your building or community, or at a nearby parks and recreation center.

 

20. Cut your water bill by installing low-flow showerheads and $1 toilet displacement bags.

 

21. When you go out to eat, choose waiter-less restaurants where you order up front and pick up your own food. You’ll avoid paying a tip, and these types of restaurants often have more reasonable prices as well.

 

22. Buy used books. Major online book sellers offer a “buy it used” option, where you can often find books in like-new condition at substantial markdowns.

 

23. Have a friend or family member cut your hair. This works best for men and boys who like to keep their hair short and simple, because someone without any experience can do as good a job as a barber using a set of clippers. Professional clippers can be purchased in department stores for less than the cost of some high-end haircuts.

 

24. Swap babysitting responsibilities with other families. Instead of paying a teenager to talk on the phone, send your children to the neighbors’ place on your nights out and take their kids into your house for a few hours when they need some couple-time alone.

 

25. Replace your incandescent light bulbs with CFLs (compact fluorescent lightbulbs). They use about 1/4 as much energy, last about 10 times longer, and can now often be found on sale for about $1 each if you shop around.

 

26. Use financial-planning software such as Quicken or the free programs at Rudder.com.

 

27. Exchange one-time-use items (such as books) with friends once you’re done using them. If you each have things you’ll never use again but that the other wants, you can save yourselves the expense of buying them new.

 

28. Use public transport or a bike to get to work, if possible.

 

29. When you need to upgrade your digital gadgets, trade the old ones in for cash at sites such as Gazelle.com and CellforCash.com.

 

 

All rights reserved. Article may be reprinted as long as content remains unchanged and links remain active.

 

Economic downturns aren’t ever especially fun, but as Adam Smith noted over two centuries ago, these cycles of paucity and plenty are a fact of life. Though no one can say for sure when this most recent slump will reverse, there are at least sure ways of stretching your cash in the meantime. Here are some penny-preserving ideas tailored to our 21st-century lives:

 

1. Plenty of people are in the habit of cutting out paper coupons, but even though many of us do part of our shopping on the Internet now, not as many of us seem to have learned to coupon-hunt on the Internet. Sites such as CouponCabin.com, CouponMountain.com, and DealofDay.com list thousands of current offers at merchants all across the Net.

 

2. Use price-comparison websites such as Pricegrabber.com, Shopping.com, Google Product Search, and mySimon.com to find the best online deals.

 

3. When you’re out at a brick-and-mortar store, send a text message to 46645 (Google’s number) and enter the letter “f” and then the name of the product you’re looking at. Google will reply with a text quoting the online prices. To compare prices at local stores, visit ShopLocal.com.

 

4. If you don’t already belong to one, consider joining a warehouse club such as Costco or Sam’s Club and buying in bulk. This can be especially helpful if you have a sizable family.

 

5. Buy generic instead of brand-name products. A lot of the difference is often in the marketing hype and not the products themselves, anyway.

 

6. Withdraw your green from surcharge-free ATMs, which can be found on AllpointNetwork.com and MoneyPass.com.

 

7. Buy locally-sourced food at farmer’s markets or stores that sell local produce. Prices are often lower there because the food doesn’t have to be transported far.

 

8. Shop at dollar stores. You shouldn’t have a difficult time finding one nearby since they’ve been popping up all over the place in the recent past.

 

9. Purchase discount prescription drugs from online pharmacies. You’ll often end up paying under half as much for the generic pills stocked by these discount prescription drug stores than you would for the same brand-name medicines at brick-and-mortar pharmacies.

 

10. If your car is seven or more years old and/or worth less than $2,500, consider dropping comprehensive and collision from your insurance.  Your deductible may be closing in on the value of your vehicle anyway, in which case a major collision would send your car to the junk dealer and you to the dealership.

 

11. Keep cell-phone costs under control. Today’s kids love to text message, so save yourself from unexpectedly high bills by paying the flat monthly fee for unlimited text messages.

 

12. Use online classifieds to buy used items. Sites like CraigsList.org and Kijiji.com are great resources for finding everything you need, from used furniture to baby gear. By buying from local sellers, you can save on shipping costs as well.

 

13. Go to matinees. The matinee showing is frequently more reasonably-priced than peak-time showings.

 

14. Install Power Planners (see www.energycsi.com/energysmart) to lower the energy usage of your electrical appliances.

 

15. For your next date, plan a romantic picnic instead of going to a high-end restaurant. Pack a blanket and a cooler full of your favorite foods and you’ve got yourself an inexpensive rendezvous. Spice it up a little with a bottle of wine.

 

16. Instead of paying for software, look for (legal) free software from websites like Download.com and SourceForge.net. Depending on how you use a given type of application, the free alternatives will often be just as good as the commercial versions.

 

17. If someone in your house is a student, pick up the Student Price Card from SPCLive.com. It’s only $8.50 and it will get the holder 10% to 15% discounts in scores of participating stores.

 

18. Control your thermostat. Using a programmable thermostat to adjust the temperature will reduce energy usage when you’re asleep and away. Prices range from $30 to $120, but you’ll lower your bill by 10% to 20%.

 

19. Consider leaving your health club. More economical options might include a gym at your work, in your building or community, or at a nearby parks and recreation center.

 

20. Cut your water bill by installing low-flow showerheads and $1 toilet displacement bags.

 

21. When you eat out, choose waiter-less restaurants where you order at the cash register and pick up your own food. You’ll avoid having to pay a tip, and these types of restaurants often have more reasonable prices as well.

 

22. Buy pre-owned books. Major online book sellers offer a “buy it used” option, where you will often find books in like-new condition at substantial discounts.

 

23. Have a friend or family member cut your hair. This works best for men and boys who like to keep their hair short and simple, because someone with no experience can do as good a job as a barber using a set of clippers. Professional clippers can be purchased in department stores for less than the price of some high-end haircuts.

 

24. Swap babysitting responsibilities with other families. Instead of paying a teenager to watch DVDs, send your children to the neighbors’ place on your nights out and take their kids into your place for a few hours when they need some couple-time alone.

 

25. Replace your incandescent light bulbs with CFLs (compact fluorescent light bulbs). They use about 1/4 as much electricity, last about 10 times longer, and can now often be found on sale for approximately $1 each if you shop around.

 

26. Use personal-management software such as Quicken or the free applications at Rudder.com.

 

27. Swap one-time-use items (such as books) with friends once you’re done using them. If you each have items you’ll never use again but that the other wants, you can save yourselves the expense of buying them new.

 

28. Use public transport or a bike to get to work, if feasible.

 

29. When you need to upgrade your personal electronic devices, trade the old ones in for money at sites like Gazelle.com and CellforCash.com.

 

30. Don’t shop for groceries when you’re hungry. If you do, you’re likely to buy more than you actually need.

 

 

All rights reserved. Article may be reprinted as long as content remains unchanged and links remain active.

 

Economic downturns aren’t ever much fun, but as Adam Smith noted over two centuries ago, these cycles of paucity and plenty are a fact of life. Though no one can say for sure when this most recent slump will reverse, there are at least sure ways of sparing your wallet in the meantime. Here are some penny-preserving ideas tailored to our 21st-century lives:

 

1. Plenty of people are in the habit of cutting out paper coupons, but even though many of us do some of our shopping online now, not as many of us seem to have learned to coupon-hunt online. Sites such as CouponCabin.com, CouponMountain.com, and DealofDay.com offer thousands of current offers at retailers all over the Web.

 

2. Use price-comparison sites like Pricegrabber.com, Shopping.com, mySimon.com, and Google Product Search to find the best deals online.

 

3. When you’re out at a brick-and-mortar store, send a text message to 46645 (Google’s number) and enter the letter “f” followed by the name of the item you’re interested in. Google will reply with a message quoting the online prices. To compare prices at stores in your area, check out ShopLocal.com.

 

4. If you don’t already belong to one, consider joining a warehouse club like Costco or Sam’s Club and buying in bulk. This can be especially helpful if you have a sizable family.

 

5. Buy generic instead of brand-name products. A lot of the difference is usually in the marketing ballyhoo and not the products themselves, anyway.

 

6. Withdraw your money from surcharge-free ATMs, which can be found on AllpointNetwork.com and MoneyPass.com.

 

7. Buy locally-sourced food at farmer’s markets or stores that sell local produce. Prices there are often lower because the food doesn’t have to be transported far.

 

8. Shop at dollar stores. You should have an easy time finding one since they’ve been popping up all over the place recently.

 

9. Buy discount prescription drugs from online pharmacies. You’ll often end up paying under half as much for the generic pills sold at these discount prescription drug stores than you would for the same brand-name medications at brick-and-mortar pharmacies.

 

10. If your car is seven years old or older and/or worth less than $2,500, consider dropping comprehensive and collision from your insurance.  Your deductible may be nearing the value of your car anyway, in which case a major collision would send your car to the junk yard and you to the dealership.

 

11. Keep cell-phone costs under control. Today’s kids love to text message, so save yourself from unexpectedly high bills by paying the flat monthly fee for unlimited texting.

 

12. Use online classifieds to find used items. Sites like CraigsList.org and Kijiji.com are great resources for finding everything you need, from used furniture to baby gear. By buying from local sellers, you can save on shipping costs as well.

 

13. Go to matinees. The matinee showing is frequently more reasonably-priced than peak-time showings.

 

14. Install Power Planners (see www.energycsi.com/energysmart) to lower the energy consumption of your electrical appliances.

 

15. For your next date, plan a romantic picnic instead of going to a pricy restaurant. Pack a blanket and a cooler full of your favorite foods and you’ve got yourself a low-cost rendezvous. Add some color with a bottle of vino.

 

16. Instead of buying software, look for (legal) free software from sites like Download.com and SourceForge.net. Depending on how you use a given type of program, the free alternatives will often be just as good as the paid versions.

 

 

All rights reserved. Article may be reprinted as long as content remains unchanged and links remain active.

Economic downturns are never especially fun, but as Adam Smith noted over two centuries ago, these cycles of paucity and plenty are a fact of life. Though no one can say for sure when this most recent slump will reverse, there are at least sure ways of saving your money in the meantime. Here are some penny-preserving ideas tailored to our 21st-century lives:

 

1. Plenty of people are in the habit of cutting out paper coupons, but even though many of us do part of our shopping online now, not as many of us seem to have gotten into the habit of coupon-hunting online. Sites such as CouponCabin.com, CouponMountain.com, and DealofDay.com offer thousands of current offers at retailers across the Net.

 

2. Use price-comparison websites like Shopping.com, Pricegrabber.com, mySimon.com, and Google Product Search to find the best online deals.

 

3. When you’re out at a brick-and-mortar store, send a text message to 46645 (Google’s number) and enter the letter “f” followed by the name of the item you’re interested in. Google will reply with a text message quoting its online prices. To compare prices at stores in your area, use ShopLocal.com.

 

4. If you don’t already belong to one, consider joining a warehouse club such as Costco or Sam’s Club and buying things in bulk. This can be especially helpful if you have a sizable family.

 

5. Buy generic instead of brand-name products. A lot of the difference is often in the marketing ballyhoo and not the product itself, anyway.

 

6. Withdraw your green from surcharge-free ATMs, which can be found on AllpointNetwork.com and MoneyPass.com.

 

7. Buy locally-grown food at farmer’s markets or stores that sell local produce and meat. Prices there are often lower because the food doesn’t have to be transported very far.

 

8. Shop at dollar stores. You shouldn’t have a difficult time finding them since they’ve been popping up all over the place in the recent past.

 

9. Purchase discount prescription drugs from online pharmacies. You’ll often end up paying under half as much for the generic medicines available at these discount prescription drug stores than you would for the same brand-name pills at brick-and-mortar pharmacies.

 

10. If your car is seven years old or older and/or worth less than $2,500, consider dropping comprehensive and collision from your insurance.  Your deductible may be approaching the worth of your vehicle anyway, in which case a major collision would send your car to the junk yard and you to the dealership.

 

11. Keep cell-phone costs under control. Today’s kids love to send text messages, so save yourself from unexpected high bills by paying the flat monthly fee for unlimited texting.

 

12. Use online classifieds to buy used items. Sites like CraigsList.org and Kijiji.com are great resources for finding everything you need, from used furniture to baby gear. By buying from local sellers, you can save on shipping costs as well.

 

13. Go to matinees. The matinee showing is usually more reasonably-priced than peak-time showings.

 

14. Install Power Planners (see www.energycsi.com/energysmart) to lower the electricity consumption of your electrical appliances.

 

15. For your next date, plan a romantic picnic instead of going to a high-end restaurant. Pack a blanket and a cooler full of your favorite foods and you’ve got yourself a cheap rendezvous. Spice it up a little with a bottle of wine.

 

16. Instead of paying for software, look for (legal) free software from websites like Download.com and SourceForge.net. Depending on how you use a given type of software, the free alternatives will often be just as good as the commercial versions.

 

17. If someone in your house is a student, pick up the Student Price Card from SPCLive.com. It’s only $8.50 and will get the holder 10% to 15% off in dozens of participating stores.

 

 

All rights reserved. Article may be reprinted as long as content remains unchanged and links remain active.

Economic downturns are never especially fun, but as Adam Smith noted over two centuries ago, these cycles of paucity and plenty are a fact of life. Although no one can say for sure when this latest slump will reverse, there are at least sure ways of stretching your cash in the meantime. Here are some penny-preserving techniques tailored to our 21st-century lives:

 

1. Plenty of people are in the habit of cutting out paper coupons, but even though many of us do some of our shopping on the Internet now, not as many of us seem to have gotten into the habit of coupon-hunting on the Internet. Sites such as CouponCabin.com, CouponMountain.com, and DealofDay.com list thousands of current offers at retailers all over the Web.

 

2. Use price-comparison sites such as Pricegrabber.com, Shopping.com, Google Product Search, and mySimon.com to find the best online deals.

 

3. When you’re at a brick-and-mortar store, send a text message to 46645 (Google’s text number) and enter the letter “f” followed by the name of the product you’re interested in. Google will reply with a text quoting its online prices. To compare prices at stores in your area, check out ShopLocal.com.

 

4. If you don’t already belong to one, consider joining a warehouse club such as Costco or Sam’s and buying in bulk. This can be especially helpful if you have a sizable family.

 

5. Buy generic instead of brand-name products. A lot of the difference is often in the marketing hoopla and not the product itself, anyway.

 

6. Withdraw your green from surcharge-free ATMs, which can be found on AllpointNetwork.com and MoneyPass.com.

 

7. Buy locally-sourced food at farmer’s markets or stores that sell local produce and meats. Prices there are usually lower because the food doesn’t have to be transported very far.

 

8. Shop at dollar stores. You shouldn’t have a difficult time finding them nearby since they’ve been turning up all over the place recently.

 

9. Buy discount prescription drugs at online pharmacies. You’ll often end up paying less than half as much for the generic pills carried by these discount prescription drug stores than you would for the same brand-name medications at brick-and-mortar pharmacies.

 

10. If your car is seven years old or older and/or worth less than $2,500, consider dropping comprehensive and collision from your insurance.  Your deductible may be closing in on the worth of your vehicle anyway, in which case a major collision would send your car to the junk yard and you to the dealership.

 

11. Keep cell-phone expenses under control. Kids today love to text message, so save yourself from unexpected high bills by paying the flat monthly fee for unlimited text messages.

 

12. Use online classifieds to buy used items. Sites like CraigsList.org and Kijiji.com are excellent resources for finding everything you need, from pre-owned furniture to baby gear. By buying from local sellers, you can save on shipping costs as well.

 

13. Go to matinees. Matinee showings are usually more reasonably-priced than peak-time showings.

 

14. Install Power Planners (see www.energycsi.com/energysmart) to lower the energy usage of your electrical appliances.

 

15. For your next date, have a romantic picnic instead of going to a high-end restaurant. Pack a blanket and a cooler full of your favorite foods and you’ve got yourself an inexpensive rendezvous. Add some zest with a bottle of vino.

 

16. Instead of spending money on software, look for (legal) free software from websites like Download.com and SourceForge.net. Depending on how you use a given type of program, the free alternatives will often be just as good as the commercial versions.

 

17. If anyone in your house is a student, get the Student Price Card from SPCLive.com. It’s only $8.50 and will get the holder 10% to 15% discounts in dozens of participating stores.

 

18. Control your thermostat. Using a programmable thermostat to adjust the temperature will reduce energy usage when you’re asleep and away. Prices range from $30 to $120, but you’ll cut your bill by 10% to 20%.

 

19. Consider leaving your health club. More economical options may include a gym at your work, in your building or community, or at a nearby park and rec. center.

 

20. Lower your water bill by installing low-flow showerheads and $1 toilet displacement bags.

 

21. When you eat out, choose waiter-less restaurants where you order up front and pick up your own food. You’ll avoid paying a tip, and these types of restaurants often have more reasonable prices as well.

 

22. Buy used books. Major online book dealers offer a “buy it used” option, where you will often find books in like-new condition at substantial markdowns.

 

23. Have a friend or family member cut your hair. This works best for men and boys who like to keep their hair short and simple, because someone without any experience can do as good a job as a barber using a set of clippers. Professional clippers are sold in department stores for less than the price of some high-end haircuts.

 

24. Swap babysitting responsibilities with neighbors. Instead of paying a teenager to talk on the phone, send your children to the neighbors on your nights out and take their kids into your place for a few hours when they need some couple-time alone.

 

25. Replace your incandescent light bulbs with CFLs (compact fluorescent lightbulbs). They use about 1/4 as much electricity, last about 10 times longer, and can now often be found on sale for only about $1 each if you shop around.

 

 

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Consumer behaviour is changing and it is looking to stay that way for the foreseeable future. During the boom years of the past decade, we saw a huge number of small startup businesses trying to compete with the big boys. And many of them have been amazing success stories, particularly online. Then consumers were used to choice and less demanding of reliability in their brands, they wanted the cheapest items and they wanted them now. Things have changed however and hundreds of website companies are going under, the fall out of which is a growing lack of customer confidence. What this means is that people are going back to preferring known and recognisable brands, even if it means spending a little more.

Yet at the same time job insecurity and redundancy are causing more and more people to consider starting up their own business and becoming self-employed. Research from Barclays last year showed that there were 98,000 start-ups created in the UK within a three month period, despite the credit crunch. Yet it’s a tough road to go down. While nearly 100,000 new start-ups are taking off another 100,000 are crashing to the bankruptcy pile!

I think that underestimating your companies branding is as detrimental as not having a website at all. When a customer hits your website, what does your logo say about your business. It’s crucial to what people use to judge whether you are trustworthy or not. But it’s so often the case that startup owners put off paying professional logo design in the initial stages. They think “wait till I get a few more customers, then I can afford it”.Then they design one themselves in photoshop and thinking that looks fine, load it up to the site. Many new companies unfortunately opt for cheap Vista Print Logos or free clip art to design their brand.

Brands shouldn’t underestimate the importance of their image. Businesses, big or small need to appear strong enough to survive this economic crisis.  In these anxious times the image of stability and reliability is more crucial than ever. Very small businesses need to look like a much bigger business, its possible. So, these days online customers are looking back to the bigger brands or at least who they deem to be the big brands. Ultimately, a brand that consumers thinks of as credible and dependable will be the brands that they will recommend to family and friends and so on.

The bottom line is this. Bankruptcy will hit around half small business very early on in their life, usually within two to three years. Many experts say that one of the top causes of business failure online is bad marketing. A custom logo design helps you create the right image for this marketing to succeed. So do yourself a favour – start looking at some sample logos in your industry and see what the successful ones have in common.  Then get yourself a proper graphic designer to plan and create a great corporate identity that will help you not only stay afloat but truly stand out and succeed.

Many people who are interested in starting a home-based business assume that because the country is in a major recession right now, this is not the time; however, I ask you to consider the facts.

1. For most of the big life decisions (e.g., getting married, having a child, starting a business), there is never the “right time,” there is only today, only now.

2. To become wealthy, you really need to own your own business (93% of the already wealthy do).

3. In 2006, Fortune magazine called direct selling, including network marketing, “the best kept secret in the business world” with a 91% growth over the previous 10 years and a market of $30 billion in the United States and $100 billion worldwide. That figure is expected to reach $326 billion by 2012.

4. Network marketing has been called a “recession proof.

5. Warren Buffet called his purchase of a network marketing company the best investment he’d ever made.

6. Tom Peters, author of In Search of Excellence, called it the first truly revolutionary marketing shift in the past 50 years.

7. Internet marketing businesses aren’t as impacted by the usual commuter costs (gas and parking) and childcare expenses.

8. Owning an online business provides a number of tax advantages.

9. You, too, can become successful with an online business as long as you have basic language skills, and the ability to point, click and follow directions.

10. If you’ve always wanted to be your own boss, let the internet put you in the driver’s seat with your own online business! The upside potential is great.

Regardless of the recession, business continues – hundreds of thousands of businesses will launch within the next 12 months. You can be among them? Aren’t you ready to leave the 9-5 rat race behind you?

Carpe Diem! Don’t waste any time, seize the day! Now is the time to start a home business .

Currently here in the USA we are trying to get through a nerve racking recession and regain financial control.  Things have been going so poorly over the last few years for multitudes of American families and to be quite honest it does not seem to be getting better with any haste.  One of the biggest issues that most people are finding themselves facing right now is trying to pay down a hefty sum of credit card debt.  You add credit card debt on top of high unemployment and perhaps even foreclosure and you get a pretty realistic picture of how poorly things have gotten for many US residents.  Escaping the horrors of debt would be a tremendous help for so many and thankfully there are credit card debt reduction services on the market for people who have found themselves in this very precarious financial position.  

What millions think of when it comes to credit card debt reduction is to get a debt consolidation loan from the equity in their house.  Before doing this option one must consider the risk assumed.  For starters with the current economic condition the a high percentage of people would not even be eligible for this right now. But for people who can obtain a debt consolidation loan they must realize the risk they are assuming.  What actually happens is a debt transformation, the debtors transforms their low risk unsecured credit card debt into a higher risk debt tied to their real estate.  If you can’t continue to make the payments on the loan you risk losing your home.  And the stats show that over half of the consumers who get debt consolidation loans end up back where they were with credit card debt within 5 years or often times less; thus placing consumers into a very compromising position.

There is however one plan of credit card debt reduction that is greatly advantageous people get through this recession and that is debt settlement.  Using credit card debt settlement people can save money on what they owe and decrease their balances.  Many debtors wind up saving about half of what they currently owe to the credit card banks.  Plus with credit card debt settlement people find themselves escaping debt in just a couple of years.  So for all those consumers who are really in trouble from the recession and need to get rid of debt quickly, this method of credit card debt settlement is probably their best option.