Money Savings

Year-End Home Checklist

Dec 30th, 2008
by Sean.
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Unnecessary waste of food, like letting the food sit in your home for a long time and letting it expire, becomes a waste of money. Poorly run equipment wastes more electricity and tends to fail more early. Crowded and dusty homes have a negative impact on your energy level and lifestyle which then affects your financial life. In recession times, especially, we want to make the most use of all the things we own. We want to keep spending to a minimum and preservation of cash to a maximum. By keeping an up-to-date inventory of what we own, it gives you a good idea of what you can keep and what you can throw away.

The end of the year is a good time to do an annual inventory check for all the important things in your home. The purpose of this annual check is to make sure everything in your home is in tip-top shape, from having edible food in your fridge to fresh batteries in lifesaving devices to clean bathrooms. (more…)

Don’t Throw Away… Reuse

Dec 24th, 2007
by Sean.
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Reuse means to use the same item again, generally for a different purpose. As opposed to recycle, which means to break down the product and create a new item using the old materials, reuse extends the life of the product.

I am a huge proponent of reusing products. I do not like the idea of “wasting stuff.” Moreover, reusing products saves money and possibly time. I often find ways to take products that are no longer useful in its original context and use them for something else that becomes useful. Here are some of items that I frequently reuse:

Used Plastic Bags
I use the grocery bags for my trash. I save up all the bags from shopping and use them for my waste basket.

Used Dryer Sheets
I use them to wipe my desk and LCD screens. They may not be good for your dryer anymore, but they are great for picking up dust.

Old Newspaper and Magazines
I use them as table spreads for meals. They are great for keeping my table clean of food stains and spills. Once the meals are finished, I throw the papers away.

Used Plastic Jars/Containers
I use the plastic jars/containers to store packaged sauce, like ketchup, salt and pepper. I also use them to store plastic forks, knives, and spoons.

Shipping Boxes
I reuse the shipping boxes as storage boxes to keep my apartment organized. I stack up the boxes to save space.

Advertisment CDs
I received tons of CDs from AOL in the past. I used the CDs as coasters.

Expired Visine Tear Drops
My unopened boxes of Visine tear drops had expired. Instead of throwing them away, I reused the fluids to clean the lens on my glasses. And it works great.

If you also reuse items in your home or office, please share your experience.

And here are some related links:

The demons of disposable water

Why Reuse Beats Recycling

freecycle

New York Public Library

Dec 3rd, 2007
by Sean.
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On my way home last week, I passed by a New York Public Library. I walked inside and gave myself a tour. The New York Public Library feels like it’s an old place, with old furniture and bookshelves. I have not been to the New York Public Library for ages. Walking in the public library brought back many memories. I used to do my research reports in the public library.

The best thing about the New York Public Library is free access to information. The public library is a reservoir of written knowledge. There are tons of textbooks, novels, magazines, DVDs and newspapers. And even free internet access. Sometimes they have presentations and shows.

I walked over to the business books section and I saw a large collection of business and personal finance books. I browsed through several books and thought there were a few that were interesting.

If you have the time, the New York Public Library is a great resource for gathering the latest information. Even if you are not doing research, you can sit and read a nice story book and save money by not spending money somewhere else.

You can apply for a New York Public Library card in a local branch or online. The card is free for New York City residents. For nonresidents of NYC, there is a $100 annual fee.

Reference: http://www.nypl.org/

Savings Tips

Jun 1st, 2007
by Sean.
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Million Dollar Journey has some savings tips for everyone. Basically, think twice, before you spend.

Online Rentals

Apr 3rd, 2007
by Sean.
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Netflix is now offering unlimited rentals (3 out at a time) for $18 a month. Plus, they have a 2-week free trial for new customers.

Blockbuster.com is now offering unlimited rentals (3 out at a time) for $10 during the first month, and $17.99 a month thereafter. Plus, they give a free in-store rental (even video games). Blockbsuter allows you to return your online DVDs to a physical store and exchange it for an in-store rental. The DVD rental is flagged as checked-in, and they process the next DVD in your online queue.

Free Dunkin’ Donut Coffee This Wednesday

Mar 20th, 2007
by Sean.
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Starbucks has competition.

Dunkin’ Donut offers free Coffee on 3/21/07.

Don’t Forget Where You Hide Money

Feb 6th, 2007
by Sean.
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Here’s an interesting article on Personal Finance Advice’s site.

The Best Place To Hide Money: Conversation With A Burglar

I heard a very interesting true story about a couple hiding their cash. One couple safely put away $20,000 in hard cash behind a stove/gas unit in the kitchen. It was hidden in a sealed area completely out of sight and nobody would even think about looking there for cash. Many years later, the couple sold the house and moved out. Needless to say, the cash was so well contained and stored away for so long, the couple had forgotten about the cash. The new house owners somehow later discovered the secretly stored stash of cash. It was like winning a lottery for the new house owners.

In fact, there are many stories like this. Some people are so good at hiding their money, they either forget about it or can’t find it again.

So make sure you remember the money and where you hide it. Read Best Tips for Hiding Cash.

Quick Money Saving Tips April 2005

Apr 20th, 2005
by Sean.
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Home

  • During hot days, open windows and doors to create air flow (You don’t always need the AC)
  • Keep nice and tight insulation in your windows to retain heat or air conditioning
  • Turn off the lights when you are not there or at night (Sleep early and wake up early. It’s better for your health and saves you money.)
  • Unplug unnecessary electronic (Unplug your iron and hair dryer when you’re finished. It saves money and creates a saver environment.)
  • VoIP (If available to you, can save you a lot of money)

Car

  • Take public transportation
  • Buy the lowest class fuel your car can run without damaging the engine
  • Wash the car yourself

Work

In general, try to stay indoors more often so you don’t pay expensive prices for food, drinks, tips, and things of that sort. Who says you can’t stay in and have fun?

Indoor Activities

  • Throw a party at your home – Beers are a lot cheaper when you buy them by the dozens in a supermarket or a local store. Add in some chips and snacks, it shouldn’t cost you too much per head. $100 can only buy you several drinks in a bar, but that same amount can buy you dozens and dozens of beer and enough snacks/chips to last you until you’re sober again.
  • Buy groceries and cook with your friends – Drunk friends can really mess up your place quick. Here’s something to do that will keep you sober and this can be very fun. It sure is cheaper than the overprice dinners you have outside.
  • Rent a movie to watch it indoors - Too lazy to do anything? Movies can kill a lot of time. Ask those who watch The Lord of The Rings trilogy in one sitting.

When you’re just tired of indoors or the weather is too nice to resist going out. Here are some activities are that still great and inexpensive.

Outdoor Activities

  • Take a walk in the park – Nice weather? Take a stroll with an interesting friend(s) who can keep you entertained while you’re enjoying the sun and burning calories.
  • Beach – Cheap, fun, lots to do. Swimming is a great cardiovascular exercise.
  • Art Galleries – If you’re into it. I live near tons of galleries, never been in one.
  • Museums – Cheap, exhilarating for the cultured. For others, skip.
  • Window shopping – The trick is not to buy. If that’s impossible, skip.
  • Bands – Sometimes free or cost next to nothing.
  • River to River – American Express sponsored program in NYC. Most events are free, some cost very little.

That’s about it for now folks. It’s 2am and I should go to sleep now. I have to wake up early for work tomorrow (ugghhh…). I’ll add to the list later. Feel free to give suggestions.

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