Here are a few tips to help you:
- Be a savvy consumer and never buy a big ticket item without checking the consumer reviews on it.
- Know what stores will price match the lower price of items you are interested in buying.
- When shopping online, fill your cart with all the items that interest you. Then, walk away for at least an hour. Later come back and delete the items you really don’t need. You can have an open shopping cart for weeks so don’t let their “time specials” get you into checking out early.
- If you like budgets, here is a tip that I love. The first of the month use your point earning credit card to purchase a grocery store gift card in the amount you have budgeted for monthly groceries. Make sure to immediately pay off the credit card (you only used it to get the points). Sometimes, there is a little left on the gift card at the end of the month so you can add it to the next month’s grocery budget. Other times you may have to stop buying a few days early and use up what groceries you have at home.
- Make your own microwave popcorn by putting ¼ cup of kernels in a brown lunch bag, fold over the top several times and microwave on high for 2 minutes, pour into a bowl and add butter/seasonings.
- Save all coins and when they accumulate to $25.00, roll, wrap and stack in box under the bed. Out of sight, out of mind. They can be forgotten about until needed.
- Don’t light those expense glass jar candles. Instead put them on top of the stove (above the burners), close to the stove vent. The stove heat naturally rises, melts the candle and sends the wonderful scent throughout the house, the candle never burns away and lasts for years.
- If an extra button comes with a garment take it out of its little bag and immediately sew it inside one of the seams. Then you will always have it if needed.
- Declutter your life by getting rid of items that just take up space, are never used or worn in the last 12 months. Try to sell and make a few dollars – donate what’s left.