Ways to trick yourself into saving money

**mrsvargas** · 06-26-2008, 09:11 AM

Here are some interesting ways to saving money. I had never heard of a few of these.

**quiltingmommy** · 06-26-2008, 09:33 AM

My personal favorite was the 'crap I just don't need' list!!!

Thanks.

**Clutterbug Jen** · 06-26-2008, 09:40 AM

Cool article, thanks for sharing it!

I also loved the "crap I don't need" list [maybe I ought to try it!]

Love,

Jen

**baxjul** · 06-26-2008, 11:14 AM

Thanks, great article!

**bumplett** · 06-26-2008, 11:19 AM

my "crap I just don't need list" would be longer than Santa's good/bad list!

**geckoace** · 06-26-2008, 11:55 AM

thuse are pretty good tips

my crap i dont need list:
more itunes credit (seriously)
all white d ishes ( but i want em)
another flash drive
new iphone earbuds

everything at the dollar store
another yard of fabric since i havent sewn in who knows how long
a wii (i do need this i really really do)
cable

now im sad...

**Lady_V** · 06-26-2008, 12:12 PM

Great article.

I do #7. Round up purchases, bank the change... with a twist. Not only do I round up purchases, but I round down deposits to the nearest 0 (ex: $819 would be recorded in the deposit as $819 but added to the balance as $810).

It's not for the faint of heart or those who absolutely must account for every penny. As long as the checkbook says I have less than online, I know I am doing okay. The last time I actually 'balanced' my checkbook, I found a few hundred dollars.

**freebs** · 06-26-2008, 01:47 PM

When i deposit small checks like $10 or less i dont record them at all. That way i know i have a small cushion in there if something happens.

**Starlight9803** · 06-26-2008, 02:19 PM

Originally Posted by Lady_V

Great article.

I do #7. Round up purchases, bank the change... with a twist. Not only do I round up purchases, but I round down deposits to the nearest 0 (ex: $819 would be recorded in the deposit as $819 but added to the balance as $810).

It's not for the faint of heart or those who absolutely must account for every penny. As long as the checkbook says I have less than online, I know I am doing okay. The last time I actually 'balanced' my checkbook, I found a few hundred dollars.

I do this also, but I do write the exact amount right next to where I write who/where I made the check out to, I just round up/down in the credit/debit section. That way I CAN make sure my check register balances to the penny when my statement comes in, but my actual balance that is written in the register is considerably less than what is actually in there. (really helps when DH checks the balance in my checkbook to see how much is left for him to "spend" lol) I do this in addition to taking 10% off the top of each paycheck and putting that into savings. The 10% (instead a set amount of $), helps when you're paychecks fluctuates like ours do. On smaller paychecks, the savings is less, but on the larger ones, the savings is more.

**AmyBoz** · 06-26-2008, 02:36 PM

What a great article! Thanks for sharing!

**IntlMom** · 06-26-2008, 02:41 PM

I totally recommend #10. I have been doing it for quite a few years. When my boys want a game at gamestop, we buy gift cards in small painless amounts, then when we have enough, we make the purchase
I like the list I don;t need idea, too.
We do the auto savings all the time, works like a charm!!

**pecunierrant** · 06-26-2008, 03:27 PM

Looks good, I'm going to share it with family also.

**NCchick** · 06-26-2008, 06:58 PM

I always hesitate before buying something on impulse anymore....I guess it isn't impulse for me.. HA HA

When I want to buy something, I say--do I need it.....99.9% of the time the answer is NO so I walk on by.

As I get older I want less. Less is easier to clean. Less means less clutter and that makes me feel wonderful. I hate clutter and clutter is just "stuff"

"stuff" costs us time, money, aggrevation and fix it time etc.

some "little stuff" I have for keepsakes but not much. I want freedom, not being tied down to stuff.

Karen

**monkeywrangler71** · 06-26-2008, 07:30 PM

I love the list, hilarious I think I'll do that.

I definitely have a wait rule for making big purchases, only it isn't a one-day or even thirty days, it's usually 6 months to a year - or longer. A character trait I picked up from my father, drives my mother crazy. He needed a new truck and spent an entire year researching - had a giant binder made up with his comparisons, specs, prices - by the time he bought the truck they only had one left in Eastern Canada, he had to convince himself he liked the colour. Hard to believe he actually made fun of my KitchenAid stand mixer spreadsheet