20. Keep Track of Your Money

20 Small Ways to Save Big

The best way to save is to know what you spend. It might not be pretty, but detail every expense for a month to get an idea of where you can cut back. Nearly everyone has some fat they can trim from their spending to put toward a savings goal.

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Small, Simple Co... Think you don't have enough money to save? This list, from Kiplinger brought to you by Quicken, highlights the best tips to find extra money in your budget to sock away. These strategies won't require you to take a vow of poverty—we know money's tight already. Rather, they're small and simple cost-cutters that'll help you get started saving as soon as possible.
20. Keep Track o... The best way to save is to know what you spend. It might not be pretty, but detail every expense for a month to get an idea of where you can cut back. Nearly everyone has some fat they can trim from their spending to put toward a savings goal.
19. Learn to Coo... Cooking at home saves on your food budget and it could even improve your dating prospects—who isn't impressed by someone who can prepare a great meal?
18. Reshop Your ... Using a comparison site like InsWeb.com can help you determine if you've got the best deal. Reshop at least once a year to make sure you have the best deal.
17. Ditch Your G... Forget the $40 a month gym membership that'll cost you almost $500 a year, and check out community centers in your area. Some may be free or charge a minimal fee, such as $100 a year. Or buy a good pair of running shoes and work out the old-fashioned way.
16. Park Your Ca... Why pay $25 a week in gas when you could pay half that to use public transit? Or check out carpooling at eRideShare.com and CarpoolConnect.com.
15. Change Your ... The average wireless phone user spends about $60 a month, including taxes and fees. If you talk for 200 or fewer minutes per month, switching to a prepaid plan where minutes cost 25 cents a minute could save you $10 a month. Compare plans at MyRatePlan.com.
14. Make Media F... Dust off your library card and enjoy DVDs and books for free. If you'd normally rent a movie a week and buy a book a month, you can cut costs by $30 a month.
13. Insure Yours... Even if your company has a health plan, you may be able to do better for yourself. Pairing a high-deductible medical policy with a health savings account—which lets you put away pre-tax dollars for out-of-pocket medical expenses—can save money on premiums. Shop around at eHealthInsurance.com.
12. Travel on th... Bypass the old trifecta of travel search engines (Travelocity, Expedia and Orbitz) and head straight for SideStep.com, which will search them all—saving you money and time.
11. Negotiate Yo... Instead of paying an APR of 18 percent on your credit card, call your issuer and ask for a lower rate. If you have good credit, your lender might consider it, particularly if you can cite a better offer you’ve received from another card company.
10. Brown-Bag It Instead of spending $8 on takeout every day at work, bring a bagged lunch for $5. You'll save $60 a month and $720 a year. Do your own calculation at Feed the Pig.org.
9. Kick the Habi... Smoking is hard on your health and the wallet. Three packs a week averages $50 a month or more.
8. Get a Credit ... Spending $80 a week on gas and groceries? Putting it on a card with 5 percent cash rebates will earn you nearly $200 a year.
7. Use Your Empl... Flexible spending accounts let you pay health care and child care costs with pre-tax dollars. If your company offers them, take advantage and save 33 percent or more.
6. Bundle Up Getting a package of phone, Internet and cable from one provider can save you about $50 a month.
5. Go Green Control energy costs with a programmable thermostat. Prices start around $50, but you'll cut your heating-and-cooling bill by 10-20 percent.
4. Pay Off Your ... Carrying a $1,000 balance at 18 percent blows $180 every year on interest that you could put to better use elsewhere.
3. Raise Your Ca... Upping your potential out-of-pocket outlay from $250 to $1,000 can save you 15 percent or more off your premium.
2. Enroll in a 4... If your employer offers a 50-cent match for every dollar you contribute, even adding $60 a month will net you over a grand a year. And remember, boosting your 401(k) contribution by $60 a month won't cut your pay by that much, since pre-tax dollars go into the account. If you're in the 25 percent tax bracket, a $60 contribution cuts your paycheck by just $45. The other $15 comes from Uncle Sam.
1. Give Yourself... Boost your take-home pay by adjusting your tax-withholding and have the difference in pay automatically transferred to an online savings account. Most Americans have too much withheld from their paychecks every payday. Correcting that overwithholding by filing a new W-4 form with your employer can create an instant pay raise.