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"  After years of saving and investing, the volatile stock market threatens to put a crack in your nest egg. As a recent retiree, you want to enjoy the fruits of your labors, but it is very important to make sure that you don&amp;#039;t start scraping the bottom of your retirement account. Here are some money saving ideas that give you more bang for your retirement bucks.   Pay down credit cards Plastic is convenient to have at the store or on vacation, but the monthly interest can put a drain on your savings. Check the interest rate on each of your credit cards and focus on paying down the ones with the highest interest. A call to the &amp;quot;customer retention line&amp;quot; also can help you reduce the rate, especially if you have been an exceptional credit card user.   Eliminate gas pains The high cost of gasoline is a concern to working people and retirees. One quick way to save money is by using regular gasoline instead of the more expensive premium fuel. You will save on each gallon you purchase and stretch your travel budget at the same time.   You can drive 55 One of the best money saving ideas is located behind the wheel of your car. Even though you are an experienced driver, you can qualify for auto insurance discounts by taking a refresher course in the rules of the road. One of the best programs for this is &amp;quot;55-Alive,&amp;quot; a class sponsored by the AARP.   Midweek discounts Most working people only get a few weeks of vacation each year, forcing them to do things on weekends and holidays. As a retiree, you can take advantage of midweek discounts on cruises, airline tickets and admission to theme parks and other attractions. Some movie theaters even have &amp;quot;senior matinees&amp;quot; during the week.   Generic medications Prescription medication costs have skyrocketed in recent years. By shopping around, you can reduce your monthly expenditures. Walgreens and large retail stores such as Target offer generic medications for about $4 per month. You can search each pharmacy&amp;#039;s Web site to see if your prescriptions are listed under their discount plans.   No free lunch There really is no such thing as a free lunch, but there are ways you can earn a nice meal for just an investment of time. AARP is looking for lunch seminar monitors to check out the investment offers sent to many retirees. This volunteer position requires listening to a presentation and sending notes back to the AARP, but you get lunch and the satisfaction of doing something positive with your spare time.   Senior discounts Though some people don&amp;#039;t want to acknowledge their senior status, taking advantage of senior discounts is one of the best money saving ideas around. Theaters, concert halls, airlines and travel companies typically offer some kind of discount to those who are 55 or older. All you need is valid identification to take advantage of these discounts. "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.womansday.com/life/work-money/tips/a3684/money-saving-ideas-for-new-retirees-76623/>