Frozen foods at the Real Canadian Superstore in Winkler, Manitoba (Photo credit: Wikipedia)[/caption]
You’ve heard about the coupon craze that’s sweeping the nation, but can you spend 5 hours a day cutting and sorting coupons and scanning the sales ads to make a map of every store in your region in order save a as much as possible? Probably not. You are like millions of other people that simply don’t have the time, but you are willing to learn about money management tips, better ways to save money, and you might even visit a personal finance blog or two. Here are a few better ways to save money and live a better life, without coupons.
Brand Names Are Not Better
Get the idea out of your head that brand name products are better than generic or store brand items. This is not true. In fact, a lot of the products are exactly the same, they just have a different label on them. You are simply paying for a name, so instead handing over your well-earned money to a corporate giant, buy generic and pocket that extra money for your family. We also use a service called eMeals from time to time to get inspiration for what to eat. They include low cost shopping lists with all of their meal plans that are easy to follow.Bundle Your Services
Cable, internet, and land-line phone services can often be bundled together for a decent amount of savings. The key is that each service must be with the same company. If you currently have services from multiple places, consider moving them. There are always specials for new customers, so make sure to ask the representative. To really cut costs, consider giving up your land-line phone and using your mobile phone at all times. Do you really need to have 2 phones?Stop Renting Movies
For many people, living a better life includes being able to have some entertainment. But it can be expensive to go out to eat, go to the movies, and even movie rental prices are creeping up. Instead, go to your local library and check-out movies out for free. Most libraries carry the hottest new films and the oldie-but-goodies. This is one of the best ways to save money and still have fun.Choose Frozen Over Fresh
When grocery shopping, you know you’ll need to purchase fruits and veggies. One of the ways to save money here is to skip the fresh produce section and head over to the frozen food isles. Frozen foods are just as nutritious, will last a lot longer, and are significantly cheaper than fresh vegetables. These are just some of the money saving tips that you can put into action. But don’t forget to also budget your money better and you will be well on your way to financial freedom. If you have any other money saving tips feel free to leave them in the comments.