Top Ten Funny Money Saving Tips

This is a guest post from Sandra of Thinking Money.

Saving money is tough; it’s like a diet. You had your fun and now you have to tighten your belt to spend less. But being disciplined with your money does not have to be boring or a drag.

Here are my ten entertaining ways to save money:

1. Raid the lost and found in various locations. Libraries, schools, and public pools, are all great places where you can pick up great items at a steal.

2. Put your credit cards into tubs filled with water. Freeze. For some individuals, putting their chocolate into the freezer has helped them with impulse chocolate binges. Instead of popping the mouth watering chocolate into their mouths for that moment where it melts on their tongue, a disciplined chocoholic would have to wait for the chocolate to thaw before indulging. Likewise, you can put your credit card into a storage tub and freeze it. Depending on your self control, you may have to increase the storage tub to give you ample time to get a hold of your senses.

3. Go out without your wallet. You can either be honest with your friends or you can keep up the fraud and pretend that you actually forgot to bring it. If you do this once a month, you could probably save yourself a bundle over the years. You might need to make a ton of new friends as any old ones might get on to you and figure out your mooching ways.

4. Go snacking at gourmet grocery stores with food samples. You might be able to lunch your way through the shopping aisles as long as you are not too fussy about sharing your digs with other “shoppers.”

5. Check all vending machines for change that was not retrieved or loose food items. Do not get on any security guard’s ire by shaking the vending machine. However, if you keep a sharp eye out, you can sometimes find packages hanging, ready to fall out in such a way that if you buy the next one, you get the first bonus one free. After you do that, check under the machines for any more loose coins. People often don’t realize that they dropped more change than they picked up when they drop them.

6. Run out of gas on a major freeway, get rear ended and then get the poor person’s insurance company to buy you a new car. I actually knew a co-worker, who while he wouldn’t admit pre-meditation, did this TWICE.

7. Take extra packets of whatever the restaurant is passing out. Ketchup, salt, sugar, sugar substitute are just for starters. Non-dairy creamers, crackers, plastic utensils, napkins, nothing is too small.

8. Borrow toilet paper from work. If you only take very small rolls that are almost done for themselves, nobody should notice this.

9. Unplug everything in your house except when you use it. Phantom energy uses add up. Really.

10. Borrow magazines from your doctor’s office. If you feel bad about this, return them when you are finished.

Kelly says: I hope you see this article as the light-hearted, tongue in cheek piece it is! The most important point, however, is that saving money and being frugal can happen in the most unexpected ways.

About Sandra

“I am a writer and editor based in Manchester, England. My extensive marketing and finance background, allows me to run financialfacts.org sucessfully.

I have been making money online for a very long time now, and have a strong passion to inspire others to do the same. I know a little about a lot, as opposed to a lot about little, this makes me very well rounded, and open to try and excel at any one thing I choose or if the need arises! I have learnt a lot over the years, and want to help others live frugally, even if its in the smallest way possible!”