Green & Frugal Savings Tip: Stash the $5 Bill

How many times have you tried to stash away cash in order to save money? I know every time I've tried that method, I'd quickly spend the cash when I need money for the babysitter, pizza or other cash "emergency." The trick was to outsmart myself and I think I found a way. The key is to not be able to

readily spend or access the money.

Here's how it works:

1) Get an empty water bottle.

2) Each time a $5 crosses your path (or wallet), stuff it into the empty water bottle.

3) If you want to really get creative, you could put photos of the things you're saving for on the water bottle as added incentive.

Voila! Instant, inaccessible piggy bank...it's ingenius really. The plan is to get to a point where I can't stuff one more bill into the bottle. At that point, I cut open the water bottle and use the money for whatever I was saving it for in the first place.

Currently, I need several pieces of furniture and other home decor. None of these items are urgently needed, so the $5-in-the-water-bottle system works perfectly. Here what I'm saving for:

• Headboard for our guest bedroom (approx. $200)
• Dining room table & chairs (approx. $1,500)
• Curtains for the dining room (approx. $300)
• Desk for the office ($200)

As you can see, there's no shortage of wants for my new-found savings.

What are your savings tricks?