Every year, we all think about what we can do to do better than the year before. For most frugal people, figuring out how to be a better shopper and save more money typically comes to mind. The first step is to make goals and then figure out how to achieve them. Once those goals are established, you can start tackling each one. The more you keep on top of those goals, you will definitely see changes.
Here are 4 ways to save more money and be a smarter shopper in 2013:
- Learn how to coupon. Couponing has become more and more popular because of the TLC show, “Extreme Couponing.” Although the show is extreme, and unrealistic (who really needs to buy a haul of mayo?) there are ways to coupon and save on groceries with a bit of planning and organization. Couponing is a lot of work, but it is work that is worthwhile, because you will see a difference in how much you spend on groceries each week.
- Find ways to get rewarded for buying stuff. What does this mean? An example would be using cash back sites such as Ebates when you shop online. By doing this, you’ll get cash back for items you buy at your favorite stores online. It is like getting a discount because you get some cash back for your purchase. There are many other sites like Ebates, but that is the most popular one.
- Find ways to make money on the side. You can do this by selling items you don’t need. If you have a lot of books laying around that you don’t want you can always re-sell them on Amazon.com. If you have items in good condition you can use eBay to sell them. There are many people that buy all kinds of things and don’t mind if they are used. Craigslist is another site you can use if you want to locally sell things like furniture or anything that would cost a lot to ship. By selling some of the things you don’t need you declutter as well as put some extra money in your pocket.
- Spend less money by thinking twice before buying. Think about if you really need that thing you are buying. We definitely should treat ourselves once in a while, but it is important not to be too excessive. It is really a mental thing.
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