I’m tired of being dead broke. It hinders me from obtaining the things I need, and prevents me from having things I just want. Being broke manifests itself into troubling headaches, chronic crankiness, and completely stifles my personal life. It has forced me to extend my lease with my roommate, though I’d rather live alone. It has plagued me with debt, and continues to raise my stress level. I’m tired of being dead broke.
But, necessity is the mother of invention. When something is lacking in our lives, we must find ways to fill the void. Of course, “dead broke” is a bit of an exaggeration. If I were ever in dire need of anything, mom and dad would provide. However, I’ve always been a little too independent. So, I resort to my own creative methods of self-sufficiency before I ever request anything from them. With that in mind, I’ve devised a list of “creative ways” to scrape pennies and look fabulous doing so. Indeed, I have the answers. Thus, without further delay, I present the Single Aesthetic’s Guide to Scraping Pennies and Feeling Fabulous!!
We will start with the necessities, and build our way up to the luxuries. Single young professionals of all walks of life can benefit from a few (if not all) of these tips.
1. Grocery Shop. Sounds pretty basic, right? The idea, however, is to grocery shop as opposed to eating out so often. Now, if the company is paying for your meals, then this doesn’t apply to you. But if your average bank statement includes multiple trips to Starbucks, Subway, Cosi, CPK, fast-food spots, neighborhood grilles, and fancy dinner restaurants, then you should grocery shop. The amount of money you spend in two days eating out, if spent at Kroger’s or Publix, could last you for two weeks. You needn’t be a chef, either. There are very basic recipes that even the most simple-minded among us could prepare. “But what if I like specialty things that can only be purchased at the store??” Don’t worry. If you crave coffee in the morning, buy a coffeemaker. You can still purchase coffee beans from Starbucks (or Caribou, etc.) and brew your own each morning. It’s cheaper, and it tastes the same – I promise. Crave smoothies? Buy a blender and invest in fresh fruit once a week. Instead of giving Jamba Juice $6 daily, spend about $15 at Harris Teeter on organic bananas, fresh strawberries and whatever else you prefer. What would have bought you 2.5 smoothies at Jamba Juice will last you a week at home. Also, by signing up for grocery store rewards programs, you’ll be sure to save even more money. Don’t be adverse to cutting coupons either. It may seem overly frugal, but you will save a LOT of pennies in the long haul.
2. Find a Dollar Tree. Wait! Don’t turn your nose up. This store is not to be confused with Dollar General or The Dollar Store. These stores tend to be a free-for-all, with products haphazardly shoved on shelves. And, the items within these stores are never actually a dollar. They are cheap – don’t get me wrong – but not a dollar. The store names are pretty misleading, actually. But, I will swear by Dollar Tree. Everything in here is honestly and truly ONE DOLLAR. Sometimes, they’re two-for-one, which is always great! But I digress. Dollar Tree provides CVS and Rite Aid conveniences and products with low, low pricing. For instance, use these receipts to compare.
http://www.dollartree.com/index.cfm
See. I just saved you $22. That’s at least a quarter-tank of gas, which brings me to Concept #3…
3. Save Gas. There are a number of ways to do this. Naturally, the best way is to find station with the cheapest prices. This site is pretty helpful: http://www.gasbuddy.com/. From there, it’s important to purchase gas early in the morning. The ground is cooler, the gas is denser and thus you’ll get more gas for your buck. Pump gas slowly, to avoid filtering air into the tank as you refuel. If possible, pump gas using the first notch on the gas handle. It’s time consuming, but it works. Avoid waiting until Friday to buy gas. Tuesdays and Wednesdays are the cheapest days of the week to refuel. Purchase lower-octane gasoline. If your car can handle regular gas (like my Honda CRV) then that’s what you should use. Don’t top off when pumping gas. Try not to let your gas gauge slip under a quarter tank. Always tighten your cap after pumping to reduce gas evaporation. Keep your vehicle properly maintained, meaning: keep tires inflated, keep oil changed, avoid constantly breaking and accelerating, etc. Limit AC use, which can be facilitated by parking in the shade or parking garages, and cracking your windows (when safety permits) to allow ventilation when you’re away from your car. Improve your gas mileage by using cruise control on the highway and driving the speed limit on surface streets. (As a speed demon myself, this is difficult for me - but if it means I’ll save money, I’m all for it!) Also, remove excess “stuff” from your trunk. The lighter your car is, the more efficiently it will use gas. These articles may also be helpful:
http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com/SavingandDebt/SaveonaCar/10waysToFindCheapGas.aspx
http://www.howtoadvice.com/savinggas
http://www.usnews.com/articles/business/your-money/2008/05/14/8-new-ways-to-save-on-gas.html
More tips to come later!
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