Tag Archives: shopping
Are you a Smart Shopper? 7 ways to save money using credit card and coupon deals.
When people think of saving, the first thing that comes to mind is reducing their expenses. However, smart shopping doesn’t always mean cutting back on expenses. With the right approach, you can save more without having to sacrifice anything. Here are a few tips on how to maximize savings while shopping using credit cards and coupon deals.
Credit cards? Choose Carefully.
Before you decide on the service to use, it is important that you understand your expenditure and choose a credit card that best suits you. Check your credit score with the knowledge that a good credit score makes you more eligible for cards that offer better perks. Find a credit card that is best suited to your goals which might be to save, to build (or rebuild) your credit score, or to earn rewards.
Pay early, pay in full.
Whenever you can, paying off your credit card debts on time and in full can save you a lot of charges on late fee expenses. It also has the added benefit of improving your credit score rating, giving you access to lower interest rates. One trick is to link a savings account to your credit card so that the outstanding can be automatically debited monthly and on time.
Always ask.
More often than not, you can get lower interest rates on your credit cards simply by asking. This poll found out that 65 % of people who asked for lower interest rates succeeded. Also, 86% of people were able to get their late payment fees waived simply by asking.
Reward programs and price protection.
Several credit cards offer different reward programs – cash back, points based or frequent flyer miles. Take advantage of it, only if you can pay your balance in full. Rewards often come with higher interest rates so it would only make sense to get these rewards if you are able to pay your balance in full.
Organise your coupons.
It is easy to forget where you stashed your coupons only to find them later when they are expired. In the same way, you can easily lose or forget your coupons and miss out on a good deal as a result. Keeping your coupons highly organised will make saving easier for you. Learn to stockpile your coupons for even better savings.
Find coupons in the right places.
Be vigilant. It is easy to overlook easy and free places to find coupons. Always check for products that carry coupons while doing your regular shopping. If you are in a store that offers in-store magazines, remember that these often carry coupons so always pick more than one to get extra coupons. Websites that offer printable coupons are also a great source for great savings.
Patience is good.
When you find coupons, the goal is not to use them as soon as possible. Wait until you are sure you have the best deals before you use your coupons. Super savers tip – If you have wind of an upcoming sale, then combining coupons with sales will help you make even better savings.
A Great Place to Order Gifts Online That You Can Feel Good About
Christmas is right around the corner, Valentine’s Day soon after, and maybe you need to get a gift to get for a boyfriend, etc. While going to a store to pick up a present for someone might sound fun, it usually isn’t convenient, and often ends up costing more than you can find online. Let’s be real, we order almost everything we need to on the Internet these days anyways, so why shouldn’t gifts be the same?
While there are massive companies like Groupon, Amazon, etc., there are still some quality e-commerce stores out there, and ones that are truly conscious about making a difference, not just worrying about bottom lines. One such company is Uncommon Goods.
They not only have great options for selecting gifts for Valentines day, or nice jewelry, they are also making a difference and hold monthly meetings with their employees about how to be more green or work together on group philanthropic. projects. Check them out today!
5 Ways Students Can Save Money
With in-state tuition for public universities approaching $10,000 these days, and other costs like housing and books escalating in lockstep, it has never been more important for students to save money while at school.
While it is easy to just use credit to charge all these expenses, the bill will come due someday soon, so you owe it to your future self to not cripple yourself with an unmanageable debt load. As such, here are five ways students can save money so that they can give themselves a brighter financial future, as well as more disposable income for the important things in life.
Like beer.
And video games.
1) Take on roommates
While you might crave privacy after 18 years of living at home with your parents, the unfortunate reality is that college is more expensive than it ever has been. The good news is that you get to choose who you are sharing a living space with, making for a living atmosphere that will be much more lively than if you were to go it alone. This will divide your house or apartment rent to a level that will allow you to enjoy a diet that consists of more than ramen and water.
2) Cook meals with friends
When you share a house with friends, another opportunity to save your precious cash presents itself. Instead of cooking meals individually, you can take turns making meals for each other. This will require coordination when it comes to shopping at your local supermarket, but once you settle into a groove, you will be spending less per person, eating better than you would individually, and the kitchen will be less crowded. So much win!
3) Order as much as you can online
The internet age has made our lives so much easier, with no better example than online shopping. Why burn gas and time running all over town to buy the things you need for school and life when you could just click a few buttons and wait for it all to come to you?
If you want to save money on school supplies, this is the perfect way to do things in 2015, as many coupon sites allow you to spend even less than the already reasonable prices listed, and with many deals waiving shipping charges, you can spend the time you just saved playing Call Of Dut- … er, I mean, studying for that stats term paper coming up. Yeah, that’s right.
4) Have house parties instead of going out to the bars
With prices for booze escalating with every passing year, going out to the bars is a fun pastime that composes an ever-larger chunk of student budgets. While heading out to a venue out on the town is always a great time, the whole point of drinking is to have a killer time with your buds.
Why can’t you do that at home at least some of the time? Buy a 30 pack of PBR or Natty Ice, organize a playlist of awesome tunes from your totally legal song collection, and enjoy the fact that you can socialize without having to pay a $10 cover charge for the privilege.
5) Buy used textbooks
These days, it’s estimated that students in some faculties will have to shell out more than $1,000 for books per semester. This is truly insane, and while books have new editions every six months or so, they often change so little that students can buy them off each other for much less than what it cost new.
