MST #10

• Find out what discounts you’re eligible for. I pay my car

insurance premium once every six months. Because of

 this and the fact that we also have our home insurance

through the same agency, I get a 10% discount. If you’re

 unhappy with a service (garbage collection, cable

provider), call and complain. They will usually offer you a

discount to keep your business. If they’re not interested in

 retaining you, there are plenty of other companies that

would love to call you a customer. You don’t have to fork

over your hard-earned money for something you’re not

happy with. Yes, it will take time and probably several

phone calls but it'll be worth it. 

Money Saving Tip #9

• Buy your prescription eyeglasses online. I recently bought some from Zenni Optical. I bought three pairs of single-vision glasses with anti-glare coating for $40.65 including shipping. They were delivered two weeks after I placed the order. All you have to do is get your written prescription from your most recent eye exam. Be sure to have them include your “PD” (pupillary distance) because you’ll need that too. The order form is straightforward and easy to understand. If you’re like me and have no optical insurance then this is definitely a money-saver. I wish I had known about this last summer when I paid $500 for a pair of regular glasses and a pair of sunglasses.

I'm back! (And money saving tip #8)

I know that I’ve been quiet for awhile but I’ve gotten a couple

requests to start posting again. I went on vacation and I’ve

been dealing with some health stuff so I’ve been pretty busy.

Oh, and I also bought a car. But before you write a comment

calling me a hypocrite, let me explain.

It’s hard trying to be “good” all the time. I don’t claim to be an

angel, I’m definitely human. I bought a car because I wanted

it and I know I can afford the payments. I could have waited

to buy it until the remaining $1539.10 of my “old” debt was

paid off but I wanted to drive it up-north on vacation. Life is

short and I don’t regret my decision. My little sister is buying

my old car from me and her twin is going to start using her

old car so it’s a win/win/win situation.

I qualified for a low interest rate and hopefully I will pay the

car off early. I researched the heck out of the cars available

online for sale and decided what would be best for me. I

stood my ground and didn’t sign a purchase agreement until I

 was happy with the deal the dealer and I negotiated. While

applying for the auto loan I discovered that my credit score is

 813. That’s all the proof I need that budgeting works.

This leads me to my next money saving tip:

• Do your research. If you know you’re going to need

something, look around online for the best deals before

you make your purchase. No matter if it’s a $10 fish tank

or a $500 fridge, read up on it and see your options

before you decide to purchase. Many retailer’s websites

will even list what’s currently in stock at your local store.

Read online reviews to see what other consumers have

to say about a product. Don’t let anyone or anything

pressure you into buying before you’re ready to sign

on the dotted line. If you plan well enough to anticipate

your needs ahead of time, you’ll be in a position to wait

for best deal out there and you won’t be at the mercy of

someone else.