Someone who is capable of being frugal is also someone who can sometimes go crazy with all of the money saving bargains that are out there. often, we can spend time or even money chasing down ways to save money that just aren’t worth it. Here are some ways to stay focused in different areas of frugal living.
Freebies
Getting something for free can be wonderful, but if you spend all of your time answering surveys or filling out forms for items that you don’t really need or want, then you aren’t doing yourself any good. Focus on what it is that you really want. For example, I used to get a ton of free magazine subscriptions, but I was spending too much time trying to make sure I read them all. Now I pass on all but a few of my favorite free magazines.
I met someone online who would sign up for every freebie she could find, including quit smoking kits when she never smoked and diabetes testing supplies when she wasn’t diabetic.
It is easy to get caught up on getting something for nothing, but ask yourself first if it is worthwhile.
Coupons
Coupon cutting can be a great savings, but you should always focus on the actual dollar amount of your bill rather than the amount of money you save with coupons. For example, if you saved $50 on convenience products with coupons, you might have actually saved $65 or if you bought either generic brands or basic items that would allow you to make your food from scratch. Saving $.50 on paper towels might be nice, but you can save the entire cost if you use cloth dishtowels instead.
With coupons, you can quickly get caught in spending too much. It can also take hours to clip and match up the coupons with the sales. You can still do well with coupons if you focus on the items that your family uses anyway.
You can read more blog posts by Mary Ann Romans here!
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