Every day we are all looking for ways to save money on our everyday purchases. I, for one, could always use some extra money in my wallet, or in my bank account. A little saving never hurt anybody.
Here are 5 easy ways to save money on our everyday purchases:
1. Buy items in bulk. Whether we have a household of only two people, or our household is filled with twenty people, it is always cheaper to buy everyday items in bulk. I know that buying in bulk may seem to be more expensive in the short term, but over the long term it is definitely worth it. Paying $10 for 2 items is definitely cheaper than only buying one item right now for $7.
2. Make sure to get free shipping when you shop online. Very often online shopping can be costly if we pay additional shipping charges. Our items may be cheaper individually, but our total transaction may end up costing us more in the end because of additional shipping charges. If you don’t meet the minimum requirements for free online shipping, it is best to wait until you have more items to place your order. I often ask my friends if they need anything from the website and then we can order together to make sure we get free shipping.
3. Use coupons and discounts. Check if your local grocery store has a coupon board. It is also a good idea to wait for the weekly flyer to be published, waiting an extra day to do our grocery shopping can save us a lot of money at the cash register. A little saving never hurt anybody.
Don’t be afraid to ask for discounts. Ask the store to take off the taxes, ask for a free gift with purchase. Ask for anything! It doesn’t make us look cheap; it makes us look financially savvy. You never know what you can get until you ask. If they say no, it was at least worth the try, and we didn`t lose anything.
4. Shop around and try not to make impulse purchases. If you are considering a major purchase, it is always best to stick to the rule of 3. Shop around and compare prices of at least 2 other competitors. It is also important to make sure that the item can be returned. This way if we regret our impulse purchase in 2 days, we can always return it and get our money back. The shop around rule of three applies to everything from a new pair of jeans to car insurance.
5. E-Cards are the way to go. Sending E-Cards instead of paper greeting cards and invitations is good for the environment and a great way to save money throughout the year. By sending E-Cards, we save money on the cost of the cards, as well as on the price of the postage. Our E-Card recipient is guaranteed receive the card right away, there is no chance of our Card getting lost in the mail.
Blue Mountain offers a yearlong membership with unlimited E-Cards for only $19,99. Think about all of the money you spent last year on Greeting Cards and Postage, it was probably more than $19.99.
How do you save money on your everyday purchases?
Photo By Tony Crider
Kristina Tahnyak
Tahnya is a Certified Financial Planner and former Investment Advisor turned marketing and communications professional She holds a degree from Concordia University, is debt free and currently works in the field of digital marketing.
I like your tips to save money. Buying in bulk is great, but don’t go overboard. I used to frequent Costco regularly and easily drop $150 each time. I would buy quantities I didn’t need and items I would of never bought. I quit going. My way of grocery shopping now is having a tight list, using coupons, and a lot of B1G1 sales. I spend less now and my budget doesn’t implode anymore.
I should also mention that I never hate on the Dollar Store. I have found some pretty great items for only $1 or $2.
With gas, you always have to use GasBuddy. That app saves me like $10 (at least) every time at the pump.
Also, I know it’s not an everyday purchase, but you can find insurance for around $25/month from 4AutoInsuranceQuote. I got insurance for my Civic there. Cheapest place EVER.
As for cable TV, you can get it online from Aereo for like $10/month.. it’s about 10X cheaper than my Time Warner bill and has more channels.