Creative ways to save money.  Yes, it is possible!   I am not going to have you go out and buy sharp scissors for extreme couponing.  But we do have some easy and less embarrassing tricks to save a few bucks each week…

Creative Ways to Save Money

• Download store apps. Read through the weekly specials before you go. This includes retail stores, supermarkets, anyplace where you can shop that has an app.  Download the app and put the items you want in your virtual cart. Typically, you will receive the discounts at checkout.  Remember to enter the phone number affiliated with your app .  Keep it simple and make it your cell number.
• Grocery shop online. If you are anything like us, you walk into the supermarket needing two items.  You come out with $200 worth of yummy delicious treats that you did not need, and probably will not make or eat. To avoid that (and these items are specifically shelved in a way to entice you, so it is not entirely your fault — at least that is what we tell ourselves). We recommend that you do all your grocery shopping online. Yes, there could be additional delivery fees, BUT there are a lot of digital promotions that provide waivers or discounts on fees — use them. When you shop online you take your time and stick to your list. You are more discerning on what you place in your cart and you are not swayed by silly aisle promotions for junk. Another benefit is that they store your previous lists. This makes grocery shopping faster and easier than ever.
• Download Honey into your chrome browser. Honey is one of our best tricks because it aggregates all the online promotions for you. It literally gives you all the special codes at check out and provides you with pricing history for items in your cart — it’s invaluable. 
• Look at your credit card statements weekly. If you are the type of person who prefers to ignore their expenses until they come due — stop! If you are not tracking your spend weekly, you are fooling yourself into possibly thinking you have more to spend. Look at your credit card statements weekly and make sure you are on track for your proposed monthly spend and that the charges are accurate. Pacing yourself throughout the month while accumulating your expenses will often curb your spending activity and provide automatic savings.

If this seems like too much to remember, there is help available. Judith Heft & Associates is adaptable to our clients’ varying needs — that’s what makes us Financial Concierges.