I don’t care if you have ten thousand dollars in the bank, or if you have nothing at all. I believe it’s always important to live life frugal, rather than spending when you have no idea what the price tag even is.
When you say the word, “cheap”, people generally think of people that want a lot for nothing, but that isn’t the case. You can get the same items that other people get, but for half the price. Coupons, discounts, and deals can take you a long way.
Today, I wanted to give you some great frugal tips that you can use to make your life a lot easier on your wallet.
#1 Look at your entertainment packages
The first thing that I would look at is your entertainment. Look at your cable, Internet, and phone bill. Can you narrow them down at all? A lot of companies today will give you a discount when you get a bulk package. Consider packaging up your items, and saving money that way. If you want, you can also consider getting free TV on the Internet, or downgrading your Internet speeds.
#2 Always get in the habit of coupons
There are honestly coupons out there for everything. From getting your oil changed, all the way to getting food at your local diner. You can find a lot these in your local coupon books that come in the mail, or you can consider websites like Restaurant.com, or even the Entertainment book.
#3 Consider used over new
This is the case with just about anything again, besides your groceries. When you’re looking for appliances, consider used. When you’re looking for a car, consider buying used. I think you get my drift here. Places like eBay and Craiglist can save you hundreds!
#4 Use a debit card or prepaid credit card
When you generally use a credit card, you’re soon going to find out that you may spend more than what you have. It’s rather hard to keep track of what you spend on a credit card. I would recommend that you highly consider applying for either a debit card through your local bank, or using a prepaid credit card to better track your finances.
#5 Watch the entertainment prices outside of home
When you go to the movies, consider going on a Wednesday. If your movie theater offers a reward program, I would recommend signing up. It’s free and you can get a lot of goodies! Rent your movies from your local Redbox for a $1, and if you don’t have a $1, consider looking for free redbox movie codes online.
#6 Look at your insurance policies
If you’re paying top dollar for your home, auto, and any other type of insurance, you may want to look at your deductibles. You may want to higher them, so that you can lower your monthly payment. There’s no reason to pay top dollar for a $150 deductible. Raise it up to $500+ and save a few hundred on each bill! The same can go with your health insurance. Get a higher deductible plan and you can literally save thousands over the year!
#7 Watch the utilities
Turn off lights when you don’t need them. Shut off the vents in the rooms that you don’t need to heat up, and get a programmable thermostat. When you sleep at night, set your thermostat down to 60. There’s no reason to heat up a room, when you’re underneath the blankets.
#8 Pack your lunch
A lot of workers make the mistake of purchasing a lunch every day. If you think about how much you’re spending, you would be sick to your stomach. You have to figure you’re spending $5-$10 a day. Multiply that by 5 times a week over a year, and you get over $2,000 in lunches! Pack your lunch and slash that bill easily by 80%.
The list can go on and on. The important part here is to make sure that you use your head. It really isn’t that hard to save money. Hopefully, these tips can get you off your feet, in order to save the money that you want to save!
|
