The Save Money Blog

Archive for August, 2009

Looks like it's back to school time and that means you can load up on cheap electronics from most of the major stores. I was online looking at some ddr memory and realized how much they have on sale this week. If you are looking to spruce up your computers, home appliances or phones now seems to be the time to do it. We just replaced our cordless phones and got a great deal on them.

Most people think that back to school is all about the little kids. From a shoppers point of view it's all about the college kids moving out of their parents basements and needing kitchen gear, bathroom accessories and every other electronic or household gadget you can think of. That's big cash for the box stores and they are giving it away this week. Check your local flyers or get online and see the deals.

On the note from my last blog post, I found these tips to help you lower your grocery bill. You are spending money on groceries at least once a week so why not try to do your best to save.

• List goods that should always be found in the kitchen. Examples of which are coffee, milk, sugar, soy sauce, vinegar, salt, onion, garlic. These goods are necessary, so they are always being bought.

• Plan your weekly meals ahead of time. This would avoid you overspending on goods invaluable or missing some ingredients that are needed. This would not just clear your worries but it would also save your time.

• Don’t buy branded goods; instead choose a product that has the same quality of those expensive goods. You’ll get the same benefit without spending more.

• Buy goods that have dual purpose. A good example of which is mayonnaise. You can use it as a sandwich spread or make macaroni salad instead. In a way, you could enjoy eating both without spending too much.

• Buy less expensive cuts of meat. List recipes that the cuts won’t matter. At least, you won’t be sacrificing the taste of the food and at the same time you’ll have the chance to buy a larger quantity.

• Pay in cash. You might be tempted to buy unnecessary goods. This would avoid you from going over your card limit.

• Try to be inventive and creative at the same time. Leftovers could be precooked in a way that it would look appealing again to your appetite.

• Bring some snacks whenever you travel. This could be a good reliever for your hunger along the way and chances of being tempted to stop in a mini store; if not be impossible, at least be lessen.

• Keep a list of prices of goods you always buy. At least, with those products you’re sure of how much you’ll be spending and you could do just a small amount on goods you wish to buy.

• Shop only once or twice a month. In that way, less time will be spent on going to a grocery store and at the same time, chances of overspending will be minimized.

Last week at a party I was asking my friends wifes where they picked up a particular snack dip. They told me the store and I mentioned that I shopped at another place. They were shocked that I went there because it was so much more expensive than most other grocery stores. I had no idea that there was such a big difference as they pointed out. You would think that because they have to compete with each other that the prices wouldn't be too far off.

It would be pointless of me to point out which ones are cheaper but here is a way to find out. Try looking at your local news website and see if they have done a story on it. I would bet that they have at some point. Local news companies are always comparing shopping places.

Remember to clip your coupons. You might even find that one grocery store is offering better coupons on a regular basis over the others.

I don't know about you but spending money seems to come in bunches for me. It is almost as if everything that can go wrong goes wrong at the same time. It's at that time when you have to make a big purchcase and if you haven't been trying save money all along it can be hard to swallow. Here are some more tips to help you become a better shopper and save some money when you are shopping.

Compare prices online, in flyers and at stores as you visit them. Read comparable reports. I always think of something like electronics or diet pills. There is always lots of comparable information available to make a wise shopping decision and get the price possible. Just don't shop at one store. Shop around.

Try to have a set goal of how much money you want to spend and make a list of your items and prices when you go out. This will help you budget better and become a wiser shopper.

Shop in dollar stores or discount stores if you have any near you. You can find lots of deals and cheaper prices on things that you buy everyday. I bet your will be suprised how much cheaper everyday things are that you buy at these stores. If you don't have it then don't spend it at a name brand store.

Be aware of items that you may need or that you buy on a regular basis. That way when you are out and about you will be quicker to spot a deal or a high priced item.

I have always been one to say that to spend now wisely is a good way of saving money in the future. Nothing can be more important than saving money for your childs future in education. If you are able to and have a bit of money put aside then thinking about making and investment into a education fund is never a bad idea. Hey, it's not like your children are going to be their LSAT prep next week but you will be suprised how fast that time can sneak up on you. Nobody want to get stuck with a huge tuition bill all at once. Having a small nest egg put away can help ease the pain later on. Contributions are not tax deductible but income earned within an RESP is sheltered from taxes until withdrawn

A few friends and coworkers have been shopping around looking to replace their laptop computers or desktops and have been asking me for advice on what to buy and where to buy them from. I don't have a real concrete answer, if you want to get the best deal like anything else you have to shop around and do your comparison shopping. I do offer a few generic tips to help save money on your next computer purchase.

One friend was all set to spend the farm on a new computer and all he really used it for was surfing the internet and sending email. There was no need for him to go out and buy a top of the line machine. He just needed something simple because that is all he uses his computer for. Simple tasks. Ask yourself what you need your machine for and then shop accordingly. You wouldn't buy a pick pick up truck if you don't use it for hauling things around. The same holds for a computer.

You can also reuse most of your accessories if they are still good. Save some money by eliminating keyboards, mice, speakers and even a monitor if your old ones still do the trick. I always like to buy a nice keyboard and mouse set and then when I upgrade I just have to buy the tower or have one made.

I have always promoted to shop online for deals or at the very least to do your comparison shopping. Many store offer free shipping and many of the big box stores have weekly or monthly sales on their computer if you shop online.

Those are just a few generic tips but some important ones when shopping for a new computer. Don't spend all of your money if you don't have to.

I thought I would make a blog post based on a radio commercial I heard today. I would pay props to it but I can't recall what the station was or what the group was that was behind it.

The next time you are at the gas station or getting your oil changed make sure you check your tire pressure. You would not believe how much you can save by having properly inflated tires. The commercial stated that you can save hundreds of dollars a year in gas or fuel costs just by keeping your car tires inflated to the proper level. Of course this would be based on how much driving you did on a weekly basis but it stated something to the tune of $500 a year the average driver could save in gas costs. That number is just off the charts and an easy way to save money.

The other side to the story was that you save big money because your tires last longer. Trust me, tires are not cheap. We just had our Jeep done at Costco and while they had the best deal on tires it was still a pretty good hit to the pocket book. Doing anything you can to make your tires last longer will save you money.

Check your manual or check on the outside of the tire for the number that your tire should be inflated to. Most gas stations have a pump. When you press the pump into your tire the guage will tell you what number you are at, just fill it to the number it should be. Easy as that.

It's funny how many people have the mentality that they have to have the best. You car is no good, I am driving the best car money can buy. That tv is no good, I paid over two thousand for mine. I am taking the best weight loss pills and you aren't. It's pretty crazy really. Just because something is more expensive doesn't mean a thing. It has no bearing on the quality or how long that item is going to last or is giving you any more benefit than a cheaper product.

Here is my example. I went shopping last week to replace a coffee maker that I had been using for three years. I wanted something to make me a cup of coffee. I was beside myself that people would pay over $300 for something to make them a cup of coffee. It's water and it's coffee. I found a couple in the $70 range and even that was expensive. After doing some digging around I found one of the $70 one on sale for half price. Guess what? It makes coffee, has a timer and no coffee pot. It loads the coffee up top and pours right into my cup. Perfect.

If you are trying to save money then you don't need the best. I have a friend that shows me his top end appliances every time I go over. I look at it thinking he could have saved some money and paid off his credit cards that are maxed out instead of having a nice blender. Don't put yourself into debt trying to look good. It's a dead end and an empty wallet.