Welcome
Welcome to ShoppingSavingsNut.com,™ a site dedicated to providing money saving advice,
tips and ideas on how to be frugal, spend less and save more on your everyday shopping
budget to live more cheaply. Tips on how to save when buying groceries, clothing,
home decor, computers and electronics, phones, pets, cars and trucks and more. Start
reducing your shopping costs by reviewing the tips presented below. For hundreds
more tips, advice and savings, click on the navigation buttons on the left. Tell
your friends and family about ShoppingSavingsNut.com so they can start saving too,
and feel free to add a link on your web site.
Groceries - Never go grocery shopping on an empty stomach. All those snack and other
unnecessary foods are a lot less tempting if you are not hungry when food shopping.
And make sure, if at all possible, you leave the kids at home. Kids are great,
but at the grocery store they can be real budget busters by talking you into purchases
you otherwise would not make. Be sure, when you have an item in your hand, to ask
yourself if it really is a necessary item, or if you really can do without. This
is not only true for food, but also toiletries and other items.
Clothing - Establish a budget for clothing, jewelry and toys and stick to it. Actually,
since most people do restrict spending on these items somewhat, they have already
established a budget. It just is not very defined or constrained. The trick is
to sit down, decide how much money is enough for these items during the course of
a year, pace yourself during the year and make sure to follow one rule: “”Do not
go over budget.” Also, make sure your kids, when old enough, also have a budget
they need to follow. When they understand that those $150 athletic shoes will prevent
them from having something else, often the $30 shoes will do just fine. And, if
you are looking for shoes, the beginning and end of summer is a great time to find
mens sandals for sale in stores.
Home Decor - Furniture is a major investment, so do not try to furnish your home
all at once, or as quickly as possible. While it is nice to have all of your furniture
in place so you can enjoy your home, rushing to furnish will almost always lead to
less than optimal furnishings and higher overall costs. Also consider the functionality
of the pieces you're about to by. For instance, ottomans or footstools can store
additional items in them. So, except for some necessities like beds and a table
and chairs, take your time to make sure you get what you need and want, while staying
within your budget.
Computers - Make sure you do not overbuy capabilities in a computer, resulting in
spending much more than is required. It is nice to have that super fast computer
with loads of storage capacity and other “bells and whistles” but do you really need
it? Most people don’t. If all you plan on doing with your computer is access the
Internet, utilize email, type some letters, prepare your tax returns, and download
and print digital photos, etc., most all of the computers on sale today will do a
great job. They will be plenty quick and have plenty of storage. Even the pre-loaded
software will probably be just fine.
Electronics & Appliances - If you do need some home electronics, try to buy a model
that does not have all the expensive “bells and whistles.” Let’s face it, most people
do not use most of the extra features on electronic gadgets. Do you really need
a 1080P HDTV versus a less expensive 720P model? Most people can’t tell the difference.
Does your surround sound system need twenty different settings when you will only
use a couple? Etc., etc. Buy the less expensive model and save.
Phone - Phone service can also be purchased from your cable company. This service
would replace entirely any service purchased from your local phone company. It is
sold separately from other cable services, or can be bundled with other cable services
you already purchase for more savings. It allows you unlimited phone calls, both
local and long distance, for a set monthly fee. However, make sure you are happy
with how 911 service works with these programs, and if you have a security system
monitored by a central alarm company make sure that service will still be available.
Also, be aware that, unlike standard phone service, cable phone service may not
work when the electricity is out. Although, this may not be a concern if you have
a cell phone that is available.
If your phone company is charging you for receiving a paper copy of your bill, ask
them to stop charging you or have them provide your bill over the Internet. If you
are renting your phone from the telephone company, stop. Purchase your own phone
(some are available for under $10) and stop wasting your money. If you are being
charged for something called “inside wire maintenance” that provides for repair of
telephone wiring inside your home, cancel it. Wiring inside a home rarely goes bad,
and if it does it usually is a telephone box in your wall that is inexpensive and
easily replaced.
Home Security - Most home security systems offer the option of having the system
connected to the security company’s central monitoring station by telephone line,
so the system is monitored off-site and police or fire are called to the scene if
warranted. There is a monthly charge for this service which can range from $10-$30
per month or more. This is a big profit center for security companies, and most
local security companies contract with one of the few regional and national companies
that provide the actual monitoring. So, prices vary widely for the same identical
service. It definitely pays to shop around. Definitely try not to pay any more than
$10-$15 per month. And make sure your home insurance company knows you have monitoring.
You should get a discount.
Pets - Choosing a pet has a major impact on how much you will enjoy your pet over
the years, as well as how much you will spend to both acquire the pet and care for
the pet. The expenses that go into having a pet do not come cheaply but can be managed
with good planning, for example The Lakeside Collection has a few cheap collars and
leashes to help reduce costs. A lot of factors enter into the decision, with personal
preferences perhaps the most obvious. But many factors are important. Think ahead
and try not to make an emotional decision. Remember, the amount of time you have
available to care for the pet, as well as how much time you want to spend with the
pet, is key to help determine what kind of pet is best. Goldfish require a lot less
time and dedication than a dog. Cats, of course, require somewhat less time than
a dog, etc. Some pets only survive a few months or a couple of years. Other pets
will need care and attention for well over ten years.
Cars & Trucks - The purchase of a vehicle, particularly a new vehicle, is a major
economic decision for most households. The first step in buying a new vehicle that
meets the household’s needs is deciding what major vehicle characteristics are most
important, and making a list of those characteristics in their order of importance.
Be sure to bring the list with you when you are looking at vehicles, so that you
do not “fall in love” with a model that does not meet your needs, or costs more than
you need to spend to meet your needs.
Thanks for visiting ShoppingSavingsNut.com™ and we hope the ideas and tips for saving
money on your everyday shopping will make life just a little bit better for you and
your family.
