"A penny saved is a penny earned" is an idiom coined by Benjamin Franklin. It basically means earning a certain amount of money is no different than saving that same amount. Do you know how true that is?

For example, I recently purchased a beautiful coffee table at the Salvation Army for $20. It's made of wood with a mint condition glass table-top. It could easily retail for $60 so I saved around $40 by purchasing it at a thrift shop.

There are two ways I could have made enough money to purchase this coffee table:

• work an eight hour shift and buy it at retail price
• buy it second hand and save $40

How do you find it used or on sale? You don't. You let the coffee table find you. I never left the house that morning thinking "I am going to find a deal on a coffee table." Instead, I went to the Salvation Army thinking "I am going to hunt for a deal on something." I didn't care what it was e.g. coffee table, clothes or furniture.

Shop regularly at the Salvation Army, Goodwill, consignment shops and yard sales. Only buy items when you can save 50% or more and when you don't need it.