According to AARP.org you can save big this year by following these simple tips:
- Save $200 a year by doing larger loads of laundry in cold water and line drying. Clothes will last twice as long too.
- You’ll save $1,000 bucks if you cut dining out in half.
- 3 degrees will save you $500 annually when you keep your house that much cooler in winter and warmer in summer; also, take the time to insulate your water heater and regulate it’s heat.
- Save $200 when you unplug those leaky appliances that drain power even when off. Make it easy by using a power strip to turn off a bunch of devices at once.
- Laying in a supply of elbow grease will earn you an extra $1000 when you do your own cleaning and create your own eco-friendly cleaning supplies. Don’t think of housework as a chore, think of it as a workout. 1 hour of light cleaning burns about 191 calories. Clean and Lean in 2014.
- Take back your lawn (work) and save $550 a year. Plus, it’s even more of a calorie burner than housework with 1 hour of yard work burning 330 calories.
- Save $4,000 when you garage your car and bike, walk or bus it to work. Just on gas and parking alone I save close to $3000 per year on my office commute and add in the savings on car care and maintenance, the higher resale value with a lower mileage vehicle and the extra work I’m able to accomplish when someone else is driving and the savings really pile up.
- A little cleaning living adds as much as $2000 to your annual savings. Quit smoking, drinking, buying daily lottery tickets and snacking from the break room vending machine will pad your wallet while it reduces your waistline and adds years to your life.
- Married filing jointly couples can add $2k in savings when they take full advantage of Credit for Qualified Retirement Savings Contributions – the savers credit – check out IRS Form 8880 for details.
So what’s the total: $200 + $1,000 + $500 + $200 + $1,000 + $550 + $4,000 + $2,000 + $2,000 = $11,450.00
What would you do with an extra $11,000 per year? Build your retirement accounts, pay off debt, save for the down payment on a new home; take that trip to Europe you’ve been planning? Lots of possibilities so don’t delay. Plan to save today so that you can reap the benefits all year.
