Easiest way to save money is to not carry any cash, credit, or debit cards on a daily basis. If you don't have it, you can't spend it.

One thing I like to do is pour a little water into the laundry detergent if I am down to the last 2 or 3 load of detergent in the bottle. Same with shampoo/conditioner.

Another is to do the 2-liter-bottle-of-water-in-the-tank trick on my toilet. Saves water that way.

my buddy cut up his debit card. he has the info memorized so if he needs to order something online he can but he has to go to the bank to get $ to spend. this way unless he really needs it he doesn't feel like taking the time to go to the bank and also it completely curbs his late night spending

If you know what you are doing, you can buy almost anything on Ebay cheaper than a store (be careful of shipping costs, but remember there is no sales tax). Ink cartridges, razor blades, clothes, shoes (all new and unused), sporting goods, electronics, car parts, etc. Many items are one-fourth to one-half of what you would otherwise pay.

If possible, get rid of your landline telephone. Replace with VoIP, or cellphone depending on your needs. Getting VoIP has saved me several hundred dollars annually.

Cut your paper towel rolls in half. I know, short-sheet versions are sold now, but they cost more.

@youaredumb: what about emergencies where you need some form of money?

Learn to cook!
I was home sick the other day, so I got to catch Queen Oprah. She was sending celeb chefs into people's homes to teach them how to cook, or to cook more economically. Some of these people had NO CLUE that cooking at home vs. eating out saves money! I mean, I get it if you don't/won't/hate to cook, but you weren't even AWARE of the fact that cooking at home (in most cases) saves money? Wow, we've come a long way down a strange road...

@youaredumb: In a perfect world this plan would work, but I would be terrified to leave the house without any form of monetary support in case an emergency situation came up. I agree with leaving the credit card at home and spending cash only (I'm currently going through withdrawl from my cc). Spending cash leads to spending less, but having at least my debit card for back up would give me some peace of mind. I'm also a big fan of not eating out and bringing your lunch to work. My coworkers spend about $10 a day on food, an amount that would really break the bank for me.

I remember one "interesting" tip from a while back was to save time and energy by brushing your teeth while showering.

And from the shampoo thread over the weekend, you can save money by using less shampoo. I did start to only use a tiny (well, nickel sized) amount just on my scalp and my hair definitely wasn't as oily by the end of the day, though I think for now I'll keep using a nickel sized amount every day...I just can't NOT wash my scalp.

My personal money-saving tips:

1) Use your connections. My father in law loves cars and will gladly work on our cars any day. Likewise, my father enjoys gardening and has given me tips on how to keep plants on my patio.

2) Being wise about managing cost and time. I could probably get a toaster on Craig's List for $5 but I might have to drive farther or out of my way to pick it up, whereas I could drive 10 minutes to Target and spend $10 more. Be wise and evaluate how much your time is worth. It's unwise for me to drive 40 minutes to save $10. Also, used toaster. Ick.

3) 3 lb. bag of potatoes FTW! Seriously. Potato is the most flexible food in the world. A little garlic, milk, butter, salt and pepper... voila.

4)Go to museums on "free" days, which are generally in the beginning or middle of the week, when people are less likely to take a day off. They also won't be as crowded either, especially if it's cold right now. Tourists only come when it's warm.

5) Make circular browsing a habit. I'm not ashamed to say that I look forward to looking at grocery store circulars every week. Hey, I like saving money.

@rexmus1: You're kidding me! Next thing they will be saying is we can actually grow our own food and save money as well. ;-)

Look at unit prices every time you shop. The bigger package isn't always cheaper... and sometimes it was cheaper last week but not this week.

I make my own bread. I can make a loaf of multigrain bread for about 45 cents. Seriously.

@snowmoon: You can also pour a ton of money away doing that, though, so it's best to be choosy when planting and be aware of water needs and costs, etc. "Didn't have to buy" isn't the same thing as "free."

Cooking more than one meal. People who live alone complain "they don't want to cook for just want person." So I say don't. Cook, but cook several meals and portion them up into tupperwares.

If you're making chicken, rice, salads, etc - bake or grill a whole tray of it (or include other meats for variety) and save it. If I make something good, like barbaque chicken or green chili I certainly don't mind eating the same thing the day after for lunch.

On Sunday afternoons I usually grill some meats, hard boil some eggs, boil potatos and rice and put it all in various size tupperwares. Then I have full meals I can grab, and stuff to snack on that isn't junk. (like cooked chicken with mustard.)

Great for at home, taking to work, and on the go. And I rarely eat fast food or junk food.

james...

Stealing is a great way to save money. I kid I kid!!

I wash out my ziploc bags. You can turn them inside out and throw them in the wash when you do laundry. Hang 'em to dry and you'd never know they were in the washing machine.

The Tightwad Gazette FTW!!

If you clip coupons and check the weekly sales at CVS, Walgreens, etc., you can usually get toothpaste for free. That's a little less messy than cutting open the tube.

Don't by stuff you can't afford. Seriously, 50% of the things people buy are not necessities. The way I've done it is to only spend cash. Yes, I carry a debit and credit card for emergencies, but I only spend cash. That way, if I want to buy something I either have to make a special trip, or I have to consider buying it, get cash from home (when I reconsider buying it), and then reconsider buying it again at the store. Most of the time, by the time I get home I've talked myself out of buying whatever it is I wanted because I don't really need it. If more people started using cash for their day-to-day expenses rather than just throwing that latte, lunch, and dinner on the debit or credit card they would save a ton of money.

also - for those who eat out too much but don't have time to cook: Think about how much time is spent ordering food, waiting to pick it up, sitting at restaurants or waiting at the drive thru.

A couple hours one weeknight or weekend isn't that much time to spend preparing food for future use. And your house will smell good.

You don't have to be a caterer, just make more than you'd eat and save it.

@pecan 3.14159265: brush your teeth while showering? why, you're using water from the showerhead that is going to waste

@beckster: I would rather just but the standard ( non-ziplock ) bags at a fraction of the cost.

Join a warehouse club like Costco or BJ's -- or both. (I refuse to endorse anything related to Wal-Mart). The membership fees can easily pay for themselves... they do for us!

We pay Costco $100 per year for a business membership. In return, I get a $10 per month discount on my small business's Web hosting. The membership is paid for right there, with a $20 'tip,' and then we save additional money on food. Then, we get 2% of our purchases back each year. That gift certificate just showed up today: $38.80. I'm heading over there now to spend it on a toy, er, tool for the workshop.

We don't eat too many cold cuts, but we do happen to eat about three pounds of Cooper Sharp sliced cheddar cheese per month. It costs $7 - $9/lb. in the supermarkets, but BJ's sells it for under five dollars a pound. This one item saves us more than the $45 annual membership fee, and then we save on many other items as well.

If you absolutely have to have it today, wait until tomorrow to buy it. If you still need it, get it, otherwise leave it alone.

Use your local library for books, movies, and music. It's free, or rather, you're paying for it with your tax $. You can usually request that they buy a specific title.

Don't buy stuff. Seriously. You don't need it. Food, gas if you have a car, other necessities, fine. If you want something, don't buy it, go home and think about it. Easiest way to avoid this is to not go shopping.

Turn off the water when you're washing your hair. Don't leave it running when you're brushing your teeth. Brush your teeth twice a day and floss at least once; save on dentist bills by preventing cavities!

Check out rummage sales for clothes; I've gotten cashmere sweaters with the tags still on at rummage sales; the best ones are in wealthy neighborhoods. As long as you aren't spending a lot to get there and you only buy stuff you actually need, it's usually worth it. I've gotten great gifts for people at rummage sales too.

Avoid being friends with people who are getting married. Seriously, this is getting expensive. Can't you guys just live in sin for a few years?

@rexmus1: crockpots and casseroles are your friends. If you consistently freeze half of your casseroles, you won't get tired of it as fast. Plus, you'll have enough frozen food to make it through a really tight spot if need be.

Also, cutting the ends of the toothpaste? Let's do the math on that. I brush my teeth twice a day and go through one ~$1.79 tube of toothpaste every three months. In other words, it costs me about one penny to brush my teeth. I'm not cutting open my toothpaste to save 12-15 cents/year. There is a fine line between frugal and cheap and that "tip" definitely crosses it.

@jamesdenver: Seconded. And many of those things you mentioned freeze--rice freezes beautifully, for instance--thus making them last even longer and become more portable. So do a lot of those vegetables that you may not get to in time (chopped green onions and minced ginger are my freezer standbys).

I'll put in a plug for the Lunch in a Box blog [lunchinabox.net] , especially its FAQs and lists, for helpful lunch-bringing tips. The bento-esque approach is also useful for maximizing leftovers, because a tablespoonful is enough to stick in a lunch along with other stuff.

Make the Snuggle bear cry: tear those dryer sheets in half. A half works just as well as a whole on static and you won't go to work smelling like a field of chemical flowers.

My fiance and I throw our spare change into a jar for a year, then cash it in and use it for gas money on our yearly vacation to Canada. It's usually good for at least three or four tanks worth.

jamesdenver: Or, share with a neighbor, or have a friend over, or rotate who cooks/brings food. But make sure you have the good fortune of having friends who cook well.

beckster: What if you use the hot setting on your washing machine? It doesn't melt the ziploc bags, does it? What about generic brand, have you tried it with that? I think I would try it, but I use generic (well, BJs Warehouse brand).

rugman11: I agree about day-to-day necessities. Lattes are generally not necessities. But I would say that budgeting is more important than absolutely only buying only what is necessary, especially when it comes to food. Buy what you enjoy without being unreasonable.

@Nate425: Conversly, I actually save $50 a month on my cable bill by having a phone line installed. Granted, if I got rid of cable and the internet I would save even more...but since I already purchase those two, adding the phone saved me more than not having it.

Previously I just didn't have a landline phone at all.

Some of these tips are fine, if you keep it up 100%. But if you fall off the wagon and over-spend on something even just a few dollars then you've lost what you saved cutting your toothpaste open like an idiot.

Some things I have found:

-Do your own auto maintenance. This requires a bit of up-front investment for some tools, but spending $75 on a quality socket set, an oil-filter wrench, and an oil pan will save you a lot down the road. For a filter and 4 1/2 quarts of oil I paid $18 as opposed to the $30 and up most places charge. I was quoted $500 for a brake caliper change that I did for less than $100 with some brake fluid and an aftermarket part from Checker.

-Carry a $100 bill in a hidden area of your purse or wallet for an emergency. $100 is a hotel room, or a meal, or a car rental fee, should something go wrong. The trick is to set your mind to only use it in a true emergency.

-Split your internet. This is a big one for apartments: If you can, hang up a flyer, set a secure WPA or WPA2 key, and charge them $5 or so a month. If someone abuses it, change the key and give it back out to those who are still using it.

-Buy a desktop laser printer, not an inkjet. Yes, the printer and toner are more expensive up-front but a typical toner cartridge pumps out 5,000+ sheets (as opposed to the roughly 500-100 that an ink cartridge can do). If a black cartridge costs $20 and the toner is $80, you've saved $120 or more. Plus toner cartridges don't dry out and look a hell of a lot more professional.

-Purchase a programmable thermostat and learn how to use it properly! This, combined with plastic on my windows, knocked my heating bill in my house down about 50%.

-Keep AC adapters on a power strip, then switch it off when they aren't being used. Great for cell phone chargers, Playstations, etc.

-Join a movie club such as Kerasotes' 5-buck movie club or the much-less of-a-deal Marcus Spotlight club.

-Plant a garden. For $2.00 in seeds you can get a lot of fresh produce. If you don't have a garden space, check out a community garden.

-Use the library instead of the bookstore.

-Make shipping costs, and not the cost of an item, the priority when shopping online. Keep the product price a close second, but by searching sites such as Newegg.com for free shipping you might save some $$. I saved $30 on shipping charges by altering my last computer's components.

1) Stay in one weekend a month and live off the food in your pantry. I imagine most people spend money during the weekends when they're not working. This also forces you to plan your spending ahead of time. The more you think about what you spend, the better decisions you'll make.

2) If you live in an urban area, cancel cable, and just get a good indoor antenna. There's plenty of entertainment over the air and on the internet.

Instead of leaving that ugly bottle of dishwashing liquid on the sink, squirt half into a clear glass bottle (I like the kind with a spout used for olive oil) and fill the rest with water. Looks pretty, too.

Quill2006: Turning off the water during hair washing is really only a good idea if you're absolutely impervious to cold. At 7 a.m., there is absolutely NO way I'm turning off a hot shower.

And having friends who are getting married really isn't expensive unless they have a wedding that requires a long drive, or they expect you to spend $300 on a gift..which in that case, I agree, you probably shouldn't be friends with them.

I had three weddings to attend last year...sure we spent a little money, but our friends were happy we were there, and not because we showed up with a gift. It's also important not to be a jerk and not attend a friend's wedding just because you (not YOU, Quill, I mean a metaphorical you) think it's too much out of your way to buy a small gift.

Leita Terranova: Make Snuggle bear cry even more by buying generic sheets :-P

Negotiate everything! You've got the money, and they have the service. So always ask if that's the best they can do. I've had a lot of success with the cable company, and when buying things at big box electronics store. At J Crew the other day, I found out they offered student discounts. So my advice is to always try to negotiate. My next target: Verizon Wireless.

I load the fark up on toothpaste -- I use way more than I need for any given brushing. I enjoy turning the sink into a soapy, sudsy, pasty mess.

@ 4 cents a day, wasting toothpaste is one thing I can definitely afford.

Best ways to save money: 1. Increase income 2. Don't sweat the small stuff 3. Make interest your servant, not your master 4. Shop online, make it worth your time (free diapers in exchange for an hour of your time better be a lot of diapers. 10 ain't gonna cut it). 5. Get a low credit limit and a high emergency fund (what you could live off of comfortably for 3 months at a time). 6. A house is not always the ideal living arrangement. 7. Sell off old stuff you don't need. 8. Make your own lunch--can taste better and be healthier than going out to eat. Limit going out to eat to once per week or less. 9. Ask the essential question for purchases over $20: "Do I really NEED this now? Can I go two weeks without it?" Then take 10 to 20 minutes to evaluate other opportunities/offers.

Wash your windows with used newspaper - works better than paper towels and saves money. Another article today recommended getting lots of packets of hot sauce from taco bell, do the same with mayo, mustard, ketchup relish, napkins etc. You don't have to buy food, just go inside and help yourself. Unplug devices in your home when you're not there - they use up power even when not on. A little diligence can save north or $50 a month in a small apartment. Also space heaters are good for small apartments in the winter -- Don't heat rooms you aren't in.

@pecan 3.14159265: You reminded me of George Carlin's bit about showering: No need to shower excessively you only really need to regularly wash the "4 major areas" -- asshole, armpits, crotch, and teeth. And to save time, do them all with the same brush!

@winshape:

Crockpots and Casseroles for the win. I'm 22 and lost my job and living with my folks again, so while I look for work I do chores around the house and make dinner and do dishes afterwards (have to give back.)

I've found that jello molds (while not in fashion as much as the 1950's) are a very cost effective way to add a dish to the table, along with casseroles.

In fact, I do almost all of my cooking out of my betty crocker 1950s cook book. Lots of old fashioned ways of cooking regular food without a microwave, processed stuff, etc. We're saving a bit of money each month by saving things we don't eat for the next day, and we can sneak in more fruit and veggies at dinner when they're in one dish.

I tried to do the baggie-washing thing (huge fan of Tightwad Gazette!) but they always dried with a film or didn't dry all the way, and generally were a huge pain for me to deal with, so I invested in a giant roll of clingfilm from Costco. I use that for 90% of my food covering needs, and don't feel so guilty about the few baggies I toss.

@legwork: What method do you use to cut them in half?

Regarding the weddings. You get two reasonably priced meals and possibly some free alcohol and entertainment for the cost of a single gift. Now, in my area, a couple can spend as little as $30 for a wedding gift. That makes a wedding a fairly good value for entertainment!

Learn basic sewing - Doesn't have to be anything fancy just some needle and thread to sew on buttons or repair small tears along seams.

Buy a large freezer and buy in bulk - over the long term this can save a lot of money. Have some freezer bags and foil at home, go out to a bulk store buy a 10 lb container of hamburger and break it up into 1 lb bags. Savings will add up quickly and you don't have to go out to shop as often. The more you go out to shop the more impulse buys you will make.

Cook with Rice - rice is a great side dish or filler for almost any meal and it is VERY cheap it's also very healthy. If you do this on a regular basis a rice cooker may be a good investment as most double as vegetable steamers as well (vegetables are also great to buy in bulk frozen).

Learn to change your own oil for your car - when you do this buy a reusable oil pan (one that seals) so you can take the oil to a drop of for recycling.

Don't be afraid to bargain or ask for discounts - even at a large chain store, hotel chain, ect. - to do this you will have to do some leg work. Find the cheapest prices you can then start playing stores against each other (show one chain another's deal). You can also get a discount by buying "extras" you were going to get anyway (i.e. If you are looking for a new pc and wireless mouse/keyboard) talk to the sales rep about your interest in the most expensive object and then you can say something like "Well I like this PC but it is a little above my price range - especially since I am looking for a wireless keyboard/mouse also - If you were to take 10%-20% off the price of the pc I would be able to get the keyboard/mouse also" Note this works best if you also pretend to be interested in other things they offer like a protection plan up until the last minute.

Hope some of these help =)

@Cat_In_A_Hat: In case of an emergency? I understand the fear, but in the past 12 months, how many days have you experienced an emergency where you needed cash that exact instant?

I'm a fiscally responsible and educated 20-something. I know, I know!

I stopped using debit completely. Because I make a conscious effort to not spend extra in an attempt to gain "points" through my credit card reward program, I'm able to save a flat 2-3% on nearly all my spending. You have to be smart about it, but I really love my credit card- though I'd be considered a "deadbeat" by the CC company's standards and I'm sure they hate me.

For organic food, you can join a co-op. If you don't have money to put forward, some will let you work off your portion with labor.

For basement storage, I just made myself some shelves. I'm a white-collar kinda guy, but I'm also very curious and like trying out new things. The shelves weren't terribly hard to make, and I saved a bunch of cash by making them myself. I'll probably try more projects in the future!

1)cook at home.

2)no Lattes - if you have to have coffee get drip coffee - $1.75 a day is much better than $4 a day.

3)make your lunch or buy frozen meal - Safeway has them 5/$10 so that is only $2 per day on lunch.

4)switch to cell phone only. I have not had a land line in years.

5)wash you hair over 2 or 3 days..instead of every day...you shampoo lasts twice as long and it is better for your hair.

6)clean with vinegar - it is cheap and better for the environment then other household cleaners.

7)Clip Coupons!

8)Do your own year maintenance you can be saving over $60 a month!