You would think that since the housing market is still swimming near the bottom, that you would be able to find affordable homes or apartments to rent. I recently made a move back to my hometown and I was shocked to find out that most landlords have kept their monthly rent the same even in this economy. A few years ago, property owners could get top dollar for their rental homes and apartments but people just aren’t willing to pay what they were a short while ago. If you are looking for an affordable rental property, don’t be afraid to negotiate the price with the property owner.

Point Out Flaws
When viewing a rental property, do not be afraid to point out any flaws that you find. Take a good luck at the carpets, paint, appliances and make the property owner aware of the problems that you find. It might not save you a bundle, but the property owner may be willing to knock a few dollars off of the monthly rent if you make it known that you aren’t going to pay the asking price if things aren’t in excellent condition.

Cosmetic Changes
If you are looking at a rental property that could use some TLC, you can always inquire about fixing the place up yourself for a reduction in rent. Property owners will sometimes reduce rent if the tenant is willing to paint, landscape or make minor cosmetic changes.

Utilities
Most rental property owners require that tenants pay for their own utilities. If a rental property owner needs to rent the property, you may have some luck with getting the owner to pay one or two utilities. While the property owner may not budge on the more expensive utilities such as the electric bill, they may be willing to pick up the garbage or water bill.

Location
You may find a property that will suit your needs in a less than desirable location. If the neighboring property looks a little run down or you have to drive a good ways to the nearest grocery store, make this known to the property owner. Once again, landlords do not want their properties sitting vacant and they may be willing to reduce your rent if you point out a few inconveniences.

You can negotiate the price of just about anything and a rental property should be no different. I believe in getting what I pay for and that includes my housing. Even if the property owner is not willing to negotiate when you first look at the property, they may change their mind if the property continues to sit empty.

Can You Negotiate Rent? is a post from: Saving money tips - frugal living tips

Shampoo and Conditioner
With three girls in the family, the shampoo and conditioner tab ran pretty high when I was younger. In order to save a few dollars every month, my mom started filling the shampoo and conditioner bottles with water once they were half empty. I used to roll my eyes every time she did this, but the times have changed. I now fill the bottles back up with water when they reach half empty as well. When it comes down to it, my hair feels just as clean after using the water diluted solution as it does when I use it full strength and I save a few dollars every month.

Canning
When I was very young, canning was a fun and exciting time. I had quite a fascination with popping the canning lids in and out as I sat there waiting for the jars to be filled. As I got older however, my urge to help and the fascination with the canning lids started to fade. With kids of my own now, I have recently revisited the world of canning and I am astounded at how much money I save. I can everything from salsa to preserves and vegetables and I rarely have to buy canned items at the store anymore. To get the best prices, I buy all of my produce that I am going to use for canning at local farmers markets and I buy in bulk. As for my canning supplies, most of them have been purchased for a few dollars at yard sales or flea markets. Canning is a great money saving solution and you can keep certain foods on hand for years.

Buying Generic
What would my friends think if they saw generic cereal in my house? That was my typical teenage thought every single time that my mom purchased generic items at the grocery store. Maybe it was just my teenage taste buds, but I was certain that generic tasted awful compared to brand name foods. My adult taste buds are luckily much more mature and they have realized that most generic foods taste the same as the brand name foods.

Mom’s ideas may have seemed crazy to me when I was a child, but they have taught me ways to save money now that I am an adult. I think we can all learn money saving tips just by looking at what our parents and grandparents used to do.

Saving Money Mom’s Way is a post from: Saving money tips - frugal living tips

“A few decades ago, my Grandmother was appalled at how expensive caskets were when you only used them ‘the once’. So she purchased two caskets and used them to store linens. A few years later, Grandma and Grandpa had to move but Grandma didn’t want her neighbors to know that she had two caskets so she forced my dad and his brother to move them in the middle of the night to the new house. She ended up selling them a few years later since they decided that they wanted to donate their bodies to science and then be cremated.”

Anyway, go on to the consumerist to read the rest.

28 bad money saving ideas is a post from: Saving money tips - frugal living tips

Lets start off with my credit card debt. Between me and my lady we have three cards. This is the balance of them at the beginning of the month, and how much I paid or added to it.

MasterCard = $1800 – paid $200
Visa = $1350 – paid $800
Storecard = $1200 – spent $80

So I paid $1000, and spent $80. The visa is the one with the highest interest rate.

Now I know that a store card is not a very frugal way to shop so I will explain. This card allows me to purchase anything in the store with no payments or interest from 3 to 15 months. This card is for a furniture store, and we only buy stuff that we really think we need, and we research each purchase a lot. I bought my couches, a TV and two DVD players from there.

Some people might think these are not necessary, but trust me there is a good reason we got each item. Also, as I don’t have to pay them right away, I can put the money and things that are charging me interest right now. We have it all planned out to have it all paid off before any interest gets charged.

I also bought 2 new pairs of shoes, and two video games. I know, again, not very frugal but there is a reason again.

I budgeted $75 dollars for a new pair of basketball shoes as my current pair was almost 13 years old and I think I got my money out of them. I also wanted a pair of running shoes, but I thought I would get them later as I play basket ball more than I run. When I got to the store, there was a sale on the ones I wanted, but they did not have size 12.

So I asked if they had any of last years models, and they did have one pair of size twelves left! and they gave them to me for only $30! So I decided to look at running shoes, and found a pair I liked for $40. Then I noticed they were having a buy one, get one half price sale, so I paid $40 for the running shoe, and $15 for the basketball shoes. $55 in total and I got both pairs. Sweet and Frugal.

Now, the video games serve no purpose other than my entertainment, but I need to spend a little money on myself and one game per season is not too much to ask. Again, budget of $75 to buy one game. Saw the game I wanted, Halo Wars, on sale for $35. So I got that and then another game i wanted caught my eye, Red Alert 3, for only $10! So I got 2 games for $45. I know games aren’t very Frugal, but I got them in a frugal way

So I went out with a budget of $150 to get one pair of shoes and one game. I ended up coming home with 2 pairs of shoes and two games, plus I $50 left over. So not only did I save money, I also don’t have to spend money next month to get the other pair of shoes and my games will last longer.

Now I did not include that parts about me researching and checking out a ton of stores to find the things I wanted at the cheapest price, so it took me a little longer, but I feel it is always worth it.

So whats next? Paying off that visa in May, and having that mastercard paid off in June.

Personal Update – May 1st is a post from: Saving money tips - frugal living tips

Plan a Photo-Scavenger Hunt
Write clues directing your friends to nearby landmarks or interesting examples of local color. You might send them to photograph the oldest public building in your town, or to find a house with pink flamingoes on the front lawn. Whatever your selected items to scavenge, make your clues creative. Have your friends take pictures of themselves with each item they find, then meet back at your place for a spontaneous slide show. Whoever has the most items correct in the shortest amount of time wins!

Host a Tournament
Dig out or dust off your sports equipment and invite friends to participate in your first annual home run derby, horseshoe tournament or volleyball round robin. If you don’t have sports equipment, take a step back in time and put together a relay featuring a three-legged race, egg races, dizzy bats, or other favorites from childhood.

Stay Close to Home
Check for local activities such as concerts in the park, picnics or movies under the stars. These events are usually free or have very low admission prices. Not only can you while away a warm summer evening with friends, you may also meet some new people in your neighborhood. Summer is a great time for local festivals and fairs, too. Though the food, games and rides will cost you, the people-watching is free, and often priceless.

Get Active
Gym and swim club memberships may cost you a pretty penny, but you probably already have the equipment for many outdoor sports and fitness activities. Go for a bike ride or hike a national park. Grab an inner tube and make your own “lazy river”. Shallow creeks are great for drifting – just be sure to find a spot where swimming is allowed.

How much can you save?
By cutting back on expensive recreational activities like dinners out, movie or show tickets, or drinks at a trendy bar and replacing them with things that cost little or no money, you can probably trim $50 or more from your entertainment spending, pain free. What would you do with an extra $600 a year? And what are some of your favorite, free activities?

Free Fun – Your Key to Saving Money is a post from: Saving money tips - frugal living tips

Here’s the thing: a household budget isn’t a bad thing, especially during uncertain financial times. In fact, the opposite is true. household Budgeting can put you on the path to financial success and keep you off the road to ruin. Consider your household budget your own personal road map to your financial goals. Whether your goal is to buy a house, start a business, retire early, or just pay off your student loans, you’ll be well-equipped to do it with your personal household budget in hand.

Are you ready to create your household budget? There are many ways you can go about putting together your household budget. You can find forms online that allow you to enter your income and expenses. Some of these are so detailed that they ask you to enter gross income, estimate your taxes, deduct healthcare expenses and retirement contributions. You don’t need to get that fancy, however. You can create a simple, effective budget for your daily life using your net income (what you take home each pay) and the spreadsheet program of your choice. (The pencil-and-paper format also works for this method, but you’ll have to do the math yourself!)

Income
First list all your income. Enter your monthly salary, as well as any income from part-time or contract work, child support, alimony, inheritance – anything that brings money in on a monthly basis. If your income fluctuates from month to month, try to use the best average or lowest anticipated amount. That will help make sure you always have enough to cover your spending.

Expenses
Expenses fall into two categories: fixed and variable. Start your household budget with your fixed expenses – anything that is a set amount each month, like mortgage or rent, childcare, insurance, certain utilities, car payments. Variable expenses are the other categories you spend money on, but that can fluctuate or that you have control over. You’ll want to include these and other variable expenses: groceries, credit card payments, clothing and entertainment. Don’t forget to include a line item for savings!

Now, add up all your income and subtract your expenses. You want to get this number as close to zero as possible so you have a balanced household budget.

Surplus – and what to do with it
If you get a positive number when you do the math, you have a budget surplus – your income is higher than your expenses. That’s great! Your next step is to allocate that money to one of the categories on your list. Add the extra amount to your savings, or create a new category for it.

Deficit – and how to overcome it
If your total number comes up negative, you have a deficit. You’re spending more than you’re bringing in! There are two ways to fix a deficit: earn more, or spend less. Take a close look at your budget and see if there are any expenses that are inflated, or where you can cut back. Or, find a way to make a little extra money to cover those additional expenses.

Now that you’ve got the basics, remember: no matter how good your household budget looks on paper, the best household budget is one you can actually live with. So, don’t inflate the numbers or cut corners where you can’t realistically trim. Once you get it right and learn to live with it, your household budget just might become your best friend.

Household “Budget” is not a dirty word is a post from: Saving money tips - frugal living tips

Others behind me in line were not so gracious, and the grumbling begins as this woman starts pointing out sale items in a competitor’s flyer. This store has a price match policy. As we all now wait for the supervisor to arrive and issue the price match, the woman looks to me and apologizes for the delay. When she is finished, she hands me the flyer and points out the pop I am buying is on sale elsewhere for $2.88 per case. My math skills are not quite polished enough to total the difference on the spot, but I know it’s less than the $3.33 that drew me to the store.

The cashier eyes me unblinkingly, one hand on the phone ready to call the supervisor. I hear the rumbling of irritated people behind me. For a moment I am frozen, caught in a debate of taking the savings available, or throwing my money away for the sake of politeness to fellow shoppers. The flyer is right there in my hand, how could I possibly say no? I ask for a price match. It goes much quicker for me, since the cashier and the supervisor had the benefit of a practice run from the previous customer. Not wishing to belittle the good deed offered by the woman who gave me the flyer, I ask if anyone else needs it. Three people say yes, and I ceremoniously pass it down the line.

As it turns out, my little adventure in price matching saved me $2.70 for the six cases of pop that I bought. I am also now aware that my local grocer price matches, an element that has somehow escaped my attention until now. As I look through the litter of flyers I receive every week, I am consciously aware that a couple of my regular shopping haunts offer price matching. I think of all the sales I missed at other stores because I never got around to going in to pick up the sale item. If it’s not my regular destination, I rarely remember to go.

The next week I meticulously examined the various flyers that arrived at my door. I made myself a detailed list of specific items and which flyer they are advertised in as well as price. I venture to my local Wal-Mart, list and pen in hand, and begin my shopping. As I find items on my list, I make note of the regular price next to the flyer price. I certainly don’t want to ask for a price match on something that is already less at Wal-Mart than in the competing flyer. I have thirty items on my list, ranging from shampoo to diapers. One item I cannot find in Wal-Mart, and one is actually two cents less already. That leaves 28 items.

It’s early afternoon, and the store is not overly busy. I find a relatively short line up and begin unloading my cart. As soon as it’s my turn, I show the flyers to the cashier and advise her I need several items price matched. She rings in the items, and upon completion, we begin examining the advertisements. A couple people are now behind me in line to whom I apologize for the delay. The first lady waves her hand in a “no problem” gesture. The man mutters a curse and looks for another line up.

I will confess, it takes a few minutes for the supervisor to verify all the items and adjust the prices, but it was worth it. I saved a total of $17.12 on 28 items, all of which are regular weekly staples for me. I got the best available price without visiting several different stores. It took a little time at the cash, granted, but much less time than it would take to shop each store separately.

Price matching is well worth the effort. Saving a few bucks each week really adds up over the course of a year, and the fact is many retailers offer it knowing full well most shoppers won’t take advantage of it. It’s a great way to stretch your budget and makes shopping for sale items much more convenient. If you haven’t given it a whirl, you really should. However, I must warn you, while price matching can offer you some great savings, don’t expect to make friends of your fellow shoppers at the checkout line.

Why You Should Price Match is a post from: Saving money tips - frugal living tips

Sometimes you can find great bargains on early dinners in your own town. Restaurants like to cater to the senior crowd early in the evening. This is when they lower prices, yet still provide delicious food that will agree with any appetite. You may even find a reduction in the cost of a glass of wine to go with your meal.

You might want to choose a local restaurant instead of that fancy place down the road. You’ll pay much less for a less trendy décor. If you have kids, they might feel more comfortable in one of these establishments. You won’t have to worry about the business crowd sitting next to you.

You might also want to consider ordering nothing but an appetizer for your meal. This will cost far less, yet it might fill you up just as well as a steak and potatoes. Some restaurants provide generous portions in their appetizers. Plus, there’s a wide variety of items to choose from. You can get everything from chicken wings to tostados with guacamole sauce. Best of all, you won’t be eating as much, so you can reduce your calorie intake.

Another great way to save money is to use restaurant.com. You can find bargains from local restaurants as well as some chains. These places offer gift certificates at a reduced rate. You can save a lot of money and still enjoy fabulous food. You won’t feel like you’ve been cheated, because they try so hard to make their customers happy.

You might want to consider the daily special when you dine out. This meal may come at a discount price. It will be just as fresh and tasty as the other items on the menu, but it won’t cost as much. Plus, you might have the chance to try something new and very different from what you usually eat.

Another great idea is to bring your own wine to a restaurant. A lot of dining establishments will allow you to do this. You just want to check to see if there will be a fee if they open the wine. That could be costly, so you want to avoid it. But having your own wine will mean you can save quite a bit of money and still have the pleasure of a lovely bouquet with your meal.

In the end, we all want to have the luxury of a fine meal at a reasonable price. These tips are meant to help people enjoy that pleasure. When you find the restaurant that’s best for you, we hope you will have a great time. Just don’t forget to leave a tip of your own.

Eating Out At Bargain Rates is a post from: Saving money tips - frugal living tips

Of course, cars cost money. Saving money on a car means you have to start by trying to understand what kind of prices you’ll find at the dealers. The first price, MSRP, stands for manufacturer’s suggested retail price. It’s not the lowest price a dealer can provide. It’s only a guide to the fair markup on the car. It’s issued for the whole car and for each option that comes with it. The MSRP tells you the most you ought to pay, not the least.

After the MSRP, you find the invoice price. It’s not really the price the dealer paid for the car. It doesn’t include rebates or discounts the dealer received. A luxury car will cost more than an economy car. If you’re buying a BMW, you may find the invoice price is thousands higher than what the dealer got charged. For a Honda the invoice price would be lower.

If you want to buy a car with all the perks, you’ll find out it will cost you. You might want to limit your options to the mechanical kind. Air conditioning and power windows are better purchased from the dealer. It will be cheaper than having an outside party install them later. At the same time, you can buy stereos and exhaust systems for less from an outside source.

When it comes time to talk with the dealer, negotiate your price, not your monthly payments. Most sales staff will want to discuss payments. They think if they can stretch out the payments that can make it look like the monthly statement is a real steal. When you add up the monthly price and get the overall vehicle price, you find out you’re paying more than the MSRP for the vehicle.

You can probably get the best price for your old car if you use it as a trade in. It can also help you negotiate the price of the new vehicle. Consider this carefully. You won’t get a lot more money selling it to the kid down the street.

When it comes time to make the deal, you want to have a substantial down payment. This will save you thousands of dollars in financing and interest. A salesman will be eager to talk to you and make a deal. Have a price in mind before you show up. Let the dealer know you’re ready to buy if they can make a good offer. If you’re ready to buy, that will get you a lower price.

This is a great time to buy a car because no one is buying cars. You can find a terrific deal. So get out there and make your dream come true. Soon you’ll be cruising to paradise and you’ll have yourself to thank for making your dreams come true.

Cruising To Car Savings is a post from: Saving money tips - frugal living tips

Mother Nature provides every woman with an inexpensive way to feed baby. It’s called breast feeding. This milk supply is simple and easy to use. If you add in the cost of a breast pump, you may spend a little more. Breast feeding also helps protect the child against infections and illnesses. Ordinary things like wheezing and SIDS are reduced in children who breast feed. It also protects against allergies. Plus, they say breast feeding is more likely to make your child intelligent and develop better.

You may find people pushing you to enroll your child in special classes. Take the baby to the pool and try to teach him on your own. You don’t need to spend a fortune. You also don’t need to give the baby piano lessons. Just give him the piano to get his interests started. Gymnastics is something you can work out on your own in the living room. All you need is a mat, some free time, and a great sound system. Then go to it and watch baby roll and tumble.

Another thing people will tell you that you need is a digital camera, DVD camcorder and small production studio. Simple photographs taken with an ordinary camera will keep most of the relatives happy. You can always have these scanned for application to an e-mail program. You don’t really have to spend all your hard earned money getting the perfect picture.

What about the baby’s library? Do you need to buy only hard bound books? Do you have to have the latest best seller? The truth is most babies are content to gnaw on a cardboard cover book. Furthermore, they only want to see the pictures. They don’t care what kind of a story you’re reading. All that matters is that you’re reading. Go ahead. Enjoy this relaxing time. Savor the fun of being with baby.

Child care can be an expense. You may have to advertise at the local high school. It doesn’t hurt to ask friends for recommendations. What you really need to consider, however, is how you can find someone who is trustworthy and reliable. That’s beyond the nickel and dime of babysitting costs.

Your baby can be pure joy. Take a deep breath and get used to the idea that it’s not the easiest road for any adult to navigate. You’ll figure it out in time, and you’ll soon see that you don’t really have to spend a bundle on your bundle. You only have to be there to love him and let him know he’s the best thing that happened to you.

Save a Bundle on the New Baby is a post from: Saving money tips - frugal living tips