Economic downturns are never much fun, but as Adam Smith noted centuries ago, these cycles of paucity and plenty are a fact of life. Though none of us can say for sure when this latest slump will reverse, there are at least sure ways of sparing your wallet in the meantime. Here are some penny-preserving techniques tailored to our 21st-century lives:

 

1. Plenty of people are in the habit of cutting out paper coupons, but even though many of us do part of our shopping online now, not as many of us seem to have gotten into the habit of coupon-hunting on the Internet. Sites such as CouponCabin.com, CouponMountain.com, and DealofDay.com offer thousands of current offers at retailers across the Net.

 

2. Use price-comparison sites like Pricegrabber.com, Shopping.com, Google Product Search, and mySimon.com to find the best deals online.

 

3. When you’re out at a store, send a text message to 46645 (Google’s number) and enter the letter “f” and then the name of the item you’re looking at. Google will reply with a text message quoting its online prices. To compare prices at stores in your area, use ShopLocal.com.

 

4. If you don’t already belong to one, consider joining a warehouse club like Costco or Sam’s Club and buying in bulk. This can be especially helpful if you have a sizeable family.

 

5. Buy generic instead of brand-name products. A lot of the difference is often in the marketing hype and not the products themselves, anyway.

 

6. Withdraw your green from surcharge-free ATMs, which can be found on AllpointNetwork.com and MoneyPass.com.

 

7. Buy locally-grown food at farmer’s markets or stores that sell local produce and meats. Prices are often lower there since the food doesn’t have to be transported far.

 

8. Shop at dollar stores. You shouldn’t have a difficult time finding one since they’ve been popping up all over the place recently.

 

9. Buy discount prescription drugs at online pharmacies. You’ll often end up paying considerably less than half as much for the generic medications sold at these discount prescription drug stores than you would for the same brand-name medicines at brick-and-mortar pharmacies.

 

10. If your car is seven years old or older and/or worth $2,500 or less, consider dropping comprehensive and collision from your insurance.  Your deductible may be approaching the worth of your car anyway, in which case a major collision would send your car to the junk yard and you to the dealership.

 

11. Keep cell-phone costs under control. Today’s kids love to text message, so save yourself from unexpectedly high bills by paying the flat monthly fee for unlimited text messaging.

 

12. Use online classifieds to buy used items. Sites like CraigsList.org and Kijiji.com are great resources for finding everything you need, from pre-owned furniture to baby gear. By buying from local sellers, you can save on shipping costs too.

 

13. Go to matinees. Matinee showings are usually more reasonably-priced than peak-time showings.

 

14. Install Power Planners (see www.energycsi.com/energysmart) to lower the power usage of your electrical appliances.

 

15. For your next date, plan a romantic picnic instead of going to an expensive restaurant. Pack a blanket and a cooler full of your favorite foods and you’ve got yourself a cheap rendezvous. Add some zest with a bottle of wine.

 

16. Instead of spending money on software, look for (legal) free software from websites like Download.com and SourceForge.net. Depending on how you use a given type of software, the free alternatives will frequently be just as good as the commercial versions.

 

17. If anybody in your house is a student, get the Student Price Card from SPCLive.com. It’s only $8.50 and it will get the holder 10% to 15% discounts in scores of participating stores.

 

18. Control your thermostat. Using a programmable thermostat to adjust the temperature will save energy when you’re asleep and away. Prices range from $30 to $120, but you’ll lower your bill by 10% to 20%.

 

19. Consider leaving your health club. Less expensive options may include a gym at your work, in your building or community, or at a nearby parks and recreation center.

 

20. Reduce your water bill by installing low-flow showerheads and $1 toilet displacement bags.

 

21. When you eat out, choose waiter-less restaurants where you order up front and pick up your own food. You’ll avoid paying a tip, and these types of restaurants often have more reasonable prices as well.

 

22. Buy pre-owned books. Major online book sellers offer a “buy it used” option, where you will often find books in like-new condition at substantial discounts.

 

23. Have a friend or family member cut your hair. This works best for men and boys who like to keep their hair short and uninvolved, because someone without experience can do as good a job as a barber using a set of clippers. Professional clippers are available in department stores for less than the price of some high-end haircuts.

 

24. Swap babysitting responsibilities with other families. Instead of paying a teenager to talk on the phone, send the kids to the neighbors’ place on your nights out and take their kids into your place for a few hours when they need some couple-time alone.

 

25. Replace your incandescent light bulbs with CFLs (compact fluorescent lights). They use about 1/4 as much energy, last about 10 times longer, and can now often be found on sale for only $1 each if you shop around.

 

26. Use personal-management software such as Quicken or the free software from Rudder.com.

 

27. Swap one-time-use items (such as books) with friends once you’re done using them. If you each have things you’ll never use again but that the other wants, you can save yourselves the cost of buying them new.

 

28. Use public transport or a bike to get to work, if possible.

 

29. When you need to upgrade your personal electronic devices, trade the old ones in for cash at sites like Gazelle.com and CellforCash.com.

 

30. Don’t shop for food on an empty stomach. If you do, you’re likely to purchase more than you actually need.

 

 

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The web has not only made it easier for vehicle owners to refinance but it has also greatly simplified the process of learning more to do with refinancing. Again vehicle owners from past generations may have to rely on industry professionals and published books with regards to refinancing. Although, today’s car owner can seek out refinancing and find an abundance of helpful facts regarding the various types of loans and refinancing options available online. Vehicle owners can also use the net to access calculators which perform the involved equations you previously had to leave up to the trained professionals. These same calculations which may have taken a considerable period of time to conclude and right are now solved within a fraction of a second.

Selcting a Respectable Lending Partner

Vehicle owners who’re doing most of their refinancing investigation and searches online should carefully consider the lender they choose. This is important because whether a lender is found online or offline, care should be taken to make sure the lender is respectable. The best way to perform this is to stick with a better established lender who comes highly recommended by friends and family members. This doesn’t signify new lenders and smaller lenders are not respectable but there is importantly less risk engaged in choosing a founded lender than there is in picking out a new lender. Make sure you validate that the application you compete online is secure. OpenRoad Lending is a new player in the refinance market but has an extensive background in auto finance and data security.

OpenRoadLending.com

Vehicle owners who are investigating their refinancing options online may find the web site OpenRoadLending.com to be a very valuable resource. This site offers articles and calculators which the vehicle owner can use to gain the knowledge they require to make an informed decision. The articles on the internet site are written in clear and concise language which is easy to comprehend and the loan calculator is extremely user genial and allows the borrower to enter in a few variables to acquire the desired results.

Another great feature of this site is the inclusion of a link which provides access to obtaining a free of charge credit status. This is done to safeguard homeowners from identity theft or other acts of fraud. This is significant because vehicle owners are likely to realize the terms of their refinance will rely largely on their credit rating. Vehicle Owners who have good credit will likely be offered favorable rates and terms while those with not up to perfect credit will not be offered favorable rates and terms.

Also, the most important feature of this site is the skill to get an answer on your loan qufast and the process is quick. The information that is requested is basic in nature and is information you will have readily available. Once this application is submitted, the loan decision is received virtually instantly.