Save Money Every Day! 10 Easy (and Painless Tricks)

I freely admit that I enjoy immediate gratification as much as the next guy.  I like my cable and internet. I like to have nice things and enjoy eating out.  That said, I also hate paying full price. "Never Pay Retail" is my motto, and I try very hard to live by it whenever I can.  Here are a few simple ways to be materialistic and save money while still improving your finances.

1.  How Valuable am I?

I've had the Comcast triple play (cable, internet, and telephone) for many years. I started at the $100 “starter rate” that lasted for a year.  Near the end of that year term, my friend suggested I begin what has become an annual tradition, to call the Cable Company and tell them I will be switching if they don't renew my current low rate.  Guess what?   He was right.  Just as predictable as the seasons, they tell me how much they “value me as a customer” and will do this extra special courtesy for me and extend that rate even though it has supposedly “expired”. Depending on who I speak with, they will only “value” me enough to extend it for six months, so I'll need to make two calls.  Be assured I was truly willing to switch to another carrier and if they didn’t renew my low rate, I was prepared to do so.

This same strategy can work on other services; from cell phones to services for your home such as companies that fertilize your lawn. These service providers are truly wise, they know it costs much more to get a new customer, so they are willing to lower rates to keep you.  All you need to do is ask and keep asking!
Payoff: 20-35 minutes a year to save $380 annually.


2.  Choose Wisely:  Pick the “right” Credit Card

I really hate credit cards.  Though truly a necessary evil, we all need to have at least one.  Over the years I have been successful and then not so successful in my “credit carding skills”.   Now I use them as charge cards, never paying any interest.  I search for the cards with the highest rewards.  I once picked credit cards for the airline frequent flyer points, but now have chosen “cash back” cards.  I knew I had made the right decision when my friend who “earned a free flight” to New York last month cost him over $100 in fees.  The best card I found has been the Fidelity American Express card, which gives 2% back for every purchase. You can find the card right for you with the Bankrate.com search engine.

A word of caution; just having a credit card makes you spend more. With one click on any web site, I can enter my credit card information and buy items I probably would not buy if it weren't so easy.  Remember, the easier it is to buy, the more you will spend!
Payoff: $740 annually of cash back with no hardly any effort.

3. Play the "travel game"

I like playing the “Game of Travel”.  This requires strategy and collaboration to get hotels at about 40 percent of retail price.  First I start with Priceline.com and Hotwire.com, and then go to the travel boards of biddingforrtavel.com and betterbidding.com, where people will post the names and bidding amounts of hotels they've won. If you don't see what you are looking for, you can post a question which always seems to get answered.  In just about forty five minutes, I can often save hundreds of dollars per trip. Also I always check with my personal Travel Agent, as they are privy to some great packages.
Payoff: 25 nights at a hotel averaging $60 a night savings, or $1,500 annually for 10 hours work.


4. Cool Coupons!

In today's very tough economy, coupons have become finally become cool. I'm proud to say, I was using them back when they had stigma. I clip coupons from the paper, magazines, mailed versions and emailed ones.  Of course there are lots of coupons on line.  For example, if I'm ordering Domino's Pizza, I will Google "Domino's coupon code" and, in about 15 seconds, I've found a discount code.  I do this every time I want to go out to eat or shopping.

An extension of this strategy is, whenever I buy something off the internet where I see the "promo code" on the checkout, I'll Google the site's name with the words "promo code." More often than not, someone has posted a promo code. Last year, I decided to take my sons to Cirque Du Soleil, and it took about minute to find a half price code.  Check Target.com for weekly coupons and RetailMeNot Application for your iPad and iPhone.

Sign up for all coupons you come across as you’ll never know when they’ll come in handy.  Note that I usually first find what I want and then search for a discount.  If I start with the coupon, I may end up buying something I otherwise wouldn't have.

Payoff: "Guestimated" savings of $1,000 a year for about 5 hours of my time.
 

5. Shop online

I'd pull into my local book store and browse for books. Then, I would go online and buy it from Amazon or eBay for at least 40 percent off and with no sales tax.  Now with devices like the iPad and Kindle, I can get immediate gratification.

The internet shifts power from sellers to consumers. With the click of a mouse, we can comparison shop across the world, and we win at the savings!

Payoff: "Guestimated" savings of $800 annually

6. Get an Insurance Checkup!!

I admit that gathering up all my insurance documentation is not much fun, but a very profitable time investment. I had been with State Farm for a couple of decades and watched my rates go up without my having claims.  Finally I had enough!  I met with Addie Kaplan, an Independent Agent at Kaplan Insurance Agency located in Plymouth, across from Lifetime Fitness.  Addie took the time to research my needs and put together several quotes.  She explained the why’s and why not’s and let me choose what was best for my situation.  It was a little like that TV commercial, it only took a bit of time and I did save hundreds of dollars a year on my Auto and Home Owners Insurances.  Addie’s hard work paid off for me as I was able to get better coverage for a lot less premium and feel totally protected.  Well worth the time to call Addie at 763-746-5000, set up an appointment and see what Kaplan Insurance can do for you!
Payoff: Cut $600 annually from my home and auto insurance premiums.


7. Well Complained

I work very hard for my money, so when I buy something, I expect to get what's promised. If I don't, this squeaky wheel complains loudly and smartly. When I call that 800 number, I always ask for and take down the customer service representative's name or employee number. That way, I know I'm far less likely to be "accidentally dropped." Always prepared for a long hold, I use a headset when I call and multitask.

You need to speak with a person that will have the power to solve the problem, I immediately and politely, ask for a Supervisor. If the person I'm speaking with declines to connect me to a supervisor, I inform them that I'll need to send in a letter asking why (naming the rep or referencing the employee number) denied me access. That always seems to work best. In the complaint, I give important details and just the facts in a very calm manner, sometimes noting I'd like to get a response from the CEO as to why this happened. Usually, Supervisors wants this to go away as much as I do, and will offer a solution such as refunding the full purchase price or replacing the item, and even covering shipping or sending me a FedEx label with their account number on it.  If you still don't feel you've gotten satisfaction, the internet is a great equalizer. The possibility of having bad customer service facts posted where everyone can see often adds leverage. If this becomes necessary, make sure you post just documented facts and don't make it personal.
Payoff:  Varies, but well worth the time and satisfaction to get what you paid for.

Conclusion: Don't be cheap!

It's easy to slam being cost-conscious as being cheap. I couldn't disagree more. It's not about cost, it's about value, and I'm definitely value-oriented.  I feel great when I've gotten a good deal. Half price dining is great, yet I always leave a generous tip on the full undiscounted amount. I'm not staying in a flea-bag motel nor forgoing a big screen TV or cable to watch my favorite shows and movies.  So this isn't really about being cheap - it's truly about getting the most for your money! While these are all my tried-and true ways of getting the most for your money, Clark Howard’s book, “Living Large in Lean Times”, gives you over 250 great ways to spend smarter and live larger.

Adapt my motto:"Never Pay Retail!“ (it's more of an aspiration than a reality, but I am still striving!)

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