credit card strategy

There's another huge topic on what you can do to make your credit better. I won't get into that because that's a much broader topic.

Here's a list of things to do in relative importance:

1. Pay off your credit cards on time - interest rates on cards are usually terrible.
2. Use a card that has a high reward. The Chase Freedom card is currently one of the better ones out there since (unlike Discover and AMEX Blue) you get the 1% bonus with the first dollar that you spend. Preferably the card would also have bonus rewards for certain items. If you spend well over $1100 a month on a card, the AMEX Blue card may be better for you, but not all places accept AMEX. You could save hundreds of dollars a year!
   
3. Use your rewards card on everything possible. This would not only save you 1% on everything you buy, but you can also sit on that money for an extra few weeks before your bill is due.
4. If you have recurring expenses (such as utilities or rent), use your card if you can. Yep. Even more savings.
5. Never use your debit card. Debit cards don't have the same fraud protection as credit cards and you also get your money withdrawn immediately. With credit cards you can hold on to your money for an extra few weeks. With an interest bearing account that translates into $10+ a year (depending on how much you spend and your interest rate).
   

use a lid when boiling water

Considering the proportion of our electric/gas bill that's used up by cooking, this isn't going to amount to much, but putting a lid on a pot while boiling water makes a huge difference in the amount of energy needed to cook. Boiling water with the lid off would be like running the a/c with a window wide open - not very efficient. On my stove, I can sustain a boil on a setting of 1 with the lid on, but lid off I need to set it to 4.5.

Other advantages:

• Water boils faster
• Kitchen stays cooler
  

it begins - identify the things that matter

I've spent a good chunk of effort throughout the years trying to optimize my life. Given the state of economy and how we're often misguided by bad advice from advertising, marketing, and dated social norms, I've decided to share a few tips on how to get by as a cheap bastard and save money so that you can have it for the things that matter.

The things that matter
We all want to live fruitful, rewarding lives. We should save money on the things that matter less so we can enjoy the things we value the most. For me, I value experiences, which means I'll funnel my cash into activities like going out with friends and travel. What do you value the most?