Raise your hand if you would like to make money as you spend it. It looks unanimous. If you will follow my simple pointers, you will.
Checking Prices
One of the first things I do is check to see what the average price is for the item I want to purchase. You can check prices through sites such as www.bizrate.com, www.shopzilla.com, www.pricegrabber.com, www.mysimon.com, www.pricerunner.com, and www.dealtime.com. Comparing prices educates you and gives you an edge as you shop. You also learn about places that consistently have low prices, so you can go straight there when you want to shop. Some of these sites contain reviews of the item by consumers who have already bought the item. These reviews are very helpful in making your final purchase decision.
Make Money as You Shop
You can earn money back on your purchases by using credit cards like the GM MasterCard, which allows you to earn money toward a new GM car. I saved $2,000 on my last car purchase and have earned $2500 toward my next one.
There are benefits with the Discover card and the new Discover gas card. With the regular card, you earn money back, which you can then apply to coupons for other purchases like restaurant gift cards. There are special offers that even double the amount you earn. With the gas card, you can make money back from your gas purchases. With gas prices like they are, we all need a little help with that.
I also use www.ebates.com and www.upromise.com to get money back from my online purchases. Joining both of these sites is easy and FREE. Most of the places I shop are partners with one or both of these sites.
With Ebates, I actually get a check in the mail every three months. If you tell them I sent you, we both get $5. You can then refer others and get $5 each time your referral starts shopping with Ebates. Plus, you’ll earn an extra $5 for every five friends with qualifying orders!
With Upromise, the money I save goes into a college account for my son. I can also earn money back on purchases made with the credit cards I register. You can earn money when you buy a car or sell a house, too. You can withdraw money periodically or you can roll it over into a 529 plan. Relatives can also register and help you earn even more money for your child’s education. With college tuition increasing, every little bit helps.
Coupons and Codes
If you look hard and long enough, you can usually find coupons or codes for discounts and free shipping. I search the following each time I shop: www.slickdeals.net, www.wow-coupons.com, www.couponmountain.com, and www.couponcraze.com. If you combine these with shopping on the above sites, you can increase your savings even more.
Check Ebay
When you see something you like in a catalog or on television, take a look at www.ebay.com to see if someone there has it. Often times, you can find it cheaper there. Ebay also is a great place to sell the unwanted items that everyone has sitting around the house. You would be surprised what people will buy on Ebay.
Bottom line: Be smart when you shop, and you can actually make money as you spend it.