Most of us are feeling the financial pinch through this pandemic, but there are still some money smart moves that you can make that can help you gain more control of what goes out. Though what I am sharing is far from being complete, the few money sense ideas I’m passing along are a good place to start when you are trying to cut corners from your expenses.
For instance, many people have medications that need to be filled at a pharmacy. Though you may think that you found one that gave you the best price, you might have neglected to check out the cost at a warehouse club store’s pharmacy where prices can be typically lower. The reason that you may not have looked into a place like Sam’s or Costco’s is because you believed that you had to be a member. However, anyone can use their pharmacy as a guest member.
Car insurance is another necessary expense that feels like the bills for it comes too often. What you may want to do is call your insurance agent and ask if you’re paying any extra fee for monthly billing. If so, then a smart money sense idea is changing your payment schedule to paying for six months or a year of auto insurance at time.
Have you ever gone shopping without your list of what you need? If so, you could have thought you were low on some products that you really didn’t need just yet. Food is one thing, but doubling up on some toiletry items can cost more in the long run since they could expire before you finish the ones you have. Therefore, a money sense move is getting a fine-tipped permanent sharpie marker and writing the date and price you paid at the bottom. After all, you’ll save money from waste and those ingredients remaining active and effective.
The next time that you are about to spend for a big-ticket item like a new mattress, you may want to hold off until you know the typical time of year that item goes on sale, which makes sense as a money smart move.
January–carpets and flooring
February–cameras
March–china
April–vacuum cleaners, snow blowers, and televisions
May–mattresses and electronics
June–cookwear
July–furniture and paint
August–mattresses
September–flatwear and dinnerware
October–furniture
November–furniture
December–small appliances
If you have any other money sense tips that you want to pass along, please do. Every extra dollar that we can save can come in handy, especially now.
Lot of good information here. You are right about taking a list which I forgot this morning. And when I got home I found several items that I already had bought. Also I like the ideal of — date and price you paid at the bottom — I always date anything I buy but never though about add the price.