省錢要從點滴做起：教你33種省錢妙招
33 Painless Ways to Save Money Now
輕鬆省錢33招
In a difficult economy, most of us are looking for ways to put more money in our pockets, but we don’t want to feel like misers. We don’t want to drastically alter our lifestyles either. We want it fast and we want it easy. Small savings can add up and big savings can feel like winning the lottery, just without all of the taxes.
經濟不景氣之時，大多數人都會想方設法在口袋裏存下更多的錢，但又不想把自己弄得跟守財奴似的。我們不想顛覆原有的生活方式，希望能夠通過快捷的途徑省錢。省點小錢可以積少成多；省下大錢就好比買彩票中了大獎，而且還不用交稅。
Some easy ways to save money:
以下是一些簡單實用的省錢之法：
Online rebate sites. Many online sites offer cash back rebates and online coupons as well.
返利網站：許多網站都會推出現金返還、折扣以及優惠券等讓利活動。
Sign up for customer rewards. Many of your favorite stores offer customer rewards on products you already buy. Take advantage.
參加客戶回饋活動：你經常光顧的商店可能會有產品回饋活動，好好把握機會吧。
Switch to compact fluorescent bulbs. The extra cost up front is worth the energy savings later on.
換用小巧的熒光燈：雖然要付出一點額外的投資，但燈泡節省下的電能可以給你省下不少錢呢。
Turn off power strips and electronic devices when not in use.
電插板和電器不用時，務必關掉電源。
Buy a programmable thermostat. Set it to lower the heat or raise the AC when you’re not home.
購買溫度自動調節器：離家之時，用它來降溫或者提高交流電壓以省電。
Make coffee at home. Those lattes and caramel macchiatos add up to quite a bit of dough over the year.
在家做咖啡：在家做拿鐵咖啡和焦糖拿鐵，一年下來可以省下不少錢。
Switch banks. Shop around for better interest rates, lower fees and better customer perks. Don’t forget to look for free online banking and ease of depositing and withdrawing money.
更換銀行：貨比三家，選擇那些利息高、業務辦理費用少、客戶服務優質的銀行，除此之外，別忘了考慮網銀是否免費，存取是否便利。
Clip coupons: Saving a couple dollars here and there can start to add up. As long as you’re going to buy the products anyway, why not save money?
（從報紙、雜誌上）剪下優惠券：買東西時隨買隨省，這樣便可積少成多。既然你是要買這些東西的，何不省一些是一些呢？
Pack your lunch. Bring your lunch to work with you a few days a week, rather than buy it.
自帶午餐去上班：每週有幾天選擇自帶午餐去上班，而不是買別的地方的東西吃。
Eat at home. We’re busier than ever, but cooking meals at home is healthier and much cheaper than take-out or going out. Plus, with all of the freezer and pre-made options, it’s almost as fast as drive-thru.
在家吃飯：工作雖忙，但在家做飯畢竟會比出去吃更有益於健康，也可以省下更多的錢。此外，現在有那麼多速凍和半成品食物可供選擇，做起來絕不慢於快餐。
Have leftovers night. Save your leftovers from a few meals and have a “leftover dinner.” It’s a free meal!
晚上吃點剩菜：沒吃完的飯菜留着晚上吃，美其名曰“剩餐”，免費的！
Buy store brands: Many generic or store brands are actually just as good as name brands and considerably cheaper.
對“名牌”說不：許多雜牌或者商場自有品牌的產品在質量上與名牌產品並無差別，價格卻要便宜一大截。
Ditch bottled water. Drink tap water if it’s good quality, buy a filter if it’s not. Get a reusable water bottle and refill it.
遠離瓶裝純淨水：如果飲用水水質好，就直接飲用；若水質不佳，可以購買過濾裝置，以可重複使用的瓶子盛裝飲用。
Avoid vending machines: The items are usually over-priced.
避開自動售貨機：自動售貨機裏的東西定價通常過高。
Take in a matinee. Afternoon movie showings are cheaper than evening times.
電影儘量選擇午場：午後的電影票通常都比夜場要便宜些。
Re-examine your cable bill. Cancel extra cable or satellite channels you don’t watch. Watch the “on demand” movie purchases too.
重新審視你的有線電視賬單：平常不看的有線或衛星頻道無需購買，也要留心“點播”的電影是否收費。Use online bill pay. Most banks offer free online bill paying. Save on stamps and checks, and avoid late fees by automating bill payment.
在線支付賬單：大多數的銀行都提供在線賬單支付業務，這樣一來可省下不少郵戳和支票，還可以通過自動扣費業務避免繳納滯納金。
Buy frequently used items in bulk. You get a lower per item price and eliminate extra trips to the store later on.
批發常用物品：批發既降低了物品單價，又免得你以後還要一次次往超市跑。
Fully utilize the library. Borrowing books is much cheaper than buying them.
充分利用圖書館：借書當然比買書便宜很多很多了。
Cancel magazine/newspaper subscriptions: Re-evaluate your subscriptions. Cancel those you don’t read and consider reading some of the other publications online.
取消雜誌、報刊訂閱：重新爲你的訂閱估價，取消訂閱那些你從不閱讀的報刊、雜誌，考慮一下在線閱讀吧。
Get rid of your land-line. Do you really need a land-line anymore if everyone in the family has a cell phone? Alternatively, look into using VOIP or getting a cheaper plan.
少用座機：如果家裏的每個人都有手機，你還需要座機做什麼？或者，你也可以使用更廉價的網絡電話。
Better fuel efficiency. Check the air pressure in your tires, keep up with proper auto maintenance, and slow down. Driving even 5MPH slower will result in better fuel mileage.
節省燃油：好好檢查你輪胎的氣壓，堅持爲汽車做好適當的保養。另外不要高速行駛，即便只將時速降低5英里/小時也可以節省不少油費。
Increase your deductibles. Increasing the insurance deductibles on your homeowners and auto insurance policies lowers premiums significantly. Just make sure you choose a deductible that you can afford should an emergency happen.
增加免賠額：增加業主和汽車的免賠額會大大降低保險費用。只是你得確保在緊急情況出現時，這個免賠額是你支付得起的。（注：免賠額是指保險人根據保險的條件作出賠付之前，被保險人先要自己承擔的損失額度。因爲免賠額能消除許多小額索賠，損失理賠費用就大爲減少，從而可以降低保費，所以免賠額條款在財產、健康和汽車保險中得到廣泛使用。）
Choose lunch over dinner. If you do want to dine out occasionally, go at lunchtime rather than dinnertime. Lunch prices are usually cheaper.
在外吃飯，宜選中餐而非晚餐：如果你想偶爾出去吃個飯，請選午飯時間，因爲午飯更便宜。
Buy used: Whether it’s something small like a vintage dress or a video game or something big like a car or furniture, consider buying it used. You can often get “nearly new” for a fraction of the cost.
購買二手貨：小到復古連衣裙或者電子遊戲，大到汽車或者傢俱，你都可以考慮購買二手貨。你經常能夠只花原價的一個零頭就買到九成新的貨品。
Stick to the list. Make a list before you go shopping and don’t buy anything that’s not on the list unless it’s a once in a lifetime, killer deal.
按計劃購物：購物前，擬好購物清單；購物時，切勿購買清單上未列出的商品，除非是碰到一生難遇的買賣。
Tame the impulse. Use a self-enforced waiting period whenever you’re tempted to make an unplanned purchase. Wait for a week and see if you still want the item.
克服衝動消費：當你有了計劃之外消費的衝動時，強迫自己等上一段時間，一週以後再看看自己是否仍想購買這件物品。
Don’t be afraid to ask. Ask to have fees waived, ask for a discount, ask for a lower interest rate on your credit card.
不怕提要求：你可以要求免單、折扣、或是降低信用卡還款利息。
Repair rather than replace. You can find directions on how to fix almost anything on the internet. Do your homework, and then bring out your inner handyman.
換新不如修理：網絡可以給你提供幾乎所有物品的修理方法。先做好必要的準備工作，再好好發揮你那雙巧手的無限潛力吧。
Trade with your neighbors. Borrow tools or equipment that you use infrequently and swap things like babysitting with your neighbors.
與鄰居交換物品：當你需要一些不太常用的工具時，可以試着找你的鄰居借；當然，你也可以與鄰居輪流照顧嬰兒。
Swap online. Use sites to trade books, music, and movies with others online.
網絡換物：借用網絡來與他人交換書籍、音樂和電影光碟。
Cut back on the meat. Try eating a one or two meatless meals every week or cut back on the meat portions. Meat is usually the most expensive part of the meal.
少吃肉：試着每週吃1-2頓無肉餐，或者每餐少吃點肉。要知道，一餐之中，屬肉最貴。
Comparison shop: Get in the habit of checking prices before you buy. See if you can get a better price at another store or look online.
貨比三家：養成購買前先比價的習慣，沒準你在另一家商店或是網店能買到更便宜的呢。
Remember that saving money is not about being cheap or stingy; it’s about putting money into your bank account rather than giving it to someone else. There are many ways to save money, some you’ve never thought of, and some that won’t appeal or apply to you. Just pick a few of the ideas that sound doable and watch the savings add up. Save big, save small, but save wherever you can.
務必牢記，省錢並不是小氣吝嗇，它只是把錢存進自己的銀行賬戶，而不是送給別人。省錢的方法有很多，有些你絕想不到，而有些則可能不夠吸引你。不妨選取其中一些較爲可行的試試，你會看到“小錢”如何變成“大錢”。多也好，少也罷，總之“省”就對了。1、標題翻譯：“painless”一詞原意是“不痛苦的”，但若是直譯，則顯得過於生硬了，既然是“不痛苦的”，那就是“輕鬆不費事”的。
2、“raise the AC”：“AC”，即“Alternating Current”，“交流電”；這裏之所以將“AC”引申爲“交流電壓”，是因爲，交流電壓的大小和方向是可以改變的，溫度調節器的電阻又是恆定的，電流強度又不可能人爲控制，自然只能是電壓了。
3、“Drink tap water”：“tap water”確有“自來水”之意，卻也有“飲用水、非蒸餾水”之意，在這裏之所以用後者，是要與“純淨水”做對比，百度百科上對純淨水的定義是“純淨水，簡稱淨水或純水，是純潔、乾淨，不含有雜質或細菌的水，是以符合生活飲用水衛生標準的水爲原水，通過電滲析器法、離子交換器法、反滲透法、蒸餾法及其他適當的加工方法制得而成，密封於容器內，且不含任何添加物，無色透明，可直接飲用”。既然有“蒸餾”這道工序，自然就與飲用水區別開了；此外，就常識而言，那外國人總不至於天天對着那水龍頭去喝自來水吧，所以用“飲用水”最爲貼切。
4、“land-line”：之所以將其譯作“座機”、“電話機”，是因爲它與手機不同，是過去我們家中常用的“有線電話機”，這種電話機隨着手機的普及也就不再那麼常用了。
5、“Don’t be afraid to ask”：這裏的“ask”乍看上去肯定是“問”的意思，但是不要忘了，這個單詞也有“要求之意”，所以小編在閱讀了下文之後，才確定了這個單詞的意思。
6、“Do your homework, and then bring out your inner handyman”：這裏的“homework”可不是“家庭作業、功課”之類，而是“準備工作”；至於“handyman”，雖有“手巧之人”的意思，但是用在這句話裏，還是變通一下爲好，畢竟自己做好了準備工作，總不能請一個手巧的師傅來幹完下面的活吧，那樣還怎麼省錢！
經驗小結：譯文不可能盡善盡美，些許亮點已然足夠；若遇知識面較廣、或是專業術語較多的文章，需腳踏實地，充分利用網絡、圖書和已經掌握的知識進行翻譯，如有必要，需予以補註；翻譯文章需掌握上下文的脈絡，以及文章中心，可以先通讀全文，再行翻譯，或可事半功倍；翻譯之時需根據上下文靈活變通詞性、句法等等。
不足之處：譯文缺憾之處有三：其一，有的句意譯者自己能夠理解，卻表達不出，這原因也是多方面的，既有語言水平尚需時日錘鍊的原因，也有過於意譯會影響讀者對照原文進行閱讀的質量的原因；其二，文章專業術語較多，設計的學科知識面較廣，有些甚至都無從查找，所以譯文難免有生澀之處；其三，譯文在語句表達上可能過於偏向科技文體，致使文章不夠生動。
