20 ways to save $2,000 by the holidays

By Tara Maras
Special to The Seattle Times

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With the gift-giving season still four months away, chances are your brain is focused on that last summer barbecue — not your holiday budget. But why wait until the day after Thanksgiving to outline your holiday spending plan? Commit today to these money-saving steps based on estimated Seattle costs and save about $2,000 by the end of December.

1. Hold the artichoke hearts. If you're used to "the works" on your weekly pizza, cut down from four toppings to your favorite. At $1.50 a topping, you'll save $4.50 per order, or $72 by the holidays.

2. Avoid clearance sales. Ten-dollar bargains add up — sometimes to nothing more than a pile of uncomfortable shoes and ugly tops that can't be returned. Squirrel away $10 a week by steering clear of the stores. Save $160.

3. Go bananas. Peel dollars off your monthly grocery bill by picking bananas over grapefruits. Grapefruits ring up for about 75 cents; a banana does two dime's worth of damage. Change your morning menu and save $66.

4. Rent an old release. Skip the latest DVD blockbuster and go for a golden oldie. Old releases ring up for $1.95 less. Do it twice a month and save more than $15 by the end of the year.

5. Make minutes count. Does your cellphone provider offer free minutes after 9 p.m.? Are weekend calls free? Chat it up with long-distance loved ones during paid-for, not peak, periods. Extra minutes can add up to $20 a month. Save $80.

How do you save? Send us an e-mail and let us know your most effective ways to sock away a little money. Write to talktous@seattletimes.com.

6. Read for free. Subscribe to the magazine rack at your neighborhood bookstore — no admission required. Choose not to renew two subscriptions and save $30.

7. Teach a new dog — yourself. Instead of shoveling out around $15 a week for obedience class, buy a good book for $20 and train your own terrier. Your reward: $220.

8. Save a pile. Time for the semi-annual carpet cleaning? Rent a machine (and buy soap) from your home superstore and pay $35 instead of bringing in the pros for $225. Save $190.

9. Learn to love H{-2}0. Whether you're at the diner daily or eat out once a week, beverages can break your budget. Swap your $1.50 soft drink (and the 17 percent tip) for nature's refreshment. Do it four times a month. Save $28.

10. Stop and just smell the flowers. Don't buy them! Pike's posies can set you back a bunch. Go without and save $15 a week — or $240 by the end of December.

11. Wave goodbye to aches and pains. Buy the drugstore-brand pain reliever. It's sure to help your headache, and at about $2 less per bottle, your wallet will feel better too. Save $6.

12. Stick to a list. Ever get home from the grocery store and scratch your head, wondering how it all added up? Save $10 a week by forcing yourself to pass up prepared foods and sidestep seasonal décor. Save $160.

13. Get down for greeting cards. Chances are you give at least four cards a month. Instead of browsing the eye-level selection, bend down for card bargains. At 99 cents instead of $2.49, you'll save $1.50 per card. That adds up to $24.

14. Say "oh no" to Costco's clothing aisle. When the designer jeans call, don't listen. Make do with your broken-in denims and save $30.

15. Suck out your own trunk. Skip the monthly Elephant Car Wash $9.99 interior cleaning. Save $40.

16. Brown-bag it. Give up tacos for tuna on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Swap out your $7 chalupa combo with a $1 can of chunk albacore. Save $192.

17. Pour your own joe. Wave goodbye to the barista and brew your own cup of coffee. At $3.15 a day, you'll pocket "a latte." Save $380.

18. Get carded. Check out your local library. They likely have a waiting list for hot titles but bank $35 a month by borrowing at the library, not buying at the bookstore. Save $140.

19. Pay for matinees. Save $2 on your monthly movie date by catching the late afternoon show. Bargain prices typically apply until 6 p.m. Save $8.

20. Save dough on your 'do. Get your locks lopped every six weeks instead of every four. At $40 a cut, you'll save $80.

Tara Maras is a freelance writer.

Copyright © 2004 The Seattle Times Company

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