25 savings tips that take less than 10 minutes

Every little bit helps if you're trying to stretch your money, and it's even better if you can accomplish savings with little effort. For instance: How long will it take you to put a dry towel in the dryer with a load of wet wash?

Jeffrey Strain at Saving Advice says you can reduce your drying time by 10% by implementing this little trick. It's from his excellent post called "25 ways to improve your financial situation in under 10 minutes."

Of course, you can save even more by not using the dryer. Also, check out a link Jeffrey provides to Dryer Money Saving Tips.

We'll share a few more of our favorites from Jeffrey's list:

• Do all of your wash in cold water. He says, "There is this huge myth that clothes only get clean in hot or warm water washes." He also links to Washer Money Saving Tips.

• Keep a kitchen timer near the shower. We take short showers, but we know lots of people like Jeffrey, who used to brainstorm about work while the hot water flowed. He says, "My wife solved that problem by bringing in a kitchen timer that I now set at 10 minutes every time I take a shower."

• Sign up for reward programs. If you sign up for newsletters from companies whose products you normally use, you can get access to special discounts. Jeffrey provides handy links for registering for promotions from major manufacturers and producers of organic products.

• Reduce your dependence on soda. Jeffrey was consuming pop to the tune of $1,000-plus a year, but weaned himself by drinking a full glass of water before he allowed himself a soft drink. He's now soda-free.

For those who missed the links above, click here to read Jeffrey's post.

Published July 24, 2008