It doesn't matter how much money you have – if you are not a good steward of that money and psend frivolously, then you will run through a million dollars in no time. We have to learn to separate “needs” and “wants” - especially in tough economic times. GOD has blessed you with this money 0 so you have to show HIM you appreciate the blessing by being a good steward of that money. Do we really need a $50 stapler? Or would a $10 stapler do just as good? Do we really have to have name brands? Or are the store brands just as good? Do we really need a $500 Blackberry? Or can we handle our business on, say, a $75 phone? Do we have to have a Cadillac Escalade? Or can we get around just fine in a Chevy Tahoe?
I'll be honest – over the years, I've been told that I could pinch a penny until Lincoln squealed and I've been dubbed “the coupon queen”. To some, those may seem to be derogatory remarks, but to me, they are a compliment. I learned to be this way because I know what it feels like to be without everyday things. I know what it is like to struggle to pay bills and trying to make the dollars stretch.
I was not born with a silver spoon in my mouth. My family had tough times – and we have often struggled with trying to make the dollars stretch just as far as they would go. When I was a little girl, I remember watching my Mom put up quart after quart of apple butter. I remember thinking there was no way we would eat all of that in a hundred years. I would soon change my thinking. My Daddy got sick and the doctors thought he had a heart condition. Mom was working, but because of Daddy's health at the time, Mom had to quit work to stay with me. Times were tough. I remember there was a time during this season of trial for my family that we ate apple butter sandwiches 3 times a day. If om hadn't put up all those quarts of apple butter, we would have been some very hungry folks. Every time I eat apple butter, I still think about that.
So what's my point? My point is there are ways to save money that most people overlook. There are ways to cut back and ways to shop smart to have more money in your pocket. Especially in tough economic times, we've got to learn to stop being so image conscious and really think about how wand why we spend. I have included some helpful times and money saving strategies that I have used for years. Trust me, they work!
THINK BEFORE YOU BUY. This is a biggie. When I got my first job, I was so happy to have my own money, that I would at times just go out and spend wildly. I was young, and, I admit – I wasn't thinking about those apple butter sandwiches I ate when I was a kid. I was thinking that I had a whole paycheck burning a hole in my pocket and I just couldn't spend it fast enough. Then, I noticed that I never seemed to have enough money. Now, I didn't have to contribute to any bills – Mom didn't ask me to, and being the selfish kid that I was, I sure didn't offer. Little by little, I began to realize that all the little things I was buying on impulse were eating up my check super fast, and I began to rethink my spending. If I saw something I wanted, I would look at the price and just get really honest with myself. Did I need it and was it worth paying that price for it? If I was still undecided, I would put it in the buggy and let it ride around with me. Nine times out of ten, I ended up putting it back because I took the time to walk away and the adrenaline rush of buying on impulse went away. Then, I was able to make a better decision about how to spend my money.
NAME BRAND VERSUS STORE BRAND. Another biggie. Can you really tell the difference between Dr. Pepper and Dr. Thunder {Wal-Mart's brand of Dr. Pepper}? My taste tested answer: nope. Tastes the same to me. Is there a difference in LeSeur Early Peas {over $1 per can} and a cheaper brand such as Pride Early Peas {around .69 per can}? Actually, the Pride peas taste better AND they offer a no salt added version – a major plus. The point is – you don't always have to have a name brand and you don't have to be brand loyal. That goes back to the image thing again. Store brands are often just as good as the name brand and are often produced by the same company. They are just not packaged quite as fancy and are not heavily advertised, so they are cheaper. Granted, there may be a few things where the quality of the name brand is better than the store brand – but how will you know unless you try the store brand? Trust me – if you were to look in my cabinets and fridge right now, you would see a LOT of store brand products. Why? Because I like saving money!
WATCH OUT FOR THE DRIVE THRU! It'll get ya every time. It's amazing how much money you can drop by just going through the line at KFC. If you are doing this constantly, then you are doing yourself {and your budget} a BIG disservice. If you are going to eat out everyday for lunch at work, start brown bagging it. Go to the grocery store and buy a loaf of bread and the makings of a decent lunch, including fruit, sandwich fixings, etc and then use that to make different options throughout the week for lunch. It may cost a little more in the long run, BUT you get a LOT more for your money AND it is so much better for you. Take out food is notorious for salt and fat AND makes for a very lean wallet. Example: if you eat out just one time a day every week day for a year and are only paying $6 for your meal, you have spent $1,560. That's a LOT of money.
PRICE MATCH. When you get your local grocery and drug store ads in the mail, don't just toss them – take a look! If they are advertising a product that you normally buy at a price cheaper than what you normally pay – take that ad to your local supermarket and have them match the price! Places like Wal-Mart do this all the time. They will match a price on almost anything in a competitor's ad – you just have to bring a paper that is in date and show it to them at the checkout. {I know they advertise that you don't have to bring in the paper, but it has been my experience to bring it just in case. } This doesn't just apply to food, either. This applies to almost anything in the store. NOTE: Wal-Mart will not price match meat or store brand items. They will, however price match just about anything else!
COUPONS ARE YOUR FRIEND! When you get the Sunday paper, do you toss out all the “fillers” just to get to the sports page? If you do, then you have just tossed about $50 - $80 in the trash. Depending on the coupons offered and the paper you receive, there are normally coupons that add up to about a $50 - $80 savings in each Sunday's paper. If you go through those and clip out the coupons for products you use and then pair that with a price match from a competitor's ad – you can save a load of money! Coupons alone can save a lot of money. I have a friend who gets a ton of coupons and once she clips what she needs, the sends the rest to me. It's so much fun for me – kind of like a game. How much money can I save today? My Mom says that I'd rather clip coupons than eat when I'm hungry. Gee, whatever gave her that idea?
SHOP SALES! This is a great way to find things that you need or want at a great price AND if you pair that with a coupon, you have even more savings!! I am a part-time shop-a-holic. I will shop 'til I drop ONLY if the prices are great OR if I have a coupon or price match that will offer significant savings on the items that I'm looking for. If I'm looking for a pair of shoes, I may wait until the end of the season to get them, so that I can pick up the shoes at a deep discount. Real life example: I was shopping Wal-Mart and found a cute pair of boots for only $3! They were the same shoes I had looked at during the winter season, but refused to pay $30 for them. Yes, they were cute – but not THAT cute! So, by waiting until the end of season clearance, I was able to get the shoes I wanted AND saved $27 – just on one pair of shoes!! Remember – a sale price is only a good price if the item you purchase is something you are in the market for at the time. If you go to sales just for the “rush” it gives you, then you are not really saving any money.
FREEBIES!! Yes, I'm serious. There are tons of websites and newsletters you can check out to get free samples of items sent right to your door. All you need is a pc, internet connection, a little time, and of course – ya have to be freebie savvy! I do this all the time. I love opening the mailbox and seeing all the little presents I have sent myself AND they didn't cost me a dime! You can get everything from food to health and beauty products to address labels FREE! One of my favorite places to get freebies is Walmart.com. Once on the site, click on “In Stores Now” and get access to the free samples they are offering.
CASH BACK REWARDS! Try a site like Ebates.com – where you will get $5 just for signing up. Then, whenever you purchase something through an Ebates link from stores like Wal-Mart, Value Mags, etc – you get cash back rewards for your purchase AND you get incredible savings off the retail price. Real life example: I signed up for Ebates and got the $5 sign up bonus THEN I subscribed to All You magazine through Ebates' link to Value Mags and saved $9.91 off the cover price! That's a whopping 33% savings! When you factor in the coupons you get in each magazine, this one year subscription pays for itself!
