Making our money go further is something that most of us need to do, whether it is because rising prices are putting a squeeze on our wages, or because we want to save for an important occasion. In either case, there are generally two solutions. The first is to make more money, whilst the second is to spend less. Some people will argue that making more or saving more is the better option. However, the reality is that the ideal solution combines both together. 

Here is a look at some of the ways you can save your hard-earned cash. 

Don’t Need it? Don’t Buy it!

It may seem simple, or even a little condescending, but for many people saving large quantities of money can be achieved by just buying less. Whether it be new clothes, a new car, the latest electronic gadgets, or an expensive night out. Most of the time we already have the things that we need, but still spend money to “upgrade” anyway. To save a lot of money, try holding on to your phone for another year, drive your car for a couple more years, host a dinner party at home instead of going to a restaurant, and wear your clothes a few more times before buying new ones. 

Use Comparison Services

In the past, the only practical way to compare prices from different service providers was to make any enquiry and request a quote. This can be very time consuming, making it unlikely you’ll be able to explore much of the market. For example, if you are comparing insurance quotes for your car, there are hundreds of different companies and the questionnaires to get a quote are very long. However, thanks to the internet we’re able to compare all of these companies in one go by using price comparison services. Comparison services exist for many different services and industries, including utilities, mobile phone contracts, bank accounts and even on odds for sporting events (both the team/athlete that is most likely to win and also which company offers the best odds). 

Make the Most of Loyalty Schemes

Loyalty schemes have been around for years, with the first modern loyalty programme launching in 1981. However, less high tech versions have been around for many more decades. Loyalty schemes are exactly what their name suggests; they are schemes that are designed to encourage loyalty amongst customers, usually by providing points on each purchase. These points can then later be converted into either money off vouchers or can be used to buy products from a rewards store. Examples of loyalty schemes can be seen literally everywhere, in almost every country. As well as the typical high street retailers, loyalty programmes are run by restaurants like TGIFridays, online giants eBay and Amazon, and even iGaming companies like PokerStars.

Second-Hand Gadgets Are Cheaper

Technology and devices are inevitably part of modern living, so buying them can’t be helped. This doesn’t necessarily mean getting state-of-the-art stuff that costs thousands of dollars. Second-hand gadgets are cheaper, and it’s easy to procure them. In fact, it is encouraged to look into secondhand laptops, mobile phones, desktop computers, tablets, and other gadgets because reusing them is better for the environment. Furthermore, most refurbished gadgets have a lot of years of use left in them.

Bulk Buy

Many people make regular trips to wholesalers like Costco with the plan to stock up on products in the hopes of getting a discount. Whilst bulk purchasing to benefit from “economies of scale” is a great way to save money, this may not always be the best way. Bulk purchase products you won’t consume more of just because they’re in the house, for example, if you really like drinking cola, don’t bulk buy cans of it as you’ll just drink it faster and negate any savings. Instead, non-perishable items like dried pasta, toothpaste and tinned foods are great things to buy in bulk. 

You don’t have to go to a wholesaler either. The best way is to wait until the product you want is on sale in a supermarket, and then buy it in large quantities. This can also be a great way to make a greater return on your money than in a bank. For example, if the toothpaste that you buy is normally $2 per tube, but is on sale for $1.50 it is currently 25% less than its usual price. So buying enough to last for a year will save you a significant chunk of money, since your bank won’t pay 25% interest on your savings. 

There are many ways that we can save money to help make our wages go further, from using comparison services, to buying in bulk. These are simple, easy to implement techniques that could add up to big savings when combined together.