Mammoth AwardsThe internet is full of deals, adapting some smart online habits can led to BIG savings over time. Even if you saved $5.00 a week you would save $260 in a year, start saving! You don’t have to sacrifice all of your indulgences, you just have to go about things smarter!
Here are some of the easiest things you can cut.
1. Use online coupons
Couponing online has gotten really easy. Visit sites like RetailMeNot or CouponCodes, and you’ll have access to discounts on everyday products. Codes work for a diverse selection of retailers, including Walmart, Target, Sears, and Macy’s. When you check out, you’ll see the words “promo code.” Just copy and paste your code into the field, and that’s it. You’ll be astounded by the rewards you can reap.
Meanwhile, Amazon has an entire section of its website dedicated to coupons. Here, you can find discounts in specific categories, such as groceries, electronics, and office supplies. The coupons get even more enticing for Prime Members. Get coupons on Amazon while you shop.
Chrome also has an extension, wikibuy. It will automatically test its coupon codes at check-out.
2. Get free music (or even rent it)
As a music fan you really don’t have to buy music at all. Long gone are the days of CDs but now people aren’t really even purchasing music with subscription services like Apple Music, Spotify, and Pandora.
If you’re already an Amazon Prime member. Many people enjoy their first year of Prime without ever knowing they can download music for free. Yes, you can stream songs, but you can also choose from more than a million MP3s to keep on your phone or computer.
Even if you aren’t an Amazon Prime member, streaming services like pandora offer a free version. If you add up savings over 1 or 2 years, you make rethink how much you care about skipping the commercials.
3. Watch your smart phone’s data
Smartphones are more powerful than ever, enabling you to use GPS, Skype friends in Japan, and stream videos while sitting on a boat in the middle of a bay. These are amazing features, of course, but they also devour your data.
If you don’t have an unlimited data plan, you may run out of juice before your next billing cycle. Buying more data is generally expensive, and you’re forced to add a gig or two because your phone is useless otherwise.
My suggestion is to either secure an unlimited data plan, especially if you use heavyweight apps on the go, or just carefully watch your data. You can always track how much data you have left, either through your phone’s settings or by downloading your provider’s app. 5 ways to drastically reduce your smartphone’s data usage.
4. Wait to upgrade your phone
Waiting to upgrade your phone can yield big cost savings.
You don’t have to tell me: Phones get better every year. Every incarnation comes with its exciting new features, like improved battery life and camera resolution. So once the next iPhone or Galaxy becomes available, why should you wait to snatch it from the display case?
For one, it’s expensive. The people who camp overnight in front of the Apple store don’t mind spending up to $1,000 on the latest model, but most of us don’t have the spare capital. If your phone is working nicely and it’s still in good physical condition, there’s no particular reason to upgrade.
