How to save money without even trying

[3_ring_circus_]

My best friend has this great system she use to save money, I swear she amazes me. What she does is this when she writes a check or uses her ATM she enters the amount rounded up to a whole dollar amount, so if she writes a check for $13.30 she enters it as $14.00 in her check register I was amazed watching her a week ago balance her check book against her bank account and she realized she had an extra $500.00 in her account! She is a SAHM and hubby makes a living as an electrician so this is a way she came up with to make sure they are saving money. they also empty their change each day in a  jar, they don't use change at all then at the end of the month or sometimes every two months they roll the coins (my bank will just dump the coins in a counter for me i don't have to roll them) I have seen her come up with an extra hundred bucks just from that change jar!

I have been on a mission to save money lately everything from using coupons and joining coupon trains to getting creative with my check book, when i saw how well this system worked for her i of course immediately started doing it. I figured I would share this tip with everyone. I know some banks now offer a save the change program where they round up your debit or chekc and put the extra change in a savings account for you.

I am sure she is going to read this and laugh at me lol.

[dwinkie72]

Jan. 23, 2009 at 4:58 PM

we do the same.  except we have a 4 gallon water jug.  it is our vacation fund.  you'd be amazed at how quick change adds up.

to save on groceries i start our shopping at aldi's and then get the rest from a chain grocery store.  i also buy meats in bulk and break them up into meals and freeze them.