In this day and age, everyone wants to save money. Whether you want to make ends meet or extend the life of a paycheck, saving money is essential. Here are some simple ways to save.
- Use Coupons
Couponing may not seem like it would save a substantial amount of money, but it adds up. The key to this, however, is to only use coupons for items that you need. Don’t buy something that you won’t use simply because you have a coupon for it.
- Buy Generic
Generic brands can be much cheaper than brand-name products and they're usually comparable in quality. With certain products a quality difference may not even matter; if the paper towel cleans up the mess, who cares what the label says?
- Use Alternative Transportation
Not only is using alternative transportation environmentally friendly, it’s cost-effective too. Gas is expensive, so walking, carpooling, or using public transit instead of driving allows you to keep your wallet and gas tank full.
- Recycle Your Things
Don't throw out your old things just because they seem like junk. It's easy to repurpose your things, and it'll save you from having to buy new stuff. For example, you can clean out old coffee cans and use them as containers or flowerpots, rather than spending money to buy organizers or pots.
- Try Free Samples
Take advantage of free sample websites. Free samples are small, but they make a difference. For example, you can use free sample shampoo when traveling to save money and luggage space. Free samples are also a great way to try out a new product without making a monetary investment.
- Go Thrifting
Thrift shops are great way to get new clothes without paying a ton of money. People often donate quality items simply because they don’t like them anymore, they’re out of season, or because they no longer fit. If you go to a quality consignment store, you can find name brands items for reasonable prices.
- Sell Your Used Things
They say one man's trash is another man's treasure. If you have things like used textbooks or DVDs gathering dust on your shelves, look into holding a garage sale to sell them instead of throwing them away. Simply because you no longer have a use for something doesn’t mean someone else isn’t willing to pay for it.
- Shop Sales
Most things are bound to go on clearance at some point. If there's a $50 dress you're absolutely dying to buy, try waiting a few weeks. Many stores put large amounts of merchandise on sale as the seasons change, so you may find it on the clearance rack with a less intimidating price tag.
- Shop Discount Stores
Certain stores are known for selling items at lower prices. Stores like TJMaxx and Marshalls both sell quality items from other companies for lower prices. These can be good places to buy costly items like kitchen utensils.
- Ask "Do I Need That?"
We often find ourselves spending money we don't have on luxuries we don't need. Before making a purchase, ask yourself three questions: "Do I really need this?”, “Do I want it enough to pay the price?”, and “Can I afford to?". If it’s an expensive item, think about how often you would use it. Is it something you would use every day, such as a cell phone? Divide the price by the number of days you would realistically use the item. If you will use it often enough that it would cost you a max of a dollar a day then it’s probably okay to buy it.
