4 Ways to Save Money

 

Everyone could do with a little extra spending money, especially if they have to run a household. Caring for little ones, sharing experiences, and making sure you have enough for all your utilities, it can feel like a never-ending treadmill but it is certainly one that keeps us motivated.

As homeschoolers, it is 100% worth finding a few tricks that help improve your spending power over the years and prevent you from wasting cash. In this post, we’ll discuss some helpful habits and insights that can achieve that outcome:

Trade-In Your Old Tech

Most of us hang onto our tech far longer than we should—either out of nostalgia or because we just have not had a chance to deal with it yet. Here is a tip, do not let it sit there! Many retailers offer trade-in programs for older electronics, even if they are a little worse for wear. You might not get the same amount as when it was new, but a few extra dollars or a discount on a future purchase is better than nothing. Just make sure to remove all your accounts, erase cookies on iPhone, and factory reset the phone before selling it.

Accumulate Loyalty Points with Various Stores

These days, plenty of grocery stores, pharmacies, and even fuel stations have rewards programs that give you points for every time you spend with them, so why not make use them? My favorite is the credit card I use. I rack up the points, get a few free hotel stays per year, and make sure to pay the full amount on time so I am not dealing with over paying for my purchases. It might be annoying to have more than one loyalty card but with apps like Apple or Google Wallet you can scan them in pretty conveniently. If you are buying your essentials anyway, you might as well get a little something back in return—redeem some point at the end of the year to pay for some of your Christmas shopping!

Use Round-Up Saving Apps

Round-up saving tools are now being rolled out by some banks, showing you how popular the notion is. These apps link to your bank account and round up each purchase to the nearest dollar, which automatically applies that spare change into a savings account. This also means you do not have to budget quite so tightly in your head. Just think to the nearest dollar, and then you will have a small growing pot you can use later on. It is a nice way to passively save even while you spend.

Buy Second-Hand Online

Buying second hand from retailers or auction sites can help you get a good discount and sometimes the item isn’t that far off new anyway. For example, refurbished tech from larger sites is often more than functional, and you may even gain a close-to-new one that has been returned but couldn’t be sold legally as new again. This could even help you justify a larger or more indulgent purchase, for example an e-reader for your reading hobby, without blowing the bank on a brand new item.

With this advice, I hope you can continue to save money

around your household.