Originally published October 21, 2019
I have learned a lot of money saving tips throughout my time here on Earth, and I am here to share them with you. I do consider myself a frugal person, especially with certain things like groceries and retail items. Here's what you can do:
- Use a company's app or website to save money
Some people think of it as a waste of time, but it's really worth it to use a company's app to save money. Obviously download and use their app if they are a restaurant or retailer that you frequent. The people who are really invested into their apps can save a lot of money on food and home goods. But be wary, their goal is to try to get you in the store/restaurant and get other things as well. For example, a grocery chain might offer you free pasta, but then you have to buy pasta sauce that is at least $3 and possibly meat which would be at least $5.
- Shop around (also consider getting Amazon Prime)
What I mean by this is whenever there is a particular product you need, look at many different retailers before you decide. The best of course to refer to is Amazon. Not only does Amazon have literally everything, but they often have the best deals and can ship right to your door. It makes getting a prime membership worth it, because then you get free two day shipping. The gas you save throughout the course of the year, when instead you might have to drive to a store, makes getting a Prime membership worth it. But if you're adverse to shopping online, at least look at many different retailers. You can often call or check their website rather than going in person to each one. Always always always look at multiple stores, as many as you can, when shopping for a pricey item such as electronics (TV, stereo, video game console) or appliances.
- Cut out things you don't need or aren't using
If you think you're spending too much money or aren't building up your savings fast enough, consider everything non-essential that you spend money on. By non-essential I mean things besides food and the roof over your head, such as internet, cable, and phone service. For example, I recently cancelled "HBO" as part of my cable subscription because I had finished both "Game of Thrones" and "Hard Knocks". My girlfriend and I also changed our cable and internet package because we realized we were paying for voice as well, which we don't use. I'm also considering cutting the cord completely on cable because it is such a money drainer. And I am considering changing my Netflix subscription because I still get DVDs in the mail, and I don't watch them often enough to justify paying 10 bucks a month for that service. There's little things here and there you can cut out. Look through all your memberships and subscriptions to see what you don't really use or need and then cut it out.
I have learned a lot of money saving tips throughout my time here on Earth, and I am here to share them with you. I do consider myself a frugal person, especially with certain things like groceries and retail items. Here's what you can do:
- Use a company's app or website to save money
Some people think of it as a waste of time, but it's really worth it to use a company's app to save money. Obviously download and use their app if they are a restaurant or retailer that you frequent. The people who are really invested into their apps can save a lot of money on food and home goods. But be wary, their goal is to try to get you in the store/restaurant and get other things as well. For example, a grocery chain might offer you free pasta, but then you have to buy pasta sauce that is at least $3 and possibly meat which would be at least $5.
- Shop around (also consider getting Amazon Prime)
What I mean by this is whenever there is a particular product you need, look at many different retailers before you decide. The best of course to refer to is Amazon. Not only does Amazon have literally everything, but they often have the best deals and can ship right to your door. It makes getting a prime membership worth it, because then you get free two day shipping. The gas you save throughout the course of the year, when instead you might have to drive to a store, makes getting a Prime membership worth it. But if you're adverse to shopping online, at least look at many different retailers. You can often call or check their website rather than going in person to each one. Always always always look at multiple stores, as many as you can, when shopping for a pricey item such as electronics (TV, stereo, video game console) or appliances.
- Cut out things you don't need or aren't using
If you think you're spending too much money or aren't building up your savings fast enough, consider everything non-essential that you spend money on. By non-essential I mean things besides food and the roof over your head, such as internet, cable, and phone service. For example, I recently cancelled "HBO" as part of my cable subscription because I had finished both "Game of Thrones" and "Hard Knocks". My girlfriend and I also changed our cable and internet package because we realized we were paying for voice as well, which we don't use. I'm also considering cutting the cord completely on cable because it is such a money drainer. And I am considering changing my Netflix subscription because I still get DVDs in the mail, and I don't watch them often enough to justify paying 10 bucks a month for that service. There's little things here and there you can cut out. Look through all your memberships and subscriptions to see what you don't really use or need and then cut it out.
- Learn how to do things yourself to save money
There are quite a few things the average American pays someone to do for them, where if you learn how to do it and have the proper equipment, you can do it yourself and save money. The most common and well-known example would be cooking for yourself. We all know it's much cheaper to cook for yourself at home rather than going out OR ordering takeout. But there are other things, too. If you learn how to change a car's oil you can do that yourself instead of going to a mechanic. If you have your own razor and/or shears you can potentially cut your own hair, or get a friend or family member to do it for you. Sort of along the same lines, instead of paying for a gym membership, stay at home. If you live in an apartment complex, many of them have gyms you can use. If not, investing in equipment that you will use will save money in the long run over a gym membership which is a constant drain on any bank account.
- Learn to say "No"
Unfortunately, there are many companies and individuals out there that want your money and don't feel guilty about the way they take it. Some, like panhandlers, just want a handout, while some companies want you to overpay or switch to their product even though you might be comfortable with the one you have. If you go anywhere people are trying to sell something, such as a fair, be ready to say "no". They often use clever sales tactics to get you to buy or invest in their product. One of the most used tactics is saying that you'll save money by switching to/using their product. Honestly, unless they're the ones paying you, you're probably not going to save money over what you're currently doing. As the saying goes, if it seems too good to be true, it probably is.
- Buy more for need, not for want
This seems obvious, but it really has helped me save money. Often times while out shopping, I will seriously consider purchasing a certain item. If I ever have trouble deciding on whether or not to buy it, I ask myself, "Is the cost of it worth how much it will benefit my life?" This has really helped me turn down buying a lot of things and saving myself in the long run. For example: I don't NEED a pair of headphones right now, so I won't ever buy any at full price, no matter how cool they might be or look. But, if they're on a really good sale, the cost of it isn't as great (obviously), and therefore it benefits my life enough to offset the cost. Just use your best judgment, and if you find yourself buying too many things, be more strict with your own purchasing guidelines.
- Get others to chip in
One problem I have had in life is constantly paying for things for others. For example, if you're in a relationship or partnership, split the food costs 50/50 rather than paying for most of them yourself. If you ever find yourself paying for more things in a friendship or relationship, kindly ask them to pay for something in the future. Most good relationships have this balance, especially if each individual involved makes about the same amount of money. If you kindly point out what you've paid for in the past, there shouldn't be a problem. Use your best judgment to get others to pay for things equally, but don't ruin a relationship over it obviously. My personal example is that each of the three people in my household pays for a different streaming service: I pay for Netflix, my roommate pays for Hulu, and my girlfriend pays for Amazon prime.
- Use cash for luxury purchases
This probably won't work for everyone, but it works for me. Allot yourself an allowance each week or month to spend on luxuries such as going out to dinner, movies, having drinks, etc. If you're constantly paying with a card it can be hard to keep track of how much you're spending and it can get out of hand. If you stick to a cash-only method of spending for these types of purchases, you'll never go over your limit, and you'll save money in the long run. Perhaps you can transition to this method by starting out small, limiting only one type of purchase to cash (Say, lunch for the week). Then gradually increase the number of things you pay cash for.
- Walk whenever you canI live close by to a grocery store; it's only a ten minute walk or so. I always try to walk when I need to buy groceries, because I then save money on gas and save the wear and tear on my car. Depending on where you live, you might have some places close by to you, and if you need to go to one of them, just walk. It not only saves money on gas, but it's better for the environment and it helps you burn more calories. Or another example would be if you are in a shopping center with multiple businesses around, don't drive individually to each one. Park at one that's about in the middle and walk to each one from there.
- Don't get a warranty for something unless you are seriously worried about having to replace said itemWarranties are a huge way manufacturers can make an extra bit of money. They bet that their product will last a certain amount of time. In my experience, I have yet to have to replace a product through a warranty. I once had to replace my computer, but it was outside of its warranty, so what I paid for the warranty was money wasted. Manufacturers pick a certain amount of time the majority of their products last (one year, two years, five years, etc.) so that the warranties don't end up costing them money. Unless you are seriously worried about a product, don't purchase the warranty. Actually, if you're worried about a product maybe don't purchase the product! 😂
Well, that's all I have for now, but if I think of anything else, I'll add it here!
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