Yahoo Finance I’m Frugal: Here Are My 7 Best Shopping Hacks
With costs increasing everywhere, now is the perfect time to embrace a few money-saving hacks. With a few simple tricks up your sleeve, you can easily cut costs and stick to your budget.
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See: How to Get $340 Per Year in Cash Back on Gas and Other Things You Already Buy
To get these tips, we spoke with two frugal shopping experts: Julie Ramhold, consumer analyst with DealNews.com, and Trae Bodge, smart shopping expert at TrueTrae.com. Implementing even a few of their smart shopping tips will quickly yield noticeable savings.
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Use Price Tracking Tools
Technology has made it easier than ever to monitor prices and save money shopping online.
“Price tracking is getting easier with sites like Google offering it across a variety of online stores,” Ramhold said. “It’s so easy to do, too, with one click on the icon in the url. Then when there’s a price drop, you’ll receive an email about it. The only downside is that because some price trackers note any discount, you could end up with a lot of notifications about price drops that you aren’t interested in because they’re not good enough. However, if you’re tracking more expensive items, it can still be useful to see what direction pricing trends are going.”
Setting up price alerts takes seconds and allows you to bide your time until prices go down and then buy at the optimal moment.
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Use Apps To Find Discounted Groceries
It pays to utilize apps that help you save on food essentials. These apps provide an easy way to score bargains on food staples.
“Food prices are on the rise, so I always look for ways to save on food,” Bodge said. “One of my favorites is a new app called Flashfood, where I can find great deals on everything from fresh produce to baked goods. The items are either in surplus or nearing their best-by date, and participating stores sell them at up to 50% off the retail price. I love that this app helps prevent food waste as well.”
Monitoring an app like this can help you load up on perfectly good essentials at a fraction of the price.
Make Your Own Versions of Pantry Staples
An easy way to cut grocery costs is to make your own versions of the foods your household eats frequently.
“There are some foods that my family goes through like water,” Bodge said. “So whenever I have time, I try to make those foods at home, which is a huge money-saver. Examples of this are hummus, granola, and salad dressings.”
While it requires some effort upfront, you’ll reap considerable savings over buying these pantry staples premade. Get in the habit of making these foods in batches. These can be made incredibly cheaply and stored for easy use all week long.
Implement a Cooling-Off Period
It’s easy to get caught up in the moment and buy something you don’t really need. But you can help ensure that you are making smart, intentional purchases if you simply wait a little bit before buying it.
“I’ve started doing this for any item that I am not 100% sold on right away, even if it’s not that expensive,” Ramhold said. “If it’s going to be more than $20 and I’m not totally sure I actually need it, I hold off. In some cases, I get close to buying but change my mind during checkout several times. At this point, if there’s an item I want and I forget about it within a month, I feel OK writing it off. But if I’m still thinking about it six months later, that’s when I start getting serious about making sure I find the best deal and going over why I need or want the item to make sure it’s justified.”
A waiting period gives you a little perspective and helps you separate impulse purchases from truly worthwhile buys. If you’re uncertain about it, sitting on it almost always leads to a smarter choice. With big-ticket items especially, a waiting period allows you to hunt down deals and make absolutely sure it’s a justifiable expense.
Use Cash-Back Extensions and Apps
Another easy way to save on your regular shopping is through cash-back extensions and apps. These services require almost no effort while putting money directly back in your pocket, and the rewards really add up over time.
“So many retailers offer cash back now that not using an extension like Rakuten is like leaving money on the table,” Ramhold said. “Plus, some of these are also available in app form in order to take advantage of cash-back offers when shopping in person, too. It can get a little overwhelming if you try to use them all, so I say figure out which one is your favorite and lean into it — you’ll be surprised at how much you can save on your regular shopping trips.”
Whether shopping online or in brick-and-mortar stores, using a cash-back app like this should become part of your regular shopping routine.
Use Cash-Back Credit Cards
Credit cards with strong cash-back rewards programs offer a dead simple way to save on your normal spending.
“I use credit cards for just about everything I buy, but I only charge what I can pay off in full each month,” Bodge said. “I also only choose credit cards that work for me, meaning that my credit cards always have cash back or points benefits. One of my favorites is the Bread Cashback American Express, which allows you to earn 2% back on every purchase. If this is your sole card, that cash back adds up and can be used towards your payment or as a way to treat yourself.”
As long as you pay off the balance each month, cash-back credit cards essentially give you a discount on everything you buy.
Sign Up for Store Emails
Many retailers offer a discount for first-time shoppers. If they do, take a minute to sign up for their email list to score savings on your first order. Don’t leave free money on the table by neglecting these easy savings.
“If you’re interested in a specific brand but haven’t shopped the store before, it’s worth signing up for emails to see if you can get an extra discount on your first purchase,” Ramhold said. “Very often retailers will provide 10%-20% off your first order depending on the price range, so it can definitely help you save a decent amount. Be sure to check the offer for restrictions though; sometimes these welcome savings are restricted to new items only or have to be used within a short timeframe, so make sure you take advantage and don’t miss out!”
These one-time savings are too good to pass up. Make joining email lists part of your routine when checking out. You can always unsubscribe later.
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This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: I’m Frugal: Here Are My 7 Best Shopping Hacks
