8 Easy Ways to Watch Your Budget and Give Your Bank Account Some Relief   

A credit card is an amazing little tool. It’s made spending money as easy as a quick swipe on a vending machine or even “1-Click” on Amazon, but when your monthly statement comes in, it becomes clear just how dangerous it can be. While the bulk of your charges often turn out to be in the modest $2- $25 range, it is possible that those small transactions go on for pages – quickly adding up to a startling final figure.

An obvious remedy is to spend less and reduce your swiping habits.  Here then are a few painless ways to help control your penchant for purchasing and yield a bounty of bargains:

Make Coffee at Home – All those latte charges look small at $5 each, but if you add them up, you’ll be shocked to learn that you’ve spent hundreds of dollars on coffee in one month. That’s money that could have been put to better use on a new pair of power heels! Instead of spending $5 at your local coffee shop on your way to work, make coffee at home and take it with you to the office — for an average cost of 50 cents. And if you use a reusable coffee mug, it’s better for the environment as well.

Visit the Library – Whether you’re still buying hardback books or have gone digital with a Kindle or other handheld device, most libraries today no longer have just physical books. You can rent digital books from almost any library… for FREE! You can even rent games and movies online from your local library. And the best part is that if your branch doesn’t have what you’re looking for, you don’t need to drive across town to pick it up from another library — you just click to find it, and download.

Bring Your own Wine – The average markup for wine at a restaurant is over 300%. That $16 glass of wine can be swapped for a large, lovely bottle from your local spirits store, yielding several servings, and costing less than $20. So instead of ordering wine off your menu at a premium price, bring your favorite vintage to your chosen restaurant (most will allow this, but you can call ahead to check first).  Then ask them to open it for you and your companions to enjoy with your delicious meal.

Use Coupons and Price Compare – Most online retailers will have an ongoing 10-20% coupon readily available at all times. Before you click-to-purchase or make a purchase at a store, do a quick internet search for coupon codes. If you’re at a brick-and-mortar store, most will honor an online coupon code or even a competitor who’s selling the product for a cheaper price. A swift search can add up to double-digit savings.

Buy Generic – Little known fact: most generic products are actually made by the name brands. Take a closer look at the label and you can typically tell if the generic is made by the name brand, based on the company name and location. The cost difference between a name brand and a generic can be significant (50%+), so the next time you’re at the grocery store, ask yourself if you really need the name-brand aluminum foil, or is the generic that’s $2 just as good?

Make Your Lunch – Going out to lunch can cost you $10-$15 daily. That’s over $250 a month you’re spending on salads and wraps during the work week. Try to mix in bringing your lunch a few days a week into the office — and if you go out to eat, don’t order a drink, order water instead, and you’ve already saved yourself $50 a month.

Buy Food in Season – Fresh fruits and vegetables out of season are priced at a premium. Know your fruit and vegetable seasons to make sure you’re getting the best price and are seasonally aligned.  Here is a handy guide:

• • • Winter: Brussels Sprouts, Dates, Kiwi, Grapefruit, and Oranges.
    • Spring: Apricots, Artichokes, Asparagus, Honeydew, Green Beans, Lychee, Mango, Spinach, and Strawberries.
    • Summer: Beets, Blackberries, Blueberries, Cantaloupe, Cherries, Cucumbers, Eggplant, Figs, Plums, Raspberries, Tomatoes, and Watermelon.
    • Fall: Broccoli, Brussels Sprouts, Butternut Squash, Cauliflower, Cranberries, Grapes, Key Limes, Pineapple, Pears, Pomegranate, and Sweet Potatoes.

Buy Clothes at the End of the Season – In Fall and Spring, as the weather goes from warm to cool and then back again, the clothing racks are filled with the latest styles, colors, and patterns for each new, inviting fashion cycle. It’s natural to want to run out and buy an entire new wardrobe to match your clothing to the changing weather — but at the beginning of the season, prices are at their highest. Instead, be a shrewd shopper and buy a few staples (sweaters, boots, bathing suits, sandals, etc.) at the end of the season, then save them to wear the following year. They’ll still be new and you will have paid 40-60% less than what’s currently available on the racks.