Guys,
We’re well into the holiday shopping season here in the US. My budget got nuked this year with some increased childcare expenses, so I’ve had to find ways to save.
Here are some overlooked methods that might not have thought about. I’ve tried them all. They all work.
First, use cash back sites. Rebate sites are an old, but tried and true method than can give you 1 to 17% back.
https://www.rakuten.com ($10 welcome bonus)
https://www.befrugal.com ($10 sign up bonus)
You’ll need accounts at all of these – dollardig has better offers than rakuten, & swagbucks on some items, but not on everything. Same with befrugal.
Second, get back when you use a credit card. if you have a card that gives you cash back, use it in conjunction with the cash back sites. This should give you another 1.5% off. Be sure you get the card paid off every month.
Third, scan your receipts. Go with these smartphone apps. I’ve sorted them in order of hassles & payout, from best to worst.
1. Pogo
2. Receipt Pal
3. Bitmo
4. Fetch
5. Coinout
5. Receipt Jar
6. Receipt Hog
7. Ibotta
Scanning your receipt with these seven could take up to .5% off the bill. Because you’re basically trading your shopping data for money these apps are all basically slow payers. So you’ll want to work as many of these as you can. USE THEM ALL.
Fourth, use coupons. There are literally coupons for EVERYTHING. Toys, cars, shoes, anything. You just have to find them. A couple of good strategies are signing up for store loyalty programs or reward programs. If you know you want to buy a particular item, message the manufacturer and ask for a promo code or a paper coupon.
Fifth, negotiate. Americans don’t like to haggle, but it matters. Asking for discounts greatly increases the likelihood of getting them. So don’t let your middle class sensibilities get in the way of managing your finances well.
Small amounts add up over time. None of these methods will make you an overnight millionaire, but if you get in the habit when you’re shopping of saving 1% to 2% every time, you’ll likely see good long term results.
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