Random Tips #12

If you know of ways to save money – please email them to us at Tips@BeatTheRecession.com.

1. Do not carry unneeded weight in your vehicle. Excess weight puts a heavier load on the engine.

2. Have potluck dinners.

3. If you don’t have someone to share it with, split the meal and half and put when half in a to-go box for next day’s lunch.

4. Buy furniture at a consignment store.

5. If you need a tool, see if you can borrow it from someone before you go out and buy it.

6. Use your local park’s playground as a workout station. Monkey bars can be used for pull-ups and leg lifts. The park will also have a trail where you can run

7. Buy snacks at the grocery store, not at roadside convenience stores.

8. Plan trips where you have friends and family. You will be able to save by not having to pay the high cost of hotel rooms. Plus it is much more fun traveling where you know locals. It gives the trip a whole new flavor. But make sure you bring a nice gift or take them out to dinner as a thank you present.

9. Always negotiate hotel room prices. Hotel rooms are like highly perishable food: if they’re not used that day, they’re wasted. You can almost always get a better deal just by asking, but do it with a nice smile face-to-face when you check in, or with friendly calls direct to the hotels you’re considering. It won’t work if you just call national 800 numbers, because they can’t negotiate. If your flight is overbooked and the airline offers a voucher if you take a later flight, take it.

10. Avoid renting a car at the airport. You’ll find more competitive rates, plus avoid extra surcharges at car rental agencies away from the convenience of the airport.