The Easy Way To A Frugal Lifestyle: Money Saving Tips And Ideas For The Savvy Shopper

SOURCES FOR SAVING MONEY

Saving money has become the new hobby for most of us since the financial crisis that has occurred in the past couple of years. 

Most of us are trying to figure out on a daily basis what we can cut from our budget to give us more cash to spend or save. 

There are a great many resources out there that can help you on a regular basis.  You can check what current prices are on any given item.  You can also get an idea where you might want to spend your money...and you can also find out where you can get a better deal...on almost everything.

Let's look at some great websites to help you in your quest to save money.

MONEY SAVING RESOURCES

SAVE ON GAS. Go to GasPriceWatch.com where you can find the cheapest prices on gas in your area. Plan trips around getting gas at the best place to buy.

SAVE ON FURNITURE. Before you buy anything, check on Craigslist or go to Freecycle.org. Especially look at ads for moving sales. People generally need to sell their items quickly and you're most apt to get killer prices.

SAVE ON BOOKS, CD'S AND DVD'S. Join your local library if you already don't belong and never pay for another book, CD or DVD again.

GO GENERIC. Don't get hung up on buying name brands. Buy generic medicines, generic cleaning products, and generic foods. There's nothing different about them but the names.

LOSE SNACKS, CAFFEINE AND PROCESSED FOODS. Give up the latte you have every day and you'll save close to $1000 per year. That's a lot of dough! Cut out pop and snack foods and switch to natural foods when you get cravings. Make your own food. You will save hundreds of dollars!

SAVE ON WORKING OUT. Sign up for trial memberships if you must work out in a gym. Or try donation-based sign-ups. Go to iTrain.com and you can download personalized workouts for your iPod for $7.99. Or take a hike, jog or play tennis!

BE A SHUT-IN. Instead of meeting friends out for dinner, save money and eat in. Either potluck it or trade off dinners. Play games, watch movies, or just visit and listen to music. The money you save on dinner out is incredible. A bottle of wine for $4.99 (from Trader Joe's) will not even pay for 1 glass at a restaurant. Consider the savings! Don't miss myopenbar.com which is a site that lists events at bars offering free booze in different cities.

WAYS YOU CAN SAVE MONEY PAINLESSLY

BE A SMART SHOPPER.  I've found that most items are cheaper on Amazon than in many bricks and mortar stores.  I also insist on only buying if I get free shipping.  You can save hundreds of dollars by ordering on line and having gifts shipped to family and friends.  You can even get gift wrap.  Don't pay full price for anything.  Seek out coupons and rebates like they were gold.  Don't go for extravagant when it comes to gifts....go for practical and clever.  It doesn't have to cost a fortune to be a great gift!  Before you buy, check out amazon.com for anything and also check out eBay.  I bought a $60 Furminator for $12.....brand new, in the wrapper and got free shipping!

BARTER FOR BETTER RATES.  Never feel embarrassed to ask for better rates on anything.  Ask phone companies if they can come up with a better rate or do the research yourself.  There is always a better plan out there to save money with.  Even ask about your mortgage.  Is there a plan that have with which you will end up paying less?  That old saying is still true....it never hurts to ask!  You might be totally jazzed that you did.

THINK OF A CHEAPER ALTERNATIVE.  RedBox, Costco and local newspapers or Internet sources should be your best friends.  Save money by cutting the cost of things you spend money on all the time.  Look for coupons to local restaurants or buy an Entertainment book.  Always look for deals and use them instead of going places or buying things without a special deal. 

THE BEST WAYS TO SAVE MONEY

Whatever ways you can discover to save money, it's all worthwhile in the end. There is no truly right or wrong way to do it either. It all depends on the individual and their unique spending habits and situation.

That said, there is no excuse for throwing money away in my humble opinion and sometimes doing a little research can save you a lot of money.

Doing things yourself will always save you money over paying someone else to do them for you.

Cutting back on "frivolous" or unnecessary expenses will likewise put more cash in your pocket each and every day.

Use whatever sources and tools are out there to create a rosier financial picture for yourself. You won't be sorry you did.

If you have more money saving sources or ideas, please share them with us in the comment section below!

Be sure and watch the video below from CBS News and learn about more websites that can save you money.