Money saving secrets

Money saving secrets

From driving on our busy Valley freeways, to shopping for groceries and clothing, rising costs are making it more and more difficult for many to make ends meet.

Ways to save and economize are just a click away. Browse through the different options you may have to start saving extra dough. Check out tips on finding a career that's the right fit too!

Sites shrink cell phone & other bills

12 News is lucky to have some very saving-savvy viewers with site suggestions that can help you keep some green in your wallet after you pay your bills.

Billshrink.com helps you find the cheapest cell phone plan. You can import a current cell phone bill, or just answer a few usage questions. The site will sort through and compare to make sure you aren't overpaying.

Billeater.com is another bill slashing site with unique saving suggestions on just every bill you can think of!

Billeater.com advises cutting prescription costs by taking advantage of the $4 prescription plans popping up at many stores. Programs are now offered by Walmart, Target, Kroger, and Food City.

Keep vet bills on a short leash

Americans spent more than $10 billion dollars on veterinarian care alone last year according to the American Pet Products Manufacturer's Association.

Dogster.com has compiled money saving tips from nonprofit animal groups and vets. Some of their suggestions include asking your vet's office about senior citizen discounts or puppy and kitten packages.

Petcarerx.com and the Doctors Foster and Smith website offer pet medication often cheaper than you can buy it at the vet's office.

Coupon sites like DoggyCoupon.com can also be helpful when it comes to buying pet food and supplies.

Spay and neuter surgeries can be expensive, but for those who live in Maricopa County it's free. It's one of many free and low cost spay and neuter programs in the Valley. Click here to request a voucher.

Extreme saving tips

Money advice sites are putting out the call for self-proclaimed 'uber-savers' to share their most extreme money saving secrets.

Bankrate.com's been posting some of the wackiest and most useful ideas submitted.

One person explains how to spend $4 or less on holiday shopping for each family member, using sites such as paperbackswap.com, swapadvd.com, and swapacd.com. You can swap your old items on the sites for things the person would enjoy, and give them as gifts.

PrimetimeMoney.com's tips include living without a cell phone and shopping at flea markets and auctions.

How about vacationing in someone else's home? Homelink.org offers an international house swap forum.

Cut a little luxury for 3 months for holiday savings

The holiday season's on our doorstep and that means paying travel expenses, buying presents, and extra groceries!

If you don't have the green stored away in your stocking, check out NotMadeOfMoney.com. The site suggests sacrificing a little luxury for a short time to create a fund.

NotMadeofMoney.com's suggestions include skipping going out to eat once a week for a few months to save an average of $600, or working overtime or part-time to try and pull in an extra $100 each week.

Also, browse BetterBudgeting.com's 63 gift ideas for under $10 for frugal gift ideas.

Helping kids cope with job loss

Yahoo Health and Iparenting.com have compiled some advice to help parents talk their kids through a family member's layoff.

Some suggestions include leveling with children, but sparing them the gory details.

For example, explain the family might be renting a special video instead of going to the movies this weekend.

The sites also suggest letting the kids help by having them come up with their own frugal fun activities. They'll love to do anything that's their own idea!

Ask children to make a chore chart so they can help around the house while mom and dad prepare resumes.

Use this golden opportunity to teach your young ones how best to deal with their own challenges in the future.

Less stress jobs

If you're retraining or just in the market for a new job, a list out from Yahoo! Hotjobs and ClassesUSA.com may help give you some direction.

Top low stress jobs with high potential include careers in math, archiving, forestry and positions in the travel industry.

Click here to read why some jobs may be less stressful and have more potential for employee satisfaction and career growth than others.

Mommysavers.com offers tips on saving, frugal fatigue

Mommysavers.com is packed with penny-pinching ideas, and discussion about the good and bad that comes with serious saving.

Posters share online bargains, enter coupons swaps, and get tips on how to cook more efficiently.

There's chat about 'canceling sprees' to cut bills, managing childcare costs, struggling with financial fear and ways to cope with 'frugal fatigue.' Suggestions include setting up rewards for saving. If you cut the phone bill three months in a row, use a portion of your savings to put on a special family picnic. You can also relieve recession depression by going on a dollar store shopping spree. You'll return home with a bad full of goodies...that may be the only thing to get it all out of your system!

10 things you should never buy new

MSNMoney.com has a list of things you should never buy new. A big one is books, sites like BookMooch.com let you trade books, the only cost is the price of mailing them.

The internet has made taking advantage of the library more convenient. Many Valley libraries will let you reserve a book online and they'll hold it for you until you can pick it up.

CDs and DVDs are another thing you may want to consider getting secondhand. Check out AbeBook.com, or Half.com for those.

Jewelry and sports equipment are also on the list of things you should never buy new. For more click here.

Also check out MoneyAnswerGuy.com's list of things you should never buy used.

Save $100 a month

SmartMoney.com brings us tips to save $100 a month. One way to save is by finding a cheaper credit card. CardWeb.com can help you find a card that works for your life, and has no annual fee.

Before you eat out, SmartMoney.com advises searching online sites such as DinnerBroker.com, or Restaurant.com for deals.

One of the best ways to save is by shopping around for things!!! LowerMyBills.com and MyRatePlan.com can help you compare prices and slash bills. Popular searches are for the best phone plans.

Click here for more tips to save $100 a month.

Saving 101: Make tough meat tender with the Crock Pot

The site AlwaysFrugal.com warns against giving into the convenience of buying non-food items such as detergent, toothpaste, and shampoo at the grocery store.

Instead, the site recommends finding these items cheaper at discount and dollar stores.

When it comes to meat, AlwaysFrugal.com advises buying less expensive cuts, and preparing them in the slow cooker to make a more tender and flavorful meal.

As for going out on the town, do lunch instead of dinner...you'll save a bundle.

Rehab for your wallet

WalletRehab.com helps you avoid wasting money when you're trying to save.

The site reccomends realizing the difference between buying 'cheap' and buying for 'value.'

WalletRehab.com's recommendation is to buy certified brand name items when it comes to products such as, electronics, large kitchen appliances, washers and dryers.

The site warns against straying far from your standard route for cheaper gas, and gives you direction as far as when to, and not to buy in bulk.

Tips for the truly frugal

Some of these tips may seem extreme, but it all depends on how serious you are about saving.

MiserlyMoms.com has hundreds of zany suggestions, and a tip search box. So, if the high price of milk is on your mind, search to see how others are saving.

Some of tips include:
Ironing out tissue paper you receive and using it again for gifts.
Bubble bath is cheap, refill soap dispensers with it, use it as body wash, and in a pinch as shampoo.
Soak sponges in laundry detergent, and squeeze them out. Use in place of dryer sheets.
After drinking a half gallon of milk, fill it back up with powdered milk mixed with water.
Make meatloaf and hamburger with bread crumbs or non-instant oatmeal.

Click the link above to read more tips from MiserlyMom.com!

The site Tightwad.com is another site with tips some might consider over the top.

Their philosophy on tipping might tick you off, but ideas on the topic are interesting. One suggestion is picking up two dollar bills from the bank.

When the check comes for an eight dollar tip, you give only six.

Hypothetically, the server will be so thrilled to receive what many believe are a collector's items, he or she won't even realize not being adequately tipped.

See if any of Tightwad's tips can help you by clicking here.

TheStreet.com helps you avoid banking fees

TheStreet.com's report Spend $10 Today, Be Out 100K Tomorrow shows you how saving a little everyday vs. overspending can go a long way.

TheStreet.com also helps us identify bank fees you may not notice with 10 Strategies to Fight Bank Fees.

Sites help cut your air conditioning bill

DoItYourself.com reccomends cutting the power your air conditioner uses, by purchasing a de-humidifier.

Taking the humidity out of air in order to cool it is part of your A/C unit's job, but an energy efficient de-humidifier uses less energy. As a team, the A/C unit won't have to work as hard, and overall DoItYourself.com says, you'll save.

The site also offers separate money saving tips for central air conditioning vs. window units.

Other tips from ConsumerReports.org and the Alliance to Save Energy are: avoid running the oven, lowering the shades, and only cooling the rooms you have to. You can close the vents and doors to areas you don not need to keep cool.

Check out APS appliance usage info

Take advantage of freebies online

Sites help you find free stuff!

When every penny counts, there's nothing quite like free stuff. Blog sites are focusing in on helping you endure the recession with links to free samples. May sound small, but every little bit helps.

Advertisers want you to try their products, and fall in love...but you don't have to buy in to it.

BlueSuitMom.com is a blog site for parents, check out the freebies and super savers section.

BestFreeStuffOnline.com also offers links to a lot of free samples.

You'll find free food, baby formula, diapers, wipes, lotions, deodorants, shampoos, makeup, pet food, laundry supplies, drink mix, cleaning supplies, calling cards, photo prints, the list goes on and on.

Job loss resources

Tools to help if you lose your job

There are sites that can help you not just with the loss of income, but the loss of self-esteem, and daily routine that can sometimes be associated with losing a job .

RileyGuide.com has a wealth of resources for those who have lost jobs, or anticipate losing a job. The site is based on the book A Guide to Internet Job Searching.

Here are some of the most helpful links:

Clues a layoff may be coming
The dirty dozen online job search mistakes
Coping with layoff and other job related emotions
Job posting sites
Think you were unfairly dismissed?
Know your rights when it's difficult to pay bills

How clutter can cost you

Check out the MSN.com report 7 radical ways to save money. One suggestion includes having the mother of all garage sales. If you are a hoarder, The Dollar Stretcher blog can help you understand how much your clutter is costing you.

Other great suggestions are borrowing books and movies from the library for entertainment, renting out a room in your house, and stopping smoking.

Save on gas

We're all feeling the pain at the pump as we approach $4 per gallon. Kiplinger.com gives us 5 ideas on how to save on gas, including targeting the time of day you fill your tank.

Check out the blogs and sites below to see how other people like you are saving money, and give us your suggestions by posting comment.

Ways to save on newborn baby gear
Ways to save at amusement parks
Ways to save at the grocery store
Ways to save on vacation
Ways to save eating out