- Open a high-yield online savings account with as little as one dollar.
- Sign up for direct deposit.
- Empty your pocket change into a jar every night.
- Bring your coin jar to the bank every month.
- Add to your jar every time you swear.
- Have a garage sale.
- Whenever you purchase groceries with a coupon, deposit your savings into the bank.
- Downgrade your telephone service.
- Bring your own lunch to the office.
- Ask for a raise (with substantiation).
- Drink soda rather than alcohol when you’re dining out.
- Drink water rather than soda when you’re dining out.
- Switch to store-brand food items.
- Switch to generic medication.
- Cut back or eliminate your addiction to smoking.
- Be aware of your ECRD Factor.
- Create an automate deposit to your savings account.
- Divert your raise into the bank
- Don’t consider your emergency fund part of your spending money and keep it hidden.
- Celebrate America Saves Week every week
- Tutor a young student in a subject you know.
- Get a part-time job at your favorite book store or coffee shop.
- Use a cash back rewards credit card and deposit your rebates directly into your emergency fund.
- Call the cable company and cancel your service (or agree to a better deal).
- Save gas by not driving faster than 65 miles per hour.
- Stop using credit cards if you pay interest.
- Cancel your Netflix subscription.
- Fire your gardener and do the work yourself.
- Visit the library rather than your local bookstore.
- Stock up on non-perishable groceries when they are on sale.
- Consolidate your student loans.
- Cancel magazine subscriptions.
- Reuse any items you can rather than buying new, and pocket the difference in your emergency fund.
- Delay vacations until your emergency fund is complete.
- Sign up for online bill payment if your bank offers the service for free.
- Shop around to ensure all your your financial accounts do not charge you extraneous fees.
- Always know how much you have in the bank so your accounts will never be overdrawn.
- Consider switching your land line phone service to an internet (voice over IP/VOIP) service.
- Use public transportation rather than driving when possible.
- Work a few extra hours at your day job.
- Call your insurance provider and ask for an updated quote.
- Shop around for a new insurance provider.
- Troll the web for abandoned and unclaimed property owed to you.
- Negotiate in any retail environment. The more you try, the less you’ll spend (and the more you can save for emergencies).
- If you travel, join AAA; the discounts will often pay for the membership fee.
- Don’t be an early adopter of new technology.
- Cancel your gym membership.
- Check your three free credit reports each year from annualcreditreport.com, the official website, for accuracy.
- Consider adopting a frugal philosophy, at least until the emergency fund is in place.
- While paying attention to small, repetitive expenses, don’t ignore larger decisions like your car, house, and wedding. With smart choices on big-ticket items, you could fully fund an emergency account with the savings.
Via consumerismcommentary