Three Easy Ways To Reduce Costs and Save Money

As many of us represent the Ultimate  Guardians of the Family Treasure Hoard (i.e. meager sums left in the bank account after all bills have been paid and all childrens activity costs have been debited…ouch…), it is up to us to find new and inventive ways to make our dollars go farther.

In that vein, here are three easy ways to start saving money and show the family how Incredible you really are!

Tip 1 -www.Red Flag Deals.com

I love this site.  There are many like these all over the web; aggregators of coupons, codes and deals to help you save money.  But they say you always remember your first and this site was my first.  From their excellent email newsletter (you should sign up asap) to great forums on the site, you can get a deal on just about anything.  Here’s a short list of things I’ve already saved/gained by using the info on this site:

• Reduced my combined telephone/cable/high speed bills using their tips by over $70 per month!  That’s approx. $840 for the year!!!
• Free Maxim subsription … required reading to keep up to date on the lastest fashions and trends… yeah… fashions and trends…
• Saved over $150 for a night at Great Wolf Lodge in Niagara Falls, ON.
• Continues to make me look like a hero every time their newsletter tells me about a special coupon discount for The Gap or Old Navy (and I nonchalantly slide it to my wife as she gazes in adoration at me… or at the coupon…)
• And many more examples!

Tip 2 – Tweaking Your Housing Costs

I am the farthest thing from a DIY (do-it-yourself) kind of Dad there is.  But there are still several easy things you can do to save money around the house:

• Reduce your water heater setting on your temperature.  You’ll save money and you’ll get your wife out of the shower faster as the hot water runs out quicker…
• Programmable thermostats are your friend.  Not only do they save money by keeping the temperatures controlled (put on a sweater if you’re cold!!!!), but they have a lock function so the wife can’t tamper with it…
• Compact fluorescent light bulbs are cheap, easy to install and can save you money over the long run.  Just watch out for those MERCURY LEVELS!!!!!!  Just kidding, here’s the site to debunk that urban myth: http://www.hoax-slayer.com/mercury-fluorescent-lights.shtml

Tip 3 – Grocery shopping is a Detail-Orientation Sport

Looking at the monthly credit card bills, one of the largest line items is always the grocery store charges.  Whenever I go shopping with the kids, it’s amazing how much money you can save just by paying attention to weekly sales/no-name brands/comparing prices/stocking up on great deals.  The savings definitely add up over the course of time… of course, all savings are then subsequently wiped out when Clean Mom goes shopping and she just buys the best of everything… but that’s another post topic…

Tip 4 – Choose the best credit card to start gathering points!

Yes, there is a Tip 4 because we like to Under-Promise and Over-Deliver here at Incredible Dad.com!  I’ve done a lot of research on the various card programs out there (Aeroplan, Air Miles, Dividend cards etc.).  For our family, the best deal has absolutely been the Starwood MBNA Mastercard.  We used to pile up on Air Miles, some family members swear by Aeroplan Miles but when I calculated things, spending $10,000 on the Starwood card basically gets my family a stay at a Sheraton Hotel worth approx. $250 to $300.  You compare that to Airmiles (where $10,000 will get you 500 Air Miles, enough for about $75 in Chapters gift cards), or a 2% dividend card (where you’ll get $125 back after your $75 annual fee) and you’re way ahead… not to mention that it’s a good excuse to get out with your family for a quick vacation!

So there you have it, three … I mean four easy ways to save your family money.  What other things do you do in your household?  I’d love to hear your ideas.

Post image from Brothersoft.com

Other Posts That Might Interest You:

1. Three Tips to Save you Time and Money on Family Vacations
2. Tips to Save you Time and Money at Great Wolf Lodge (Part 2)
3. Tips to Save you Time and Money at Great Wolf Lodge