Three Ways to Leverage Technology to Save Money while Shopping

Fancy smart phones might cost more than wireless phones without enhanced capabilities, but they can also help you save a lot of money when you go shopping. Today’s smart phones offer a ton of apps that can turn you into a savvier consumer by finding the best deals on the products and services that you buy. These three ways to leverage technology to save money while shopping will help you find ways to afford the nicer things in life:

Use Group Buying Sites

Many group buying sites offer daily deals that can help you save a ton of cash on goods and services from local businesses. Some of the deals offer as much as 90 percent off retail prices. To take advantage of the best deals, though, you need to check the sites daily. A smart phone makes it easy for you to check daily deals on the go.

To save the most money, sign up for group buying deals from these and other companies:

●      Parents Deals

●      Groupon

●      Living Social

●      Tippr

●      BuyWithMe

Compare Deals With Your Phone

Your smart phone can also help you find the best local deals on products that you want to buy. For instance, if you are shopping one day and you find that a store is selling new televisions at discounted prices, then you can use certain apps to determine whether it is really the best deal in town. By comparing prices before you buy, you could save hundreds of dollars on major purchases.

Find Exclusive Deals by Checking in

Social networking sites such as Foursquare can give you access to exclusive deals when you “check in” to local businesses. For instance, you might qualify for a free cup of coffee if you are one of the first people that day to check in at your neighborhood caf�. You might also get special deals for checking in more often than other people.

Foursquare and similar apps also let you see deals within your vicinity. When you check in at a local lunch spot, you might find that a deli down the road has a better deal that day. This can help you save money on every purchase that you make by finding the best deal near you.

Leveraging technology to save money while shopping has become more popular in recent years. As this trend continues, you might find even more ways to save money. What are some of the best ways that you have used technology to spend less without depriving yourself?

Save Money on Groceries–7 Quick Tips

Groceries for our families and ourselves are a big money item in our weekly and monthly budgets.  We all need to eat.  In addition, good nutrition is a prerequisite for good health, so cutting back on nutrition in the name of saving money is penny wise and pound foolish. Yet most families can save $20 to $50 per week on their grocery bill by using a few simple tips.

  1. Plan your meals for a week ahead. Use the weekly sales circulars from the grocery stores in your area to create menus based on what is on sale.
  2. Create a grocery list. Use the menus and sales circulars to create a complete and specific list.  Note on the list which store the item is on sale and the sale price.
  3. Inventory your pantry. Eliminate unnecessary duplications by reviewing all the ingredients in your weekly menu and noting which items you already have in your pantry.  An accurate inventory not only eliminates duplications, but lets you take advantage of sales of staple items like flour, sugar, eggs, baking powder, etc.
  4. Surf for coupons. You have your menu and your grocery list, before your head out to the supermarkets, surf the net for coupons that fit your list. There are dozens of coupon sites on the internet, but here are three to get you started: Coupons.com, couponCabin.com, and CouponMom.com.
  5. Stock up. When highly used items such as cereal, chips, bread, etc., go on sale.  Stock up.  If you don’t have a freezer, buy one.  It will save you money in the end.
  6. Avoid Processed Foods. If it all possible, cook from scratch.  Processed foods  are costly and provide less nutrition for your grocery dollar.  Buy potatoes not tater tots.
  7. Celebrate Your Savings. Success breeds success.  Write down how much you save each week.  Add it up.  Put the total on the refrigerator.  Once you recognize how much you are saving, you’ll want to save even more.

With these seven tips, you can begin saving money this week.

Supermarket Savings With Coupons

You might be very surprised to find that your local supermarket can save you money. Many people shop store to store to get the best deals. There is nothing wrong with this approach but it is certainly not the only way to save a penny. Many of the local supermarkets offer discounts for people who sign up to their mailing lists or membership lists. These people will save a decent amount of money on every day items. In addition, you can use coupons on top of your membership savings. This can really prove a significant savings on your grocery bill.

Taking full advantage of these discount membership cards, combined with your coupons, will provide shoppers with even more savings when buying in bulk when the prices are low. These items can be put in the freezer or the cupboard and stored away for future use. This does not mean you have to continue to eat the same food over and over because you have a lot of it. Most meats will freeze for a good amount of time, as will fruits and vegetables if you pack them properly. In addition, consider sharing the cost with a family member, neighbor, or friend. When you calculate the breakdown of the price per unit, you will find you are saving a significant amount of money by buying several of the same products at one time.

Choosing to use coupons in conjunction with sales or membership cards is the best way to maximize your money and get quality products your family likes. Do not let the large amounts of product deter you from purchasing in bulk either. Purchasing in this manner is a great money saving technique that will benefit everyone. Money savings in groceries is a matter of decent planning and a little bit of working to get the deals.