by Janice Forostiak, Marketing Department
Do you ever get to the end of the month and say to yourself "Where did all my money go?" We've all been there, and the answer is generally -- to bills, mortgage payments, home improve costs, health care, transportation, food ... the list goes on. Even if you keep the strictest records, there's one area you might be overlooking: Miscellaneous. This can be anything from daily coffee shop trips, to entertainment costs, to fast food, and everything in between. These things are like vacuum cleaners -- they suck the cash right out of your pocket if you aren't careful. So what do you do? Here are a few tips to help you KEEP more money for the bigger things in life: savings, college, retirement, vacations .... anything you choose that's a little more important than say, that expensive coffee treat.
Beware of Impulse Buys. How many times do you go into Costco for groceries and end up with beach towels, new rugs, the latest best-seller, socks, etc.? If it's not on the list, keep the cart moving.
Shop the Specials. Check out websites before you go shopping. Use "old fashioned" Sunday paper sale flyers to see where the best deals are, or go online to find the best deals. Plan shopping trips around weekly specials, and sign up for rewards at your local grocery store. The savings? As much as 20%!
Buy Off-Label. Try store brands for pre-packaged items. Many times these products are made by the same name-brand makers, but the prices are lower because there are no pricey advertising fees built in. Items like your favorite cereal, crackers, condiments and cookies might be worth trying off-brand. And if you hate it? Don't buy it again. But the savings can be substantial! (Editor's Note: I once tried store-brand grapefruit soda, thinking it would be as good as Fresca -- blech! Not even close.)
Reclaim Rebates. Only about 21% of consumers actually send in rebate forms, so it's a great gimmick to get you to buy. So, be one of the 21%, fill out the form and send it in for your cash rebate!
Fight Fees. Your bank or merchant credit card may charge as much as $35 insufficient funds fee for a simple oversight or timing error, but if you call up and ask nicely, they'll often waive it as a courtesy, particularly if you have had a good payment history.
The moral of this blog is, we all have to be a little frugal at times, but the savings can be huge!
