Debt Help Ideas

Coughs and colds wait for no man, woman, or child. They don’t wait for seasons either! Whether it’s the middle of summer or winter, there’s always several irritating viruses going around. Nope, I’m not talking swine flu. Just your normal, garden variety coughs, colds, and other assorted bugs!

I was reminded today, as I picked up some cough syrup for a relative, of some creative and practical little ways to save money that we had missed out on. She paid more, but you won’t have to.

1. Keep a good supply of comfort foods on hand. My favorites include Lipton’s Chicken Noodle Soup and Chicken Pot Pies. Then, when you don’t feel good, you don’t have to try to make something. You can easily pull those together to feed yourself fairly healthily, in order to help fight off the virus.
2. Always keep a good supply of your favorite cough syrup, pain reliever, and decongestant in the house. Keep a close eye on the stock. If you notice the expiration dates are getting too close, give the medicine away to someone who can use it now. You might even want to set up a trading system with a friend so they do the same. Also, each time you go the grocery store, check your supply to see what needs replenishing. That way, if a bug catches you off guard, you won’t have to drag yourself out feeling miserable, only to grab the first available medicine at the most expensive store, just because you feel so awful. You can purchase the medicines on sale or at your local Target or Walmart and pay less for them.
3. Make sure to clean your vaporizer or humidifier after each cold/virus ends, and store it carefully. If you notice it isn’t working well, and cleaning it doesn’t resolve the problem, it’s time to find a new one. Start watching for sales and pick up just the one you want for a great price BEFORE you need it, instead of being stuck buying whatever is in stock at the store you run to.

These simple pre-preparation steps can save you time, money, and energy when the nasty bug strikes. They are all creative yet practical little ways to save money at home and at the grocery store and that always helps make us feel better, doesn’t it? Not to mention that it also helps us work towards our goal to save money and eliminate debt! 

Here’s one of my practical and creative little ways to save money. When we are planning a fun night out with friends, we need to be honest about our finances. If we are invited out to a restaurant, we could say, “I’d love to, but we’re working hard towards a goal to eliminate debt, so my budget doesn’t have eating out in it this week. Would it be OK if we join you for dessert instead?” Or, “How about if we meet for coffee or sodas instead? I’m on an “eliminate debt”money diet so I’m working hard to find practical ways to save money.”

I know I’m always pleasantly surprised to discover how many friends feel the same way saying, “I thought I was the only one!”

I shared this tip with a 20-something friend of mine recently and she was so relieved. She commented, “I love to go out with friends, but so often they pick a more expensive restaurant than I can afford.” I suggested she just order dessert, with or without the explanation and she was thrilled. “They have the best desserts!” she said. “That and the great company will make it a terrific night out without messing up my budget for the week.”

In this economy, we’re sure to find plenty of company in our search for ways to save money. Even if we don’t, not to worry. Odds are, in ten years, many of our friends will be WISHING they’d joined us in our search to add more creative and practical ideas to our list of ways to save money.

If you send books, CDs, and/or DVDs to friends or relatives (great ideas for long distance grandkids or elderly shut-ins), you are eligible for one of the most practical little ways to save money on snail mail.

Media Mail is ultra cheap and quite easy. Just package up the books, CDs, and/or DVDs in a sturdy box. Don’t include anything else, especially not magazines or personal letters. The post office does do regular spot checks and if you accidentally include those, your package might take a lot longer and will cost a whole lot more! Wrap the package and address it. I usually write Media Mail in big letters on both sides of the package.

Take the package to the post office and request that it be sent via Media Mail. As an example of the great savings:

• 2 pound package from the West Coast to the East coast – Parcel Post would cost $6.97 whereas Media Mail is only $2.58
• For a 7 pound package – Parcel Post would run $12.81 while Media Mail is only $4.33

Think of the possibilities, particularly if you are working hard making extra money at home and have to mail these types of items. Mailing by media mail is definitely one of my favorite and very practical ways to save money!