5 Random Tips To Save Money
Like we’ve been saying a lot here lately, it’s a new year and that means that it’s also time for new savings. Sure, you saved a ton of money last year (thanks to us) but what about this year? What’s your plan? Trends are changing and as are the way things work so you may have to adapt to what it’ll take for you to save even more money this year. Use the tips below to help you get started and odds are, you’re going to save a ton of dough in 2014.
Get A Real Bank Account
The first tip on our list may come off in a weird way but just hear us out. You probably already have a bank account which is great but what does it come with? Can you buy stock at your bank of choice? Can you get loans? Do you have a “go to” guru at your bank? This is all stuff that you should have or at least know about. Get a bank that offers all of this.
Plan Your Trips Wisely
Cutting down on gas in 2014 will ensure that you save a lot of money but what about those trips that you just have to take? You know, trips like work, vacations, and business trips. Plan ahead and find alternate ways of taking this trips that will enable you to save a ton of money. Stay at cheaper hotels this year, drive a cheaper gar, and take buses, not planes.
Start A Business
Whoa! That’s a big leap, huh? Well, we’re not asking you to go out and start a $300K business that might end up putting you in debt. No, we just want you to do a little something extra on the side in 2014. Flip a few items on eBay, sell some hand made greeting cards, or even offer your advice to people for a fee on your favorite topic. After all, the more money you make in 2014, the more money that you’ll be able to save in 2014.
Make Priorities
Making priorities is important in regards to saving money because it allows you to get your head straight and figure out where you want to be. What do you plan on buying this year? What do you plan on selling? How will this play a part in how much money you can save? Ask yourself these questions and more in 2014 to help you save the most money possible.
Keep At It
Finally, this is our last tip before we send you on your way to making and saving more money in 2014. Keep at it! Be persistent and don’t give up. The only people that fail in their goals are those that give up. If you keep at it, you will save big money in 2014.
Of course, this is just advice. At the end of the day, you can try whatever you want to but we hope that these 5 tips will help guide you in the right direction. We love to save money and hope that you do too. If you do though, you’re in the right place to learn how!
4 Fiber Filled Cheap Foods
Most of us know how important fiber is to the human body and how beneficial it is to get a large amount of fiber daily. Well, okay, not a large amount of fiber but it is important to eat fiber rich foods. We’ve already did all the work for you though and put together a little list of fiber rich foods that won’t cost you a fortune. This means that you can stay healthy, save money, and eat some pretty delicious foods that are actually good for you.
Now, let’s start!
Oatmeal
Oatmeal is packed with fiber and it’s pretty cheap to buy. We recommend trying plain rolled oats in water and if you can’t handle the taste, make it in milk. You can also add fresh fruit (and a sprinkle of sugar) to your oatmeal to spruce up the taste a bit. Regardless of how you eat your oatmeal, one thing is for certain, you’ll be getting plenty of fiber!
Pears
Yes, pears actually have a good bit of fiber in them which is very surprising for a fruit. They’re affordable, they taste great, and you can literally get by just having a pear a day. Yeah, this is definitely for those of you out there that don’t care much for oatmeal and would rather eat a delicious pear. Swing by your local grocery stores or fruit farm today!
Beans
Beans are a timeless classic and everyone knows that they are jam packed full of fiber. They might even have a little too much fiber but that’s besides the point. Buy them by the can for easy preparation or buy actual beans in a bag and fix them yourself. Either way, you will definitely get your daily fix of fiber and enjoy a great food at the same exact time.
Pumpkin
Yeah, we bet you didn’t expect to see this on the list in a million years. Most people don’t know that pumpkins have a ton of fiber and come in at around 13 grams of fiber per half cup. That’s a lot of fiber and about 8 grams more than the average person needs in a day. You’ll probably have to catch these in the Fall (unless they’re canned) but it’s worth it!
Anyways, these are just 4 Fiber Filled Cheap Foods that we think you should consider adding to your grocery list. There are still other great foods out there that aren’t too expensive and are high in fiber. Some of those foods are Almonds, Raisins, Wheat Bread, and Peanuts. Those are some pretty common foods, huh? Of course, so why not do them?
You know, try to get more fiber in your diet and don’t spend a ton of money while doing it. Your digestive system as well as your entire body will thank you. We 100% promise!
How To Cut Down on Gas Costs
Summer is right around the corner and this means that more people are going to be on the road soon than they are at any other time of the years. People are going on vacations, kids are out of school, college students are on break, and everyone is looking to have a good time. That also means that people spend more money on gas during the summer than most other times of the year but that’s all about to change. We’re going to give you a few helpful tips that will not only help you save money on gas but you’ll still have a good time!
Travel in Groups
If you find yourself going out a lot during the summer, try to travel in groups. Pick a designated driver every week (someone whose car you will use) and have that person pick everyone up for a weekend on the town. The very next week, pick someone different. The people riding along can all throw in on gas and before you know it, you have a good system that will help you and all of your friends save money on gas during the summer.
Use Points
A lot of gas stations have some type of rewards or points card that you can get. For example, if you buy groceries at Kroger using your Kroger Card, you can get up to 20 cents off every gallon of gas you buy when you fill up. These points can be redeemed at any Kroger fuel station or Shell gas station. This, of course, is just one good example.
Avoid Traffic
Try to go out at times of the day that aren’t so busy during the summer. This will keep you from getting stuck in traffic jams and burning up too much gasoline. This will also keep you from getting lined up in toll roads or getting into a potential accident. Both of these bonuses will also save you money as car repairs are always expensive as are toll roads.
Get An EZ Pass
Okay, so depending on where you live in the country, it may be called something else. It may be called a Sun Pass or I Pass. It’s basically a device that goes on your car which you load with money and you can get through a specific lane at the toll roads. It saves you a lot of time and we all know that time is money. If you don’t have toll roads, disregard this.
And okay, we know. Not all of these were actual methods used to save money on gas but we just had to throw them in there. The important thing though is that you will save money on gas as well as numerous other things. Just be sure to take our advice, apply it during your busy summer schedule, and see how much money you end up saving. We hope it’s enough to buy yourself a second car but even if it’s not, it is still money well saved!
Saving Money on DVDs Online
Saving money on DVDs online has never been easier and this post is proof of that. We know a ton of ways to find quality movies online for affordable prices and we’re ready to share them with you right here on PinchingYourPennies.com which is pretty darn cool if you ask us. Free advice never killed anyone and that isn’t going to change now. In other words, go ahead and scroll down to so you can see where to find the hottest new movies at the best prices. There’s nothing like owning the actual movie so let’s make it happen right now!
Netflix literally put movie stores out of business and for good reason. It was much cheaper and far more sufficient than stores like Blockbuster and Hollywood Video. While we loved movie stores and hate to see them practically gone now, Netflix is what’s new and hot. Start a 1 week free trial over at Netflix and never have to rent or buy another movie.
If you prefer to own your movies or would like to revisit your favorite classics, try buying DVDs online over at Amazon.com. They have great prices and you have the option of buying them brand new or used. This means that you can get some amazing deals and when you mix in the convenience of Amazon Prime and cool promo codes, it totally rocks!
Finding movies on eBay is a breeze and while it may not be the best place to buy fresh, new releases, you can get some amazing deals if you just search for stuff like “Lot of DVDs.” When you do this, the results that you get will be for DVD lots that save you a ton of money and give you endless entertainment. No, seriously. Go search for that specific now!
FYE
While going to their website isn’t quite as cool, going to a FYE location in your local mall is a great place to find cult classics at great prices. Sure, new releases are like $25 in stores like these but you can find hidden gems sometimes for $3 and $4 especially if you’re a fan of the horror genre. Visit your nearest location today (or tomorrow) and see what’s up!
A lot of people forget about this store these days and we don’t know why. They still tend to have a better movie selection than Walmart and are still cheaper. Sure, you won’t walk into any Kmart and buy groceries but sometimes, you just have to make that extra trip during the month in order to get the best value. In this case, it’s cheap but quality DVDs.
Now, what are you waiting for? Get out there and save some money on DVDs online today! DVDs are a great way to spend some time with the family and enjoy your favorite movie whenever you want. We can’t tell you how many times we’ve watched stuff like Finding Nemo, Jurassic Park, and Terminator 2 on DVD and it never gets old. Why don’t you do it too? It really is super cool and convenient to buy your favorite movies at great prices!
4 Tips For Cutting Down Phone Costs
With so many cell phones in the world now (practically everyone owns one), many people neglect their home phone bills. Sure, almost everyone still has a home phone because it’s always good to have two numbers but what many people don’t know is that they could be paying a lot less for their home phone. With the valuable information found below, you’re going to find out how you can be one of those people. Ready to get started? So are we!
Bundle Up
The first tip that we have is the same tip that we’d give you if you asked us how you could save money on your cable or Internet bill. Bundle it up with other services and you could save around $10 a service. That’s a total savings of $30 a month roughly if you’re using cable, phone, and Internet. It’s a no brainer and we definitely recommend that you do it.
Go Unlimited
Sure, getting something like Unlimited Long Distance or Unlimited UK, Canada, or whatever country it is that you call to costs a little more money but there’s a catch. You’ll never have to worry about being charged per minute if you just have a base plan and need to call a different state or country. Go ahead and go unlimited so you can save some money.
Get Rid Of It
Do you really need a home phone? I know, we just got done saying that we think everyone should have two numbers but are you the exception? Figure out if you really do need a home phone or if you could get by with just a cell phone. This alone could save you from $20 to $60 a month. Do the math for how much you would save in a year’s time and you’ll see that these are definitely some pretty substantial savings. Now, let’s move on again.
Try Something New
While we’ve never personally tried this things ourselves, we see a lot of products out there like the Magic Phone Jack or Vonage that claim extreme savings and ease of use. Again, we’ve never personally tried any of these services but if it means you can save a little bit of money, it’s probably worth trying. You can also find them at most retail stores.
So, the next time you find yourself wondering how your phone bill got so high, refer back to this list and use our tips to rack up some serious savings. Not only will you save money but that means you’ll have more money to spend on something else. It could be new clothes, a new TV, or you could work on saving up for that new car you’ve been wanting. Either way, we’re sure that you will save money and you’ll never stress over your phone bill again. What are you waiting for? Start doing these things today for ample savings!
Easy Ways To Save Money On Taxes
If you work then you probably pay taxes. Do you remember the old saying that goes a little something like, only too things are guaranteed, death and taxes. That’s pretty much a very true statement. However, you can always save a little money on your taxes if you know what approach to take and a few loop holes in the system. Okay, so they aren’t exactly loop holes but there are a few ways that you can save money on your taxes and get the best tax return possible. If you’d like to find out how to do this, scroll down and enjoy!
Write Offs
If you work from home or operate your own business, almost everything could potentially be a tax write off. If you buy a new computer this year, you can write it off on your taxes. If you get a new computer chair, you can write it off on your taxes. Talk to a qualified tax agent and find out what all you can potentially write off of your taxes this year and do it.
Filing Status
Typically, if you file with yourself as a dependent, less money is taken out for taxes and if you file with 0 dependents, more money is taken out. It’s up to you to decide how you want to file though as filing with 1 dependent will mean less taxes out of your check but a smaller tax return. Filing with 0 dependents means more out of your check and a big return.
Learn The Laws
Do a little bit of research and find out how your state taxes work. Some states don’t even have a state tax. An example of that would be Tennessee. Do your research and find out if there are any areas that you can save money. Doing this will ensure that you understand how taxes work for you personally and you’ll discover ways to save money on taxes.
Go The Extra Mile
No, we aren’t asking you to start jogging. When you fill out your tax forms for your employer, take out a little extra. A lot of people take an extra $50 out of their in order to make sure that they pay in enough and get the best possible tax return. You don’t have to do this but we just pointed out that this is technically a good way to save/get money.
So, there you have it. If you apply these tips and use them when you start planning for tax season, you very well may end up saving a big chunk of change. Reducing how much you pay in via taxes or increasing how much you get back will almost definitely make your year a lot better. Now, what are you waiting for? Let’s start saving a little money on taxes! It will probably be one of the most beneficial things you can do for your home based business or just for your finances in general. In other words, it can be a big time life changer!
4 Affordable From Home Businesses
Looking at the title of this post, you probably know what we’re about to tell you. What you may not know however is why you should know. Well, here’s why you should read this list of 4 Affordable From Home Businesses. We have faith in you and know that regardless of what you do, you can run your own business and it won’t cost you a fortune to do so. It is possible for you to start a profitable business from home and here are some good ideas.
Catering
If you love to cook then it may be time for you to start your own catering business. You can even just make boxed lunches for businesses. We know someone that started doing this with just a few hundred dollars. They also managed to land a contract making lunch for around 30 employees at a small business at $25 a week for 5 lunches a week. In other words, they did very well with this business and now, they do this on a full time basis.
Freelancing
This is fairly new but there are a lot of people out there who get their own domain with hosting and sell themselves. They do everything from writing articles for general sites to doing voice over work. Sites like Guru.com, eLance.com, and oDesk.com have made this even easier but if you can start your own brand and pull it off, you can do it full time.
Photography
Go on anyone’s Facebook page and seems like everyone knows a photographer nowadays. There are literally millions of aspiring photographers out there and the competition still isn’t half bad because half of them never put any real effort into it. Fire up your own biz by learning the art of photography and actually investing in it. If you can just do a few pictures a week or a wedding, you can significantly increase your income and love doing the work!
Antique Restoration
Finally, we come to this business idea. You know how you can find some really cool and old stuff at thrift shops and on eBay? Why not buy this so called “junk” so you can restore it and re-sell it. Before long, you’ll have clients lining up at your door who have old items that may have been left to them by an older family member and they need YOU to restore it.
Of course, these are just ideas though but we’re sure that even if you don’t like any of these business ideas, you’ll come up with something creative and more importantly, something that works. As long as you enjoy doing it and don’t lose money (even if you just break even), you’re still doing something that you enjoy doing from the comfort of your own home. There isn’t much in the world that beats that unless you throw in “savings.”
Good Habits That’ll Save You Money
Taking a look at the material below, you’ll quickly realize one thing. This post is packed full of informative and valuable habits that you can get used to that will save you money. How do we know these work? Because if you find most any person in the world that has a good bit of money saved or is at least financially stable, you’ll see that they also have these habits as well. So, if that sounds like something you’d be interested in learning, read on!
Avoid Eating Out Too Much
This one may not seem like it would make a huge difference in your life but you could literally save thousands of dollars a year if you were to cut out fast food and going out to busy food establishments. We’re not going to ask you to do that. As long as you just cut it in half or even do it 25% less than you do now, you’ll come out on top. So, consider trying it.
Don’t Just Go For A Ride
Again, this is one of those things that you can still do from time to time but you should be able to cut down on it drastically. This especially applies to young people from a younger generation that like to go out and ride around with all of their friends. Sure, it’s fun from time to time but with gas prices going up (and not stopping), you could save serious cash.
Live Within Your Means
Okay, this piece of advice is pretty saturated but it’s true. If you don’t live your life quite as well as you could (a used car instead of new for example), you can save a lot of money which in return will make up for it by making your life more comfortable. Sure, you can splurge from time to time and have a steak with shrimp but you don’t have to do it all the time. Either way, don’t cut it out completely or you’ll lose motivation to strive for more.
Coupons
Some people don’t use coupons just because. Don’t be one of those people. Take a hour out of your Sunday to cut out some coupons or stock up on some items instead of buying them one at a time. You can usually get great deals on stuff if bought in bulk or with coupons. There is absolutely no shame in using coupons, saving money, and getting a good deal. So don’t even worry about it. As people like to say now, “You do you and only you.”
On a more serious note though, these habits are good habits that’ll save you money. Most people that have money or are capable of saving generous portions of money, also have these habits. Now, what are you waiting for? Go start working these into your life and you’ll be able to experience the benefits of doing so as soon as yesterday. Enjoy them!
Affordable Ways To Do A Detox
Cleansing your body is something that everyone should do once in a while so why not do so in an affordable manner. Below, you will find a few foods and beverages that will help you cleanse your better which will not only make you feel great in the long run but it is very beneficial to you in many other ways as well. Now, if that all sounds good and you’re ready to get started, scroll down and enjoy this list of affordable ways to do a detox at home!
Make A Cocktail
Okay, so this is definitely one of the most efficient ways to do a detox at home. Grab a few of your favorite fruits and veggies, throw them into your juicer (or blender), and have it as a replacement for breakfast or lunch for a few days. It may be tough at first and you may experience some hunger pains but at the end of the day, you’ll feel like a new person!
Cranberry Juice
Okay, before there’s any confusion, you want to make sure that you get the real deal. It needs to be 100% real cranberry juice and not Ocean Spray Cranberry Cocktail. While that DOES have some benefits, it’s more or less a sugared down version of real cranberry juice. Usually, real cranberry juice will be in a glass container (not plastic) and cost $2-$3 more.
Sweat It Out
This one isn’t conventional and most people don’t even know that you can literally rid your body of toxins not only by regularly drinking cranberry juice or “juicing” but you can also hop in a sauna and sweat it out. This is a great way to rid your body of toxins, feel better, and have an extremely unique experience. If you haven’t been in a sauna, go try it out!
Avoid Certain Foods
During the few days that you make an attempt to detox your body, the most affordable way to do a detox is to avoid certain foods. Not only are you spending less money but this detox is practically free. Avoid fatty foods, white carbohydrates such as potatoes, and say no to sweets like ice cream. Eat lean meats, fruit, green veggies, and only drink water.
Buy A Book
There are a lot of detox books out there today and most of them come with a money back guarantee. Try searching sites like Amazon, eBay, or even Books A Million. The point is this though. If you do decide to spend money on a detox book, read the reviews first and look for one that offers some kind of money back guarantee. They aren’t hard to find at all.
So, to recap. Our favorite affordable detox methods are cranberry juice, juicing in general, quality detox books, a good diet, and sweating the toxins out of your body via a sauna. So, what are you waiting for? Let’s all feel better together and get out there and start doing a detox. We promise that it doesn’t cost an arm and a leg. It’s also well worth your time!
4 Places To Get Cheap Groceries
Getting cheap groceries is something that we like to cover pretty often here on the site and there’s a reason for that. You probably go to the grocery store at least 2 or 3 time a month, right? So, why wouldn’t we continue to give you endless resources as to how you can cut down on your grocery bill. It only makes sense! Anyways, if you scroll down, you’ll find a few places that you can do part of your grocery shopping that will save you money.
These are also places that you would never expect could help stock your kitchen for cheap!
Big Lots
We know that Big Lots typically has some very good deals on items like decorations, electronics, and furniture but most people don’t know that they can save money on groceries over at Big Lots. Sure, you aren’t going to walk in their and fulfill your list to the max but you can get good deals on seasonings, chips, spices, canned foods, and drinks.
Dollar Tree
You either have one of these stores in your area (everything is a dollar) or something similar. If you typically buy stuff like candy or canned foods, you can save a lot of money by buying it from here. We’ve seen canned food go as low as 50 or 60 cents a can in our local Dollar Tree. That’s basically like getting a can for free in comparison to Walmart prices.
Save A Lot
Okay, so a lot of people are sketchy about buying meat from Save A Lot. We can definitely see why but canned food is canned food. Bread is bread. And so on! Consider swinging by here once in a blue moon and stocking up on some odds and ends at a very good price.
Sam’s Club
We use Sam’s Club specifically as the last store because they are all over the country but in some areas, you may have a Costco, BJ’s, or some other wholesale store. Either way, you can walk in, buy in bulk, and save a ton of money. The only bad thing about this though is the fact that you pretty much have to be willing to give up your variety and eat a lot of the same thing. Why? Well, stuff like 12 packs of Hot Pockets only come in one flavor per box. So, in other words, can you handle eating 12 Pepperoni Hot Pockets? Maybe you can.
But anyways, one thing is for certain. If you do your primary grocery shopping and then let one of these places fill your odds and ends, you’re going to save money. It could be $5 or it could be $100. That part is entirely up to you as it really depends on how much you’re going to buy. Either way, we like all these stores for different reasons and think that you would benefit greatly if you consider using these resources. Now, what are you waiting for? Get out there, pinch those pennies, and put some extra money back into your pockets!
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Practical Ways To Save Money on Travel
With gas prices going up and people take more vacations now than they ever have, a lot of people are in a grey area when it comes to make ends meet. With these practical ways to save money when it comes to going cross country or even just cross state, you’ll be able to put a little extra money in your pocket or simply be able to have a better trip. Take a look at the helpful tips below and see how much money they save you on your very next trip!
Car Pool
Everyone lives in an area where specific vacations are popular. For example, if you live in Georgia, Florida may be a popular travel destination. Find out if your neighbors, friends, or even co-workers are planning a vacation or trip similar to yours. Plan yours at the same time and car pool with them. Once you get there, you can always go your separate ways.
Take A Bus
Instead of flying to your next destination, why not consider taking a bus? Greyhound bus tickets typically cost $200 to $300 less each way than a last minute plane ticket. Sure, you’ll have to sit on a bus for a longer period of time than you would be flying but with the money you would save, it may be worth it but that’s entirely up to you to decide upon.
Reschedule Your Trip
This one may be a little inconvenient but it could be the difference in spending a penny or spending a dime. Most people that travel on a regular basis know that it’s a lot cheaper to travel during certain times of the year. For example, it’s nearly twice as much to fly to Las Vegas during the summer months versus going during the Winter or Fall. It also has an added benefit as typically, vacation or hot travel spots are less crowded in the off season.
Open A Savings Account
Last but not least, you always have the option of opening a savings account. You probably already have one which is fine but in that case, you can open a second one. Save your vacation or trip up to a year in advance, build a little interest, and know that you’ll be good to go when it comes time to take your trip. You won’t save a ton of money this way but you will at least have the peace of mind knowing that next to nothing can cancel it.
So, to recap, all that you need to do is consider doing a car pool, opening a new or second savings account, taking a bus instead of plane, or rescheduling your trip during off months. If you try at least one of these methods, we’re confident that you’ll save enough money to make you turn this into a habit. And we all know that there are bad habits as well as good habits. Saving money and having the time of your life is definitely a very good habit.
4 Ways To Save On Your Internet Bill
Saving on your Internet bill isn’t something that you probably ever knew was possible but believe it or not, it is. We’re going to teach you exactly how to do that with this list of 4 Ways To Save On Your Internet Bill. Sure, some of these methods are pretty basic but that’s not what’s important. What’s important is the fact that they do work and will save you a decent bit of cash every single month. This is great for stay at home mothers, those of you that work from home, and anyone that is looking to save even more of your valuable cash!
Bundle It Up
This is one of the most common but effective ways to cut down on your Internet bill. Most providers offer bundles in which you can save money on not only your Internet bill but also on your Cable and Phone bill as well. Typically, you can expect to knock off around $10. One example is that Charter Internet is usually $40 a month but in a bundle, it’s only $30.
Wait For A Promotion
If you’re not currently in a contract or haven’t signed up for home Internet yet, wait for a good promotion. Every major provider runs promotions on a regular basis and you may be able to save a set amount of money for a large portion of your contract (if you even have to sign one). Make sure you read the fine print though as the price could skyrocket fast.
Consider A Slower Speed
Unless you’re running a home business, you don’t need Internet that is 150 megs. In fact, you probably don’t even need a speed that’s all too common such as 30 megs. Going with a speed between 6 to 10 megs is sufficient for 90% of the people that use the Internet. You’ll find that you save a ton of money and you won’t be suffering from old, slow dial up speeds.
Hard Wire It
Okay, we won’t use too much tech-worthy lingo but what we basically mean by this is that you could always consider moving your desktop (or laptop) near the actual router. Most any provider which charge you more money per month for a wireless router and unless you’re on tablets and your smart phone at home, you probably don’t even need it. If that’s the case and you can live without wireless internet, you’ll definitely save a few extra dollars.
Now, if you incorporate all 4 of these tips into one big bundle, you could definitely save $20, $30, or even $40 a month on your Internet bill. That’s pretty much enough money to get a spare cell phone, fill your car up with gas, or even go out for a nice steak and sushi dinner. Regardless of where you spend the money that you save on your Internet bill, the fact of the matter is that you’re saving money and we think that’s very cool! So, what are you waiting for? Start working on this now and you can thank us later for the savings!
How To Find Cheap Electronics
If you’re reading this right now and you’re a fan of electronics (who isn’t?) then you’ve definitely just hit it big. We’re about to give you our favorite sources of cheap electronics. Yes, that’s right. We aren’t going to charge you for giving away some secret location or vault that is slam packed full of electronics at close out prices. Instead, we’re going to give you a few places that you can look which are usually home to great deals on electronics. You probably even already know of these places but never thought to look there. Ready?
Craigslist
Yes, Craigslist isn’t just for posting jobs or selling cars even though that’s what most people think. It’s also home to some great prices on used electronics. We’ve seen 42 inch LCD TVs for as little as $200 and Canon 7Ds for around $600 (they usually retail at over $1,000). You can even find used gaming consoles for 1/3 of what they sell for in major retail stores.
eBay
Okay, this one is kind of obvious but we just had to throw it in there anyways. Most people go on eBay in search of things like clothing, jewelry, and collectibles (it’s home to a ton of movie memorabilia and autographs). You can also find new and used electronics on there. Notice how we said new AND used? That’s because most stores also have eBay accounts where they sell new items that they couldn’t sell in the store at even better prices!
Local Classifieds
Every once in a while, you’ll find some pretty good deals on electronics in your local classifieds. Most every area has them and some areas even have them set up through local radio stations with an actual website where people can post their items for sale. You can probably even find local groups near you via social media sites like Facebook. Just do a quick search of “Classifieds” or “Trading” along with your city and state. Yep, that easy!
Salvage Stores
These are few and far between but they do exist. They are basically stores that sell items with damaged packaging or some minor imperfection at prices well below retail. Just one example of that would be a sound system that is still in the box that is missing the remote or the box may be damaged (the item inside isn’t). Some of the items are also just stuff that has been returned to stores in the past and there isn’t a thing wrong with it at all.
If you look for cheap electronics at all these locations and don’t find what you’re looking for then something is seriously wrong. We’ve had great success with all of these sources in the past and chances are, you won’t even make it past Craigslist or eBay unless you’re just up for a little challenge. There is literally always an abundance of cheap electronics on both of those sites and if you play your cards right, you may even land some cool free shipping!
Now, what are you waiting for? Get out there and find those cheap electronics asap!
Cheapest Way To Start A Blog
We get it. You’re ready to start your very first blog but aren’t quite sure where or how to start. That’s okay though. We’ve got you covered! We’re going to run you through the basics of starting your very own blog (for the first time) and how to do so without dumping a big chunk of change into it. After all, it’s all about saving money or making money, right? Well, with your very own blog, you can do both at the same exact time. That is, if you follow the fail proof advice below. Anxious to get started? Good! Let’s do just that!
Buy A Domain
While this may seem like a simple process, it’s really not. You should definitely put some time into coming up with a good name. Keep as short as possible but sweet at the same time. For example, JohnDoesVeryFirstBlogOnline.com probably isn’t the best domain in the world but you could do something like TheJDBlog.com if it’s available. We’ll leave the creative part up to you. How much is a domain? Expect to pay around $10 a year or so.
You can buy your domain at places like GoDaddy.com or Yola.com
Get Hosting
Chances are, wherever you buy your domain will be the same place that you get hosting. We’ve seen hosting for as little as $2 or $3 a month but chances are, you’ll need to upgrade as your blog starts to get more readers. Blue Host is a good company to go with as they offer affordable “beginner packages” as well as VPS hosting and Dedicated Servers. Just make sure that they have cPanel (don’t worry, it’s extremely easy to figure out) installed.
Use WordPress
This is one of the most popular (if not the most popular) blogging platforms out there and it’s 100% free to use. Most hosting companies will give you the option to install it with the click of a button. Choose a free them (or find one). You can always buy one later if you stick to blogging or hire someone to make you a custom Word Press theme. It’s also easy!
Manage Your Own Content
Later on down the road, you may want to hire a writer or two (or a SEO guy) to help your blog make it to the next level. Until you’re making some decent money off of your blog, we recommend managing your own content. It requires more work on your end but will save you a ton of money and allow you to test the waters. In other words, pinch pennies!
Monetize It
Monetizing something basically means to set something up to make money. A place that most people start is with Google AdSense. You’ll basically get paid for every person that visits your blog and sees an advertisement. You also get “paid per click” but you should never click your own advertisements or advise anyone else to. That’s asking for trouble!
And that’s it! That’s all that you need to do. The rest of the blanks will fill themselves in and you’ll basically learn as you go. Just be prepared to update regularly (even just on a weekly basis is fine) and go through some trial and error. In a few months time, you may make enough money to pay for your hosting and to hire a guest writer from time to time.
You may even make enough money to pay your bills. Who knows? But let’s give it a shot!