personalaccountingsoftware.net

1. Change web hosting

Often times companies are paying too much for web hosting, when in actuality they do not need so many features. There is no need to spend $20 on hosting if your website gets less than 1000 hits every day. It may be that you can downgrade your current hosing, otherwise consider moving to another provider with cheaper rates. Take care not go too cheap, you still need to maintain the quality of service that you are currently getting.

2. Follow up with clients

Make sure to chase those leads, and don’t leave people hanging, if you provide a service that others also provide this will differentiate you from them, and mean that your services are more likely to be taken up. It is no use following up a week later as by then the person has found what they wanted. Following up with clients has the added benefit that it with improve client retention, and improve your companies reputation.

3. Downsize your premises

Take stock of the space you are using for your business, is it possible to better utilize the space you have, or do you just have space that you are not using, you could either potentially sublet the unused space or move. Consider prices also and if space is cheap try and lock in the price for a long period. Make sure to keep the subletting option open, that way if you need to move you can sub let and go somewhere else. As long as you locked in at a cheap rate this should be doable

4. Stay organized

This can help you save by avoiding late fees, and making sure you have the right inventory in place. This is key to retaining customers, as if you don’t have what the customer wants they will just move on to someone else who does.

Be prepared

Get all the items ready that you will need for your tax return. You will need your previous years tax return, the social security numbers for your immediate family. All W2 forms, 1099s(investment income statements), and any other statements related to your income, all statements related to expenses you will be claiming for and the account details for the account you want the refund to go into.

Use a tax program

This will make your life much easier as many of the items are already set up for next year or for last year if you have already done it. Many times your financial affairs will not change that much from year to year. This is a very popular way to file a tax return, every year more and more people do it this way, and at some point it will be the only way possible as it is cheaper for the government to process electronic filings. By using a tax program it will mean that you are less likely to make costly mistakes. The IRS reported that they found the error rate was 20 times less with electronic submissions compared to manual submissions. Generally a tax program will not cost much, and will end up saving you much more.

Free file if possible

This can be an option if your taxes are simple. If you don’t need to itemize and have very simple requirements you may be able to do it this way, the IRS lists some other providers who are participating in the Free File Alliance.

Maximize credits and deductions

Make sure that you are getting all the tax breaks that are coming to you, and minimize fines or penalties. Make sure to choose a tax program which helps you to identify these credits and deductions. Also look through for any newly introduced credits and deductions and see if any apply to you. Think about whether you can change your income or outgoings to be able to be claim extra credits and deductions.

One simple deduction that many miss is that you can itemize the clothes and goods that you give to charity, give them a value and get a deduction for this. Some programs will allow you to estimate this value easily.

E-file and direct deposit.

This allows you much quicker access to the refund, so you can start earning interest on it more quickly. Generally, someone who e-files can expect to get their refund deposited directly into their accounts in a few days, comparing this to weeks if you decide on the mailed check option

E-filing and direct deposit don’t cost you anything, but they can mean you have your refund faster so that it can start working for you whether that’s paying off debt, buying something you want or saving for the future, Lundberg says.

These travel money saving tips should help you to get a longer better holiday for the same price, or to save

Take the holiday in the off-season

Generally summer is the prime holiday season, as well as any holiday periods. So by avoiding these peak seasons you can save on transportation and accommodation costs, as well as meaning when you are actually travelling you will have to contend with other travellers. During the off season you will also tend to get better access to tourist attractions and more attentive customer service.

Fly to an airport near by where you are going

Many low cost airlines fly to destinations which are further away from where you want to go, but have good bus services to get you into the area, and by picking a low cost carrier you can save significantly, be sure to watch out for the extras though, low cost travel means that things which are normally included with a standard carrier may not be with them. E.g. if you want a meal on flight you may have to pay so instead you should bring a packed lunch. Budget airlines include Ryanair and EasyJet. You also may have strict baggage allowances and will be charged a very large premium even if you go over weight slightly.

Skip taxi and take public transportation

In many big city it is a breeze to get around using train and buses. Choose these options rather than taxis. Also you get to see more of the city from a different perspective rather than just seeing the inside of a taxi and then your hotel.

Take advantage of free activities on holiday

Many locations have free activities such as visiting local museums and parks, which can be enjoyed as well as marvelling at the architecture.

There are also many volunteer opportunities which can get you abroad very cheaply, as well as doing some good. If you have some skills to trade then this may be the perfect opportunity experience another culture more fully.

Find Budget Accommodations

Skip the hotels and instead go for smaller operations. In some cases people have converted their house into a hotel. You can find many places where you will get a better service for a cheaper cost. As well as getting a better feel for the land. If you are going for a longer period consider doing a temporary flat share to truly experience what it is like to live somewhere else. Places where you can find accommodation like this include; Universities and hostels provide.

Camping is another possible option. There are many regulated sites in many different countries which are quite high tech, some even offering Wi-Fi, but most allowing you to set up for a cheap price.

You could even try couch surfing

Weddings can be an expensive business, but it is possible to save money without compromising on the quality of your wedding, here are some wedding money saving tips to show you how. All these will not be applicable to you, you first have to figure out what is important to you in the wedding and cut the less important aspects according to this.

What you need to budget for a wedding

• Makeup and hair
• Food
• Drink
• Venue
• Wedding cake
• Dress
• Wedding cars
• Photographer
• Flowers
• Music
• Rings
• Invitations
• Honeymoon

General wedding money saving tips

• A reception site can be chosen which is much cheaper than the standard banquet facilities. You can call up local parks and find out if it is possible to host it there. Alternatively a community center can be a viable option. You could also restrict the number going to the reception and have it in your own house, or a family members home.
• Cut down the guest list as each time you add a name to your list, you are pushing up the budget. A good rule to follow is not to invite anyone you have not talked to for 5 years. Don’t think that you must allow everyone to bring a guest. You can also set up a blanket ban on certain categories such as second cousins, that way there will not be any ill feelings
• Cut the wedding planner it is not required, however if you do not have significant free time then it may be unavoidable.
• Set a target budget and stick to it, don’t be tempted to go significantly over it, remember that a wedding lasts for one day but paying off the mortgage can take your entire life
• Figure out what is most important to you and don’t compromise on these aspects, and the things that you are not to bothered about. This will allow you to prioritise the cost savings appropriately.
• Get multiple quotes and make sure to get them early so that you do not limit your options. Companies know that the close you are to the deadline the more under time pressure you are, and they will price accordingly. Pay a deposit to secure the good price,
• Pay a deposit to secure the good price otherwise you could find that the good price goes.
• Get personal recommendation for the company supplying so that you know the quality will not be lowered.
• Ask for a price match or a discount it can’t hurt especially when times are tough, companies are willing to give you a discount to secure your business. If you secure the price well enough in advance for example over 12 months then you could avoid the automatic inflationary rate hike that places tend to pile on.
• Set yourself up with an accounting application or spreadsheet too keep track of spending, budget for each item, and make sure to adjust accordingly if one item ends up coming in significantly cheaper or more expensive than you expected.
• Stay on top of bills this is another useful wedding money saving tip and stops you from getting any late payment charges as well as means there won’t be any delivery issues.
• Call in any favours you may have. If you can save on venue costs by using someone’s house for the reception for will save a huge amount, or if a friend is a talented photographer you can convince them to come and they get free cake.
• Get a wedding package some companies do aspects of weddings as bundles, such as getting cake and flowers together, generally you will save more than if you bought each separately, it also has the added benefit of having to deal with less people
• Get married in the off season these are the months of January, February, March and November. You will have much less competition for goods and services and thus be able to secure much better prices.
• Avoid Saturday as this day will generally be the most expensive one to get married on. Generally halls, photographers and other wedding service providers will give a discount for a wedding on an off day, so remember to ask about discounts for odd days.
• Stay strong before the wedding and stick to your budget, and upgrade sounds great, but really wouldn’t you rather have the money for a better house or education for your kids
• Set up an online wedding gift list and send it to everyone this way you can ensure that you don’t get duplicates, and you will stop people worrying about what present to get
• Hire a student musician this will save you on more expensive DJ fees and you will generally get good quality music. Make sure to check they have some talent first though.

Invitation money saving tips

• Do virtual invitations by email are the cheapest money saving tip as you will have no cost for invitations. Ask guests to reply online or by telephone.
• Do them yourself, there are many websites available where you can get ideas for invitation or websites where you can go through the whole process from design to printing.
• Print them yourself can be an option too but generally only if you have the right sort of printer.
• Avoid engraved and buy thermographed invitations as this will save you money and will look as good.
• Buy online or via a catalogue. this will save you as typically the brick and mortar stores have a 30% premium.
• Don’t get reception cards
• Keep it simple and don’t get lined envelopes or other fancy touches.

Wedding dress money saving tips

• Consider renting a wedding dress as at the end of the day you will only probably wear it once. Even if you get married again you won’t wear the same one!
• Stick to a simpler gown as the more detail and beading the more expensive it will be.
• Hit the bridal shop during the sale this does require forward planning as this generally only happens once a year
• For Bridesmaids dress shop after new years or during prom season as this will get you the widest selection and the best bargains.
• Don’t buy the shoes in the bridal shop you will just end up paying a premium for shoes which are indistinguishable from the ones you can buy in any shoes shop

Wedding flowers money saving tips

• Get one bouquet to toss as it is unnecessary to have another
• Go for silk flowers especially for table center pieces , you can have fresh flowers for the Bride, but for everyone else artificial does fine. You can potentially rent these, or alternatively resell them onwards after the wedding as they will not degrade.
• Choose in season flowers as these will be cheaper if they are abundantly available at the florist, be sure to get a discount at the florist for the bulk buy.
• Avoid holidays as flower prices spike at these times
• Minimize flowers in the ceremony it is not necessary that your wedding look like a jungle

Wedding cake

• Buy a cake and decorate it yourself this is a most cost effective option and can add a nice personal touch to the wedding.
• Avoid a desert table buy getting a cake which has different flavours in it, so everyone has a different option.
• Avoid the cake cutting fee by cutting the cake when the wedding party enters.
• If you decide on a dessert table you could just rent an elaborate wedding cake

Hair and make up

• If possible hire one person or company to deal with both makeup and hair. This cuts down on cost and management.
• Ask for a reduction especially if you have many women to do hair make up for, as you will tend to get a discount for the more people who need hair and makeup.
• Do a trial run first this helps ensure you get right people and figure out exactly what you need. As well as ensuring that the wedding process goes much quicker.
• Buy your own accessories otherwise you will find that the hair dresser may add the hair accessories which you will end up paying for.

Caterer

• Have family members prepare the reception food , you can do this by buying trays of prepared food. Make sure that they are reliable or have a guarantee in place.
• Plan the reception so people are not hungry this allows you to put on a simple buffet. The late afternoon works well.
• The less guest the less catering costs
• Have an alcohol free wedding can be a reasonable option especially if you and your partner do not drink, this will reduce your catering bill considerably, as well as cut down on any embarrassment. Alternatively you could open the bar only for a certain period, and serving cost effective wine with dinner.
• Get a fully supplied caterer, so that they bring all there own supplies, this should be cheaper for you and cut down on hassle. You don’t want to be arrange for plates, glasses or table cloths.
• Check you are not being charged for superfluous services as some caterers have packages which have decoration and if you have this arranged already you will be paying for something you don’t use. Don’t assume that the caterer will realise and not bill, in all likelihood they will anyway.
• Choose in season fruits
• Stick to simple food this will keep costs down as elaborate food costs more, and will also be more likely to disagree with some guests.
• Do a buffet as these can be significantly simpler than individual food for everyone, it also has the benefit that your guests are more likely to find what they want and to mingle..
• Check gratuity is included as otherwise you could get hit by an unwelcome addition to your bill, companies love to hide the final price that something is going to cost, so make sure you get the total price. Get it in writing.
• Some venues let you get your own drinks in this case you will save significantly.
• Consider a restaurant you frequent regularly, this works if your guest size is medium to small then this may work, and will end up being cheaper, as well as you knowing that the food will be what you are use to.
• Children’s plates can be 50% cheaper than normal with caterers so make sure to order these for any kids less that 12 years old. This has the added benefit that generally the food is more likely to be liked by younger kids. Remember that the caterer has his/her interests at heart and won’t necessarily mention a discount unless you ask for it

Save with the Photographer

• Do you need a photographer at all? you could instead asks your guests to record the day and to send you their photos and videos, not only should you get much more footage than with a photographer you will get a unique perspective on the day that can really bring it alive years later. To encourage people further you could leave disposable cameras on the tables.
• Pictures and video won’t fade it is important to note this, unfortunately with a professional photographer there are large costs involved, but the photos and video which are produced will be the main record of the wedding day, and they will probably be the one thing that truly lasts from the day, other than your marriage.
• Make sure you get the files and make sure that they are high resolution. This means that you can make your own copies without have to order them from the photographer and pay his/her premium, if your photographer does not do this for you then get another one.
• Know what you are getting and make sure that you get it. You want to have a good range of shots as well as the all important ones, ensure that you don’t get hit with hidden extra costs by discussing this with the photographer.
• Save on albums it can make more sense to buy these not from the photographer as generally there will be a significant mark up on anything you buy from the photographer
• Only have the photographer for the wedding don’t have him for the reception, this will save you money. Just make sure to capture what is important to you.

Video money saving tips

• Combine the photographer with a camera man
• Choose no editing this will cut down on cost, and you won’t run the risk that something interesting is cut out.
• Ask a friend to do it and make sure to give him/her a list of all the footage you want them to take, otherwise you will find that key parts of the day are missing.

Money saving tips on wedding cars

• Price compare as there are so many car hire places you are bound to get a cheaper deal if you do this.
• If you have a friend with a fancy car ask them for a ride
• Avoid the stretch limo as it can be the most expensive.
• Rent a luxury car instead as this can save you money and be more original than a limo. You could get a new model luxury car or sports car.
• Skip the limousine pick after reception is especially good to avoid as late night pickups can be especially expensive.
• Cut down on passengers so that only the bride goes in the limo

Should you get a wedding planner?

• If you don’t have time then you need one otherwise you are perfectly capable to do it yourself.
• Hire a consultant to get you started and for final stages this can give you some much needed advice, but save hugely on the cost of wedding planner
• Getting a wedding planner can save money as they will generally know these tips already
• If you have an organized close friend you could task them with helping with the wedding planning, they need to be pro active as the planning process requires someone who speaks up for themselves.

Money saving tips for the honey moon

• Shop around for your honeymoon
• Book well in advance
• Ask about free upgrades and specials which are especially designed for people on their honey moon.
• Ask people to contribute to your honey moon rather than buying you wedding presents.
• Choose a weekend getaway
• If you love the outdoors then go outdoors, plan a camping, hiking, or rafting trip.
• If you go on a cruise make sure to get a package deal for honey mooners

Here follows some tips on successful budgeting. Budgeting can help you to increase your income without getting a salary increase. Many people have thousands that they are spending which they could potentially save, with a little time spent every day spent organizing their budget

• Put budgeting into your mind it is not something to do at the end of the day, it should influence all your purchasing decisions, whenever there is an outflow that is a good time to identify a potential saving. If you budget in this way you will get out of debt more quickly, and remove your need to use credit cards, this will have many benefits not least reducing the stress associated with debt and the friction this can cause. It will ultimately increase your freedom in a much truer sense than the false freedom a credit card provides.
• Set up goals to work towards, one goal could be getting out of debt, the next is saving up for retirement, but you can also have other goals such as saving up for a particular purchase or reducing your debt by 10%, or saving enough for an emergency fund. Once you have this goal figure how much money you need to save up to meet this goal, and have that in mind when constructing your budget from your current income. It can also help when you need to make the necessary cutback in the entertainment budget.
• Figure out your current budget level and categorize your spend, make sure to also include expenses which do not necessarily happen every month, for example repairs and maintenance, or paying insurance. Even wedding and birthday gifts can add up to significant amounts. With fees such as insurance for the car it is a simple case of dividing by 12 and putting this fee in your budget, with other expenses which are random you need to estimate from your last years spend on these items, and with your judgement whether these are getting higher or lower. If you are spending a considerable amount on this, you can see if you can cut down the spend.
• Subtract your income from your expenses this gives you your net inflow or out flow of cash per month, you goal should be to match this to the goals you set above
• Figure out where to save this will be most dependant on your personal position and what you spend money on. For debt interest repayments see if you can reduce the interest you are paying by consolidating loans or by move your money to the lowest interest rate. See if you can switch your insurance to a cheaper provider. Entertain in your house rather than going out. Drastic changes include moving house to live somewhere cheaper, moving closer to work to save on travel fees. Don’t buy a new car by a used one.
• Stop your spending impulses this can be achieved by putting your credit cards out of your wallet and removing the credit card numbers from online stores. By automatically putting your savings into your savings account after your pay check goes in. Any time you spend anything justify it in your mind in the framework of the budget. Make sure you keep all receipts to track the spend.
• Track your progress and adjust accordingly, your first budget will not be ideal, it will have unrealistic expectations, but that is too be expected, adjusting to the new budget will take time. So tweak your budget, especially when looking at your entertainment budget choose what to do and what not to do on the expense it costs you per hour enjoyment, some items such a good book can last you much longer than a night out and be much cheaper. It is not being suggested that you cut it out completely but rather do less of it, just cutting out two or three nights out a month can save you hundreds.
• Keep realistic expectations not realistic that you will necessarily be able to cut your entertainment budget down to zero and still be happy, or to cut your food budget in half and still be satisfied. Instead set some achievable goals that you can work towards.
• Get everyone one board as if you are budgeting for more than yourself then you need to get everyone working towards that goal also. It is no use you being thrifty if someone just goes and spends the money because there is more available. Everyone needs to keep track of expenses. This goes for kids also, give the children a set amount and tell them that is what they have to work with, tell them they don’t get any more until next week or next month. This structure has the added benefit that it is self reinforcing, if one person starts to go out of line everyone else pulls them on this. Again for this to work everyone has to be onboard with the overall goal, whether it be getting out of debt or saving up for the family holiday.

Here are some details about planning your retirement. To have any hope of having a decent retirement you need to start planning early.

How start building up for retirement

Start now if you have not started already, it is never too early to start planning for your retirement. The quicker that you start saving the more time your money has to increase and due to compound interest the bigger the pile will be at the end.
Set your goals up, what sort of retirement would you like to have? Would you want to keep living where you are or move to somewhere which has a slower pace. Do you want to downsize your house once you retire and your children have left the home. As a simple rule you will need about 70% of your current income to keep your standard of living, however you should consider that once you retire you will probably have your mortgage already paid off and not have many the expenses that you currently have, for example related to raising your children.
Set a time line to achieve this, once you have this you can start seeing how much return you will require to achieve this. It is also important to consider how long your retirement will last, with every year that goes by the length of your life is expected to extend. It is also important to note that your retirement date can be pushed out if you still feel fit and capable for work

What sort of retirement do you want?

With today’s extended life spans you can expect to live for 20 to 30 years more after retirement. This makes it very difficult to save enough money for retirement unless you save a significant portion of your income every money, or have very good returns over that time. What you can do to alleviate this is to change your retirement strategy, but either retiring later, this can be a realistic strategy as you can expect to be in much better condition at retirement age than previous generations, due to advances in medicine and if you take care of your health and fitness. You could also potentially semi retire and work one or two days a week, this can be an ideal strategy for many as it keeps you active but also gives you time to enjoy life. Another option is to take a mini retirement, say retire for 2 years and come back to work, then retire, this can have the advantage of recharging the batteries, though it does require that you have a profession where this is a realistic strategy. Whenever you are calculating how much you need to save for retirement you need to take into consideration the rate of inflation as this will erode your money. You could consider relocating to an area with a significantly cheaper standard of living, this will make reaching you’re retirement goals much easier.

Find out what government benefits you will be eligible form

There are many benefits which are provided by the government for older people, you should research all these, with the realisation in your mind that as with all things to do with the government they can be changed or rescinded. If you live in the USA you can find out about Social Security benefits by going to ssa there you can get a free Personal Earnings and Benefit Estimate Statement (PEBES). In the UK there is a state pension, which is generally not close to enough to live on, and also many other fringe benefits including cheaper travel and discounts using various services.

Where to invest your money

Generally you want to put your money in a tax sheltered savings plan, in the USA this would be a plan such as a 401k. In the UK you should take advantage of ISA’s which allow you to make tax free investments either in a cash only saving or to put in stocks and shares. The Individual Retirement Account (IRA), for the USA will probably make up a big chunk of your retirement income. It is possible to put up to $4,000 into an IRA or $4,500 if you are over 55. It is possible to either contribute portions during the year or contribute in a lump sum. Where to put your money once it is in the fund is also a tricky choice. You can invest in government bonds or in the stock market, or even gold. It all depends on how much risk you are willing to take and what return you want, please note though that generally the higher the returns there are the higher the risk is that you will not achieve this return, and that you may lose your original investment. It is also sensible to move your money into safer places the closer you come to retirement that way the swings and roundabouts do not hit you with a low period just when you need to taken the money out.

Diversification is an essential part of any investment strategy. Don’t put all your eggs in one basket, a common but incorrect way to invest is to have most of your retirement savings invested in the company you work for. This has the risk that if the company goes bankrupt then you could potentially lose everything. So it is advisable to have portions of your income spread across different asset classes, as well as potentially different countries and different currencies. This does have the disadvantage that you may not get the returns you would expect otherwise but it does mean you are much less likely to suffer and catastrophic investment decision which leaves you penniless

There are many reasons you may need to hire a car. You may not own a car or your own car may be out of action. Or you may be abroad and wish to venture beyond the city. Generally renting the car once you are on holiday will be the most expensive option and should be avoided. rental car insurance can provide a cost-effective and alternative solution.

Car rental companies normally run special promotions regularly, so if you plan ahead you can wait for these special offers to come along before hiring your car. Make sure not to go with the first rental quotation you get as you will normally be able to find a cheaper option, or a better car as there are so many car rental companies out there.

Make sure to avoid the peak seasons when looking to hire a car, and book well in advance, as the closer you get to the date of the car usage the more expensive it will get.

Get the final cost of the car rental, as often times companies will not include all the optional extras which you assume are just standard, for example some cars may charge you per mile that you use without giving you any free mileage, and the rate they charge might be greater. So you can avoid the hidden costs and ask for the total fee straight up. Make sure they are quoting with tax added on and insurance and with a reasonable or no mileage allowance.

Make sure to stand firm on any extras, that the car rental company tries to give you, often times the sales representative makes commission on any extra that you are up sold on, don’t give in, just get what you want, good value for money.

When you receive the car, make sure that a full vehicle inspection is done by you to note any damage on the car already. Ideally take pictures of the car as well, as some unscrupulous car hire companies will pretend that you damaged the car and charge you for this. Also note the level of the gas and give it back with that same level as some companies will charge you a much higher premium for filling up the tank than just what it cost them to fill up the tank. Make sure that you are adequately insured when driving the car, not that you get hit with a huge payment if you are unlucky enough to get into an accident.

If you are planning to move house, then these money saving tips can save you time and effort in the move. The less time that the move takes the cheaper it should be.

Choosing a moving company is tricky ideally go with a friends recommendation don’t just go with the cheapest as your possession are probably worth many times the cost of the move, but if that is not available get at least three quotes, and make sure that there is insurance in place in case damage occurs. Google the companies name plus with word review and you will generally get some information about how good or bad they are if they are of a significant size. If you are still unsure ask the company if you can speak to a previous customer.
Lose useless items, most people accumulate items which they think may be useful but they never end up using. Make an inventory of all the items in your house which are hardly ever used, if you can’t see yourself using them in the next month then chance are you will never end up using them and they will just clutter up your house. So categorize them into items that you can eBay and items which you can donate to charity, or need to go to the skip. It is especially important to get rid of large useless objects as these can make the move more tiresome. For example old furniture which is in poor condition may be best got rid off.
Pack up in an orderly fashion such that there is little to no wasted space in each box. Label each box with the room that it came from, and even the cupboard it came from, this will make unpacking much easier and quicker.
Fragile items separate putting these separately and marking them will ensure that special care is taken, the last thing you need is for items to get broken in the move
Give clear paths for the movers to move boxes. Ideally have everything piled in one place close to the exit, so that they can go in and out and not have to waste time navigating through your house. Make sure to stack the heavy boxes at the bottom to minimize any potential damage.
Organize adequate parking if you have monitored parking in your area you may need to get a parking suspension, otherwise try and reserve a space as near to your house as possible, that way you minimize the loading time and minimize the amount of damage done during the move. The easiest way to reserve the space is to park your car there.
Disassemble your larger furniture to make the move easier, some moving companies mandate that you do this anyway. Generally beds will be able to be taken apart. Before you do this, make sure to take pictures of the bed, so that putting the bed back together again is a breeze. You should also break up your entertainment system and tie up all the loose wires.
Cover any delicate furniture if you have expensive furniture make a cover for it that way it will be protected in case of bangs on the move.

Rent out free space in your home. Consider that if you have a spare room in your house you could rent that room out an make $500 plus per month on that room depending on where you live. Remember that when you rent you hold many of the cards, you can choose who you want and give them the boot if things are not working out. This can be a great temporary way to get rid of debt. If you have a garage or even a driveway that you don’t use it may be possible to rent this out, especially if you live in a city center and parking is hard to come by in your city.
Make use of your other talents by being paid for them. If you are great handy man or good with your voice you could fix problems or do voice overs in your spare time. This could bring in some much needed cash, it may not be a long term solution as it may not leave you enough down time to recharge, but this can be a great way to wear down debt in a short burst. Consider training in plumbing or decorating for example, people always need these skills and will be prepared to pay a premium for out of office hours. Alternatively if you have a talent for taking photographs you could set yourself up as a wedding photographer, or if you are even more entrepreneurial you could get a decent video camera and offer to video tape local school plays. Often times you will find that the attending parents are more than happy to pay a premium for someone to record there children’s play in a professional manner
Sell unwanted items often times your house will be clogged up with items which you have never used, but you may think you will use at some point, free up some space and make some money, by doing and inventory of items which you do not use in your house, come back to the list a month later, if you have not touched an item then see if you can eBay it for some extra cash

Air seal your home buy having air leaks in your house you are ensuring that your fuel bill is much higher than expected. Unfortunately many houses are built to poor specification in this regard, and by spending an afternoon finding all the places that wind is blowing into your house you will find you have to have the heating on for less time.
Coupon clip this can be a huge saver, but only if you stick to things you would have bought anyway. Balance it against the time and hassle factor of getting the coupons together with the saving. Using this in conjunction with a large freezer can really help to boost the saving potential
Use energy efficient bulbs. Installing CFL (or even the most energy efficient LED) bulbs will save you significant amounts on your electricity bill, especially if someone is always in your house. Although they may cost more to start with they will generally last longer that incandescent bulbs. At the moment LED bulbs tend to be the most expensive, however as the technology gets more mature prices will drop. Generally though it is better to find out what works for you, in places where you are reading you may want to stick with normal bulbs if you do not like the light produced by CFL.
Turn off the lights if you are not in a room then turn the lights off, once you get into this habit it will be hard to go back and have your house fully lit. You can even get lights which are turned on with motion and turn off automatically. These are ideal for halls or bathrooms where you tend to spend little time.
Downsize your house as many people do not need huge palaces, it just makes more work to clean and heat. It also has the added benefit that you do not buy too much stuff because you have no where to put it. This needs to be adjusted to your own circumstances, but clues would be if you have a room or two that is just filled with junk that you never use.
Become a handy man often small jobs can be done by yourself, but if you get someone in it can cost a lot more. Painting is something that anyone can do, and anyone can do well just by following simple rules. Make sure to start small first, don’t start redoing the plumbing or you will probably end up very wet.
Find a cheaper place to live, the cost of a mortgage or rent is often the number one expense you will have in the month. You can save a huge amount just by moving location. Clearly this is not an option for all, with consideration needed to be taken to the neighborhood and the commute to work. But often times for some places the cultural aspects of a certain city end up not being used, in that case you might as well live somewhere else where you are not paying such a premium for being there. Also consider the option of living very close to work such that you can walk, and that this may mean you will save commute time and fuel, or even being able to ditch your car (even if you love cars you can always get one later once you have paid down your debt or got a good amount of wealth built up from the saving).