7 Ways to save Money While Spending It ...

1. Use Coupons

Collecting coupons is actually one of the best tips to save money and if you’ve ever watched that TLC Channel’s show Extreme Couponing, I bet you already know what coupons could do for your budget! Now, I’m not saying you should start spending every waking moment cutting and categorizing coupons but browsing for printable coupons as well as taking a moment to cut and keep the ones you’d normal miss could and will pay out.

2. Take Advantage of Special Offers

Most supermarkets, stores that sell furniture as well as the ones that specialize in home appliances will send your brochures every week (or month) hoping 30% off on all XYZ brand dairy products, a chance to snag a family size bottle of Listerine for a price of a regular one or ten pork chops for the price of seven will help you convert and become their regular customer. Well, we all know that’s just not going to happen because you already have your favorite shops but hey, if the price is right and you happen to need those items, why lose a good deal! So, once you’ve went through the brochure and spotted special-priced items you really need, make a note to yourself not to buy them in any other store. If the supermarket/store is on your way that’s even better, because you won’t spend extra gas – if not, consider postponing your purchase for a day or two (read: when the supermarket in question is on your way).

3. Get a Cash Back or Bonus Card

My fiancé has managed to shave 100 Euros off his life insurance fee by collecting a bonus after each big supermarket purchase and if I tell you that’s actually one third of the total sum he was due, you’ll definitely agree this savings method deserves to be on my list of tips to save money. Bonus or cash back cards will allow you to shop like you normally do, the only difference, of course, being the fact that you’ll now get to keep a certain percentage of that money, either as a bonus you can later use or as pure cash you can request once you’ve reached a certain minimum. What are you waiting for? Visit your bank, your insurance company, your local tax building, even the gas station you stop by every day and ask if such solutions are available in your country/area.

4. Be Creative

Okay, ladies, it’s time to talk about fashion and shopping as I bet most of you would appreciate some tips to save money without having to give up the joy of walking into a store and trying to find something stylish for the season. In case you’ve read my tips on accessorizing (and I hope you did), you already know that being creative with your accessories could save you a bunch of cash you’d normally spend buying things you won’t use more than once. Glam, evening dresses, for example, are an expensive “sport”, because we never wear the same dress more than twice per year. Buy simple but classy clothes that can be worn both day and night and invest your time and money into finding cool, stylish, budget-friendly accessories to glam your versatile pieces up. Even ultra-stylish Dita Von Teese wears her clothes more than once (and I’m talking important events , ladies) but since she does such a great job with her hair and accessories you’ll really need to look closely to figure that out.

5. Consider Online Shopping

Many supermarkets/restaurants/pizza places these days offer free delivery and some will even offer a discount if you make an order via internet! Now isn’t that cool? But, wait, there’s more to it than just food – there’s clothes, makeup, furniture… hundreds of items you can find cheap or at least cheaper. If you’re living in a small town with just a couple of shops that specialize in the items you need, doing your shopping online (especially during promotional periods when free shipping is offered) is a good saving strategy.

6. Browse for Budget-Friendly Alternatives

Looking for more fashion-related tips to save money? Well, now that we’ve established that being stylish has nothing to do with being dressed in luxury brands from head to toe, it’s time to discuss one simple money-saving strategy! You already know what’s hot this season and you already know what you lack in your wardrobe so instead of blowing all your cash on a pricy blazer that you, quite frankly, could use, try browsing some more in hopes you’ll find a slightly cheaper alternative.

7. “I’m Not Rich Enough to Buy Cheap Things.”

This famous proverb might not sound like the most budget-friendly tip in the book but it really is the whole truth and nothing but the truth. When you’re buying a fragrance –buy a perfume, not Eau de Toilette (or a knock-off), when buying makeup, focus on the brands that, although a bit pricier, do your skin well and when buying clothes learn to separate classic, versatile pieces you’ll wear for years from trendy garments you’ve seen in a magazine. Every designer item has its budget-friendly alternative – that’s for sure. But every budget-friendly alternative has its cheap, rock-bottom priced version as well and it’s your job to determine whether the product in question is worth replacing as well as the point in which smart economizing starts turning into wasting money.

I hope your shopping will be much better now that you know these 7 cool tips to save money – I know mine always is! Do you have some of your own, “patented” tips to save money to share with me today?

Top Photo Credit: otvetin.ru