Pretty Easy Saving
Hi! Today I wanted to talk about one of my absolute favorite things- finding deals! My friends are always in awe of my ability to save money. I’d like to let you in on a little secret…it’s not hard at all. In this post we’ll discuss six easy ways to cut costs while still enjoying the fancier things.
I’ve been using Rakuten for years. It’s really easy to get set up, and if you sign up with a friend you can both get referral bonuses (usually around $30!). This website is used to give you cash back on things you normally do, including online and in-store shopping and dining. Lots of people know about the online part but the in-store and dining part is my secret favorite. You link your credit card and forget about it! Rakuten saves up your cash back and gives it to you via PayPal or check. You can also create a browser extension so you don’t miss any savings.
Check for apps and loyalty programs
Back in the day, only smaller restaurants and coffee shops (sometimes nail salons) would have a little punch card that you’d have to remember to bring with you to accumulate enough visits to get something free after awhile. Now, a lot of restaurants and stores have their own apps or other programs. One that I’ve enjoyed using is InKind. They’re partnered with thousands of restaurants, and you pay using their app to get huge discounts. The first time we tried it we saved $50! It doesn’t take long to sign up, and now I’m in the habit of logging onto the app every time we go out to eat to see if the restaurant is on there. Most fast food restaurants and chain stores also have some sort of app that will give you an immediate discount and then other coupons multiple times per year.
Attend loyalty events
Pay attention to the emails you get from brands, especially if you live in a big city. Often you will get invites to sample sales or other exclusive events. Here you may even score free snacks and drinks in addition to discounts on what you buy. One of my favorite brands, Aesop, has invited me to several of these events and they give out free full-size items. Therefore I save even more money by attending!
Private browsing
Switch to private browsing mode and then search google for a discount code. This will eliminate any chance that the ‘cookies’ on your usual browser are preventing you from getting the best deal.
Follow brands on social media
Lately I’ve noticed that many brands will post one-off coupon codes and deals on their social media and nowhere else. Give them a follow to see what you find! If that doesn’t work, you can also contact them via DM to see if they might have a code for you.
This one has been amazing! It’s a bit invasive, I’m not going to lie. You allow Google to basically see what you’re doing on your browsers (stroooongly suspect they’re doing this anyway) and they pay you for the privilege. You can cash out at various intervals and redeem for gift cards. I’ve made a good amount of money and I use my earnings to buy silly things on Amazon.
Have you tried any of these cost-saving measures? How did they work out for you? Let me know in the comments!
