Tips for Scaling Back Spending

Well, times they are a changing, to quote one of my favorite Bob Dylan songs, and only the best of the best retailers and businesses may make it out of this virtual financial storm – and I could use more colorful language there if you know what I mean – with their wits about them and some spare cash sitting around. Even those that do survive will have had to fight tooth and nail to do so in most industries, which are reeling after a weak holiday spending season in the wake of what some are terming a new frugality that permeates the reatil buying atmosphere.

Buyers (consumers) are simply not buying things unless they are on sale now. It used to be that a lot of people would shop that way, but it seems like with all the concern over jobs and the economy playing out, almost 90% of consumers are buying only when things are on sale, and some only when they are dramatically marked down.

This may be one of the ways that you are saving money yourself, I know it’s one that I’m using. I’m also starting to go to some of the stores that are radically discounted for foods and other goods that I had sort of forgotten about in favor of my normal shopping places that were more pleasant and less crowded, but also not as cheap. These cheaper food stores I’m talking about and general consumer goods are places like Aldi’s food store where you can buy food items dramatically marked down, but you have to pay a deposit for your cart and you also have to pay for your bags.

In the end, it’s well worth it and you end up making out on your grocery shopping bill. I’m also remembering discounter Marc’s as well, who has narrow, cramped aisles and not the most pleasantly arranged store, but who you also can pay as much as a third less than the typical grocery store for most given items. I’ve also been making a few trips to a store that I usually avoid like the plage, which is Wal-Mart, because while I believe their retail structure has ruined lots of small businesses and don’t like a lot of their other policies, they are cheap.

A lot of people are going back to cheaper retail shopping outlets as a means to save some money, it’s not just me, that’s for sure. Dollar General, and Dollar stores are starting to realize their profits are going up because people are going to them instead of the department stores and grocers for items that they can get there.

Try lowering the heat in your house and instead piling on the sweat shirts and undergarments to keep warm. It’s amazing what a good pair of toasty socks, some slippers, an undershirt and big comfy sweatshirt can do to keep you warm, and you’ll also enjoy a lower heating bill. Putting plastic up on the windows helps immensely as well, and if you leave the curtains or blinds open during the day on the side of the house that gets the most sunlight, you are also getting solar energy supplemented, which can help your heating bill as well.

Use your rewards credit cards like gas credit cards, airline miles credit cards and other similar reward style credit cards to make all of your purchases instead of cash. This way, as long as you are paying it off every month, you are essentially getting something for nothing (besides the many times annual fee you have to pay for cards like these), because you are getting your miles or free gas or points toward purchases for things you would buy anyways.