10 Frugal Ways to Save This Fall
Get ready for winter.
When the leaves start changing color, you know it's almost time for holiday shopping, end-of-year deadlines and annual financial checkups. The U.S. News Frugal Shopper bloggers have tips for how you can make the most of the season while keeping your budget in check. Here are 10 money tips:
Cook hearty, seasonal meals.
Squash, apples and roots are in plentiful supply this time of year, which means making roasted vegetables, pies and fruit crumbles has never been more affordable, either. Whether you pick your own at a local farm or stock up at the grocery store, you can save. Savings.com editor Susan Yoo-Lee offers winter soup ideas as a great way to take advantage of the season's harvest, and they freeze well, too.
Take advantage of fall sales.
The back-to-school deals and Black Friday sales tend to grab the limelight, but ShopGirlDaily.com founder Lisa Koivu also suggests more under-the-radar discounts that you can nab if you know where to look. Halloween, Veterans Day and Small Business Saturday, which is the day after Black Friday, all feature steep discounts at participating stores.
Gear up for the holidays.
Planning your holiday shopping list weeks and even months in advance is the key to staying within your budget. RetailMeNot editor Trae Bodge suggests making a list of all of your gift recipients, a budget, gift ideas and then actual gifts purchased. That level of organization prevents duplicate purchases and waste.
Protect your money.
Scammers pick up the pace with the frenzied holiday shopping season, so you have to be prepared. If you get an email that looks like it's from your bank or a familiar retailer and it's requesting information from you, treat it skeptically. Scam artists often operate by masquerading as a legitimate business and pursuing the victim to share personal information.
Enjoy the football season on a budget.
Cooler temperatures also coincide with the start of football season, but rooting for your team can be a pricey hobby. Instead of stocking up on expensive apparel and blowing your budget on tailgating parties, BeFrugal.com founder Jon Lal suggests buying team apparel in the offseason, getting your big TV for watching games on Black Friday and hosting potlucks around the big games.
Prep your home.
Cleaning out your furnace filter, making any necessary roof repairs and checking up on your insulation are all part of a smart and frugal plan for preparing your home for winter, says Frugal Rules founder John Schmoll. To save money, you can tackle many of these tasks yourself, especially if you already have a basic tool kit on hand. For safety, don't forget to replace your smoke detector batteries, too.
Audit your normal spending.
Most of us experience a big shock to our budgets over the holidays, but you can help prepare for the seasonal expenditures by reviewing your typical monthly spending carefully. If there are areas where you can cut back, such as on restaurant meals or entertainment, then you'll be able to manage the cost of gift purchases more easily.
Make your tax deadlines.
The end of the year also means deadlines are approaching for flexible spending accounts and other purchases and expenditures with tax implications. If you haven't used up all your flex spending budget for health care, commuting or child care costs, be sure to do so before it's too late.
Save more for retirement.
For 2014, you can contribute up to $17,500 (or $23,000 for those age 50 and older) to your 401(k), and the deadline is April 15, 2015. If you're not sure how much you've put into your retirement account for the year, you can check with your benefits provider and make any necessary adjustments.
Check up on your insurance policies.
Disability and life insurance aren't really cheery topics, but making sure you have all your essential paperwork and policies in place can help you relax and enjoy the season. If you haven't checked up on your policies lately, take the time to make sure they are up to date and you have the coverage you and your family need.
