6 Tips to Help You Save Money

Thanksgiving is almost here, and so is our favorite shopping day: Black Friday. We’ve created 6 easy tips to help you save some cash so you can make sure you’ve got enough in the bank to spend on those amazing deals:

1. Cash Only – Credit cards can be your best friend – or not. Try not to use your credit card for a week. You’ll know when you’re spending too much because your wallet will start to shrink.
2. Don’t spend too much on one clothing – Planning to get that perfect pair of jeans and brand-named polo shirt? Nowadays we have all these clothing stores like H&M and Old Navy that can provide you affordable yet stylish clothes. Mix and Match could be fun and people can never tell what the difference is.
3. Do your research before eat out – Before having a meal out with friends, just do some research. You can always find some great deals and serious discounts that can help you save a lot. Check out Groupon, Restaurant.com, Foursquare and other coupon sources to find the best deal. You can also look into happy hour pricing if you eat a little earlier than you’re used to.
4. Translate prices into hours worked – Break down your salary into an hourly rate. Next time when you go shopping, you will be able to decide if that t-shirt is really worth five hours of pay.
5. Keep record – Start jotting down (or saving receipts) for every expense you make in a day. This will help you find out where exactly your money is going, and you can examine whether or not you are spending wisely. Many people check online banking in a regular basis, but when you do it by hand you will have a clearer idea where your money goes.
6. Shop where the deals are – Check your mailbox and go through that pile of discount deals! You might find some surprises and big savings on grocery shopping. Also club warehouses like Costco are always full of great low-cost finds.

With any luck, if you hold fast to your budget and cut costs where possible, you’ll be ready for a crazy holiday shopping season.