Math Answers That Can Save You Money

Everyone knows that saving money is about the numbers. The math formula for savings ultimately comes down to how much you earn minus how much you spend. Here are a few math tips to help you spend less and save money.

Unit Pricing
Learning unit pricing can save you in shopping. Although many stores have unit pricing labels on shelves, you can still compare prices by doing the unit pricing calculations yourself. Calculate the unit price of an item by dividing the price of the package by the unit by which it is measured. For instance, a 13-ounce can of coffee which costs $2.69 costs $2.69/13 per ounce, or a little more than $.20 per ounce. Compared to a 34-ounce can of that same coffee costing $5,69, the smaller can is about two cents more expensive per ounce than the larger can, which weighs in at about sixteen cents per ounce.

Organizing Time
When making appointments, use a planner such as a calendar and allow sufficient time for transitions and breaks from work.

Teach children to schedule rest periods and breaks when studying for exams and when planning chores. Keep in mind that children who are raised with digital watches often need to be reminded that there are sixty minutes to the hour and that time can be broken down into fractions of hours. Have children schedule themselves in fractions of hours, such as 1/4 or 1/2 hour periods. Then work with them to add these periods to see the total time a job will take.

Here are some little known mathematical facts on consumer spending:

- Keeping your car tires inflated can save between 3.3% and 10% of your fuel bill, not to mention keeping your brakes and suspension systems working optimally.

- A dirty air filter in your vehicle can cost you up to 10% of your fuel cost. Check your owner's manual for recommended replacement times.

- Your home water heating bill may eat up to 25% of your heating bill. Studies have found that electric hot water heaters consume more energy per BTU than gas heat and recovery time is shorter with gas heat. You might want to check with an authority in your area, either with a commercial entity or a business or government group, to see if you can save money on this big ticket item.

- Don't forget to save your waistline! Many cookbooks and prepared food labels list number of servings per recipe or per unit of food. Paying attention to nutritional information can prevent you from overeating and keep your waistline from growing.