Our favorite treats are those little indulgences that keep us happy, pick us up when we’re feeling down, or simply to be had because we love them. They are also usually the things we don’t want to cut down on when we are tightening our budgets and looking to save money. To keep those smiles when times are tight, we inevitably look elsewhere to save money, keeping a tenuous hold on our favorite treats. Don’t you think though, that being able to continue to indulge as well as save money would be far better all round? Here are 5 Ways to Save Money in Your Favorite Treats:
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1. Books
Everyone will always tell you to save money on books by using the library, but that’s just not the same as opening a crisp new cover and then adding the finished read to your burgeoning shelves. If you don’t mind ebooks, get onto amazon.com to check out their fab range of indie ebooks for free or $0.99. If you prefer the printed word, try joining a book club, like Barnes and Noble, to get regular discounts and coupon offers. However, the ultimate way to save money on anything is to get something for nothing. It takes a bit of effort but you should build up a catalog of book reviews. Two sites I know of are Amazon and Good Reads. If you build up a decent enough rating you will qualify for the Amazon Vine Program and similarly, you need to become a popular Good Reads reviewer. Both will lead to you receiving new books prior to release and books from authors looking for reviews of already published works.
2. Music
Do you spend too much money buying new CDs or paying for downloads each month? There are a couple of free services you can use instead. Save money on music by listening to Amazon Music, a radio station that can be personalized to your tastes (not available outside the US). The other option is Spotify.com which has millions of songs accessible for free. Although these are great ways to save money on your musical treats, there is a price to pay in that your listening pleasure is interrupted by adverts. To get music for free, devise your own playlists on YouTube.
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3. Coffee
I can’t go past a Starbucks without getting a fix of gingerbread latte (and I always have the largest which in real terms is a huge extravagance for a cup of coffee). At least I save money by having a Starbucks card which means I accumulate rewards with purchases. There is one way however, you can truly save money and that it is to make your own Starbucks at home. You can buy Starbucks beans and make your own version but better, find the recipes and whip them up for a fraction of the cost in your own kitchen. Here’s one for Frappuccino squawkfox.com
4. Magazines
If you aren’t subscribing to your magazines already and getting some pretty huge discounts online you are wasting money. At sites like magazines.com you can get discounts up to 80%. Then again, as with books, there’s always magazines at the library. But, to really save money on some top notch glossies check out their IG accounts as well as their online versions for the same high quality free advice and pictures.
5. Ice Cream
Have you noticed how ridiculously expensive the best ice cream has become. I don’t know about prices in the US but a 500ml tub of Ben and Jerry costs us $6.35 in the UK these days. Plus, you can’t just have one flavor right? When you open that ice box door you want to see some variety right? How about making your own ice cream in minutes that not only helps you save money, but tastes yummy scrummy? The same great gal who brought us the Starbucks Frappuccino has some brilliant recipes for ice cream which not only tastes fab but is also a lot healthier than store bought. squawkfox.com
So, there you go – ways to enjoy your favorite treats at a fraction of the cost. Who’d have thought you could save money and still enjoy your little indulgences.
Tips and recipes gratefully received.
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