Frugal living can be challenging, but with that challenge, creativity will emerge.  Thinking of ways to be frugal will often involve your imagination.  Imagination will spark many brain cells and get your adreline flowing.

Let’s take online shopping for example. We all know there are great deals on the internet. One place I start looking for these deals is Facebook. There are lots of sites that focus on deals. A few examples of these would be Passion for savings, She saved, Nicoles Nickels, and thedealyo).

I look and see if there is something of value to me. (Remember because it is a good deal doesn’t mean it is a good deal for you. Stop and ponder if it is something you are going to use or give to someone. If not, don’t purchase it.)  Let’s say I find something that I LOVE and know I would really like to have, and then I go into Sherlock Holmes mode. I will check out the extra cost involved.  By this I mean the shipping, tax, or anything else that might be tacked on. I look closer at the deal and see if there is any other purchase required or if by purchasing this I will be entered into an auto ship or become a member of some club.  I personally don’t like to pay shipping. The deal has to be amazing in order for me to fork out money for shipping. I refuse to buy if after all the cost of shipping and tax is added in and it is close to the same price I would pay at a store.

I don’t end my research there. I always go to the search engine and type in coupons for that particular store. This will often get you another $5 to $10 off at the very least.  The important thing here is to remember to write down the coupon code.  You will use this code at checkout to get the extra discount. The next step is to go back to the search engine and search the item you are about to purchase and see if there is another store that may have the deal at an even better price. I will admit most of the time the original deal is the best offer.

I recently needed a vacuum and the one I wanted was around $200 to $250, depending on the store and the sale. I found the vacuum online for $135 including a dollar for shipping with no other fees. (I had been looking for a few days and the dollar shipping applied on that particular day only). Sometimes it pays to be patient. Then I put in coupons for that store in the search engine and I found a coupon for $10 off of a purchase of a $100 or more. I then looked and could not find a better deal on that vacuum when I did an overall search. I put in the coupon code and I purchased my vacuum for $125. The vacuum came, and it works great, and I felt I received the best deal possible.

Please let me know if you have anything to add or a story or your own to share. I love to hear other ideas and successes.

May your living be filled with creativity and extra good deals.

Barb

Tip:  Don’t be afraid to research the item you are looking to purchase. Be selective and don’t settle because you can’t afford or don’t choose to pay full price.