AARP Rewards Online Community Smart Saver Contest

I started Ubering beginning of March and plan on doing so because it really does help with the extra money needed, especially with everything going up in high prices. Eating out less does help a lot!

 I use the back of envelopes I receive in the mail to make notes and lists, saving on paper costs.  I also use the back of 8 1/2 x 11 sheets of printed material that are blank to print.  Just make sure they are in good condition. Then I recycle what I use.  I also reuse aluminum foil that is not contaminated by storing it in the door of the refrigerator so it's handy doing the same with plastic bags that are still clean.

Use your kroger app coupon for 4 times value on purchases on fridays...buy a kroger gift card and use it yourself to purchase your groceries.  Other coupons also add up to savings on groceries as well as on gas.

To stay healthy, I buy alot of fruits and vegetables during my weekly grocery shopping. To make sure they do not go to waste, I immediately make a big fruit salad and a vegetable salad. That way, all I have to do is scoop out bowl full and enjoy. In the past these items have sat in the frig and spoiled because I didn't want to take the time to prepare them at each meal.

I turn off my gas water heater most of the day, only turning it on a timer for a few hours in the evening so I can do dishes and take a shower.  Water heaters use a lot of energy so I’ve found it helpful for saving a bit on a limited budget. 

  I save on gas & gym costs by walking various routes starting and ending at my home, this also saves on healthcare by staying more fit.  I also use dumbells in and other excercises in my living room.  I'll stop at the grocer on some of my walks to pick up things we're getting low on, always checking the discount shelves in the grocery store, this saves gas on shopping trips as well as grocery costs.

 I save gas by combining errand runs with other driving trips, rather than making a special trip immediately whenever I need something.  I always turn off lights when I leave a room and shut down my computer when not using it for more than 2-3 hours to save electric costs.  During heating season, if I'm leaving home for more than 4 hours I'll turn the thermostat down by 5 degrees.  When I return and turn it back up, the furnace starts running and the hous feels warmer when the furnace is running so I don't really notice the cooler temperature during the time the house is warming back up.

We combine shopping trips AND our local Kroger store regulary has 4x fuel points for Friday shopping (and other events too).  We always have enough points to get $1.00 off per gallon of fuel at least once a month.  We also combine other errands, and we buy fresh produce and meat on sale for meals.  Then the leftovers are used within a day or so.  We don't buy "prepared" food items very often, since they cost more and have added salt and sugar.

  I use the Purina app on my phone to take pictures of my cat food purchases that are Purina.  You get points for each purchase and then you can buy rewards. The rewards I use mostly are the coupons. You can get pretty decent ones. I buy a lot of cat food and cat litter, so this really is a good deal for me. 

We use coupons that come in the mail or through that companies app.

Compare appliance prices online before going into an appliance store to make a purchase.  They will often match the online price.  When trading in your car, get a Carvana estimate first.  The dealer will often match their price!