20 Ways to Pinch a Penny – Part 1

 I know I show you deals on a daily basis that you can grab in-store or online.  But using deals posted on Happy Deal – Happy Day are not the only ways I save money.

Here are 20 ways to pinch a penny:

1.  Use coupons. – If you are a regular reader here, this is a no brainer.  But I have to be sure to make it #1 on the list.  🙂

2.  When shopping online, use cash back sites like Ebates.   I have been a member on Ebates since 2009 and have earned $410.78.

3.  Buy refurbished.  Earlier this year I finally took the plunge and entered the world of owning a smart phone.  But I only did so because I received a free refurbished one from my cell phone provider.  I also took advantage of a Woot.com deal a few weeks ago and got a refurbished Dyson vacuum cleaner ($300 cheaper than a new one!).  If you don’t mind slightly used for great products, this can be a huge money saver!

4.  Get name brand clothing at thrift stores like Plato’s closet.  I hit my local store last month and got a cute aeropostale shirt for $3!

5.  Find promo codes for online purchases.  You know how when you are checking out, you usually see a box where you can fill in a promo code?  Use sites like PromotionCode.org to find those promo codes for possible savings.  I do that all the time, and more times than not, find a way to get a % off of my purchase.

6.  Sell your stuff.  This isn’t to save money directly, but if you sell your stuff, you will have extra cash for an item you have your eye on.  For example:  Sell larger ticket items on Ebay.com.  Sell books on Half.com.  Don’t want to worry about shipping items?  Sell locally on Craigslist.com.  Set up your own garage sales.  Offer your items to thrift stores that will give you cash for your used goods.  Are you crafty?  Set up shop on Etsy.com.

7.  Buy off season. I have done this all along for clothes for my daughter.  When winter ends, I hit the clearance sales, and buy the size she will be in the following winter.  There was a Kohl’s sale earlier this spring where I purchased my daughter’s Easter dress for next year.  Her holiday dresses are usually hanging up in her closet a year early.  No way am I paying full price for those “special, possibly wear just once” dresses!

Stay tuned for more of my 20 ways to pinch a penny!