How to save money

A business writer for the NY Times offers these hints for saving money. I thought I'd check to see how many of these I do. Here goes:

¶Never pay a real estate agent a 6 percent commission. Oops--0 for 1

¶Buy used things, except maybe used tires. Check

¶Get on the do-not-call list and other do-not-solicit lists so you can’t be tempted. Check

¶Watch infomercials for their entertainment value only. Check

¶Know what your credit reports say, but don’t pay for that knowledge: go to www.annualcreditreport.com to get them. Check

¶Consolidate your cable, phone and Internet service to get the best deal. Oops

¶Resist the lunacy of buying premium products like $2,000-a-pound chocolates. Check

¶Lose weight. Carrying extra pounds costs tens of thousands of dollars over a lifetime. Oops

¶Do not use your home as a piggy bank if home prices are flat or going down or if interest rates are rising. Check

¶Enroll in a 401(k) at work immediately. Check

¶Postpone buying high-tech products like PCs, digital cameras and high-definition TVs for as long as possible. And then buy after the selling season or buy older technology just as a new technology comes along. Check

¶And, I’m sorry, I’m really serious about this last one: make your own coffee. Check

I'm 9 for 12. Not bad.