Most of the people who know me know that I’m frugal. That's a good thing!

This is the perfect time of year to save money, so here are a few ways to do it, painlessly:

Renovation projects

Experts agree that the best time to renovate is in the late fall or winter. That's when contractors
are a bit slower and often are looking for work. They are more likely to pass on some savings to
you.

Furniture shopping

When it comes to buying furniture and appliances, there are sales that occur during certain
times of the year. Have you noticed that there is always a Memorial Weekend Sale, plus July
4th and Veterans Day specials? And you can’t forget about Black Friday or Cyber Monday cost
cutting.

Sometimes you can save money when you apply to open a store credit card. Companies might
offer a 10% discount for cardholders. Don’t be afraid to negotiate even if they tell you they can’t
lower a price of the appliance or furniture. Instead, perhaps you can negotiate free delivery or
free pick up of your old items.

Just be careful not to open too many new credit card accounts, since you must keep track of
them all. Also, be mindful of "buy now and pay later" programs. As your grandmother probably
told you, don’t buy things if you can’t honestly afford them!

When looking for furniture or appliances, you might find just what you're looking for on eBay,
Craigslist or even Facebook Marketplace. The range of items being offered can be amazing.
Someone else's "don't want" stuff might be exactly what you are looking for!

Dining out

Suggest meeting up with friends for lunch versus dinner. That could save you quite a bit of
money, as many places have lunch specials. Dinner hours are still the busiest time for most
restaurants, even in this post-pandemic era.

Vacation savings

Everybody wants to get away. Be sure to look to all-inclusive resorts and direct flights for best
savings. You don’t want to spend 20 hours traveling when you are only staying maybe three to
five days and nights at a resort. If you are paying for an all-inclusive, it makes sense to stay
there as well and limit your excursions, right?

What you wear

Clothing may have taken more out of your budget in previous years but because of Covid, the
retail industry is definitely feeling the pinch of fewer shoppers. People are not dressing up as
much because they’re not going to the office as often.

Don’t be afraid to shop second-hand stores. I know several people who will shop at the
Salvation Army or Goodwill stores in wealthier areas and come home with some great deals.
You can also try sites such as eBay, Amazon, Poshmark or the Real Real. Plus, there’s Rent
the Runway for those special occasions.

One last March tip

Lastly, review your paper or online credit card and bank statements carefully. How many
streaming services are you paying for? Do you need them and use them all? Are you paying for
unnecessary subscriptions? Do you recognize what all those charges are? Maybe some of them
can be reduced, or cancelled.

Any streaming service costing $9.95 a month doesn't sound like a lot — but it adds up to nearly
$120 a year. That's REAL MONEY!

Here’s to saving money and feeling better about your budget for 2023!

Follow me on Instagram @logical_placement or find me on Facebook at "Logical Placement
Organizing" for weekly organizing tips.

Your local professional organizer,
Betty Huotari

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