Frugal Tips

 

If you participated in "No-buy-July" CONGRATS.  Inspired to do more? Go for it. No-Buy-August or No-Buy-October are great too. While shopping has certainly changed in this new American retail life, plenty of this year's Cost Saving Tips come from tried and true principles.  First, You really do need a Frugal mindset.  Then. . . Shop assertively;  Reduce Waste;  Recycle and Do more DIY.  Just being thoughtful about what you pay for goods and services, is half the battle in Saving your hard earned dollars. Since many national chains have closed, more online shopping is booming and delivery to your door is the new 'Thing'. But not all delivery services are affordable and I know how careless the delivery folks can be.  Therefore we still have to do constant comparison research before we buy.

• Become a takeout wizard for food: Skip the beverages. Why pay restaurant prices for sodas or juices you can pour yourself .
• Buy the special ingredient:  You know that sauce that you love from your favorite restaurant. Ask to purchase just that along with a loaf of the special bread they serve.
• Start reading those grocery flyers you used to throw away:  There are some good prices in them if you shop on the sale days. Look for special deals on the back.
• Turn off the Icemaker:  Making ice increases your fridge energy consumption by 12 to 20 percent so use it sparingly. Plus many people still use ice trays.
• Buy discounted gift cards:  Look for them on Giftcards.com; Cardcookie.com; and Cardcash.com.

• Shop beyond Amazon:  I know its easy to use and they sell everything you could want. But, Walmart, Target and Costco has some Great deals and dare I say cheaper at times. If you're  looking for electronics compare the prices on Newegg.
• Cashback Sites are popular for a reason:  Who does not like receiving a rebate check?

Be smart about sales tax.

Besides your state's annual tax-free weekend (mark your calendars!), mine is currently until August 9th. There are other ways to avoid that pesky fee. If you purchase from an out-of-state store, you can ship it home and avoid being taxed - let's hear it for vacation spending! You can also check out your state's official website to find out more tax-free secrets. For instance, many states don't charge tax on clothing purchases under $100, so you may want to consider breaking up a large purchase into a few under-$100 increments.

 

• Get a smart Thermostat:  It can set your preferred temp before you drive up to your door.
• Reinforce/Replace windows:  If you have single pane windows you should replace them with energy efficient products that will save you lots of money on your energy bill.
• Water stain on a white wall: Clean the spots with 10% bleach mixed with 90% water and it should disappear unless you have mold. Then you need a mold remover. It's still cheaper than repainting the entire room.
• Buy a Lifetime park pass: If you visit a certain park often.
• Book flights on Sunday:  A recent study last November by the Airlines Reporting Corp. Showed that Sundays was the day to get lower airfares.
• Fly from Hubs:  Airline have hub airports where all their flights connect and fares are cheaper. But, it may not be so cheap if you have to drive to the hub and pay for parking.

Cool Off Before Buying Nonessentials

The roof over your head, food on your table and gas in your car - what do they have in common? They’re necessities, and they’re also prominent line items in a typical household budget that together tally about 50% of your total budget. The other half would be split between savings and the things you really want but don’t really need. . . the nonessentials. You know what those items are, because you often buy them when there is a full moon or whenever your self-control is at its weakest. Do yourself a favor. . . before you click the “Checkout” button, SLEEP on it. The item in question will probably still be there in the morning, and you may have a different perspective on your potential purchase.

Ever bought a Jacket at full price only to find it on sale a few days later? Stop feeling like a sucker and ask for a price adjustment. Some major retailers will issue you a full credit for the difference in price if the sale happened within 7 to 10 days of your purchase.  If you just forgot about it and found the bag at the bottom of your closet weeks later, just return it.  If you have your receipt in hand and the tags still on, most retailers refund the price you paid, not the one currently dangling on the tag.  A piece of wisdom from What I Know for Sure . . . relates to those pesky impulse buys.  Oprah wrote. . . “I still think twice before I buy anything. How will this fit into what I already have? Am I just caught up in the moment? Can it be of real use to me or is it just something beautiful to have?”.   I try to follow this advice on a regular. Problem is - that too many times myself answers . . .  Just get the damn thing!

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