1. Take out your #1 and #2 credit cards. Call the number on the back and say, “I think I’m going to need to cancel my account because your interest rate is too high.” Then wait silently. Watch what happens. Boom, I just saved you a few hundred dollars. (Source: Seth Godin)
2. Cancel your cable. I just saved you six hours a day, or 65 days every year, and about $42.76 a month.
3. Clip coupons. I just saved you - if you’re a family of five like we are - about $240 a month.
4. Stop drinking caffeine. One guy cut out only soft drinks and saved about $100 a month. It could also save your health.
Total approximate savings? At least $383 every month.
That’s 11 children saved from poverty every month.
5. Stop telling yourself you don’t have the money.
Randy said:
Good advice. I’ve planned on doing numero uno for some time. Though I never really charge more than I can afford to spend. And they’re paid off monthly.
This is a good plan for saving money and being able to support good causes with the excess.
But I can’t give up my coffee.
said:
Those are good. I am challenged.
I figured out something interesting today. One successful candidate in the upcoming presidential election will raise/spend enough money to sponser over 100,000 compassion kids for 10 years.
OH, the the unsuccessful candidates will too…
Cali Amy said:
Just a word that it’s not such a great idea to cancel longstanding credit accounts if you will be needing a credit check anytime soon. It’s the sad truth that such a thing will negatively impact your credit rating. But don’t keep a high balance either, that will also negatively affect it.
Traci said:
My husband and I moved into our house 8 years ago. The plan was to get unpacked and organized before we settled down in front of the cable channels. Somehow we just never got around to getting cable installed. We don’t miss it.
jeff said:
Shaun. don’t know if brody mentioned it to you, but my wife and i are going to sponsor a child through compassion. we’ve been discussing it for a while, but since i’ve been following you and brody’s travels (he’s a friend from way back when), we are now going to do it. we are cancelling our cable and using that money to sponsor a child.
thanks for the message you are sharing. it’s neat to watch as more and more people are “buying” in to what we were directed to already be doing some 2000 years ago. i may try and catch a show when you’re out in southern california!
thanks for always giving updates on the lives that are saved. peace.
said:
I gave up cable last year to sponsor a child and it was the best decision I have ever made. Not only am I helping a child, my relationship with God has improved since I am not sitting in front of the TV all the time. Great advice!
said:
Cali Amy: I am pretty sure the credit card reference was that the CC people will scramble and do just about anything to keep a person on their card. That line specifically will make the CC company usually just immediately lower the interest rate. Another good trick is just calling up the CC company and asking to speak to an account.... oh never mind I can’t think of the name of it.
Something like retrieval but that’s not the right word. OH Retainer? That might be it. Their job is to make sure they RETAIN you as a CC holder. So they will start by lowering your interest rates.
said:
Oh, forgot to say, #5 is a good one. It’s one of my least favorite things to hear people say. Kids (and adults) come up to the booth carying 3-4 CD’s, tee-shirts, Nachos, a $5 bottle of soda, and say they can’t afford to sponsor a child. :(
Did you know we are signing you up to come to Missouri?
We just sent the email out last night. I mean, Sunday night.
Cali Amy said:
Alexis,
I figured as much, but I just thought I’d throw that out there. Some people may genuinely feel the best way to save money is to cancel their credit cards, when really it can cost you money in the long run. so i wanted people to know!