Saving money is an art as well as an economic science. It takes some time and a lot of thought to master it. Most people squander away their wealth in the most unlikely places without even knowing that they could have saved a fortune over a lifetime if they just had a better understanding of saving and frugal living. Patience and a knack for keeping an eye out to spot the best offers are the only things you will need and you will never have to pay more than its worth for your regular needs. Frugal living is not about depriving yourself, rather, it is about finding a way to get around the cost and still have what you need. Here is a small list of everyday things which you never thought about saving on or didn’t know how to save on.
- Clothing and groceries – You can trust brands but you can’t trust brands to be cheap. Branded clothing and canned/bottled edibles are what most people opt for simply because it is the tried and tested method. Its good to go exploring and find unbranded or in-house products which retail at a much lower price. Moreover, every department store and supermarket also has clearance sections where you can get your hands on clothes and edibles at prices significantly below the retail price. You can also use discount coupons and pick up ‘packaged deals’ when you are doing your grocery shopping. Just remember not to buy more than you need of anything even if it’s really cheap. Use e-mail offers and online discount sites to scrounge for inexpensive deals on clothing.
- Books and magazines – If you have been buying your magazines off the rack at supermarkets or from the local grocery store, there is a good chance that you are paying somewhere between $3 and $10 depending on the publication. You have two options here; you can choose to reduce the number of magazines you reduce to a couple or maybe 3 or you can opt for a yearly subscription. You can easily save up to 90% on the cover price of a magazine if you get through subscription. You can also get heavily discounted subscription deals online as well. If you have an iPad or a Kindle, you can also subscribe to electronic copies of the magazines that you read for a fraction of the price you would pay for a hardcopy subscription. As far as books are concerned, if you don’t intend on to reread them a number of times or collect them, you can buy used books online for at a huge discount.
- Airfare and car rental – Contrary to the popular myth that booking your flight tickets through a travel agent will get you the best price, it is always better to book on your own. Airline companies use a dynamic pricing strategy wherein the earlier you book your ticket the cheaper it will be. Moreover, travel agents include their commission in the bill they present you with, which just pushes your cost up further. Car rentals work similarly to airline ticketing systems. Book in advance over the Internet and you will get the best deal. You can also use discount codes and coupons which are can be printed out or come with magazines as a part of promotional services.
There are many such odd things which look seemingly inexpensive and doesn’t see to eat into your finances but in the long run you end up paying hundreds of dollars more than you could have. These are just some of the things you easily save your hard earned dollars on. You can explore and find new avenues to save money smartly.
