Tips to Keep Your Family Organized & Save You Money

    Sometimes simply knowing where something is in the house, can save you money from having to go out and buy it again. So get organized and start saving!

• Organize Your Coupons. In Teri’s business, coupons are the ultimate key to saving money. Teri recommends organizing your coupon file by date and store for ease and convenience for your shopping day. Keeping your coupons organized for the grocery store as well as department and drugstores will save you time and money!
• Save Your Receipts. One of the best ways to keep your finances in order, is to save your receipts and keep track of your spending. Purchasing or reusing binders to house the receipts is also a great money saving trick! (also helps during the busy tax season!)
• Write Things Down. In the era of iPhone vs. Blackberry, we still keep track of our to-dos on paper or in our heads instead of electronically. According to ButtonedUp Inc. (2008), 84% of U.S. adults keep track of their to-dos on paper or in their heads compared to 13% who keep track electronically. An oldie, but goodie!
• Plan Ahead. Plan your vacations early and save money on airfare and hotel rates. Vacations are a necessary part of saving our sanity in the busy lives that we lead. But vacations are also a huge drain on the family finances. You can cut the cost of a vacation significantly by planning and booking ahead of time. Bookmark travel sites for finding inexpensive airfare, hotel etc., and book at least two weeks in advance.
• Shop at Many Stores. If you get the urge to go shopping for that new Spring/Summer wardrobe, go to a mall (outdoor or indoor) or outlet center of shops to give yourself options. The walking around the stores will give you a little exercise for the day and save you money on gas when you hop from store to store.
• Only Buy On Sale. One of the best ways to save you a few bucks is to only purchase items on sale. So if you HAVE to have that brand new sweater or pair of shoes, wait a few weeks and I guarantee that they will have already reduced their prices!
• Check out Online Deals. Such websites as Craig’s List has become a great place to search for cheap furniture, clothes, concert tickets, apartments and household items. You can post many items in your house that often go to waste sitting in your basement, closet or attic.
• Brown Bag It. Instead of buying your lunch out everyday while you’re at work, try making soup or sandwiches at the beginning of the week to last you the work week. You will find that you will have extra money in your pocket when the weekend rolls around! Start a 3-day-a week “eating club” with your co-workers where you all bring your lunch but still eat together to be social.
• Swap It. Becoming more and more popular with the recent economy, swap-meets! But instead of going into a big auditorium with strangers and exchanging goods, friends and family members are exchanging clothes, furniture, books, etc. You name it, they’ll swap it!
• Negotiate. Especially with retailers struggling to sell their merchandise due to lack of customers/shoppers, they are more likely to make deal with you on items that you are interested in purchasing. For example, if you are buying 3 pairs of shoes at sale/regularly priced, get the 4th pair FREE or for a larger percentage off.
• Be on Time. Make sure to pay your bills on time (mortgage payments, car payments, credit card statements) in order to avoid late fees and a decreasing credit score, which will save you money in the long term on interest rates, etc.
• Keep Your Car Healthy. Do regular scheduled maintenance on your vehicles: Do not skimp on or forget to do regular oil changes. Remember to check the air in your tires often. And use the grade of fuel that the owner’s manual recommends. These small acts can significantly lengthen the life of your car, giving you years of use.
• The Twilight Special. If you like watching movies at the theater, go before 6:00 pm: This is one of our soft spots when it comes to spending. We really like watching movies in the theater with the big screen and the great sound effects. But instead of paying ~$10 a pop for the ticket, go before 6:00pm when the tickets are a little less expensive. Avoid the temptation to buy snacks, by usually going for a theater some time soon after our lunch or sometimes sneak in your own snacks in the purse/coat pocket.

For great Couponing Tips in Kansas City, read the KC Mom Blogs!