Middle Years? What middle years?

Some of you might be wondering what we mean by middle years. Well, many of us in this age group are out of college and have jobs, spouses, teenage children or younger, and so many other things to juggle. Sound familiar?

Who couldn't use a few good money-saving tips?

No matter where we are in life, it's helpful to have tips handy in our budgeting arsenal. Some tips will work well for students while others will better suit retirees and so on. And what one person finds useful, another person may not. As your life changes, you might find what used to work for you no longer does. Nevertheless, you'll find some tips stick with you no matter your age or stage in life.

Some tips that will help a person in their middle years

• Cook at home more often. 
• Instead of buying new sponges every few weeks, run the ones you have through the dishwasher to disinfect them.  A few minutes in the microwave works equally well.
• Take stock of what food you already have on hand before going to the grocery store.
• Plan your meals around the sale items listed in store fliers.  If you don’t mind clipping coupons, do so from fliers and newspapers.  There are many coupons online, too, which can be found on retailer and coupon sites.      
• Mail order any prescription medications you can--it is often cheaper.
• Generic medications can be as good as the brand ones.  Ask your doctor if this is permissible for you.
• Turn off non-essential lights, especially when leaving your house for the day.  During this time, adjust your thermostat up or down a few degrees according to the dictates of the weather.  When home, run fans to help cool off your home instead of cranking up the AC further.  
• Shop at consignment stores.  Clothing in these stores can look practically brand new.
• If shopping at a department store, buy off the sales rack.  Out of season clothing is usually your best bet--often at savings of up to 70-80% of the original price.
• Use lists to cut down on impulse buys--even if it’s really cheap, do you really need it?  Decide between wants and needs.
• Garage sales can be an excellent way to get rid of stuff and make some extra cash, too.
• Seek out local and state parks for recreation.
• Parks and malls are wonderful and free alternatives to the gym if you are looking to start a walking regime. 
• The local park district of your town is a viable option for snagging cheaper prices on activities ranging from music lessons to sport leagues.  Make use of it if your town has these programs.

OneBudget-helping on your way

This was but a small list of possible tips that might work for you. OneBudget invites you to share your own favorites. After all, that's what this site is all about: networking to find out what works for others and, more important, you.