7 painless moves to save $1,000

By Bankrate.com

Do you wish you could save an extra $1,000 this year without downgrading your lifestyle?

It is possible to save big bucks by making small changes in your spending. At first blush, the amounts may not seem like much. However, taken together over the course of a year, they really add up.

Here are seven tips to give yourself a $1,000 raise:

1. Look for discounted dinner entrees

Saving money doesn't mean you can't enjoy meals at your favorite restaurants. Discounts can be found in the mail, in your local newspaper or online.

"Before you head out to eat, check out your restaurant online," says Fatima Mehdikarimi, the founder of the coupon Web site The Shopping Queen. "Or, after you arrive, simply ask the manager if they have any special promotions. Don't forget to ask about promotions that are offered on other days or times."

Mehdikarimi notes that one restaurant near her home has a relationship with a local movie theater, and diners can get a discount on an entree if they present a ticket stub.

"Your restaurant might not advertise these types of specials, so definitely ask about them," she says.

• Readers talk: Best tips for saving on food, groceries, eating out

If you received a half-off-your-entree special or similar promotion a couple of times a month, and each discount was worth $5, the savings would top $120 after a year.

2. Return unopened, unused items

Many times, extra money may be even closer at hand than you might think.

"If you're looking for extra money, your closets or drawers are a good place to start," says John Mruz, the president of Juggling Duck Organizers in Morristown, N.J.

Nearly everyone has a recently purchased product they will never use: the too-large blouse that still has the tag on it or an unopened set of salt-and-pepper shakers that didn't fit the kitchen decor. Try to return the item to get your money back, Mruz says.

Even if you can't find your receipt, the retailer may accept the return for a store credit.

"I bought $90 worth of new energy-efficient light bulbs for my kitchen a few months ago -- for the purpose of saving money -- only to find that I had the wrong size," says Mruz.

He meant to return the bulbs and exchange them for the correct size but didn't get around to it right away. Eventually, he forgot about them.

"I put the bulbs in the basement, and they soon got covered over by random junk," Mruz says. He recently discovered them when he was clearing out his basement.

"Fortunately, my home-center retailer had a generous return policy," he says. For Mruz, clearing some clutter from his basement meant an increase of $90.

3. Look for extra grocery savings

There are several opportunities to save at the local grocery store, even if you don't clip coupons.

"When you enter a store, check to see if there are sales ads located near the front," says Mehdikarimi.

You might find a coupon for a purchase you were planning to make. Just make sure the sales don't entice you to buy items that were not already on your shopping list. If you don't find any deals at the store's entrance, there's still a chance to save money at the checkout counter.

"Ask the cashier if there are any coupons or specials going on that would apply to any of your purchases," Mehdikarimi says.

By getting in the habit of asking about sales each time you pay for your groceries, you could regularly discover discounts for items that you were already planning to purchase. The clerk might have extra coupons on hand, or a manager who's ringing up your groceries might let you know about a special offered on one of your brands.

Even a customer may help you if he or she hears your question and mentions a two-for-one deal that you had missed.

• Readers talk: Simple steps that save you big bucks

Another way to save is to sign up for store coupon clubs.

"Grocery stores have many programs that allow you to get discounts for purchases," says Mehdikarimi.

If your grocer has a baby club, for example, signing up for the program could save you hundreds of dollars in diapers, infant food and other baby products over the course of a year.

If you could shave just $4 off your bill during each weekly shopping trip, the total savings would be more than $200 a year.

Continued: Your local library -- a bastion of free entertainment

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