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Note from Kat: I initially reached out to my talented colleagues here at Corporette to gather insights on our favorite money-saving strategies, tips, and tricks. The valuable advice I received was so compelling that I decided to create a series to share these insights with you! After all, it’s the right time of year to consider our finances. Today, our esteemed editor Kate is sharing her best money-saving habits with all of us.
If you missed out, don’t forget to check out Elizabeth’s fantastic money-saving habits and Ann’s excellent tips on cutting down costs for airfare and other expenses!
Discover Kate’s Effective Money-Saving Strategies
Maximizing Benefits of Memberships and Subscriptions
While I understand that signing up for numerous free store memberships can sometimes feel like a compromise on my privacy, I believe it’s worth the trade-off for the savings. I’ve enrolled in various free store memberships to access valuable coupons and earn rewards. Some of the stores I frequent include Wegmans, Sephora, Cinemark, Regal, CVS, Walgreens, Michaels, and popular chain pet stores. I find that CVS often has inflated prices, so I make it a point to avoid purchasing anything at full price there. Whenever I consider a purchase, I first compare prices with local grocery stores and Amazon to ensure I’m getting the best deal.
The basic AAA membership is invaluable to me, so I make sure to renew it each year without fail. This membership proves its worth when I find myself with a dead car battery, as I can get free service right at my home. I tend to let my gas tank go lower than I should (who hasn’t?), so having AAA gives me peace of mind knowing they can assist me if I run out of fuel and get stranded.
The standard AAA plan costs $65 each year, along with a one-time enrollment fee of $15. I do need to make better use of the various retail and service discounts available through my membership, such as movie tickets and more. Although I’m still in my 40s, I recently took advantage of a membership sale to join AARP—there’s actually no age minimum for membership!—because it offers incredible discounts at local restaurants and beyond.
Typically, I avoid signing up for extended warranty policies on electronics, appliances, and similar items, as I’ve often found them to be not worth the investment. I did purchase Apple Care for my last phone, which proved beneficial when I needed my screen and display repaired after an unfortunate drop. However, my current iPhone is refurbished, so it doesn’t qualify for such coverage. This is why I prioritize protection with an OtterBox case and a ZAGG screen protector. Here’s a helpful tip: if you register your ZAGG screen protector and it cracks, you can get a replacement at no charge!
When subscribing to online versions of magazines and newspapers, I always aim to sign up during promotional sales. For instance, I managed to secure a yearly subscription to WIRED for only $5!
If you’re a member of a professional association, be sure to check if your membership qualifies you for discounts on various products or services at retailers, or even for additional memberships.
related: money challenge: review your renewing subscriptions
Smart Grocery Shopping Strategies
I must admit that we need to find ways to lower our grocery expenses, especially considering the current inflation rates (we tend to purchase too many processed foods, which isn’t ideal). Although I’ve never shopped at Aldi, I’m looking forward to checking it out when a new location opens just five minutes from my house. Regardless, when faced with the choice between a store brand and a name brand, I usually opt for the store brand. However, I don’t buy store brands indiscriminately, as some items simply don’t have an acceptable substitute. (Seriously, Wegmans, how do you mess up generic Cheerios?)
In general, I frequently compare unit prices (per ounce, etc.) of various brands and sizes of the same packaged food products. This may seem like a basic practice, but I don’t think everyone employs this strategy. Additionally, while I find in-person grocery shopping rather tedious, we never utilize delivery or pickup services. *sigh* Oh, how I would love to do that, but the added costs just don’t fit our budget.
Regarding restaurant delivery, we hardly ever order it anymore, and when we do, I prefer using GrubHub+ instead of Uber Eats or DoorDash, as our Amazon Prime membership provides us with a complimentary subscription. With GrubHub+, the delivery fee is waived, and the service fee is reduced by 50%.
When my son craves fast food from places like McDonald’s or Burger King, I refuse to pay for delivery. I simply don’t understand the appeal of having fast food delivered! Instead, I’ll place an online order and pick it up, even if I’m in my pajamas for the evening. There are always coupons available in the app as well. Thankfully, I’m not usually tempted to spend money on a meal for myself since I follow a vegetarian diet—well, sometimes I might treat myself to McDonald’s cookies or an apple pie. Yum!
related: tales from the wallet: how to save money on food
Smart Clothing Purchases
I don’t typically buy a lot of clothing, mainly because my wardrobe is already quite full, but when I do shop, I prioritize buying items on sale whenever possible. For instance, I recently purchased a beautiful Vince Camuto top at Nordstrom for $40, marked down from its original price of $80. I would never have bought it at full price. While I admit it was somewhat of an impulse buy, it filled a necessary gap in my wardrobe, so it wasn’t just a frivolous purchase.
Shopping for my son has become easier over the years, especially since he was younger and didn’t have strong preferences for clothing (he’s now a teenager). However, when I’m on the lookout for specific items for him, such as tall winter boots or shorts with a drawstring, I invest a bit more time online to find optimal price and quality, rather than accepting the first option that appears, including thoroughly checking reviews.
My goal is to strike a balance between low-quality brands that won’t last (like those unreliable fast-fashion labels on Amazon) and pricier brands that he doesn’t truly require and will outgrow soon. I often choose moderately-priced brands that are “good enough,” or I wait for sales on nicer brands. While I never shop extreme fast fashion brands like Shein or Temu, I do tend to purchase from mass-production brands that sit a notch or two higher, such as Loft.
I consistently monitor online sales at my family’s favorite stores, including Columbia (for cozy winter hoodies), Old Navy (for heavily discounted short-sleeved tops usually), and Lands’ End (for tees for my son, and outerwear for both of us). These retailers frequently offer substantial sales, often around 50% off.
I’ve intentionally put myself on a purchasing hiatus for the following items since I already have more than enough: sweaters, coats/jackets, handbags, tees, socks, bras, and workout clothes. Though sometimes I do slip up; after all, I’m only human.
In addition to Nordstrom, which I appreciate for its free shipping/returns and fantastic sales, I often shop at the TJX family of stores (Marshalls, TJMaxx, Sierra), along with Goodwill and Poshmark. I hold a TJX card (with no annual fee) that I pay off monthly, allowing me to earn $10 certificates. I’ve also discovered some lovely items in my town’s Buy Nothing-like Facebook group, including a new-with-tags Ann Taylor sheath dress!
To achieve significant savings, I frequently purchase clothing off-season. Although I tend to be quite impatient and dislike waiting months to wear new items, the savings are undoubtedly worth it. (Here’s a guide to buying off-season, which I really should revisit one of these days.)
related: what’s YOUR annual clothes budget?
Cost-Effective Household & Beauty Purchases
For various household items, including decor, practical supplies like office and craft materials, I adore my local giveaway Facebook group that I mentioned earlier, in addition to shopping at Target (before their recent changes) and Goodwill. Most of our furniture comes from a local upscale consignment shop, garage sales, estate sales, or hand-me-downs from my parents, which include some lovely antiques. We even have IKEA pieces that have lasted us for over 20 years!
For beauty products, I tend to buy drugstore brands at the grocery store, where prices are more reasonable. When I shop for beauty and skincare products at CVS, I always utilize a coupon from their app. For non-drugstore items, which I purchase infrequently, I save those for higher-quality products that I deem worth the investment, such as a specific shampoo or these pimple patches.
I’m also enrolled in the free Insider membership at Sephora, which grants me free shipping, the ability to earn points, and other perks.
Smart Holiday Spending Tips
Decorating for holidays brings me immense joy, so I don’t mind allocating a budget for it. However, when purchasing decorations, wrapping paper, and gift bags, I make a concerted effort to avoid paying full price. I stock up whenever I find a good deal on wrapping items. Reliable sources include that Facebook free group, Goodwill (where I can find both used and new items), and sales at HomeGoods and At Home—plus post-holiday sales at CVS and Walgreens, where holiday items can be marked down by 50-75%, including potential gifts for the following year.
TJMaxx and Marshalls also offer discounted yet attractive gift wrap, bags, tags, holiday-themed napkins, and greeting cards.
Since I’ve accumulated a vast collection of rubber stamps, decorative paper, and more over the years, I’ve been meaning to revisit making my own cards! I even enrolled in an inexpensive online class (which I got at 50% off) to spark my creativity. Um, yes, I really should get on that soon!
Effective Strategies for Caring for Pets & Animals
Currently, we have two cats—a lively young one and a senior kitty with some chronic health issues—and I also feed wild birds throughout the year, which is another source of joy for me. Here are some methods we use to save on pet expenses:
Purchase birdseed in bulk. Our neighborhood wild birds consume seed rapidly, and with three feeders, we buy large bags and shop at a store offering seed punch cards and mail-in coupons. I also invest in squirrel-proof feeders to help conserve our seed supply.
Buy medications and supplements from Chewy (which has outstanding customer service), where prices are usually lower than at our vet. Prescription food is also more affordable there (keep in mind, your vet needs to send an Rx for both).
Utilize autoship with both Chewy and Petco, and keep an eye out for great sales (via email or local ads) at our nearby Pet Supplies Plus store. We use autoship for cat litter, high-quality food, Fortiflora (a probiotic), and Revolution.
Maintain pet insurance. The intricacies of pet insurance could easily fill a separate post, and there are numerous companies available—I’m not an expert in this area (we use Fetch, and it’s satisfactory). However, when faced with an unexpected $4,000 vet bill, you’ll be grateful to have a safety net. Here’s a crucial tip: if you adopt a new pet, be sure to sign up for insurance as soon as possible if your chosen company doesn’t cover pre-existing conditions.
Readers, we’d love to hear your top money-saving habits!
Stock photo via Deposit Photos / johnkwan.
