How to save $1000 over the course of a year.

When it comes to saving money, there is only really 3 ways to do it.

1. Don't but something.
2. Buy less of something.
3. Find a cheaper substitute.

$1000 seems like a lot of money up front but stretched over the course of a year, it is only $83.33 per month.

Get a cheaper phone.

It is hard to find the statistic for the average American cell phone bill. Some people pay over $100 a month for phone bills. I've done a little searching and found an average of $71 monthly according to one survey. Over the course of a year, the total bill comes out to be $852.

If you are willing to strip away all the non phone features of a phone, a prepaid phone can run $50 or less. Personally, I use a prepaid phone and I barely talk to people. I bought a tracfone that came with the triple minutes for life feature. My phone only costs me about $8 per month. Granted, I can't surf the net, play with applications, watch movies, or play Angry Birds with my phone.

Today, a prepaid phone with the triple minutes feature can be bought for $65 and you can get 1200 minutes (after the triple minutes) for $100. By substituting the $852 annual bill for a prepaid phone and 1200 minutes, you can save $687 a year.

Get comfortable shaving your head.

Again, it is difficult to find the solid statistics for how many haircuts a man gets per year. I've found the number of 9 times a year. I think myself, I would only get it cut 4 to 5 times per year though. It is reasonable to spend $28 on a haircut depending on where you go. This brings the total cost to  $252 per year. However, if you are comfortable just having a shaved or buzzed haircut, it is easy to just pick up a hair clipper for $35. This can save a man $217 a year if he gets a lot of haircuts or in my case $65 a year as I only spend about $20 a haircut at the place I go.

These are two instances of finding cheaper substitutes.

Cut back on drinks at the bar and dining out.

Each time a man goes to the bar, it is reasonable to spend about thirty dollars. That includes just a few drinks and a tip. By not going to the bar 5 times, you save $150 (just as long as you don't waste it on something else). The same can be said for dining out at $20 a meal. By not dining out 5 times, you save $100. Of course, you will have to eat something. Either cook at home or get cheap fast food (value menu items).