A little bit here and a little bit there....

Good morning.... Today I’ll be giving you a few random tips to get you thinking about ways you can trim your unnecessary spending. This can get you started on a few new year's resolutions!

Coffee lovers remember that the Starbucks brew of the day costs under $2. This changes on a weekly basis. Of course, if you cut the habit completely, you’ll save even more! J Get yourself a coffee cup and make your brew at home!

Linens & Things and Bed, Bath and Beyond coupons are interchangeable. Don’t worry too much if the coupon has expired, they take it any way. Remember too that you can use more than one coupon at a time as well.

Chic-fil-A restaurants also are not sticky with expired coupons. Call ahead and make sure that the location you have a coupon for is ok with this. I have not had any problems with this in the past.

Fees: Look at your bank statement and add up your monthly fees. If necessary, switch to an account (or different bank) which has no unnecessary fees. If you are paying any accounts late, stop getting slammed by late fees by using automatic bank drafts or setting yourself a reminder on you cell phone to make timely payments.

Pay up your credit card balance on a monthly basis. This will force you to buy only what you can afford to pay at the end of that month. Remember to cash in on any credit card rewards you earn for using the card. If you have to make monthly payments, make the payments before the due date. If the due date is before pay day, get the due date changed. This may take a month or two to kick in, but would be worth saving on those late payment fees.

Interest: Paying an extra $100 a month toward the principal on a $150,000, 30-year mortgage with a fixed interest rate of 6.5%, will save you more than $51,000 in interest and be able to retire your mortgage about seven years early. An extra monthly payment of even $20 or $25 can make a surprising difference. Now you would benefit more if you invest the extra money in an interest-bearing account offering a guaranteed higher rate of return than your mortgage rate. Paying off your mortgage early means you will not have the tax benefits of home ownership for the same number of years. However, spending less interest and knowing you own the home is a plus!

Happy saving!
Thrifty