Money and credit tips to save you hundreds

Here are some great tips to help you save more, spend smarter, and earn faster.

Get free financial services. Fees are everywhere, but you can get around them. Choose a credit card with no annual fee, get free checks and avoid ATM fees. This saves you at least $500 a year.

Turn debt into savings. After paying off a credit card or loan, keep making that payment into your savings. You won’t miss the money since it was never in your budget anyway. The savings are unlimited.

Pay yourself before you pay Uncle Sam. The government can keep a large part of your salary. Skip this by investing in your company’s 401(k), since your contribution is in pre-tax dollars. Savings of more than $40,000 in 20 years.

Call for discounts. Why pay full price? Almost everything is negotiable. Always ask for the best price on everything from cars to hotel rooms. Saving millions of thousands per year.

Hold on to your mortgage. Instead of paying off your mortgage early, send a little more with your monthly payment, but that extra on a CD. The investments are likely to earn more than the mortgage interest you pay. The savings are tens of thousands in total.

Choose the right bank and save. You can save a lot simply by choosing the best bank for you. If you make frequent deposits, choose a bank with free counter service. More banks are charging up to two dollars for each visit to a teller. If you don’t like the machines or if you receive payment in cash, you need a bank that doesn’t charge for the service.

If you frequently use the ATM, choose a bank with local access. If you’re constantly at the ATM to withdraw money, choose a bank with plenty of local ATMs to make withdrawing money convenient and free.

If you use ATMs in many different places, choose an online bank. Most don’t charge fees for using another bank’s ATM. And some will also reimburse you for some of the charges you incur from that other bank.

If you regularly use your debit card to make purchases, choose a rewards bank. Some banks offer rewards for using your debit card, such as cash back, airline miles, vacation packages, merchandise, and more.

If you like to pay your bills online, choose a free bill pay bank. Paying bills online can cost up to $10 a month. But there is no reason to pay for this service when some banks offer it for free.