We talk about the BIG things that you should do for your finances, but I believe that it really comes down to the small things that you do day in and day out that will make the biggest difference in your life. I like to think of it like the sun and using sunscreen to protect yourself. When you see skin damage and even cancers, it’s most commonly to have come from daily exposure over time versus one or a few times you got burned at the beach. That’s why it’s so important to use daily SPF to help keep you safe when you’re walking the neighborhood, running to the store, and generally being out and about. It’s not that one time 10 years ago when you got burned when you went to Florida on vacation. Don’t get me wrong, it’s important to always protect your skin, but the biggest difference is your daily consistency. It’s also what causes the worst cumulative damage. The same goes for your finances. Let’s examine some important little items that you can do to earn money for your family.
Using free samples
Free samples are typically found as an insert in the newspaper, magazines, at a mall kiosk, mailed directly to your home, and almost everywhere you go. They are great for companies because they give you a small sample to entice you to buy the full product. It’s nice for the consumer too because you don’t end up purchasing something that you won’t like because you get a small idea of what you’re going to get. Have you ever been at the mall walking through the food court? You are bombarded with free samples. I love this because I know I’ll be happy with my food choice if I have an idea of how it tastes. Less buyer’s remorse.
Grocery stores and other places and venues give them out right in the store. Costco has mastered this and has definitely got me many times over. Per The Atlantic, Costco samples have boosted their sales in some cases by 2,000 percent. Wowzers! It helps consumers learn more about the products. The sought-after Costco samples (hoping that they come back after Covid), are known by everyone. They have them for food items, but sometimes even for non-food items like plastic bags, laundry detergent, aluminum foil, etc. The grocery store may offer them as you’re shopping. Do not discard these. Check out these items first because they are FREE and you can’t beat that, but it also gives you the opportunity to try a new item without actually having to purchase it.
Even when they are not freely offered, samples may still be present and available. You can ask your hairdresser, esthetician, doctor, dermatologist, and almost any other business (with consumable products) for samples. Always be on the lookout for them in your everyday life and don’t be afraid to ask.
Redeem your rebates
There are many companies that may offer rebates ranging from the installation of a new tankless water heater, the purchase of tax software, a new clothes dryer, or even soft drinks. The key to rebates is to make sure that you fill them out immediately and send them out. The companies are hoping that the majority of the people will not send them in so they become the big winners. They incentivized the consumer to purchase the item with the thought of a rebate, but the consumer never sends it in. So, obviously, the first step is to send in the rebate. Luckily, as technology and convenience has evolved, this is typically online. Just snap a pic of your receipt and/or UPC code (or serial number) and upload it online.
The next step is to keep track of your rebates. This is not as difficult as it might sound. Before sending the rebate off, make a copy (or screen shot) for your records. You can simply write down the relevant and needed information like date of purchase, when sent, and how to contact them or just snap a pic and keep it in a “rebate” folder on your phone. As you receive the rebate checks in the mail, you can remove them out of the file. If you have a lot of rebates to keep track of, every month or so, go through your file and make sure that you are actually receiving the rebates. If not, you have the contact information to call and check. Typically, you can also access the information via the company’s website depending on the product and manufacturer. **Keeping track of online submissions is just as important. Easy to complete and then forget about it. Follow up is key.
Napkins
I understand the convenience of using paper towels and discarding them. It’s easy and then it’s done with. Doing this does two things for you. First, it takes money out of your pocket and it also creates more trash, which in turn, takes even more money away from your family. Here’s my logic…paper towels cost money and you tend to use several with every use. People use them as napkins at meal time and to clean up a nasty spill or mess.
Instead of using paper towels with your meal or other expensive napkins, use cloth napkins. This way, you can throw them in the washer with the rest of your normal wash and use them again and again instead of throwing them away like paper towels. Yes, you are using the water to wash them, but you won’t be doing a separate load for just the cloth napkins anyway, so no extra expense has occurred. For other spills around the kitchen, instead of grabbing a paper towel, use a dish towel. Again, you can put them in the washing machine to be used again the next time. Not only are you saving money but you're doing your duty protecting the environment and reducing waste.
Another way to save on disposable napkins or paper towels is to bring the extras home from a trip to a restaurant. Anytime that we go to a restaurant and have extra napkins I put them in my purse and bring them home. Not only am I saving the environment by not throwing clean napkins away, but I’m not purchasing them myself. They’re great to throw in kids’ lunches or for a quick clean up when no dish towels are available. They also have a home in the consoles of our cars.
Do your banking online
I imagine that most of you are probably already doing your banking online. Your bank or credit union likely does not charge extra for this feature, but check with them to be sure. Banking online is not only convenient, but it saves you time and money. If you’re not doing it yet, reach out to your personal bank to get more information.
The convenience of doing banking any time of day is nice. You can transfer funds, pay bills, and check on your accounts any time of day from the convenience of your own home or your own phone. You save time by not making trips to the bank as well as saving money on the envelopes and stamps used to send out monthly bills. ** It’s important to note that when accessing your bank app while out and about, make sure that you’re not putting in sensitive passwords on a public WIFI. Make sure that you’re on your own plan or at home to avoid potentially losing passwords.
You can also request to receive certain bills electronically or deducted straight from your account depending on the creditor. This eliminates paperwork that you need to go through and need to recycle. Plus, you have no worries of someone going through your mailbox and stealing items or something being lost in the mail.
Making the best use of post office trip
Are you someone that still goes to the Post Office? Do you go to purchase boxes/envelopes and mail items? For my business, I send out a lot of samples, but rarely have to go to the post office. I am able to print the form directly from USPS through PayPal https://www.paypal.com/ and send it out directly from my home. A lot more convenient. Even if you decide to go to the Post Office, try to do it only to drop off items. You avoid the lines and reduce the wasted time
I know the Post Office has a lot of specific shipping supplies. It has the convenience factor, but you may pay extra for that. However, they do offer flat fee packages for free. Make sure you pay attention to the actual costs though because they may amount to more than the regular fee to send. If you’re not using the free Post Office items, I would recommend that you use materials that you have in your own home. Since almost everything is packaged in boxes nowadays, especially that we’re living in a Amazon Prime world, you probably have access to a large amount of different sized boxes. If you don’t receive many packages, you can do a garbage dive, so to speak. If your neighborhood uses a recycling company, you can find all sorts of great boxes literally on the side of the road on recycling day. You can usually find numerous boxes of varying sizes ready to be picked. I would recommend keeping these on hand if you send packages frequently. If you don’t receive a lot of packages and your neighborhood doesn’t do recycling, you can ask at your local grocery store for boxes and they are more than happy to give them to you as well. **Keep this in mind if you’re moving too.
If you find that you still need to purchase boxes, I find that Wal Mart has the best deals on shipping items. However, it depends on your area and what type of items that you are looking for. You can also check out the warehouse clubs, local office supply stores, Target, or even the grocery stores. Of course, Amazon has almost everything you could possibly think of. Try to maximize your free options first before purchasing anything.
Remember your daily sunscreen and make smart decisions on a daily basis that can help your family and your bottom line. Start training your children at a young age of the importance of making smart financial decisions every day. They’re never too young to start learning how to do this.
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