I recently purchased the Kindle book 701 Money Saving Tips by Ron Tomby. Though some of the book didn’t apply to me and some of the tips were a little redundant, it was a really cool, short read. I made a note of all of my favorite tips and thought I’d share with all of you 
1. Before buying, ask yourself if buying the sale item makes sense. Even if it’s on sale, you do not save if you buy it and don’t need it. – Boy, did he hit the nail on the head with this one. When I see items on sale or on clearance I think to myself, “wow, that’s an incredible price. I’m going to buy it.” When I really should be thinking, “I don’t really need this even though it is at a great price.”
2. If you find yourself engaging in shopping as “therapy” when you had a bad day, consider switching to a physical exercise routine to get the same rush. Get healthy and save money. – Easier said than done I suppose, but I do like where he’s going. I can’t tell you how many times, after a bad day, I went to the mall to buy a new shirt or a new pair or shoes to make myself feel better. I’m sure if I just went for a walk or a run instead I’d feel just as accomplished but I decided to spend money on things I don’t need. Such a bad idea!
3. Swap services with friends and neighbors who can do things you can’t. - I’m sure a lot of people do this but I don’t think I ever have. Not that I wouldn’t like to give it a try. Let’s say you have a hot, single neighbor who has a nice lawn mower. Maybe you could ask him to mow your lawn in exchange for cooking him dinner once a week. Haha, that whole scenario sounds like the beginning of a bad porno, but I’m being serious. Bartering will save you a ton of money. Give it a shot!
4. Limit yourself to a weekly cash allowance for your treats, i.e. pizza, ice cream, McDonalds, or whatever it is that you crave. – Not only will this save you money but it could help you lose weight. If you have an unlimited budget for snacks then you can go to hell in a hand basket but limiting your budget will force you to have to pick that one thing you’re craving.
5.When buying online search for promotion codes first by googling the name of the vendor or site you’re about to buy from and add “promotion code” or “coupon” in the search box. - I do this all the time. Usually you can at least find a promotion code for free shipping or something. Definitely worth checking out before purchasing anything online.
6. Find out about all of the benefits of your job. – You may be able to get a discount on your monthly cell phone bill just for being employed where you work. I know at my job you get 10% off your monthly Verizon bill if you can provide a CAT card that shows you work with the military. We also have a discount on auto insurance. So what you should do is sit down with your HR manager and ask her if she knows of any benefits that your job has.
And last, but not least…
7. When going to the grocery store, make sure you’re not hungry. – I do this all the time! More times than I can count. I end up leaving with a ton of stuff, most of it junk food. It’s not good to go grocery shopping when you’re full either. So not only do you need to plan and make a list of the groceries you need but you also need to plan around your meals and appetite. Geez-Louise!!!
Well that’s all I got for today. If you’re interested in buying the kindle book I posted the link at the top of this post. It’s only $1.99 and definitely worth it. If you purchase it, let me know what you think.
Happy Saturday everyone!!!
