Carry snacks.

Carry snacks. Buy a 12-pack of soda and each can is likely to cost less than 50 cents. But buy a soda at a restaurant or fast-food joint and you're likely to pay twice as much. The same holds true for virtually anything you eat out versus bring from home. And the price differential is far greater if you're at a movie theater or an amusement park. There snack foods are likely to be marked up to four or five times their supermarket price. So if you know you're going to be out for several hours and likely to get hungry, throw an apple or granola bar in your car or purse; carry a six-pack of soda or water in your trunk. If you frequent the junk food vending machines for an afternoon snack at work, go to Costco and get a big box full of whatever it is that you favor and keep it in your desk drawer or credenza (or substitute for a healthier snack). Over the course of a year, you'll save hundreds of dollars. If you're smart, you'll eat better too.