When it comes to saving money, we all want to spend less without sacrificing the quality of what we buy. Sounds impossible, right? Turns out, there are many easy habits you can adopt in order to save more and buy smarter.
Sign up for customer rewards programs
Most shopping stores offer some sort of free rewards programs. These programs give you access to exclusive rewards, discounts, and sometimes even free gifts. Adjust your shopping to match the coupons offered, and you’ll be saving more money in no time!
Write a list, and stick to it
Have you ever gone grocery shopping while you’re hungry? Terrible idea, right? Your hunger drives you to buy things you don’t need. But the “don't shop when you’re hungry” warning applies to all types of shopping. Make a list of everything you need, and stick to it, otherwise you’ll end up spending more money on things you don’t need.
Coupons are your friends
What better way is there to save money than with a piece of paper that literally takes money off of your purchase? While some people have turned the act of clipping coupons in to an extreme sport, you don’t need to be an athlete to save some money. Coupons can be found in stores, newspapers, receipts, email and mail. But, don’t also forget about online coupon resources. Sites like Groupon and RetailMeNot are valuable resources for finding coupons for your purchases.
Buy low price, good quality items
This might seems like an obvious solution, but you would be surprised by how many people think that just because an item is good quality, it has to be expensive. While it’s true in some situations, the “you get what you pay for” trap isn’t always the case. For example, Z-Grips are low priced, but with a rubber grip, metal clip, and ink that doesn’t skip, they’re good quality writing instruments.
Handmade gifts
It seems like every holiday is celebrated by exchanging gifts. And the more people you celebrate with, the more gifts you have to buy, and the more money you have to spend. Instead of buying a gift for everyone on your list, try making one. It will be more personal, and it will save you money. Money may make the world go ‘round, but it doesn’t need to stress you out. Try some of these thrifty habits, and you’ll save enough to keep your world in rotation.