Ways You Can Save on Making Purchases

While a 52 week savings plan might be a good way to save a little extra cash, but in order to free up extra money each month so you can put your hard-earned dollars to good use such as paying down debt, building an emergency fund, or increasing contributions to your retirement account, being mindful of your purchases and spending behaviors will need to be held under a microscope if you really want to improve your financial outlook not only now, but for the future.

Shop Around for the Best Price

My how the times have changed.  It used to be that in order to check out prices on a product you were looking to purchase you had to drive all over town, wasting gas, not to mention precious time, that after it was all said and done, was it even worth saving a few bucks.  These days you can hop from website to website in a matter of seconds, making sure you get the best price available, and free shipping at that, it really makes you wonder why you don’t just do all of your shopping online.

Always Keep Take a List with You

If you do need to venture out, it’s good to go with a plan, especially if you’re going grocery shopping, where there is plenty of opportunities to load the cart up with impulse purchases.  If you can take stock and make a list prior to going, you can increase your chances of getting what you came for.  Stores like Home Depot are also good to go in with a list, because there are so many aisles of distractions that you will either forget an item and will need to go back, or come out with a whole new home renovation project.

Never Go on an Empty Stomach

When you are out and about, it’s a good idea to go shopping on a full stomach, not only to save money and eat at home, but also to avoid any unhealthy options.  When you’re hungry when your grocery shopping everything looks good, so you may add items you want to eat then, not to mention if you are hungry going from store to store you will want to go out to eat and probably eat something that is not cost-efficient, not to mention waistline-efficient if you are trying to watch what you eat.

Use a Rewards Credit Card

By making the normal purchases you would be making anyways, you can earn great rewards such as points or dollars back, which essentially is free money that you would otherwise be leaving on the table if you used cash, debit, or credit cards that currently don’t offer rewards.  With the number of cards out there trying to get your business, search around for the best rewards cards out there and start making your purchases and seeing the rewards add up.  Just make sure you can pay off the full statement balance, otherwise any interest carried over will far outweigh any rewards you earn.

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