With gas prices rising and the cost of food and services increasing, many families are scrambling to figure out how to pay for these added expenses. On top of that is the stress of not getting the same goods in the stores. Fortunately, there are plenty of ways to find great deals in these hard economic times not only for the things you need but also for some of the things you want. Part of the process requires you to look at your habits and incorporate new ones into your lifestyle. Here are some of the top ways to find great deals in these hard economic times.
Shop Online Discount Retailers
Finding some of your favorite items online is possible when you look for discount retailers. You can still find great clothes through the GAP outlets online, or find your favorite Cool Water Cologne through perfume sellers online at lower prices than you could find at traditional retailers. For your wants, these online options are the perfect solution. Just because things cost a bit more doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy your favorite items. You may need to be creative to find the right place that’s selling your Nike kicks at a discount.
Buy Ugly Fruits and Vegetables
Truthfully, the fruits and vegetables we see in the grocery store are picked because they are all uniform and look exactly the same. Apples that are less red, but perfectly fine don’t make the cut. Crooked carrots and strange-looking potatoes don’t end up in the vegetable aisle. Some local stores, farmer’s markets, and online subscriptions offer these ugly fruits and vegetables at a discount because they can’t sell them to grocery stores. This allows them to get used without going to waste. The good news is that some of these retailers allow you to use your TANF benefits if you receive them.
Meal Plan
Planning out your meals means that your grocery trips will be more productive, and you’ll come home with fewer impulse buys. When you know exactly what you’re going to cook and what ingredients you need to make it happen, then you can save money and steward your budget better during these hard economic times. Planning meals for the week can include planning ahead for meals with leftovers, grab-and-go meals, and even something simple like sandwiches.
Use the Sale Ads
You might be used to making a list for food and then running to the grocery store nearest you to get everything on the list no matter what it costs. Change your habits just a bit by shopping the sale ads and mastering couponing. Wait until things like pasta and rice go on sale to stock up. Buy extra ground beef or chicken when the prices are low and plan your meals around those sales. Shopping the sale ads can help you, even more, when you combine those savings with coupons. There are many great coupon apps that are designed to get you great deals on the products you already buy.
Leverage Your Credit Card Points
Credit card points can add up. When you use your card to pay for everything and then pay off the bill each month, you can definitely end up on the positive side of the fence. Some credit card companies offer cash back, gift cards, and other rewards for their cardholders. If you pay with your debit card instead, you won’t get all the perks that come with using a credit card responsibly. Each time you use your credit card, schedule payment from your bank account for the amount you spent. This way you won’t end up paying more in interest than you got back in rewards.
Carpool to Work
You may have been vacillating for years about whether it would be worth it to carpool. With gas prices the worst they’ve been in a long time, you might want to rethink your aversion to driving to work with others in your area. Carpooling has long been an economic way to reduce your expenses and keep your cars functioning longer. By ridesharing, carpooling, and taking public transportation, you can easily cut down on your fuel costs, your maintenance costs, and so much more. It may not be as convenient as driving your own car to work, but it is certainly more affordable in the long run.
