Even
if you have have plans for every possible freelancing question that
arises, surprises may come up, especially financial emergencies.
This can be scary, as you may not have a reserve cash fund, or indeed
any help at all. So how can you follow your dream, and have some
extra cash at the end of the month? Use the following tips, and
you just may find that being frugal is more fun than you thought.
Grocery
shopping
· Forget name brands. You pay for packaging and advertising,
and if you compare name brands, like Kraft, with the store brand,
you'll find that the ingredients are very similar, but the store
brand can be as much as $.20 cheaper.
· Buy in bulk. Obviously, this idea will only work for non-perishable
items, or in a case of a big family, items you know will be used
right away. You can buy in bulk at discount stores, like Costco,
or just buy the biggest package at a regular grocery store. Costco
memberships are about $40 per year, but you can get great deals,
like 30 pounds of cat litter for under $6. (At a regular grocery
store, seven pounds of cat litter go for about $3.)
· Forget coupons. Yes, I know this goes against everything
you've ever
heard, but in my experience, here's how it goes down. You go to
all the
trouble to sort through the ads, and clip coupons, adding 15 minutes
to your day. Then you have to remember to take the coupons to the
store, or at least a list of the great deals you are looking for,
if coupons aren't required. Then, after all that work, what do you
save? A couple bucks, at best. And don't forget, the store may not
even have the advertised item in stock, or you may not be able to
find coupons for the items you use.
· Look for the lowest price. Shop around initally to find
the grocery store that will give you the lowest price overall on
the items you buy, and then stay with that grocery store. Rushing
all around town to save a few bucks is probably not going to make
you feel very good, and the gas you use will make the savings a
wash. You can also do what my family does - we do most of our grocery
shopping at our regular grocery store, and then do our bulk shopping
(toliet paper and cat litter) at Costco. Clothes
shopping
· Try discount stores. I'm not talking Marshall's or Ross
Dress For Less. Although they do have good prices, you can generally
get lower prices at thrift stores, like Goodwill or Salvation Army.
I can hear you saying, "But I don't want to look like a thrift
store reject!" Be assured that thrift stores have come a long
way; most of the ones I've visited are neat, clean and airy, and
I would wear most of their stuff. It's like looking for treasure;
you just have to be willing to do it.
· Hit the sales. Lots of sales happen over three day weekends,
like Labor Day or Memorial Day or the day after Christmas. You can
get great discounts, especially after Christmas, when items are
marked as much as 75 percent off. Try and stock up on things you'll
need for the future, like sneakers, shorts or flannel sheets.
· Buy neutral colors. If you buy a lot of brown or dark blue
colors, you'll be set, because these colors go with almost everything.
Forget buying white, as it will get dirty fast, and you'll have
to wash it more often, thereby shortening its life span.
· Go with wash-n-wear. Buy clothes that don't need ironing
or dry cleaning. Not only will this free up time for you, it will
also free up money.
· Ask for clothes. If people ask you what you want for Christmas
or birthdays, ask them for a gift certificate to your favorite clothing
store.
Major
appliances
· Shop around. You may say, "But I don't have time for
that. Sears always has the best deals." Really? Would you be
willing to risk $100 on that? Sometimes that can be the difference
in price between stores. Call two or three different stores, like
Home Depot, Sears, and Orchand Supply Hardware. Ask what the range
of prices is for the item you want. Be sure to ask about additional
charges too, like delivery and installation.
· Consider a no-frills appliance. Think about it. What do
you really need your clothes dryer to do? Dry clothes. Consider
getting a dryer that does just that.
· Talk with store employees about your item. What do they
think are the best brands and why? What would they prefer to use
themselves? If you don't get straight answers, consider shopping
elsewhere.
· Ask for discounts. Say you're buying two appliances from
the same store. Ask for the delivery fee to be waived. Say you see
a ding on a table you got. Ask for a discount. For example, my husband
and I recently purchased a kitchen table and chairs, and one of
the tops of the chairs had been broken off. I called the store,
and got a $40 credit on our credit card.
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Lori Tate has been writing professionally for ten years, and has had
more than 50 articles accepted by Internet companies in the past
three years. She has worked as a professional journalist, a product
reviewer, and an editor. Currently working as a freelance writer
and editor, she also has finished a
fantasy short story (see it here).
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