Money Saving Ideas

1) Plan to rent a car on vacation?

Pack your toll pass transponder device; many can be used at toll plazas in other states. In Illinois, for example, vehicles with an I-PASS device pay half of what the cash lane charges. You'll save $7.50 or more if you're doing lots of back-and-forth driving.

2) Sign up for a Twitter feed that offers deals. 

Sources like @AmazonDeals and @RetailMeNot alert you to discounts. An example: @couponkid recently tweeted a $10 coupon with a purchase of $100 or more at Hotels.com. Also follow @AARPMemberAdv on Twitter for alerts available to AARP members. 

3) Ladies, use men's shaving gel.

It's usually cheaper. A recent check at Jet.com found that a 14-ounce container of men's shave gel sold for $3.76; the same quantity of a similar women's shave gel was $5.34. Savings: $1.58.

4) Make broth.

Finished eating the roasted chicken? Boil the carcass for an hour, strain the liquid into a freezable container and you have two quarts of high-quality stock that costs about $6 at the store. Do the same with vegetable peelings, as well as your beef or pork bones. 

5) Celebrate your birthday with free eats.

The website Thrillist has a list of 75 major food chains that offer free items on your special day. Benihana restaurants, for example, offer $30 off during your birthday month.

5) Buy discounted gift cards for expenses. 

These discounted cards are available on sites such as GiftCardGranny.com and TheGiftCardShop.com (which has special discounts for AARP members). Save as much as $15 on $100 in groceries.

6) Insulate your hot water lines and hot water tank. 

Preformed foam insulation jackets slip over hot water pipes and tank in your basement. You could easily lower your energy bill $40 per year.

7) Split the cost of memberships.

For example, an Amazon Prime account can be shared between two adults and up to four kids in a household. Potential savings: $49.50 a year.