Three Easy Ways to Stash Cash

I used to think small amounts of money didn't matter. What difference could $5 or $10 here and there make when we were more than $100,000 in debt, not counting the house and cars? So what if I increased our debt by such a small amount? It wouldn't really matter because we already owed so much. I used the same argument for not paying anything more than the minimum monthly payments, because that, too, would make no difference.

Boy, did I have a lot to learn! It was the little things that added up to create a huge monster. It was thinking the little things didn't matter that allowed us to inch our way up to think $2, $5 or $20 didn't matter, then $50 didn't matter and on and on.

It was the little things that turned us around, too. Sending an extra $2, $5 or $20 every month to rapidly repay the debt we were targeting helped us find a way to make that $22, then $35, and soon adding $100 became standard.

I've had people look at me like I was little weird when I suggested they should not use a 39-cent stamp when a 24-cent stamp would suffice. So, does 15 cents really matter? I think it does, not so much for the dime and nickel, but for the attitude. You see, if you casually throw 15 cents away when it comes to a postage stamp, it's much easier to begin thinking slightly larger sums don't matter, either. And soon you'll be on your way to thinking $20 is not a big deal. Then you'll be headed for trouble.

Yes, my friends, 15 cents does matter. If you understand that, then $1.50 matters, and $15 matters even more, and on and on right up to $15,000.

A wise person once said, "Watch the pennies,
and the dollars will take care of themselves." I have proven that to be
true, and I hope you will, too.

Three easy ways to stash cash:

1. Coins: Don't spend them. Save them, instead. Every evening,
   empty your pockets, purse and wallet of all coins. Even if the bill
   comes to $4.05, hand the clerk a $5 bill and stash the difference. When
   you accumulate $25 or so, roll, wrap and send them off to your savings
   account.

    

2. Windfalls: No matter how small, make it a habit to bank all coupon savings, rebate checks, refunds and other "found money."

    

3. Save an extra 10 percent: Stash 10 percent of your
   pocket money, grocery money and any other "walk around" funds you
   control in your secret savings spot. Chances are you won't even miss
   it, but soon you'll discover that $2 here and $4 there really adds up.

Mary Hunt is the author of 14 books. Everyday Cheapskate readers will find her recently revised book, "Debt-Proof Living" (DPL Press, 2005), available at a discount at www.debtproofliving.com/um.

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