Pay less and win the game of personal finances.
Todd at Harvesting Dollars contacted me today to tell me about a new meme he’s starting. With the upcoming summer Olympics, what financial games or tricks do you use to keep your finances in order? He saves his raises and doesn’t buy into lifestyle inflation. If you are good at that game, you are going to do pretty well. It’s a tough game to play and requires a lot of self-discipline.
My game: Can I Pay Less for That?
I don’t know too many who subscribe to the philosophy of “I like to pay full price whenever I can.” I honestly know a few, but they are pretty rare people in my circle. I’m very firmly looking to maximize my dollar in every area of my life that I can. Here are just some ways that I play the “Can I Pay Less for That” game:
- Books – Library or Paperback Swap have the same books.
- Movies – Netflix, RedBox, DVD Play, your cable’s On Demand (if you already have it) are fantastic alternatives to movie theaters if you realize that you are simply time-shifting the viewing of the movie. Plus I’d rather introduce my wife to The Godfather than run out to see Mamma Mia.
- Transportation – I’ve already written about how I save money on cars. Now you can add save on gas to the list.
- Clothing, Homes, and even Alcohol? – Want to pay less on other things? I covered a lot of my major savings in my save money round-up.
Despite the picture I chose to include, the key to almost all these tips to pay less is that I give up very little quality (at least in my mind, do what’s right for your mind). The books and movies tell the same stories. The cars get to me the same location. I have decent clothes for when I need them. I can trick my friends into thinking that my wine is expensive, since it’s actually good quality. It really adds up over time.
Photo Credit: St.VincentVolunteers