Financially, I am barely catching my breath from back-to-school season, but soon the holidays will be upon us and there will be more money stresses to come! It’s neverending, because parenting is expensive. When you are raising a family there are always at least 5 things at a time that seem to pop up when you can’t afford them to, am I right?? I’ve had to become pretty savvy at not only expecting those surprises, but also looking for creative ways to save whenever possible. Here are 5 ways you may be throwing your money away without even knowing it, along with 5 correspondong tips to save!
Online shopping
Are you addicted to shopping online? It’s hard not to be…you can find almost everything and anything in the world and have it shipped directly to your doorstep! It’s also a great way to find a deal without leaving your home, but if you aren’t using “Honey” you may be throwing your dollars away! Honey is a free Chrome add-on that pops up at checkout and automatically finds coupon codes for you! It even applies the best one to your cart, so you know you’re saving the most money.
You can save on everything from clothes to hotel rooms, and everything in between! Let Honey do the work for you, and know you just got yourself the best deal!! Basically, it’s pretty sweet.
You can get Honey HERE.
Gift cards
Gift cards are always a good go-to gift, and you really can’t go wrong with them unless you are going to the store to buy them! Go to giftcardGranny.com instead and save lots of moola! You can save up to 50% off on people’s unwanted gift cards! It’s definitely worth checking it if you haven’t before.
Electronics
Don’t underestimate the quality of refurbished electronics! Sometimes people are hesitant to buy refurbished iPhones for example, because they think they are old or faulty. This isn’t the case! Any returned item gets labeled “refurbished”, including brand new electronics that were returned simply because someone didn’t like the color, or didn’t want it. Apple has an awesome refurbishment process and policy, so if you or someone in your family is looking for a new iPhone, it’s a great way to save lots of money!
Paying too much for gas
Remember to take advantage of credit cards with rewards points, like the Chase Freedom card and the TrueEarnings Card from Costco. Another great way to save is by using GasBuddy. It’s an app that finds the lowest gas prices in your area. Bonus tip: make sure your tires are properly inflated! According to FuelEconomy.gov, this can improve your gas mileage up to 3.3%!
Unplug unused appliances
I have to admit, I am not one of those people who thinks about these things. My hairdryer, toaster, table fans, radio, etc are plugged in 24/7 whether or not I use them. The truth is you’re wasting energy and you’re paying for energy you’re not using! Even if it’s only a few dollars a month, it can be a significant savings in a year’s time. So keep those appliances unplugged when you’re not using them. And yes, turn off your lights if you’re not using them too!
