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Saving Money Around the House the Easy Way
By Michelle P. Sharrow, MBA
Despite tell tale signs of an economic downturn, some continue to refute the idea that the U.S. economy has entered into a recession. Regardless of whether you believe the economy is in trouble, here are a few easy ways to save money around the house that will help you when times are lean or abundant.
Do you tend to print article after article off the internet to save and read later? Why not save yourself some money by copying and pasting the text from these articles in to an e-mail and saving it in your draft folder for later. You could also create a word file and save the text of the article as a document on a jump drive or cd. This will save you both the cost of paper and ink cartridges. If you must print, select and print just the text without the fancy graphics, headings and pictures. This is sure to save you at least a page or two. Once you've finished an article, recycle your paper by printing something else on the back side.
Do you tend to print driving directions from the internet, too? You can save even more paper and printer ink by writing the directions on a post it note or piece of paper. For lazy writers use shorthand or symbols for your driving maneuvers and skip the directions to the main highway from your home. You know that much already.
How about recipes? Do you print those off too? Jot these down on index cards or other cute writing paper that you already have around the house.
Don't' forget magazine subscriptions. You can save there too. Forgo the magazine subscriptions and change your scenery by taking a trip to your local library. You'll get a breath of fresh air on your way and you can peruse dozens of publications for free once you get there. If you run across an article that you have to take home, make a copy - most libraries charge between 15 to 20 cents per page which is far less than any magazine subscription. If you'd like to read in the comfort of your own home, you can also check the magazines out just like you would a book.
After increasing the postage rate to 41 cents last year, the U.S. Postal Service is preparing to raise the price of stamps again. If you still pay your bills each month by sending the statement along with a check through the mail, now is the perfect time to enroll in electronic banking. Many banks offer electronic banking and free bill pay with direct deposit. For the person who mails on average 5 bills a month, that is a $2 savings per month or $24 dollars a year. The savings could easily translate into a gift card for someone around the holidays or an extra deposit into your savings account.
Saving money for your family doesn't have to be hard. Consider incorporating some of these ideas into your daily habits and you'll be on your way to increased savings in your household budget and less clutter around your home.
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Michelle is a freelance writer based in Waldorf, Maryland. Her areas of expertise include finances and parenting. Visit her on the web at 
