Since the economy is going to be much worse next year, here are some New Year Resolution Ideas on how to save money.

1. Pay off all your debts (Instead of paying the minimum balance every month, try paying the full amount so you can avoid the interest.  Example: Let’s say you bought a television that costs $399, and you decided to pay only the minimum balance on the TV.  By doing this you are probably adding another $400 dollars to the cost, bringing your $399 television to become a $800 dollar television. You just paid double for that TV, when you probably could have saved your $800 dollars and bought a better TV with it.  This makes no economical sense, and yet a lot of Americans do this, very strange consumer behavior.)  Ways you can get rid of Credit Cards Debts

2. Cancel all your credit card (Credit cards is our temptation, if we could just get rid of it and act as if we don’t have credit cards, it will definitely help us keep track of our own spending.  But of course we do need to save one Visa, Master, or American Express card for EMERGENCIES ONLY! The need to buy clothes or birthday presents is NOT an emergency.)

3. Stop eating out and start making your own meals (Eating out sounds fun when you are out with a group of friends, but having a potluck can be fun as well.  Don’t have time to make lunch in the morning?  Ideas:  You can make a lot for dinner and have some leftover for lunch.  Pack everything the night before and you are ready to go in the morning. I do this everyday so I don’t have to wake up early to prepare lunch. )

4. Give up expensive habits (like coffee, cigarettes, soda, drinking alcohol, drugs, etc.  This can save you $300-$2,000 per year.  Sounds like a vacation to me)

5. Buy more generic brand rather than brand name food. see related article

6. Use your credit card for emergencies only and never do layaway. (Instead save your money for the things you want) see related article

7. Go to 24 hour fitness and get a three year gym membership (Why? This may cost a lot in the beginning, but in the end you save a lot of money.  You are also more likely to be healthy, which means you will save money on having to pay for medical bills later down the line.  If you cannot afford the gym then another option is to work out at home, park, school, etc.)

8.  Save money on Dates by doing Radio show points (My husband and I have been doing this for four years, and we’ve gone to movies, concerts, theme parks, zoos, etc. all for free from radio shows.  HOW? We basically earn points by doing bonus codes, trivia, etc.  We don’t have time to listen to the radio all the time, so we guess on most of trivia answers, which is okay.  Here’s how you can join on KIIS FM)

9. Make your own gifts instead of buying stuff from the store. (You can bake cookies, make your own cards, create a photo album/scrapbook, and much more.  This not only gives it its own unique handmade touch, but also saves you money.) More ideas on Home-Made Gifts

10. Shop Cheap (Hit the garage sales, thrift store, WalMart, Target, .99 cent store, etc. for deals.  One mans trash is another mans treasure.  For Grocery try not to go to Vons, Albertson, Ralph, etc. , but instead go to Food 4 Less and unknown places for your grocery shopping.)

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