To build on the Friday Financial Fitness from two weeks ago, we have included 5 more every day tips to save money.  Taking simple steps to save money has a chain reaction that improves the quality of your life in more ways than one.  First, additional money in your pocket will help you pay off those bills faster, thus decreasing stress and anxiety that often accompanies debt.   By decreasing your debt at a faster rate, you will also be well on your way to improving your credit score; improving your credit score impacts your borrowing opportunities.  Below, we outline 5 more ways to save money on a daily basis.

5 More Everyday Tips to Save Money

1. Cook at home; then bring your leftovers to work for lunch

Every day, millions of Americans spend a minimum of $5.00 a day when going out to lunch during the work day.  If you live in a more expensive city, the price of a single lunch can skyrocket to $10 or more per day.  When you’re working 5 days per week, that adds up to $50 per week, $200 per month, and $2400 per year.  That $2400 could be used to pay off outstanding debt, or put away for a rainy day!  Though the work week is often busy, try to set aside some time (maybe even on a Sunday) to cook for the week.  Buying groceries is much cheaper than buying your lunch every day; cooking in bulk for the week will help you pocket that much more money over time.

2. Make personal calls on your cell phone during evenings and weekends

Many of us find that every month, our cell phone bills seem to skyrocket.  One call here, another call there-and suddenly you have exceeded the total number of minutes included in your plan.  If you have a plan that offers free phone calls in the evenings and on the weekends, try and schedule your personal calls during these times. Month to month, this will reduce your bills, helping you pocket a substantial amount of cash over the course of a year.

3. Avoid ATM Fees

When you’re in a hurry and you need cash, it’s convenient to withdraw money at the closest ATM you can find.  If you are withdrawing money from another bank’s ATM, the average fee each time you do is around $1.97.  Fees can even go up to $4.00, depending on where you are.  Banks make a fortune charging non-customer surcharges and consumers spend a fortune filling banks pockets.  Next time you’re in a hurry to get cash, take a few extra minutes to figure out if your bank has an ATM nearby that you may not know about.  If you really want to stop spending on non-customer surcharges, plan to get cash before you go-those few extra minutes of planning will save you money over time!

4. Track every dollar you spend for 2 weeks

This simple, 14 day exercise will bring more awareness to your personal spending habits.  Get a small notebook that you can carry around with you; for 2 weeks, simply record every dollar you spend and what you buy.  After the 2 weeks are up, it will be interesting to see where all your money has gone.  Take a close look at every purchase and then figure out ways to cut corners.  You may be surprised to find that you may not need that $5.00 magazine after all.

5. Leave your credit card at home

During this financial crisis, it is crucial to not only limit the amount of cash you are spending, but also to limit the number of times you swipe your credit card.  Though there has been a recent push to regulate credit card companies and the fees and interest rates they charge, racking up credit is a dangerous habit that all too many Americans have developed.  Simply stated, if you cannot afford, don’t buy it!  Help yourself resist the temptation to swipe that credit card by leaving it at home.  If you don’t have it with you, you can’t use it

In response to the financial crisis, Americans need to be well-aware that changing our frivolous spending habits is crucial; however, this week, Congress is holding credit card companies responsible for their practices as well.   Consumers are subject to credit card companies’ terms and conditions upon signing their detailed agreements; however, what happens to consumer rights when these credit card companies change terms at their own discretion?  The results have proved disastrous for everyday Americans’ bank accounts, as abusive credit card practices find new ways to create endless amounts of monthly fees.

Credit Card Companies’ Abusive Practices

To understand both the importance and potential impact of laws that protect consumers against credit card companies, it is crucial to be aware that credit card rates change unexpectedly.  Fees often appear on your monthly statement out of nowhere, even when you pay your bills on time and have made serious efforts to be in good credit standing.  These companies raise interest rates and dramatically cut credit limits, with little or no regard for how these changes affect loyal customers.  Struggling consumers are left with a large bill and little support-until now.

Senate Banking Committee Approves Bill to Regulate Credit Card Companies

Good news: the Senate Banking Committee, led by Chairman Senator Chris Dodd of Connecticut,  approved legislation that will begin the fight against unfair credit card company practices.  Below is what was outlined in the bill:

• “Protect consumers from “any time, any reason” interest rate increases and account changes.”

• “Prohibit unfair application of card.”

• “Protect cardholders who pay on time.”

• “Limit abusive fees and penalties.”

• “Prohibit issuers from using a consumer’s card history with another creditor to raise interest rates.”

• “Prohibit issuers from charging interest on debt that has already been repaid.”

• “Ensure that cardholders are informed of the terms of their account.”

• “Protect young consumers from aggressive credit card solicitations.”

What will the Credit Card Accountability, Responsibility, and Disclosure Act do for Everyday Americans?

This bill will give a voice to consumers that goes beyond the 24/7 customer support that most credit card companies offer.  The consumer’s voice will now have legal backing, as the government is taking the first step to acknowledge the role credit companies have played in the US financial crisis.  According to The Consumer Federation of America’s Legislative Director Travis Plunkett, “Congress is taking a strong stand against the traps and tricks that many credit card companies use to increase their profits at the expense of financially vulnerable consumers.” With a July 1, 2010 deadline to implement the bill’s outlined changes, Americans can begin to feel good about the progress we are making towards fixing the credit crisis.  The crisis certainly cannot be fixed overnight, but bills like this make accountability a priority for both businesses and consumers.  With legal backing, credit card companies will be forced to take an active role in getting our economy back on track.