This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.

Health & Fitness

6 WAYS TO START SAVING TODAY!

If you’re considering buying a home, it’s important to be mortgage ready.  Lenders will want to see that you’re financially responsible, so tightening your belt might be in order.  Just short of digging through your old pants pockets or couch crevices for loose change, below are six tips which will help you keep a little bit extra in the bank.

1.) LET YOUR KITCHEN BE YOUR STARBUCKS—Coffee shops are not cheap.  Instead of splurging on that $5 cup every morning, break out that coffee pot and make your own!

2.) GET THRIFTY—While not everyone feels great about shopping at thrift stores, you might actually be surprised at some of the goodies you’ll find.

Find out what's happening in Miltonwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

3.) CHOP THOSE CREDIT CARDS—Although they may be an important aspect of keeping up your credit score, all of those extra cards can cause problems.  Instead, get a consolidation loan to lower your monthly payments.

4.) DISCONNECT YOUR LAND LINE—Honestly ask yourself, “Do I really use this enough?”  Why pay for two phones when you can actually save hundreds by just using your cell?

Find out what's happening in Miltonwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

5.) NO MORE SPOILAGE!—Remember those leftovers from two nights ago?  Don’t let them sit in the fridge until they have to be thrown out!  Instead of making something new, refurbish those leftovers.

6.) LUNCH, LUNCH, LUNCH—While it only takes a few minutes to pack a lunch each morning, many of us don’t take the time to throw something together and instead opt for takeout.  Why waste your money?  Bringing your lunch to work can save you hundreds of dollars per year.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

The views expressed in this post are the author's own. Want to post on Patch?