"83 Little Known Secrets To Saving Money |
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Welcome To Day 3
21.
Make
your Own Gifts
If you ask people if they prefer a store bought or handmade gift, the majority would choose the latter. Handmade gifts are individualized and come from the heart. When you have a birthday, anniversary, baby shower, wedding, or Christmas gift to give, make the gift. For Christmas, you could make a beautiful ornament or door wreath, for a baby shower you could purchase an inexpensive bib pattern and make special bibs, or for a wedding, you could create a wonderful album of photos showing the couples dating life. Other great options include making homemade hot chocolate, soaps, candles, or lotions and placing them in inexpensive glass containers or baskets purchased at a thrift shop. If you use a mason jar, add foam and fabric under the lid for added color, use a label to write the contents and a message of endearment, and wrap a nice piece of ribbon around the ridge. The options are endless, so get creative. 22.
Barter
System
Gather
friends, family, neighbors, and co-workers and set up a bartering
system. Offer babysitting
to one family in exchange for them mowing your lawn or offer to clean
someone’s house in exchange for a week of car-pooling your child to
school. You would be amazed
at the opportunities and the money that can be saved using a bartering
system. 23.
Comparison
Shop
Comparison-shopping
can make a big difference in the price you pay.
You might be looking at a barbecue grill at one place for $350.00
and by making two more stops, find the exact grill or one comparable for
$300. In addition, consider
the price of items assembled versus unassembled.
For example, you might find the barbecue grill unassembled for
$250. A couple of hours of
“fun” assembling the grill is certainly worth a $100 saving. 24.
Stop
Competing with the Jones’
You
do not have to compete with anyone.
Be proud of what you have and who you are.
If you can only afford an inexpensive sofa from a thrift store,
find a nice throw, make a few pillows, and be proud and thankful.
Competitiveness is a part of nature and to a degree, healthy.
However, when competition creates a buying war to see who can
have the “best” when they have no business buying at all, then it
becomes damaging. Stick to
what you can afford regardless of what anyone else has or pressure you
might be feeling. 25.
Sales
Clerk Compliments
Sales
clerks are often paid on commission.
Therefore, when you walk into a store and try on an expensive
suit, you can be guaranteed you will hear several times over how
wonderful you look, how great that suit fits you, etc.
Because this is how the clerks make their money, they will say
whatever it takes to make the sale.
You probably do look good but do not allow yourself to be
pressured into buying something beyond your means.
Know what you want, the price range you can work with, and stick
with your own rules, not theirs. 26.
Incentives
– Reward Plan
To
help you and your family spend more wisely, set up a system where
rewards are given when the rules set forth are followed.
For example, if a family decision was made to start making lunch
and brown bagging it to work and school instead of paying each day, the
incentive might be that if this is followed strictly for one month, the
entire family can spend a Saturday at the Zoo or favorite theme park. 27.
Dollar
Stores
Many
years ago, dollar stores offered only off brand products or poorly made
merchandise. However, that
has completely changed. Now
you can walk into a dollar store and find the same name brand laundry
soap, cleaning supplies, clothing, school supplies, everything for a
fraction of the cost. Where a store name brand bottle of laundry detergent might
cost $6.50 at a grocery store, you can find the identical product and
size at the dollar store for $2.50.
Check out your local dollar store and enjoy the mountains of
savings. 28.
Don’t
Give up the Good Stuff
A
misconception is that while trying to save money you have to deal with
sub-par merchandise, which is untrue.
If you love fresh breads and pastries, visit a bakery thrift
store. For your fresh
fruits and vegetables, visit your local farmer’s market.
Try eBay or other auction sites to buy top quality merchandise
for a huge discount. Watch
for neighborhood garage sales or estate sales and auctions to find items
you need. Just because you
are looking for bargains as a way of saving money does not mean you have
to skimp on quality. 29.
Utilities
Set
up some rules in your home such as turning lights off when leaving the
room, having only a parent adjust the air or heat, leaving the doors or
windows open when letting either cold or hot air into the house.
Utilities are expensive and a great money saver is to monitor how
they are used in your home. Another
great idea is the investment of buying an energy-efficient hot water
heater. If you cannot
afford one, lower the setting so you are not heating water so hot.
The hotter the setting, the more energy used.
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