Save $200 in One Day

For most people, spending money almost automatically throughout the day is nearly a given in our society. Here's how to save around $200 in a typical day.

• Make and eat your breakfast at home instead of at the drive through. Save $5.
• Make your own coffee and take it to work instead of stopping at Starbucks. Save $5.
• Take a ziploc baggie of fruit and nuts to work with you for your morning snack instead of stopping by the vending machine. Save $1.
• Take your lunch from home instead of going out with the gang to the corner deli for lunch. Save $10.
• Take a soda and snack from home instead of stopping by the vending machine in the afternoon. Save $3.
• Cook dinner at home for the family instead of calling the local pizza delivery company. Save $25.
• Pay two bills online instead of buying stamps to mail them. Save $1.
• Have the two kids and spouse eat breakfast at home and pack lunches to take with them to work/school. Save $30.
• Pick up a movie from the library instead of taking the family out to the movies. Make popcorn at home too. Save $50.
• When the two kids have their paws out for $20 each because they want to go to the mall with their friends after school, you let them know the bank of mom and dad is closed and that from now on they will need to earn their own fun money. Save $40.
• When a co-worker asks you for a $20 contribution towards a gift for another co-worker who is going to have a baby soon, you make the suggestion that instead of buying a baby gift that will last a very short time and be quickly forgotten, each person in the office (ten of you in all) volunteer to each make a dinner which can be frozen and popped into the oven when needed since new mothers would rather sleep than cook. Save $20.
• Instead of driving your car through the car wash on the way home, you get the whole family to pitch in for a quick do-it-yourself car wash in the driveway. Save $10.

Total amount saved: $200. Money tends to slip through our hands just that quickly. Whether you are handing out cash to the kids, feeling guilted into giving a donation for a gift, or consoling yourself at the local coffee shop/diner because "you deserve it", before you know it, you'r out $200! Make a few changes today and see how much you can save in a typical day.