Category: Frugality

Learn about a variety of ways to save money

Shopping

Save Your Money and Never Buy These 13 Things!

I am constantly reviewing my monthly expenses and always looking at ways to save my money and still have some of the things in life that my wife and I need or want. It’s actually a fun activity for me. Yes, it’s a challenge, and since I stopped working full-time a few years ago, I really need a challenge sometimes just to keep alert! I know it’s not exactly like finding the long sought after cure for cancer or providing aid and comfort for those who are in a desperate place in life, but for me it has to do with finding ways for us to do better with our money and then ultimately passing that information on to you so you can save your money! Hey, lucky you!!!

When you're looking to save your money, here are 13 things not to buy and what to do instead. Not your same old suggestions!

If you’re out there struggling along, trying to deal with your money problems, but don’t really know what to do, then you’re like millions of others that are in that same boat. That’s why I came up with a list of things that for some reason we spend money on all the time, but really don’t need. We just don’t really think about how easy it is to waste our money on these things, partly because of the masterful way we are conditioned to shop. The advertising mavens have us convinced that we “need” every new, improved, special, and yes, expensive item that someone locked in a lab somewhere was able to come up with!

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Health

How to Save Money on Your Dental Costs

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The cost of dental care may surprise you. If you are young and are fortunate enough to have good dental health, you may not be fully aware yet of what can happen to you and the dental costs it brings. When you have taken the time to care for your teeth, you may not have to bear the surprise or shock of the cost of professional dental care. Though many dental procedures are expensive, basic dental cleaning may be surprisingly simple and it can actually save you from some of the high rates that dentists charge.

Dental costs can be steep, even out of range of your finances. Learn the different ways you can reduce your dental costs while taking care of your teeth.

Irrational fear causes most people to shy from professional dental care. More than 70% of the U.S. population skips the dentist in any given year in most states. People know they should go; they just avoid it. So the question is: “How do you save on your dental costs?” Not going to the dentist is not a very good answer. The best answer is simple: use some sort of a dental discount plan or insurance. That can save you hundreds of dollars on teeth cleaning and all other dental procedures, too.

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Entertainment

How About Those 2019 Spring and Summer Free Events!

It’s mid-march 2019 and there is still snow melting all over the place as I sit and look out my living room window. Now if you are a winter aficionado, like a big ski bum or you’re into snowboarding or some other interesting-yet-life-risking maneuver, then this post may not be what you are looking to read. However, thinking more rationally, I do know that winter is about to end (it kind of has to eventually, doesn’t it?) and spring is literally just days away. Hopefully that means my outdoor time will be increasing and the times ahead will include lots of warm air, sunny skies and—wait for it—free events to attend and fill my social calendar. So despite the fact that today the temperature when I woke up was just 24 degrees F, hope “springs (and summers) eternal” that those winter days are waning quickly.

If you like to save on your entertainment budget, now's the time to search for spring and summer free events near you like festivals, concerts, and more.

Every spring and summer, my wife and I look forward to all the local township, county, and statewide events that happen just about every week and cost zippo to do— yet are really cool things. Music we love and other activities we can actually participate in too are abounding and all starting in just a few more weeks. We love the outdoor summer concert season but if you are more into a family-type fun thing, there are no shortages of those either from parks to beaches and all kinds of special community events.

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Food

Revealing My Food Budget & Why You Need a Plan!

Budgeting is nobody’s idea of a really good time. But, it is the best way to get your family’s finances under control and—dare I say it—it is actually an absolute necessity to do so! Making a budget is making the decisions as to what you can spend in each category of your household expenses. Besides trying to figure out how you’re going to make your income spread out and cover all your bases, you might wonder where you stack up compared to other folks in the U.S. Today, I am going to provide you with the numbers of what Americans spend on their food budget, and then reveal what my wife Suzanne and I have been spending on average every month on food…for the past nine years!

Your food budget comes in right under your housing and transportation as one of the biggest costs. Make sure you are saving what you can on food.

The number one thing that we all have to spend money on is…food. Since I’m a retiree, I am on the proverbial “fixed income” so it’s become even more important to my wife and I than ever. So let’s take a look at that and run some of the numbers.

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Food

How Your Supermarket Tricks You Every Time You Shop

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The astute super saving shopper is very savvy—or at least that’s what they will tell you if you ask. I have to admit that at one time I thought that I knew it all when it came to bargain hunting my way through the grocery store. After all, I had spent decades working in retail so I did have a leg up on the shopping experience and thought I knew every trick there was to get people to buy, buy, and buy more! But then a new reality set in and I started to have my eyes opened when I began working for supermarket chains as a consultant about 15 years ago. That’s when I learned exactly how supermarkets try to trick you into buying more every week when you make the time to shop!

When you do your grocery shopping, can you believe your supermarket tricks you into spending more? Be aware of these tricks so you can be a savvier shopper.

I wrote last year about the many “tricks” that in general retailers use in your favorite shops, especially around the holidays to get you to dig deep and spend more. (If you’re interested, here’s part 1 and part 2.) But you actually are more influenced each week at the grocery store than anyplace else you shop! Don’t think that’s true? Take a look at this!

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Health, Personal Finance

Why You Are Just One Step From Financial Disaster!

Being retired gives me the time to read more than I ever did when I was working every day. Sometimes being busy with a job can be a cushion from discovering some really worrisome facts that you may just hear about, but not really see the fine details. That may be the situation you are in when it comes to thinking about healthcare costs for you and your family. Healthcare costs are a reality that just might be the reason why you are just one step from financial disaster!

Many people don't realize that they are just a step from financial disaster. Healthcare costs from an illness or injury can easily push you into bankruptcy.

The Big Fear

It’s a fear that we all have, the fear that we may have to face financial ruin someday. We may not know exactly how or why, but it is something we sometimes do think about. Most often it comes when you lose your job or if you are really unlucky you might have to face some sort of natural disaster like a flood, fire, or weather event that sets you so far into debt you can’t see ever climbing out of that hole. But the number one thing that can send you into financial hell is much more devastating and personal then suffering through a hurricane.

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Cars

Re-Cycle Your Transportation Costs with These Car Alternatives

You probably own a car. In fact, you may even own more than one car, even if your name isn’t Jay Leno. Owning a car in the U.S. is not only the favorite form of transportation, but it’s a huge and important industry for us. There are about 300 million vehicles currently here in the U.S.A. and that number has been increasing steadily every year since 1960. Only China has a bigger car market than the U.S. and that is simply because there are so many millions and millions more people living there. The penetration of cars per population here though is much, much greater!

Transportation costs can eat up your budget, so if you're spending money on a car (or more than one!), try one of these car alternatives to save money.

Here is something to think about. The cost of a new car today is on average $35,263, according to Kelley Blue Book. That doesn’t include gas, oil, insurance, and maintenance money you spend. Compared to a dependable alternative like a bicycle (about $250 for a pretty good one) or a motorcycle (at about $3,000-$5,000) and you can see the huge differences. Going for a scooter or moped brings you down to an even lower and even better bargain! So, have you ever considered these car alternatives?

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Entertainment, Travel

How to Earn a Free Vacation in Las Vegas

It’s winter time and my thoughts do go astray in winter. It brings to mind taking a vacation. For me that vacation just has to be someplace warm, a lot warmer then central NJ in winter! So with that thought in mind, and a reminder of what a frugal genius I am, I’m planning a vacation in Las Vegas this year and my hotel and entertainment, food, and everything except the airfare is going to be free! Yes, I said it…free!

My wife and I like to do some "frugal gambling" and while our wins are generally small, being able to take a free vacation in las vegas is a huge perk.

You may recall back in July 2015 I wrote a post about frugal casino gambling and our occasional trips to Atlantic City to “spend” some fun time there with my wife.

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