Uncommon Personal Finance Tips
We could all do with saving a little more money. Everyone knows the most obvious ways; cut back on spending, cook at home, research discounts, keep a budget, etc. So here are some not-so-common tips on personal finance.
- Haggle everything.
Your credit cards, if you’re in good standing, can be renegotiated. Call the bank to request they lower your fees or interest rates, and you’d be surprised how many will actually do it.
If you have cable (and really, you should just cancel it because there’s almost nothing you can’t get online nowadays) then call them up and threaten to cancel. They will always offer you a lower rate.
If you can’t lower the price of something, see if you can set up a payment plan. You’d be surprised how many service-based businesses are willing to split the bill into smaller invoices.
- Plan ahead.
Most people will at some point in their lives have to deal with either a Will or a probate situation when a family member dies. In this case it’s important to know what Wills and Probate Solicitors do and how to find a solicitor. This is one of those situations where it’s best to educate yourself on ahead of time, rather than finding yourself emotional and scrambling when caught off guard.
Drink water and exercise. What? Yeah. Drinking more water and exercising regularly is one of the best ways of keeping yourself healthy and preventing expensive medical costs in the future. Also, exercise gives you something to do when you’re bored, and drinking more water makes you feel more full, thus cutting down on the amount of food you eat.
Prepare a meal plan for the week. That way when you go to the grocery store, you get exactly what you need and nothing that you don’t. This saves time and well as money.
And speaking of grocery shopping, when you have the option, buy in bulk. Flours, dried beans, spices, protein powders, nuts, snacks, dried fruit, baking supplies, and whatever else you can find in bulk will always be cheaper than the bagged equivalent.
- Use apps.
Price comparison apps help you to find where to buy what you’re looking for at a lower cost.
Free apps like Skype allow you to talk to people anywhere in the world for free. The phone app Viber allows you to call and text anyone anywhere in the world for free as well, as long as they also have the app.
There are apps that will compare hotel prices for you when traveling, as well as airline tickets, and they will alert you when the prices drop.
Also, when researching hotel rooms and airfare, always do so in incognito mode, or clear your cache and cookies before each new search. If you don’t do one of those two things, the website will remember you, and you’ll never see a cheaper price than the one they first quoted you.
If you maintain the mindset to always plan ahead, ask to negotiate on price or payment plans, and wonder if “there’s an app for that,” you can program yourself to automatically look for and recognize ways to save money no matter what.
