The Babble List: 15 Money-Saving Tips
How to replace your expensive habits with cheap ones.
by Babble Editors
November 18, 2008
Instead of exercise classes, try exercise DVDs or videogames.
This only works for the super-self-motivated, but if you're serious about saving money, try swapping out your Pilates classes for a Pilates DVD (test-drive your picks on Netflix to weed out insufferably perky instructors). Crunch and Ten-Minute Solutions offer some solid workout routines. Get-off-your-butt videogames like Wii Fit and Dance Dance Revolution cost a few more bucks initially, but may be more fun, and therefore easier to stick with, in the long term.
Instead of taking your family to a movie, have a movie night at home.
Make some popcorn, get out a stack of blankets, and introduce your kids to Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers, Laurel and Hardy, or Preston Sturges — or, you know, watch Ratatouille again. You'll save so much, in no time you'll be able to afford a sitter to go see Quantum of Solace.
Instead of take-out, buy prepared or frozen meals.
Prepared food costs more than making meals from scratch, but less than ordering it in from the local Thai place. Fight the temptation to dial in dinner by stocking up on one or two no-prep meals a week. If you're lucky enough to live near a Trader Joe's, they're great for this sort of thing. As for lunch — we don't have to tell you it's cheaper to pack your own. Bribe yourself by getting a fun lunchbox that will make your leftovers seem fresh, like the bento box from Laptop Lunches.
Instead of the supermarket, visit the farmer's market.
Embrace the paradox: farmer's markets and CSAs have infinitely better produce than your local superstore yet it's usually less expensive, since you've cut out the middleman and are purchasing directly from the grower. For a seasonable veggie subscription, go to Localharvest.org and find a Community-Shared Agriculture program near you.
Instead of getting gifts from the mall, get them from Etsy.
Most merchants at this online craft marketplace take requests for custom goods, in addition to the mind-boggling array of vintage and handmade gifts that are ready for the buying. One thing: popular Etsy sellers tend to be swamped this time of year, so if you're planning on asking for a custom order, shop early.
Do you have tips of your own? Share them in feedback or in this Babble Playground forum!
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