Looking for ways to save money on the things you buy? Client Services Specialist, Haley Smart has some ideas for you.
Financial plans are a helpful tool as they give clients the guidelines to reach their financial goals. But sometimes life gets in the way of our best laid plans and whether you make $2,000 a month or $20,000 a month, there may not be enough to accomplish everything.
Budgeting strategies can be a large part of keeping a financial plan on track, and there are lots of tips you can utilize to help keep those budgets intact. Our Client Service Specialist, Haley, loves being a frugal shopper, and her motto is “why pay full price when you can get the same item for less?” Let’s be clear here, Haley won’t be featured on any of the extreme savings shows any time soon, but she does like to save on the items she buys whenever possible.
Here are some of the ideas Haley uses to save money with limited effort:
Swipe the store specific cards whenever possible
Many store cards now offer sales prices or cash back incentives when you swipe their cards, which can help with the costs of current or future purchases. No need to fill up your wallet with these cards, just use the ones from the stores you frequent most often. Some stores also allow you to load manufacturer coupons onto the cards to use the next time you swipe it. If you shop with a list, this is a really nice last minute money saver before you hit the store.
Shop in bulk
Many stores offer better prices per unit on bulk packaging. If you can use the excess before it expires or package it yourself to last longer, you’ll find this strategy to be a good savings technique. Vacuum sealers are a good investment to make your perishable savings last longer.
Compare online sources and use discount codes
Many purchases are done online for ease of use and fast processing time. While you are searching, make sure to look on several different sites to see if another retailer is offering the same item at a sale price. Once you find the item you like, head to websites like retailmenot.com and see if there are any discount codes that will help reduce the price on that website. Even free shipping codes can be a huge discount depending on the size and weight of items purchased.
Price Match
Retailers are competing for your business, so make sure you check ad prices at stores other than where you are shopping. Most often they will match the price of the item at a different store as long as it is the same product. Also, look at online prices at the same store that you are shopping. There are plenty of opportunities where the online price is cheaper than the in-store price at the same company, and they will match it.
Shop holidays other than Black Friday
Sure, Black Friday gets the most buzz for good deals, but other than the few items that are super-discounted, the overall savings aren’t that great. Look for ads around other less popular holidays where really good deals could come up. President’s Day and Memorial Day often offer good sale prices in non-peak selling seasons.
Of course, all these savings ideas won’t really help you move forward with your financial plan if you spend the savings on other purchases. Make sure you use these savings to fund the goals that are most important–so that you can dream it and we will help you live it.
