My sweet 81 year old friend called today and told me she saved over $50.00 by using a suggestion from a sheet of organizing tips she had been given. Of course, I am always looking for organizing tips.

Now, I have to say, this tip is in the gray area between organizing and cleaning, but since I have several videos that border between organizing tips and other things (crafts, cleaning and interesting stuff) I am going to share this one.

Her dishwasher hadn’t completely drained the last two times she used it. She called the plumber who charged $50.00 just to come to the house. But he didn’t come when he said he would. She read on her sheet to use vinegar in the dishwasher to wash out the pipes. She used a gallon of vinegar without any dishes in it and ran the washer through a cycle. That took care of the problem. Imagine that one little idea saved her over $50.00!

Do you have any money saving organizing tips that we could use? If so, please share.

Marilyn Bohn is an energetic, lively, compassionate, hard working and creative organizer. She was born to organize! Before becoming a professional organizer she worked professionally in diverse environments. She is involved in her community, providing her clients with a broad base of experience and knowledge.  She is a member of the National Association of Professional Organizers (NAPO).

You get paid a good salary. In fact, after comparing notes, you find out that you make a lot more money than your friends. So why aren’t you able to increase your savings? I can’t tell you how often I hear this question. Why there ma be no empirical answer to the question, here are 2 tips that may help you start saving for the future.

1-Pad and Pencil. Start to carry around a pencil and a small notepad and every time you make a purchase, write it down. Now this may sound incredibly tedious, but I am not saying that you need to do this for the rest of your life, rather try this for a month or two. Don’t just write down what you bought but also the cost and also whether it was a ‘crucial’, ‘luxary’, or ’semi-important’ purchase. By doing this, at the end of the month you can get a great idea of exactly what your expenses are, and when you compare it against your income, you can see where the money is going. Did you really need that $3.50 coffee, when the cup you drink at the office is free? Maybe you can brown bag it for lunch an extra day a week, instead of going out for lunch, and save an extra few bucks.

You can set a goal of how much you want to save every month, and then just start eliminating some of the ‘luxaries’ that you pamper yourself with.

2- Cash is king. We live in a world where we are constantly immersed in consumerism. Every time we turn on the TV, radio, even the internet, we are hit with a slew of advertisements encouraging us to buy something. Not only should we buy the product but if we can’t afford it, no worries, charge it and use a payment plan.

While this is great for the company peddling its’ wares, it’s a recipe for fiscal disaster for consumers. I like to encourage people to use cash. Go to the ATM, withdraw the amount of cash that you will need for the week, and limit yourself to use only that amount of money. This will also make you think whether each purchase is necessary or not. It make you understand that there is a consequence to your purchase. If you buy that $3.50 cup of coffee, that may come at the expense of buying a loaf of bread for your kids.

Try implementing these two tips, and it will help you get on the path to financial stability.

Aaron Katsman is Managing Editor of the Israel Opportunity Investor newsletter. He is lead portfolio manager for the Israel Growth Portfolio and Managing Director of America Israel Investment Associates, LLC. For more information, go to www.israelnewsletter.com or call 1-888-327-6179, or email aaron@profile-financial.com.