I have been having some great conversations with Friends Recently on how to save money and how that can look differently for every person. So many times I hear people say “Oh, I tried Using Coupons Before and It Took Too Much Time” or they say “There aren’t any Coupons for the products I Buy” to both of these Excuses I have the same response.
Just because you don’t use coupons does not mean you can’t save money!
I believe you can save 30-50% on everything you buy WITHOUT using coupons! I really think there are so many ways that you can save money without using coupons and then if you can find a coupon on a product you plan to buy or an item that is already on sale that’s the icing on the cake :) It’s the extra savings that makes great deals, awesome!
One of the first steps to saving money is realizing and admitting you need to save money. Most of us have said this a million times “Oh I need to start saving money” But the will-power to take the first step is in the right direction is the hardest. Here are a few tips for getting started:
- Saving Money on Restaurants – If you eat out a lot, try cooking 1 additional meal at home each week. Maybe try a new Crock Pot Meal a week till you find a few your family likes.
- Saving Money on Clothing – Sign up for Newsletters from your favorite stores, Try to wait for a Sale and a Coupon to get the maximum savings at Clothing Retailers.
- Saving Money on Health and Beauty Items – Check your local drugstore ads. I post the Beginning Transactions each week to get you started or you can watch the Lessons on each of the 3 main drug stores to learn more about their programs.
- Saving Money on Food – Start by making a Menu Plan and a Grocery List each week. Don’t buy anything not on the list. As long as you have everything on the list that you need for that week’s Menu you should be good to go, You’ll instantly realize in the stores how accustom you are to just throwing things in the cart!
One of the first steps to saving money is to set realistic expectations. I believe that even if you only save 25% off the items you are already purchasing or the items your family needs then that’s $25 out of every $100 you spend!
Over time it’s realistic to expect 30-50% savings off your purchases, as you build a better stock pile you will be able to hold out for better deals and increase your savings.
If you want to put the time into using coupons, watching the deals closely and following my site daily you can save 50-90% off just about everything :)
Regardless of what you expect to save it is important to realize that not everyone is going to get every purchase for free. In fact, I don’t think that’s very realistic at all. One of my goals is for you to be able to save on items you need, you want and you can use. Every person has a different amount of time, energy and money to spend depending on their personal stage of life. I know that not every deal will be for every person, but I hope that you can find your savings balance of how much you need to save, the amount of time you have and the products you need somewhere in between these three items is your Savings Reality, Set your expectations and get ready to save!
Over the next few days we’re going to be talking about ways to save with and without coupons! I hope you’ll check the saving money page daily as we look at all the ways you can save money and we start getting ready for the holiday season!