Are warehouse clubs right for you?

Warehouse clubs can be a great way to rack up some savings, but they can also deplete your hard-earned cash.

Membership fees can cost $50 or more per year. And even though some things can be up to 40 percent cheaper, you’ll need to be a savvy shopper to truly save. Here are three ways to know if these merchandise behemoths fit your budget:

Avoid these money mistakes to save

It’s tough to invest when debt is looming overhead. Before you start making your money work for you, you’ll have to stop it from working against you. Here are some common money mistakes that, if you avoid, will help you increase your savings.

Maintaining a balance

You may be getting a good interest rate on your high-interest checking account,…

4 money apps for managing your savings

There are apps for just about everything. You can find apps for health, apps for business and even apps for finance. If you’re not tracking your finances with an app, you should be. They allow you to analyze every aspect of your money on the fly.

Here are four money apps that can help you increase your savings:

Mint.com

The

Budgets: the key to bigger savings

If you’re looking to put more in the bank and increase your savings, there’s one thing that’s certain to help – a budget. By budgeting, you’re taking control of your spending. The hope is that you’ll start spending less money than you make every month. Don’t think of it as a spending diet, think of it making your bank account fatter. It can help you save for retirement,…

Get your yoga on without breaking the bank

It seems like yoga is sweeping the nation as the latest trend in exercise. More doctors are recommending it. Celebrities are even jumping on board. But lululemon can get pricey and classes can be upwards of $15 a session. That can have a pretty big impact on your savings account. Fortunately, you don’t need to spend all of your hard-earned money to get on the yoga bus.

Maximize your savings on laundry

If you want your aroma to be acceptable in public, then doing laundry is a necessity. Unfortunately, doing laundry can have a big impact on the utility bill and the environment. But there are some ways to minimize the blow to your savings account and still keep your name on the environmentally friendly list.

Here are laundry tips to maximize your usage of the washer and dryer:

Avoid paying tax penalties with these tips

The dreaded tax day is coming up. This year the IRS gives you until Tuesday, April 17 to pay up. If you’re worried about how you’re going to pay your taxes this year, you aren’t alone. There are plenty of Americans looking for money under the mattress and in between the couch cushions in order to pay their taxes in full.

Is your savings account bone dry? Don’t fret….

Alternative ways to save gas

Whether you live in a city with fantastic mass transportation or not, you don’t always have to rely on your car to get you around.

And, as gas prices show no sign of retreating, the savings from alternative transportation is becoming more attractive.

What are your savings options?

Use your car sparingly

A company called Zipcar has been making its way onto…

Secondhand savings: don’t buy these new

The economy still isn’t what it used to be. The average American consumer doesn’t have as much expendable cash to purchase brand new products. And if you’re a college student, you have even less. But that doesn’t mean you have to skip out on everything. Here are some things you never have to buy new:

Clothes

Thrift stores…

Seems like a deal? Ask three questions first…

There’s an old saying that if it looks like a duck and quacks like a duck, then it probably is a duck. However, there’s also an old saying, that if it seems too good to be true, then it probably is.

I’m always getting offers for a “free” cruise or a cabin in the woods at considerable savings. But…

How to be frugal during a layover

If you’re a frequent flyer, you know the perils of airport travel. These days, it seems like every flight is delayed, which leaves you wandering around the airport bored. And boredom inevitably leads to spending, which is bad for the budget. But there are some ways to keep your savings account intact during a layover.

Carry-on items

It’s…

Shopping tips – how to avoid paying full price

I’m a big advocate of savvy shopping, which is why I think it’s rarely necessary to pay what’s on the price tag for an item. The internet, apps and marketplace competition can all help on your journey to savings. Here are some ways you can start to save.

Go for older electronics

If you’re fine with having a TV or…

4 ways to be a thrifty Valentine

Valentine’s Day is less than a week away, which is music to the ears of the retail business. But celebrating with your loved one doesn’t have to be a hit to your checking account. Some of the best Valentine’s dates are the most creatively thrifty ones. Here are four ways to get your thrift on and keep…

3 rules for big game TV savings

If you’re looking for a new TV, now is the time to buy. Some TV sales before the big bowl game on Feb. 5 are beating out holiday-season prices. January is the time that retailers set aside for clearing out house, and prices generally drop even lower leading up to the game.

But you don’t want to be hasty when you’re shopping. If you’re thrifty, you can get a great…

How to find movie ticket savings

A night at the movies isn’t a cheap outing anymore. The last movie I saw, Mission Impossible – Ghost Protocol, cost me $17 a ticket. That’s some money! Of course, that was at an IMAX theater, but even a regular theater is now around $11 per ticket. If you’re paying for more than one person, an evening at the…