When every trip to the store feels like a shakedown and your paycheck seems to shrink by the week, it’s time to get serious. Here are six frugal tips that work, even if the economy seems like it’s on fire.
Make a Grocery List
Groceries are at an all-time high. But you can’t just not buy food; you’ll have to protect yourself against buying things you don’t need. The easiest way to do this is to go to the store with a grocery list every time. It’s even better if your list is curated according to what’s on sale for the week.
Having a weekly list also helps prevent impromptu trips to the store, lowering the chances of you being lured by an endcap of expensive snacks even further.
Use Cashback Credit Cards
While we don’t condone the overuse of credit during a crisis, using it responsibly is pretty smart.
Use cards that offer cashback on groceries, gas, or whatever you buy most—just pay off the balance so you don’t rack up interest. It’s no side hustle, but since you’re buying things you need anyway, you might as well get some kickback for it.
Share Services With Friends
Everything’s better with friends, including those costly streaming services. Instead of paying for the subscription yourself, consider trading logins with friends; you pay for one, they pay for the other, and you both get access to both! Most people are already probably doing something like this, but if you aren’t, it’s a fast and frugal tip that’s only a text message away.
Shop Smarter, Not Harder
Don’t sleep on thrifting, and not just going to thrift stores. There are tons of secondhand stores online, garage sales, and online social media marketplaces that make buying cheap and lightly used goods easier than ever.
But as always, research before buying to ensure you aren’t getting a lemon. And there’s no shame in buying used. Frankly, you’ll often find stuff that’s cooler than anything in stores.
Make Instead of Buy
DIY’ing isn’t exclusive to home improvement projects.
There are tons of things you can make yourself, often with things you already have lying around or can pick up for a few bucks. You can do a lot of beauty and self-care at home for a fraction of the price with DIY masks and manicures. If you’re really crafty, you can learn to make candles and give them as gifts—even sell them to make some cash on the side.
Negotiate Your Bills
The last people to be shocked that you need to negotiate your bills during an inflation crisis are the people charging you. Not only that, they’re much more responsive to this than you think. Explain that you’re considering switching or need a lower bill.
Most reps are authorized to offer you something or at least discuss options with you that could help you save. Just remember to do your homework and know what competitors charge, so you sound legit.
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