Thursday, March 12, 2009

Money Saving Advice from Google Tip Jar

I just learned about Google Tip Jar a few days ago and am excited about the prospect of finding money-saving tips. They're from many sources, most of which are unfamiliar to me, and there are several categories.

Much of the information is common-sense, but nobody uses that anymore. One of the tips I read is to drink water, to avoid wasting calories on beverages. Another, complementary tip, was to buy a water filtration system and bring filtered water with you. I have a glass at work and fill it from the tap on the drinking fountain. I also try to bring a water bottle with me and re-fill it when I'm out, rather than to buy water.

Another tip was to bring a flask of coffee or tea with you to work and avoid paying a lot of money. On document reviews, this wasn't really a consideration as beverages were provided. Most reviews provide coffee and filtered water; on some we had cocoa, hot tea, soda and carbonated water available. A couple of times there was also lemonade and iced tea mix. Now that I live in the land of government, water is available.

There are coffee clubs, which rent coffee makers and provide various types of coffee for a price. They seem pretty expensive to me as well; prices vary by breakroom and can be $1 or $2 a day. The more expensive option provides more types of coffee. They must have more expenses as they have several thermal pots into which the coffee is brewed. All I need is hot water, which I can make myself, in the microwave, or pay for. I tend to put some change in the kitty and use the hot water from the coffee maker just because it's faster. It isn't hotter, just faster.

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