You generate social capital when you help your neighbor repair a fence, or have your Sunday School class over for a barbeque, or join a bowling league. Any time you participate in the community, you are generating social capital, both for yourself, and for the other people involved. We don’t need to sacrifice our own interests to generate social capital. It’s not a zero-sum game. 

True wealth doesn’t come from cash, but from our relationships with the people around us.

“People give high priority to printed bills,” he writes, “so think of your savings as a bill that simply must be paid. You have no choice in the matter. Period.”

I recently exchanged e-mail with another person who uses a similar approach. She schedules her bills into her calendar as if they are appointments. When it’s time to pay them, a reminder appears on her computer, and she takes care of the bill, just as she would any other obligation.

Obviously, this is overkill for some people. But if you have trouble remembering to pay your bills, these techniques may help.

[This information via The Wisdom Journal, and used with permission.]

Open a high-interest savings account at a bank like ING Direct or FNBO Direct. Set up automatic transfers into this account, either directly from your paycheck or from your regular bank account. Treat these transfers like you’d treat any other financial obligation. This should be your first and most important bill every month.

She and a group of friend organized a cooking evening to prepare freezer meals for each of them. They decided on six menus, assigned the shopping, and borrowed a church kitchen. They divided duties like cutting, slicing, mixing, frying, and cleaning.

The group split the costs, and each woman came home with six different meals for future use.

I’ve already spent several months coveting a Mini Cooper. When I was recently tempted to purchase an expensive new digital camera, I looked at it in terms of how much Mini it would cost me — 6%! — to get a better idea of the sacrifice I’d have to make to buy it. It made the idea more concrete. In a way, the Mini Cooper has become a sort of personal currency.

One of the most dangerous paths to clutter (and to overspending) is the urge to own the same things your friends do. Peer pressure can be powerful. I’ve come to realize that lifestyles are not a competition. What does it matter what others buy?

I’m content with what I have — more Stuff is not going to make me more happy.

For example, when you buy something at a store and later change your mind, your ability to return the merchandise depends upon store policy. If you buy an item in your home, you might have three days to cancel.

[This information via The Wisdom Journal, and used with permission.]

If this is too extreme, make a commitment to yourself not to use them for impulse purchases or for entertainment, and to always pay the balance in full every month. Leave credit cards at home if you might be tempted to spend too much.  The important thing is to be honest with yourself, and to use credit cards in a way that helps your finances instead of hurting them. If you can’t do this, you’re better off without them. 

You can use services like OptOutPrescreen.com and GreenDimes to eliminate unsolicited credit card offers.

Consider saving for a trip to London or Hawaii next year. Or saving for a new car. I’ve found that saving for goals 18 months to five years in the future has been a great way for me to get excited about saving.

It is a good idea every couple of years to compare your rates with the competition.  If you find lower rates for comparable coverage, ask your current agent to match or beat that lower rate.  

Learn more: 10 expert tips for saving on car insurance.

Connect with co-workers, friends, and family members to learn about their careers and occupational status.  Conduct an informational interview with someone in a profession that sounds interesting to you.  Ask questions about educational requirements, the job outlook, the positive and negative aspects of the position, and always go away with at least three other people to contact. 

These encounters will possibly provide new job possibilities, but often times can put your current employment into perspective and give you insight into possible next steps for your career.

• Install compact fluorescent bulbs. Over a five year period, a single CFL can save you about $40 over a single incandescent bulb.
• Blanket your water heater. If you use a large tank water heater, wrapping it in a thermal blanket (available at your local hardware store) can save significant energy costs, even given the internal insulation on water heaters.
• Install a programmable thermostat. If you’re willing to do a bit of home electrical work, installing a programmable thermostat is well worth your time. Here’s how to do it. Programmable thermostats can significantly reduce your monthly energy use, paying for themselves in just a few months.

There are many little moves you can make to save energy, but these three will cut your energy usage — and save month after month on your energy bill — with no additional effort after the install.

[This information via The Simple Dollar.]

Wills give clear legal instructions regarding your intentions. Verbally expressing your wishes isn’t enough. A will is crucial even for those with modest assets.

Our grocery store posts unit pricing for most items, which makes comparisons easy.  Be aware that many manufacturers are decreasing packaging sizing but are not decreasing product pricing. The best way to get the best deal is to compare unit pricing.

Set a budget. Just as you’d use a normal vacation budget, set one for your stay-at-home getaway. Whether you opt to take the frugal approach or allow yourself to splurge as if you were traveling out of town, create a spending plan and stick to it. 

Grab a guidebook. Tourist guides contain great info about cheap eats, cool spots, and local history. You’ll find guidebooks at local book stores. Or if you’re a member of AAA, pick one up at the local office. (Better yet, borrow one from the public library!)

This point cannot be emphasized enough.

Salespeople will often attempt to create artificial stress because they know it makes you more likely to buy. That guy who knocks on your door offering to sell you the last frozen chicken in his truck at a discount? He’s creating artificial pressure to get you to buy.