Thursday, February 4, 2021

Saving Strategies we Tend to Forget

 We are all aware of all those simple things that save us money.  Many are simple and easy.  Often we tend to forget some bigger things than can actually save a bundle over time

We all know - cook from scratch, don't eat out, turn off lights and water, look for sales, clearance and markdowns, use leftovers, recycle or up cycle, etc.
There are  other things that we tend to overlook.

  • DON'T pay late fees or finance charges!!!!!  Always pay your bills on time to avoid late fees - they can really add up.  IF you charge - pay in full as often as possible each month to avoid finance charges.  IF you have a card for emergencies (something that can't be paid in full in a month) - try to get one with a very low interest rate!  These fees can eat up your money in a hurry
  • NEVER pay full price - if at all possible.  If you are clothes shopping, grocery shopping or car shopping - shop around and look for markdowns and deals.  Most often on big ticket items you can barter a much lower price
  • DON'T shop on impulse!!!!!!!!!!  This can cost you a lot!  Especially if looking for something big and sort of expensive - go home and think about it for a few days.  If it is gone when you go back - just figure it wasn't supposed to be.  ALWAYS contemplate on spending a chunk of money
  • Stay HEALTHY - this is huge!!!!!!!  This is probably one of the biggest money savers there is.  Do whatever you can to live a healthy lifestyle.  Eat right.  Exercise in some way.  Get tons of fresh air and sunshine no matter the weather).  Take vitamins and herbs.  Drink water.  I know not everything health wise is that simple - but if you really work at taking care of your body, you will save a lot of money
  • DON'T buy things you can make!  Learn to make bread, biscuits, cook from scratch, make your own fancy coffee or tea.  Learn to mend or sew.  Alter clothes if needed.  Re-use fabrics to make new things.  Garden.  Compost.  Recycle.
  • Other than staying healthy - the biggest saving strategy is STAY HOME!  I know in this day and age you can still shop at home - stop it!  (Unless it is your grocery order).  Stop shopping online for stuff!  Stay out of stores and roaming the aisles.  Not only do you not shop, you save on gas and wear and tear on your vehicle, and you stay away from strangers.
  • BARTER your bills.  Not everything is etched in stone.  ** Cable too high - call them and work out a new plan (all they can do is say no).  ** Get yourself set up on a budget plan for electric or gas if at all possible.  I pay the same amount every month for both - instead of high bills in winter and small bills in summer. (Makes planning easier)  **  Call you car insurance and see if you can get discounts.  Hitting a certain age, retirement, no travel for work, less  miles per week, etc.  When I quit working I let them know and got a discount for no work travel, probably just local driving, and probably less than 50 miles per week.  If you are working from home or not working at the moment - call them and see if they can adjust your bill!  It sure is worth a try.
  • Cancel things you don't really use.  I just canceled Netflix - I really don't watch it enough to make it worth it.  Glen ordered it and he watched a lot - not me.  It was going to increase to 12.99 month.  That isn't a fortune saved - but around $156 a year I can use for something else.  If I decide to get it back later - I can
  • LESS grocery shopping!  It seems this is happening more at the moment - as many people are ordering groceries and having them delivered or are doing pick-up.  I think people are finally realizing you don't NEED to shop every week or many times every few days.  Shop once or twice a month and then improvise with other things when needed.  Learn to be creative with cooking. Shop the pantry and the freezer first!
  • READ - libraries are our friend.  Ours are closed right now - but they do have pick-up curb service if you order books online.  I have tons of books at my home - and I must admit many have never been read.  I read online as well.  I watch You Tube and learn.  I read blogs and learn.  IMPROVE your intellect in may ways.  You not only learn new stuff - but you can then teach others and you can learn new ways to do things.  Learning can be a huge financial windfall in many ways.

Try to look at the bigger picture.  It isn't always just the little everyday things we always talk about that saves.  Those things are still HUGE and they DO make a big difference.  
There are so many things that we just assume we must pay - that we can reduce or change.  Question all your bills.  Look for less interest charges.  Pay cash when possible.  Stay home more and shop less.  Learn and improve yourself and your knowledge.

I hope this gave someone something to think about and maybe, just maybe you find something you can change and save a bit of money.

Remember a penny saved is a penny earned OR one you don't have to earn again!
Pennies make dollars!!!!!
HAPPY SAVING


18 comments:

  1. These are all very important ideas! I'd also add: take care of what you own. It costs a lot less to perform routine maintenance on your car, lawn mower, appliances, furnace, water heater, etc. than it does to pay for repairs or even having to replace an item due to negligence. You may not be physically able to do some of the maintenance, but you can make sure you have the item maintained by someone who can.

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    1. Wonderful thought! You are absolutely right. I forgot all about mentioning that - thank you.
      Repairing/maintaining a vehicle is a lot cheaper than car payments!
      Thanks for wise words!!!!

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  2. Such great tips, Cheryl. A penny saved is a penny earned.

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  3. It's often the little things that add up -- turning off the lights when you're going to be out of the room for more than 10 minutes, turning off the TV when not in use, turning home electronics off (and unplugged, when appropriate), lowering the thermostat for overnight, when you'll be under the covers ... And, if you pay for city water, brush your teeth while waiting for the hot water to come on for washing up (my bathrooms are two stories up from the hot water heater, and I often still have to wait for the hot water), use water from you "overnight" glass or left-over from the tea kettle, etc. to water plants.

    When it comes to groceries, consider the stores that you frequent. Shop the "loss leaders" that a store will put in their ad to draw you in. There's one store I shop at JUST for their loss leaders. On occasion, I may pick up other items that are still a good deal, but not always. If you're buying products that don't NEED to be brand-name, are there off-brand products that could prove equal or near-equal to your usual brand? I NEVER used to shop Aldi, but now I actually prefer their Bounder napkins, Greek yogurt, and Ultra dishwasher tabs to my usual name brands. And, their eggs, half-and-half, and bananas are superior to what I get at my regular grocery store. And, when produce is in season, consider supporting your local farmstand. Even if it's not cheaper, the quality is better, and you'll be contributing to your local economy and another generation of farming.

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    1. Wonderful points - all of them.
      I always use 'night' water for my houseplants and also when I change kitty water - same.
      I fill a gallon jug for outdoor watering bowls while waiting for hot water.
      Love some Aldi products. I always get their cheese and yogurt and eggs. Snack are yummy and so much cheaper. Their brand "Spam" is really good too. Many products.
      Love loss leaders - hey, we can play the game too!
      Thanks

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  4. Those are all great tips. I have learned to stop shopping on impulse because that was one of my downfalls. I always buy on sale and follow a lot of these other tips, too. Sorry- I can't do Spam...lol. xo Diana

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    1. Thanks. Good for you. Impulse can surely be a downfall for many.
      I am a Spam fan here! LOL

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  5. Cheryl,
    Great post today. And I agree heartily with the barter on the bill comment. Each year I call our internet company and complain about the price and get it lowered....each year, seems silly to have to call, but it works. Also today we got a renewal bill for computer antivirus software, the price went from $60 last year for our four computers to $108 this year. I called and she said she could put us in a promotional code, $40 a year, and it will expire in a year. She told me to call next year and they will find another “promotion” to apply. Amazing! So all it took was about ten minutes on the phone!

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    1. You go girl!!!!! That is fantastic. You got a good deal for sure. Yes, just a few minutes of time and you save money. Why not?
      Thanks for your examples and proving it works.

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  6. Great post, I don't think people think about staying healthy as saving themselves money, but it saves so much over a life time. Taking care of your teeth is so important, they are uber expensive.

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    1. Our bodies are our biggest investments. We should take good care. You are so right, teeth fixes are expensive. Our bodies should be our temples and treated as such.

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  7. Very good comment about taking care of and maintaining the things we HAVE! My car is a 2012 Honda Accord, and the change oil reminder has not come on because I've done so little driving this year! Well, I realized my last oil change was October 2019 so decided to get an oil change because of the time. Well--they also discovered my tires needed to be replaced...not because of mileage (only 34,000 on my car) but because of AGE! They were original---mfg. in 2011. They were literally deteriorating, which is a dangerous situation...
    so, spent the money at the dealership for new tires. Not a planned expense, but we had it in savings earmarked for auto repairs. Better safe than sorry---a blowout due to tread peeling off could be catastrophic...

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    1. Good for you. I hated paying for new tires in 2019 - but mine were doing the same thing. They were getting dry rot from age and weathering. Maintenance is costly but not nearly as costly as a car payment.
      Glad you are safe now! It is a comforting feeling.

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  8. p.s. I was going to compare prices with Costco---and the service man did it right there for me...dealership beat Costco, even with their $150 off promotion, because the dealership does alignment at the same time. Costco does not.

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    1. You WIN!!!!! Sometimes the best deals are right in front of us!!!

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  9. These are all great tips! A company can only say "no" if you ask for a price adjustment. You are so right...stay out of the stores if at all possible. Shopping is not recreation. I love the library...if I check out something and it is not interesting or worse, filthy, all I have to do is return it. We cancelled Netflix ages ago and they have some really nasty stuff. Our body is the temple of Elohim and as such we need to maintain it properly. Stay warm, my friend! Gonna be cooooold!

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    1. Yep, just so many ways to save. We may hear a no now and then but at least we tried! We only get this one body here on Earth - so maintain it well.
      Coooooolllddd indeed!

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