Here are some great ways to save this month.
1-31 “Fruit and Veggies – More Matters” Month.
The month of September is designated as Fruit and Veggies – More Matters Month by the Centers for Disease Control to encourage everyone to eat more fruits and vegetables. Focus on eating seasonal fruits and vegetables to save money this month and for the rest of the autumn as the harvest comes in. Visit your local farmers’ markets to get the best prices on local produce or find a vegetable wholesaler for rock-bottom prices.
1st
If you have health insurance coverage through your employment, review your coverage today. Do you need to make any changes to your plan? Speak to HR to ensure you have the coverage that works the best for your family. You will need to sign up for coverage by the end of the year for next year, so start doing your research today instead of just rolling over last year’s coverage without reviewing it.
Labor Day.
Enjoy your well-earned day off. Rather than spend your dollars on eating out, put the money you would spend towards a barbecue, or have a picnic with your family.
8th International Literacy Day.
Consider going through your book collection and deciding which books you can either sell or trade in for credit at your local second-hand book store. Read a current financial expert’s book with wealth-building tips today. Make a donation to the Literacy Site, click to donate free books, or shop in their charity store to get an early start on your holiday shopping.
11th Grandparents’ Day.
Visit your grandparents or your kids’ grandparents today. Ask them to share some tips about how they stretch their dollars. You might be surprised with how much they know about getting more miles out of your money.
15 Third Quarter Estimated Taxes are Due.
If you’re self-employed or run your own business, remember to mail your estimated tax payment in plenty of time for the IRS to receive it before this date.
19-24th Take your lunch to work this week.
One way to preserve your cash this month is to carry your lunch each day. At $5 to $10 per weekday, you’ll save a fair amount of money to put into your emergency fund or save for one of your family’s other financial goals. You can also put this money into your end of the year holiday fund.
21st International Day of Peace.
This date reminds us all to do what we can to bring about world peace. Make a donation to a cause that promotes world peace and nonviolence. Don’t forget to keep all your charity donation receipts in order to deduct your donation on your taxes when you file them in April of the following year.
23rd First Day of Autumn.
Review your budget and begin planning and preparations for end-of- the-year spending for the upcoming holiday season. If you have not already been shopping and saving now, is the time to get started so that you are not stuck with a lot of bills all in one month this year.
30th Review your debts.
Make a list of all your debts and vow to pay them off. Start with the card with the highest interest and pay off that bill first. Then go to the next highest interest rate and pay that one off. Do not plan on using your cards for any holiday expenses. Pay down each card, keeping only one card with the lowest interest rate for emergencies.
For more information on frugal living all year round, see:
Smart Spending Strategies and How to Use the Internet to Save Money