Yesterday, I discussed how anyone can turn their financial life around if they just take that first step the first step is always the hardest one. After that, you start taking more and more little steps and before you know it, your financial life is getting better and better.

What follows is a list of 100 more steps to take. Each of these tactics are simple little moves you can make to improve your financial situation. Some of them take just a few minutes, others might take an hour or two, some of them require a bit of regular effort, but theyre all incredibly simple anyone can do them. Each of them also save significant money, especially over the long haul, and when combined together these tips can save you a lot of money now .

Obviously, not all of these tips will apply to everyone. Just go through the list and find ten or fifteen that do apply to you and use them in your life youll quickly find yourself saving some serious scratch.

How to Save Money 100 Different Ways

1. Switch your bank accounts to a bank that respects you.

You shouldnt be spending your hard-earned money on maintenance fees you also should be earning some serious interest on your checking and savings accounts. Interest rates are not what they once were, but some of the best free checking accounts and best savings accounts can be found online. Heres a guide on how to make that switch .

2. Turn off the television.

One big way to save money is to watch less television. There are a lot of financial benefits to this. less exposure to guilt-inducing ads, more time to focus on other things in life, less electrical use, and so on. Its great to unwind in the evening, but seek another hobby to do that.

3. Turn a critical eye to your collections.

Most people collect something what do you collect? Is it something that consistently brings you joy? Or is it something that you just do out of habit at this point? Does the collection itself have value? Could you perhaps trim the fat from this collection by getting rid of duplicates or getting rid of the items you no longer use? Also, could you perhaps cut down on your spending on that hobby? Focus on trimming the things you dont feel strongly about if you dig into things that bother you, youre going to eventually relapse.

4. Sign up for every free customer rewards program you can.

Even if you rarely shop at that place, having a rewards card for that place will eventually net you some coupons and discounts. Heres the basic game plan for maximizing these programs. create a Gmail address just for these mailings, collect every card you can, and then check that account for extra coupons whenever youre ready to shop. Another good idea is to use Rewards Credit Cards that give points on purchases at a wide range of stores. Check out this post on the best rewards credit cards for some recommended cards.

5. Make your own gifts instead of buying stuff from the store.

You can make food mixes, candles, bread, cookies, soap, and all kinds of other things at home quite easily and inexpensively. These make spectacular gifts for others because they involve your homemade touch, plus quite often theyre consumable, meaning they dont wind up filling someones closet with junk. Even better include a personal handwritten note with the gift. This will make it even more special than anything you could possibly buy down at the mall, plus it saves you money.

6. Master the thirty day rule.

Whenever youre considering making an unnecessary purchase, wait thirty days and then ask yourself if you still want that item. Quite often, youll find that the urge to buy has passed and youll have saved yourself some money by simply waiting. If you want, you can even keep a thirty day list where you write down the item and the day youll reconsider it, but I prefer just to keep this one in my head that way, I often just forget about the unimportant things.

7. Write a list before you go shopping and stick to it.

One should never go into a store without a strong idea of what one will be buying while in there. Make a careful plan of what youll buy before you go, then stick strictly to that list when you go to the store. Dont put anything in the cart thats not on the list, no matter how tempting, and youll come out of the store saving a bundle.

8. Invite friends over instead of going out.

Almost every activity at home is less expensive than going out. Invite some friends over and have a cookout or a potluck meal, then play some cards and have a few drinks. Everyone will have fun, the cost will be low, and the others will likely reciprocate not long afterwards.

9. Instead of throwing out some damaged clothing, repair it instead.

Dont toss out a shirt because of a broken button sew a new one on with some closely-matched thread. Dont toss out pants because of a hole in them put in a patch of some sort and save them for times when youre working around the house. Simple sewing can be done by anyone it just takes a few minutes and it saves a lot of money by keeping you from buying new clothes when you dont really need to.

10. Dont spend big money entertaining your children.

Most children, especially young ones, can be entertained very cheaply. Buy them an end roll of newspaper from your local paper and let their creativity run wild. Make a game out of ordinary stuff around the house, like tossing pennies into a jar, even. Realize that what your children want most of all is your time. not your stuff, and youll find money in your pocket and joy in your heart.

11. Call your credit card company and ask for a rate reduction.

Take any of your credit cards that are carrying a balance, flip them over, and call the number on the back. Tell them that you want an interest rate reduction or youll take your business elsewhere. If the first person you talk to wont do it, ask to talk to a supervisor. If you have a $5,000 balance, even a 3% rate reduction saves you $150 a year.

12. Clean out your closet.

Go through your closets and try to get rid of some of the stuff in there. You can have a yard sale with it, take it to a consignment shop, or even donate it for the tax deduction all of which turn old stuff you dont want to use any more into money in your pocket. Not only that, its often a psychological load off your mind to clean out your closets.

13. Buy video games that have a lot of replay value and dont acquire new ones until youve mastered what you have.

My video game buying habits have changed quite a bit since my game of the week days. Now, I focus on games that can be played over and over and over again, and I focus on mastering the games that I buy. Good targets include puzzle games and long, involved quest games they maximize the value of your gaming dollar.

14. Drink more water.

Not only does drinking plenty of water have great health benefits, water drinking has financial benefits, too. Drink a big glass of water before each meal, and not only will you digest it better, you wont eat as much, saving on the ol food bill. Youll also find yourself feeling a bit better as you begin to get adequately hydrated (most Americans are perpetually somewhat dehydrated). Use Pur or Brita systems instead of bottled water.

15. Cut back on the convenience foods fast foods, microwave meals, and so on.

Instead of eating fast food or just nuking some prepackaged food when you get home, try making some simple and healthy replacements that you can take with you. An hours worth of preparation one weekend can give you a ton of cheap and handy meals that will end up saving you a lot of cash and not eat into your time when youre busy.

16. Give up expensive habits, like cigarettes, alcohol, and drugs.

Those habits cause money to flow away from you with nothing in return. Call up your fortitude and work hard to kick the habits and youll find that money staying in your pocket instead of burning up and floating away.

17. Make a quadruple batch of a casserole .

Casseroles are nice, easy dishes to prepare, but on busy nights, its often still easier to just order some take-out or eat out or just plop a prepackaged meal in the oven. Instead, the next time you make a casserole, make four batches of it and put the other three in the freezer. Then, the next time you need a quick meal for the family, grab one of those batches and just heat it up easy as can be. Even better, doing this allows you to buy the ingredients in bulk, making each casserole cheaper than it would be ordinarily and far, far cheaper than eating out or trying a prepackaged meal.

18. Be diligent about turning off lights before you leave.

If you spend one minute turning off lights before a two hour trip, thats the equivalent of earning $50 an hour. Thats some impressive savings, particularly if you do it before longer trips. The key is to use less energy. particularly when youre not using the device.

19. Swap books, music, and DVDs cheaply on the internet via services like PaperBackSwap .

You can very easily swap the books and CDs and DVDs youve grown bored with via the internet with others. Just use sites like PaperBackSwap. clean out your media collection, and trade them with others online. The best part? Youll get a flood of new books (or CDs or DVDs) to enjoy, mailed right to you for free.

20. Maximize yard sales.

I like to stop by yard sales if I see them, but I recognize that often the stuff there is junk. Thus, Im careful about what I buy and I use clever tactics to find it and lower the prices. That way, I wind up with a really big bargain or else I can just walk away with the money in my pocket, having been entertained for a bit.

21. Install CFL (or, even better, LED ) bulbs wherever it makes sense.

These bulbs might cost more initially, but they both have a longer life than normal incandescent bulbs and they both eat far less electricity. CFLs tend to use about 25% of the electricity of an incandescent LEDs use about 2%. CFLs are cheaper than LEDs right now and produce better light, but not quite as good as incandescent bulbs. My policy? Put LEDs in closets and out of the way places, use CFLs for hall and some room lighting, and use incandescent bulbs (until the other bulbs get better) where you read and do other eye-intensive activities. This will trim a significant amount from your electric bill.

22. Install a programmable thermostat .

These devices regulate the temperature in your house automatically according to the schedule that you set. Thus, when youre not home, it allows the heating or cooling to turn off for several hours, saving you on your energy bill. A programmable thermostat can easily cut your energy bill by 10 to 20%. Nest is the new generation programmable thermostat that learns and connects to WiFi so it can be controlled remotely.

23. Buy appliances based on reliability, not whats cheapest at the store.

Its worth the time to do a bit of research when you buy a new appliance. A reliable, energy efficient washer and dryer might cost you quite a bit now, but if it continually saves you energy and lasts for fifteen years, youll save significant money in the long run. When you need to buy an appliance, research it start with back issues of Consumer Reports at the library. An hours worth of research can easily save you hundreds of dollars.

24. Clean your cars air filter.

A clean air filter can improve your gas mileage by up to 7%, saving you more than $100 for every 10,000 miles you drive in an average vehicle. Plus, cleaning your air filter is easy to do in just a few minutes just follow the instructions in your automobiles manual and youre good to go.

25. Hide your credit cards.

Take your credit cards and put them in a safe place in your home, not in your wallet where its easy to spend them. If you argue that you need it for emergencies, just be sure to keep a small amount of cash hidden in your wallet for these emergencies. Dont keep plastic on you until you have the willpower to not use it even when youre sorely tempted.

26. Plan your meals around your grocery stores flyer.

Instead of just planning your meals based on a cookbook or whatever you can dream up, plan all your meals around whats on sale in your grocery stores flyer. Look at the biggest sales, then plan meals based on those ingredients and what you have on hand, and youll find yourself with a much smaller food bill than youre used to.

27. Do a price comparison and find a cheaper grocery store.

Most of us get in a routine of shopping at the same grocery store, even though quite often its not the one that offers the best deals on our most common purchases. Fortunately, theres a simple way to find the cheapest store around. Just keep track of the twenty or so things you buy most often, then shop for these items at a variety of stores. Eventually, one store will come out on top for your purchases just make that one your regular shopping destination and youll automatically save money.

28. Challenge yourself to try making your own things.

Before I tried it myself. I thought homemade breadmaking was complicated and a waste of time and money. I came to find out that it was pretty easy and it was actually much cheaper, healthier, and tastier than buying a loaf from the store. Now, we rarely ever buy bread products at the store and we save money by making that choice.

29. Dont spend money just to de-stress.

Quite often, I used to spend money just to wind down from a stressful day at work. Instead, Ive found that I quite often feel much better by going home and taking some quiet time just to stretch and then meditate. I end up feeling much more together, happy, and ready to face an evening with the kids in the right mindset than I ever would by just blowing some cash after work. Instead of spending to de-stress, try some basic meditation techniques, stretching, or yoga and see how you feel.

30. Talk to your loved ones about what your dreams are.

This seems like an odd way to save money, but think about it. If you spend time with the people you love the most and come to some consensus about your dreams, it becomes easy for you all to plan for it. If youre all planning and working together towards this dream, it becomes easier to stay focused on it and reach it. Set a big, audacious goal together and encourage each other to be financially fit soon, youll find youre doing it naturally and your dreams are coming closer than ever.

31. Do a maintenance run on your appliances.

Check them to make sure there isnt any dust clogging them and that theyre fairly clean. Look behind the appliances, and use your vacuum to gently clear away dust. Check all of the vents, especially on refrigerators, dryers, and heating and cooling units. The less dust you have blocking the mechanics of these devices, the more efficiently theyll run (saving you on your energy bill) and the longer theyll last (saving you on replacement costs).

32. Cancel unused club memberships.

Are you paying dues at a club that you never use? Like, for instance, a gym membership or a country club membership? Cancel these club memberships, even if you think you might use them again someday you can always renew the membership at a later date if it turns out that you actually do miss it.

33. When shopping for standard items (clothes, sports equipment, older games, etc.), start by shopping used.

Quite often, you can find the exact item you want with a bit of clever shopping at used equipment stores, used game stores, consignment shops, and so on. Just make these shops a part of your normal routine go there first when looking for potential items and you will save money.

34. Keep your hands clean.

This ones simple just wash your hands thoroughly each time you use the bathroom or handle raw foods. Youll keep yourself from acquiring all kinds of viruses and bacteria, saving you on medical bills and medicine costs and lost productivity. Thats not to say you shouldnt explore the world and get your hands dirty sometimes thats good for you, too but basic sanitation does help keep the medical bills away.

35. Remove your credit card numbers from your online accounts.

Its easy to spend online when you have your card information stored in an account just click and buy. The best way to break this habit is to simply delete your card from the account. That way, when youre tempted to spend, youll be forced to spend the time to dig out your card and really think about why youre spending this money.

36. Give a gift of a service instead of an item.

For new parents, give an evening of babysitting as a gift. If you know pet owners, offer to take care of their pets when they travel. Offer up some lawn care as a gift to a new homeowner. These are always spectacular gifts for anyone I know that, as a parent of a toddler and an infant, I love receiving a babysitting gift, probably more than any stuff I might receive.

37. Do holiday shopping right after the holidays.

Most people use this technique for Christmas. but it works for every holiday. Wait until about two days after a holiday, then go out shopping for items you need that are themed for that day. Get a Mothers Day card for next year the day after Mothers Day. Get Easter egg decorating kits the day after Easter. Get wrapping paper and cards and such the day after Christmas. The discounts are tremendous, and you can just put this stuff in the closet until next year, saving you a bundle.

38. Join up with a volunteer program.

Its a great way to meet new people, get some exercise, and involve yourself in a positive project that can lift your spirit. It also comes without a cost to you and can provide a lot of entertainment and a fulfilling day when youre in the right mindset. Ive come to spend more and more of my time volunteering, serving on various committees and groups in the community and its the best thing Ive ever done.

39. Reevaluate the stuff in the rooms in your house.

Go into a room and go through every single item in it. Do you really need that item? Are you happy that its there, or would you be just fine if it were not? If you can find stuff to get rid of, get rid of it it just creates clutter and it might have some value to others. You also improve the perceived value of your house and youre likely to get a lot of cleaning done in the process. Its a frugal win-win-win.

40. Try generic brands of items you buy regularly.

Instead of just picking up the ordinary brand of an item you buy, try out the store brand or generic version of the item. Likely, youll save a few cents now, but youll also likely discover that the store brand is just as good as the name brand the only difference between the two, often, is the marketing. Once youre on board the generic train, youll find your regular grocery bill getting smaller and smaller.

41. Prepare some meals at home.

Get an accessible and easy-to-use cookbook (my favorite beginner cookbook is Mark Bittmans excellent How to Cook Everything ) and try making some of the dishes inside. Youll find that cooking at home is much easier than you think and way cheaper and healthier than take-out or dining out. Even better, you can easily prepare meals in advance even handy fast food type meals .

42. Switch to term life insurance.

Repeat after me: insurance is not an investment. Switch to cheap term insurance instead and use that difference in cost to get yourself out of debt and start building some wealth. Universal and whole policies are much more expensive and offer a sub par investment opportunity youre much better off getting yourself free of a debt burden than spending extra on such things.