Editor’s note: On the heels of their review of the Offermatic service yesterday, our friends at Money Crashers have generously offered to share some money saving tips with Offermatic readers.

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By David Bakke

In this day and age, it seems like everyone is constantly trying to sell you something. It’s difficult to know what is actually worth your hard earned money and what’s not.

In my case, there are a lot of things I won’t buy. Some people may call me cheap as a result, but from my perspective, there are usually other ways to get an identical product, or service, for free. And of course, in my opinion at least, there are plenty of purchases that simply represent a waste of good money, no matter what.

Here’s my list of the 7 things that I spend little to no money on in my daily life.

1. Credit Report

How many credit reporting and protection websites do you think are out there? Ten? Fifty? Hundreds? These companies charge you a fee just to send you your credit report on a monthly basis. Well, if you didnít know, you have absolutely free access to your credit report and you don’t have to pay to get it. In my view, these websites are a complete waste of money.

You can get a copy of your credit report once per year from each of the three credit reporting agencies free of charge through the website,†Annual Credit Report. Just be sure you’ve gone to the correct website, because there are a lot of similar, fee-based sites. Create a schedule for yourself, and get your free credit report once every four months. This should be all you need to properly monitor your credit. You’ll also want to familiarize yourself with what hurts and affects your credit score.

2. Tax Preparation

As with your credit report, this is another service for which you don’t need to pay. In fact, many national retail tax preparation companies will now do your return for free if you qualify for the 1040EZ form.

If you don’t qualify for the 1040EZ form, why not do your taxes yourself? Unless you have a very complex tax situation, itís not that difficult to do. The benefits include having full control over your return and knowing your own finances better than anyone else. You can make a small investment in do-it-yourself tax preparation software like TurboTax if youíd like, or you can get all the forms you need for free from the IRS website.

3. Newspapers

I feel bad for the print newspapers that have either gone out of business or drastically reduced size due to hard times and the electronic age. But for the savvy news-seeker, all the news you need is available for free on your computer or smart phone, and from multiple sources too. Just go to your favorite newspaper’s website, and sign up for the free online edition.

4. Shipping

If you do any kind of online shopping at all, shipping costs are probably a real thorn in your side. However, there are several ways to avoid shipping fees.

• Pool your purchases in order to spend money at an amount above the retailer’s threshold price for free shipping.
• Conduct a simple Internet search for a free shipping code for that particular retailer. Youíre likely to get free shipping just by inputting that code during checkout.
• Shop frequently with the same vendors in order to achieve a premier status. If you are upgraded to a higher level of status, shipping will be free for all of your orders, regardless of price. That doesn’t necessarily mean you should open up retail store credit cards though.

5. Cell Phones

Although this particular belief places me in a group of consumers that is steadily declining in number, I really just don’t get it with the fascination with the modern, do-it-all cell phones. They certainly come with a premium price and I always ask myself the same series of questions. Do I really need a camera on my cell phone? Do I have to carry the Internet on my cell phone all the time? For now, my answer is no. I opt for the best free cell phone that my provider carries along with a cheap cell phone plan, and I stick with that. It’s not only a great way to save money, but it also helps me to avoid distraction. I have more than enough technology in my life without all the extra features most cell phones come with today.

6. Exercise

I belonged to a fitness club for many years, but I finally decided to give it up when I realized that I could save over $400 annually. However, I didn’t give up exercising – I just gave up paying for it. At home, I’ve got a set of dumbbells and a jump rope that suit me just fine. I walk in my neighborhood several times a week, and I go swimming at my local (and free) public pool when I want to do a few laps. There are a lot of ways to†exercise and be healthy while saving money. You don’t always need to rely on expensive gym memberships to stay fit.

7. Budgeting Tools

There are so many personal budgeting tools out there today and you might be convinced that you really need one in order to improve your personal finances. Let me ask you one question though – how is spending money on budgeting software going to improve your financial situation? Isn’t that going to make it worse? I’d say you have two choices. First, there are plenty of free budgeting tools available like Mint.com and Outright, if you’re a freelancer or own a small business. Or second, and better yet, focus on eliminating the unnecessary spending in your life rather than tracking every little detail of your spending. Your finances will definitely improve over time with this one rule in mind.

So there you have it – 7 things that I simply do not spend money on. I hope you found this article to be informative and helpful. If there is anything you’d like to add to the list, feel free to leave a comment below!

David Bakke is a contributor for MoneyCrashers.com, a personal finance blog that covers topics like smart shopping, money management, budgeting, taxes, careers, travel, and more.