How To Save Money On Grocery Shopping

How often do you go grocery shopping?

It's best if you can do it just once a week, because every time you go into your local store to get just one item, you're almost certain to come out with three or four items that you "just happened to see".

So keep a notepad in one place (the kitchen is a good place) and write down on it whatever you need to get through the week. As soon as you know what you need, start to look for adverts on TV or in newspapers or flyers for deals on that very thing.

This way, you will be able to build up a plan of where to go to do your grocery shopping, and when to do it. You can't go to a grocery store with no list and no plan, and then expect to come out of there with good deals. You have to know what you want to buy ahead of time so you can
keep a lookout for coupons, adverts, etc.

If it's not on the list, don't buy it. Of course, there are always those offers that you didn't know about and which are so tempting. When you see those, check the date when the offer ends and then decide whether it should be on this week's list or on next week's list.

So write out your shopping list and stick to it - that's the way to save money.

How to cut your driving costs

When thinking about cutting driving costs, the first thought that comes into most people's minds is "Where can I fuel up cheapest?". But apart from finding the cheapest place to fuel up your car, there are other things that you can do to cut your driving costs. Here are just a few:

• Remove any excess weight from the car - you'll often find stuff in the trunk that just doesn't need to be there, and you are using fuel just to drive it around.
• Remove your roofrack when it isn't in use - the roofrack creates drag and uses up extra fuel.
• Ensure your tyres are inflated to the correct pressure - both overinflation and under inflation can use extra fuel.
• Get a more economical car
• Drive smoothly with gentle acceleration and braking

How to cut the cost of large purchases

Learn how to negotiate so that you can cut the cost of large purchases. Stores have sales targets to meet, and are currently having difficulty reaching them. That puts you, the potential customer, in a strong bargaining position, especially when the purchase is a large one.

By large purchase, I mean the sort of thing that you would not go out and buy on a regular basis - stuff like a TV, DVD recorder/player, or furniture, for example.

Perhaps you normally pay by credit card. If you do, the merchant will be charged a "processing fee" of between 2% and 4% of the cost of the purchase by the credit card company.

Just a thought, when did the cost of processing a transaction become proportionate to the value of the transaction? Why does a purchase for $1000 cost more to "process" than a purchase for £100? The reality is, it takes the exact same amount of manpower and/or computing time for both of them.

You can use this "processing fee" to your advantage. You can offer to pay cash for a discount, pointing out that the merchant will avoid the "processing fee" that he would pay otherwise.

Another negotiating/bargaining point is the cost of delivery. If you are buying a large item, it will need to be delivered. If the store has a delivery charge, you can negotiate for this to be cut out (or at least reduced).

And of course, there is the cost of the item itself. If you are buying more than one item, it is easier to negotiate a collective discount.

Happy negotiating!

How to save on your Christmas tree

Christmas is on it's way, and lots of people are beginning to think about putting out a Christmas tree with decorations and gifts underneath it. Some people go out to the store to buy a natural Christmas tree, and are shocked at the cost. Some people get the Christmas tree that they used last year, and the year before, out of storage.

Yes, if you buy a natural tree this year, you will have to buy another tree next year. But if you buy an artificial tree this year, you won't need to buy another tree for many years to come.

Just assume, for example, that you will use an artificial tree for five years. Work out how much it will cost you to buy a natural tree each year for the next five years, and then compare that to the cost of an artificial tree. You'll find that there are big savings to be made. And assuming only five years is actually a very conservative estimate - an artificial tree can last much longer than that, meaning your savings would be even bigger.

In addition, artificial trees don't drop pine needles all over your floor, and since you're not having a tree chopped down so that you can throw it away a few weeks later, you are leaving a tree growing in the ground mopping up the pollutants that we put into the air.

Buy an artificial tree this year, and you will save yourself money, and save yourself hassle, and help the environment.