1. Switch to a fuel-efficient vehicle if you haven’t already, ie. Honda Fit, Toyota Yaris, Mini Cooper, Smart Car, Suzuki Swift, Mazda 2 just to name a few and uses fuel stabilizer from time to time. Now is not the time to have a big ego and say you will never give up your SUV or 4×4 truck. Only the intelligent survive and those who are willing to adapt to their environment. Like Darwin’s theory, you must apply it and be willing to adapt to economic change. $40 to fill up (at current gas $1.26+/liter) instead of $100+.
2. Even go extreme and switch to a motorcycle or Vespa/Moped/Scooters. The function of having wheels is to get from point A to point B. I don’t understand the people who own these big gas-guzzling SUVs, Cadillac Escalades, and trucks when most of the time they drive by themselves without much to carry; seems like a waste. Motorcycle and scooter insurance is very cheap depending on what you get, and very cheap on fuel. $7 can fill up a Honda CBR125. $20 and UNDER for any other comparable SuperSport motorcycle to $100+ on larger vehicles. The only problem is winter for people in snowy areas.
3. Use a bike or rollerblades for short distances (my definition of a short distance is 2-5 kilometers). You get the exercise you need and you save gas, but you use more time to get to your location, however, as I mentioned, you get the daily exercise you need, which is actually INVESTING time.
4. Instead of using a dryer, to dry your clothes. Hang to air dry during spring and summer. And during the winter (or if you’re embarrassed about your neighbors seeing your underwear), hang them in the basement, if you don’t have one, in a designated room near a heating vent.
5. Keep your wardrobe simple, 3 or 4 outfits for summer/winter. The reason behind this is the laundry. Having few clothes means having to use little water to wash them. You’ll be glad your washing machine is permanently set to “low load.” Forget what’s in season or the latest and greatest fashion trend, I’m here to teach you how to SAVE money, not spend it.
6. People spend a ridiculous amount of money on shoes. Reduce 100 pairs of shoes to just TWO. Low cost dress shoes and runners. Forget the name brands and with only 2 pairs there is not much to maintain and it is easy to replace if they are discarded. One is for going out and the other is for training. Any other type of footwear must be covered by your workplace.
7. Shop at thrift stores, like Goodwill, the Salvation Army, or Value Village. You can find a bargain there, like an $800 fur coat for just $40. Leather jackets, brand name items that no longer fit someone. Forget the myth of the dead.
8. Use ONLY in desperate situations, stocking up on paper towels or toilet paper from the malls. If everyone starts doing this, there will be a problem, so I only advise this if you are financially strapped and desperate.
9. NEVER buy chips or liquids from a vending machine or even a convenience store just because it’s convenient (especially at amusement parks). Always shop at a local grocery store like Sobeys, Lobes, Food Basics, or No Frills. You are paying $1.75 for a 600 ml bottle, which costs more than GASOLINE, which costs $1.24+/LITRE. At a Sobeys you can get a 5-gallon CARTON of iced tea or lemonade for $0.99. Fill a water bottle before you go out. WHICH BRINGS US TO THE NEXT POINT.
10. Tap water/filtered refrigerator water over bottled water. Evian spelled backwards is Naive.
11. Switch to a meatless diet. In other words, go vegetarian. Fruits and vegetables are healthier and much cheaper than buying meat products. Of course, only in supermarkets. When it comes to fast food, meat remains cheaper due to supply and demand. With $5 you can get a bag of apples that lasts ONE MONTH (if they don’t go bad by then). And the fruits only cost pennies which can fill you up.
12. Instead of electric lights, switch to candle lights. Not only does it provide warmth and visibility, but it will also save you money on your heating and electricity bill. It’s pretty romantic as a bonus 😉 Just remember to blow when you go out and don’t fall asleep.
13. Keep your loose change, it will add up in the long run and if you find some on public roads, just pick it up. You are helping the environment by cleaning someone’s “liter”. You can donate it to those little charity boxes you see at fast food restaurants and Wal-Marts later as a good deed, throw it in a wishing fountain, or decide to keep it.
14. NEVER buy anything in retail stores, buy shoes and clothes online on websites like eBay. This also includes consumer electronics. You can save up to $50 I think on shoes and clothes. As for electronics, you can save up to $1,400+ or ​​so. That’s what I saved buying my laptop online. It saves some time and gas, but it takes time to ship. Two precious resources.
15. If you haven’t done so now, swap incandescent bulbs for fluorescent lights and if you’re going to use outdoor lighting to show off your front yard and home, use solar panel lights.
16. Stop buying CDs. Why pay for a COMPLETE CD with only 1 or 2 tracks you like? Buy the songs online for $0.99 cents each. iPod is the future, CD players in cars will become obsolete for iPod adapters. Downloading them for free is difficult nowadays and it is unethical.
17. Stop buying BOOKS or DVDs, when you can BORROW THEM FOR FREE at your local library. There is no need to own things. The simple Zen way is that once you’ve read all your books, throw them out in the backyard and burn them. In this case, once you have finished reading them, go back instead of recording. When I see stacks of DVDs and books in people’s homes, I see where most of their money went. It’s a waste because you only watch the DVD or read the book once or twice and then it collects dust. There is also the option of buying bootleg DVDs on the streets and buying new or used books at discount bookstores. But even I don’t spend my money on it. I follow Bruce Lee’s quote “One does not accumulate but eliminates”. It is not daily increase but daily decrease. The height of cultivation always goes towards simplicity.”
18. For the guys, get a free haircut at home, either by cutting it yourself, with a friend or family member. You save $10-$20 per cut, which adds up in the long run. The professional military look with a short haircut is in fashion! And even the completely shaven “monk” look. This trend I think was due to the character acting as Michael Scofiled from the series “JailBreak”. Short hair is good for athletes and summer. To the ladies, if you are lucky enough to have a hairdresser as a friend, tell him to do it for you and return the deed to him.
19. Home gyms with 24-hour gym passes. They conducted research that concluded that most people who join local gyms don’t frequent them. Another waste, instead, investing money in weights to keep at home has better advantages. No need to drive to the gym every day (saving time and gas again and putting up with traffic), if you’re downtown, pay for parking and work out for a few hours, shower, then drive home. If the sauna is your main concern, all the money you saved could be used to buy one. There’s something called 24-hour ghetto training, seriously, look it up! But I started the 24-hour training at HOME again.
20. Do not invest heavily in lotteries or games of chance, they are not a reliable source of income. It’s okay to play from time to time, but don’t overdo it. It’s just the way out of the lazy full of illusions. It is better to build your wealth than to inherit it. If you give a person a fish, he will feed him for a day, if you teach him how to fish, he will be able to eat for a lifetime.
21. If you are paying for Satellite or Cable TV, I strongly recommend that you cancel your payment plans with the corporations. The only thing you really need to see everything is on the Internet. And the basic channels (like news) you get are free or you can pick them up with an antenna. Think about it! These packages that they sell you promise more than 1,000 channels, but you can only watch ONE channel at a time. If you watch multiple channels, things will get so interesting that you’ll be glued to the TV. Another waste of money, and a waste of time.
22. Cold showers over hot showers. Research indicates that cold showers are not only healthier for you, they also detoxify the body and lower blood pressure in your organs and throughout your body. You will save money on your heating and hydroelectric bill if you take a cold shower for 2 minutes.
23. Last but not least. I’ve talked about saving on essentials: food, water, and clothing. This is probably the most important shelter. Always do your research before renting a place. But it is better to own a property than to rent. One method you can do is mortgage a house and rent it to 5 college students at $500/month each, it should be enough to cover the payments and it’s like getting a house for free. The only problem is… where are you going to live? Owning a mobile home/mobile home is an alternative (or owning one just to live in the first place without mortgaging a house), and in some extreme cases, I’ve read that some business owners before they were successful had to live in their CARS temporarily, before they made it big. The difference is in the HUNDRED THOUSANDS, living in an RV that can cost as little as $10,000 for a run-down used one at an average of $50,000 versus owning a $250,000-$500,000 suburban home.
