12 Ways to Save Money on Everyday Things - Hopeful Perfectionist (2023)

There are many people who believe that living in New York is outrageously expensive. Well, it all depends on how you choose to live.

If you are careless and don't do your research...yes, this city is very expensive. But after being in this city for 7 years, I started to learn the tricks of being in New York but also being a recessionist.

1. COUPON CLIP.This is a fairly new trend for me. I've been getting a lot of emails from David Bach (financial guru) about the crazy women all over North America who clip coupons and get so many things practically for free.

Well, I took the articles very lightly. While at Target, I picked up some of the frozen pizzas by the slice (since they're easier to bring to work). I open it and find that if I submit the UPC along with my receipt and information form, I can get another free pizza.

I bought two... so I get two more slices for free. That means I only spent a total of 99 cents per month. slice.

I clipped coupons from the Sunday paper and then flipped through the flyers to find that not only can I get free Carefree panty liners that week... I have 5 coupons so I get 5 free packs. Tylenol heating pads...on sale for $5 this week...with the $5 coupon...all 5 boxes are free. Finesse shampoo...on sale, buy one get one free. I have $1 coupons for each bottle. Oh, and I get $2 off every product I buy. So I have $10 coming back to me.

Mail-in Rebates... I have a couple of them and already have a coupon for the product. Add Up-Rewards at Rite Aid... and it's like I got paid to shop.

It is very strange how the coupons buzz from left to right. But hey, that's what extreme coupons will do. The funny thing is... I'm just getting started on this couponing adventure... I haven't even gone super extreme yet.

I decided to remove the things I don't want. If I can get it for free... I can donate it to the community kitchen to distribute to the less fortunate.

Also, be sure to check with your local grocery stores to see if and when they allow double or triple coupons (up to 99 cents). That way you can save even more money on your purchases.

2. TAKE ADVANTAGE OF PROMOTIONS.Social media is starting to become a big thing for retailers. I wasn't originally supposed to go to Las Vegas for the NHL Awards. I had just finished talking to one of the guys from the NHL office about waiving this year's awards.

I went back to my office and saw that Orbitz had just tweeted that if you are the next 10 people to book at an MGM Resort, the plane was on them. So I booked... and got my free flight.

What's also nice is that they used my preferred airline, Continental, to book the trip, which means I'll earn miles after I fly to Las Vegas. I can even upgrade to first class (how about apples?).

The total cost of going to Vegas is usually around $800 or more for me. Now it's $200 for both the hotel and the flight (and I'm not staying in a cheap motel).

It's always best to follow retailers like Orbitz or Orbitz Gnome on Twitter and Facebook. They distribute offers on hotels, flights, etc. continually. It worked for me. I have a free flight to Las Vegas.

I also got Rebecca Minkoff tickets to her fashion show, a Minkoff outfit, and free lunches at Fresh & Co. (they love me there). Let's not forget to grab a Valentino dress for $2 on The Outnet.

They publish it... so why not take advantage of the freebies that retailers and businesses provide?

3. RECYCLING HAS ITS REWARDS.So the princess (aka Surita) has been getting her fancy Fancy Feast meals for free lately. As? A precious thing calledrecycling bank. By clicking on links, taking challenges, recycling different products (like my Blackberry), I get points. I can use these points to get coupons for free cat food (and various other things).

I prefer to use my points for cat food because I wouldn't buy Surita those Fancy Feast meals unless they were giving them away for free… oh wait… they are.

She's a happy cat thanks to these RecycleBank points.

They also have ways to get $10 off $50 at Macy's, etc. There are so many coupons and gift cards that can be used. All you have to do is collect the points. [They also make it fun and educational.]

4. CASH RETURN FOR PURCHASES.How would you like to buy and get some of the money back?Ebates.comlets you earn some of that money back by shopping through its links (where you can also find coupons for select retailers throughout the site).

I recently used them to get 5% back on my Flip Cam purchase. Those babies aren't cheap. I found a $10 coupon online and $225 later I'm still getting 5% back on my (cash) purchase. That might not sound like much, but when you've shopped and shopped and shopped through links at the places you'd normally shop online (Best Buy, Target, etc.), it all adds up.

Plus, when you refer friends, it's like getting an extra $10 in CASH.

For example, if a blogger refers up to 425 people, they will receive $5,000. Not bad in this recession just to recommend a site, eh? But to make it easier for others, just 10 referrals will get you a $100 gift card to the retailer of your choice. Not bad, right? So recessionists and recessionists... start referring (and using the services).

He had heard about Ebates on the radio. Just a cool way to get some of your money back when you shop and earn some extra cash.

5. TAKE ADVANTAGE OF INTERNET COUPONS.All weekend I was saying... I think my good friend's birthday is on Monday. Monday morning I was told that my intuition was correct... his birthday was on Monday.

I'm always the worst trying to find the right gift for a good friend and end up giving crappy gifts. Well, not this time.

Thanks toGiltCity.comI found not just one perfect gift for my friend, but two gifts. For $100 I ordered a gift card to Fresh. My friend can get a facial and fresh produce worth $125. It was a $250 value that I picked up for $100.

I also ordered a Milk and Honey manicure/pedicure for her at Blush Nail Lounge.

Considering my friend is stuck with so much stuff at home (and trying to declutter), these two spa gifts plus $125 worth of fresh beauty products (a line she loves and always gives away) are the perfect birthday gift. perfect emergency for a good friend.

This week I head to Justin Timberlake's Southern Hospitality to fill up on beer and ribs. I only paid $30 for the coupon. For all you can drink beer and ribs... it's a pretty good deal.

Throw in $7 movie tickets (compared to $13) and I'm all set. I heard Thor was a pretty popular product last weekend. 😉

The Prudential Center has also joined them in offering discounted "experiences." They really liked these Groupon type places.

What better way to get a great experience (and great freebies) at a fraction of the cost of an exciting New York City experience.

6. TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE OPPORTUNITY.Ok...so it seems I've been a little on the lucky side lately. I've won 5 star hotel stays in New York, free airfare, free NHL stuff, free this, free that... the list goes on and on.

But do you know why I win? Because I take risks and just enter contests and take advantage of promotions. What do you have to lose, right? Well, apparently I keep winning things left and right (I'm on a serious streak right now). I don't expect to win things. I just go in and say, "I'm going to win this." And lo and behold... I win it.

Of course, I think this has more to do with my good karma than anything else. 😉

7. SIGN UP TO RECEIVE REWARDS CARDS.It doesn't hurt to sign up for a bonus card at your local grocery store, pharmacy, etc.

Recently, after all my Vera Bradley gift shopping, candle shopping, and stationery shopping at Hallmark, I finally got a $6 gift card to use. It took almost a decade! But then again... I didn't start using the card much until last year.

KMart has a shopping rewards card. They are also connected to Land's End, Sears, etc. One card does it all. It is free to register. It's also worth all the discounts that come from the card.

The Target debit card (so you can track how much money you spend in-store) saves you 5% every time you use the card in-store and online.

If you're a frequent Target shopper like me, this allows you to monitor how much you're spending as well as save 5% on your order. [Since my Target also sells groceries, the 5% discount could have added another $30 off my order (plus all the coupons I used).] Every penny counts.

Some drugstores like CVS and Rite Aid have UP Rewards where you can earn extra dollar rewards for the next time you shop. Luckily, these UP rewards are during sale weeks and you can get bonus dollars. If you play your cards right, one shopping spree, along with all the coupons you used, can earn you up to $50 in UP Rewards to spend on your next shopping spree. Which is nice... you can spend these rewards on almost anything.

For Shoprite, I have the card linked to my Continental miles account, which means that after a certain amount, I can earn miles with my Shoprite rewards card plus all store discounts.

Then again... I'd be crazy if I went to the grocery store and didn't have a rewards card for that store. Most of these sales prices are actually for rewards members.

You must also register your card online for additional savings. At Food Emporium you can add online coupons to your savings card. No need to print coupons, just print the shopping list and bring it to the store. The amount you save is shown next to the shopping list. Just be sure to bring one of your bonus coupons to apply to your purchase as well. Coupons that you have linked to your card are automatically deducted from your receipt.

8. BUY SAMPLE SALES PAGES.I can't stress enough how important it is to act on examples of sales points. All the "refer a friend" stuff can give you credits to buy anything you want on the site. Sometimes I save the credits and use them at Christmas. The one-year credits pretty much cover your entire shopping list.

What I also like about Gilt City is that when you refer a friend, you get 20% off your next Gilt City order. $10 credit for sample points of sale.

You can get good deals on delicious, qualitative (and designer) clothes with up to 85% discount. It is far better than what you can do in the store. Trust me.

9. Yard/garage sale.Someone else's trash can be someone else's treasure. Now it's spring and that means lots of garage sales.

Last summer I found vintage jars (with flip tops and glass lids) for $1 each. Online, they cost $10.99 each. To get the kind I bought... try $35 each.

I also got a beautiful glass bowl for $3 (great for large floral arrangements) and a large glass tray for $2.

I found Asian decorative pieces for $8 and a Cheer Bear Care Bear for 50 cents.

Why spend an arm and a leg on the things you need for your home when you can probably pick them up at a repair shop for next to nothing?

The general rule of thumb for garage sales… only buy what you know you will love. Everything I have collected are things that I love and use. Don't fill your house with nonsense. Make sure you buy things that you legitimately need. These mason jars are used every day. I love them. You can't find this style anywhere (and so eco-friendly).

The teddy bear was a childhood relic that I own and look at every day. Asian accent pieces work well in my home. That vase... I use it all the time. It is a vital part of my living room. Unifies the entire room.

Buy what you will use and appreciate. If you pick up just because it's cheap, you'll have to have your own yard sale to get rid of it.

10. Don't overdo it.The key to being a successful recessionist is to increase the things you can use, and only those things. Don't overdo it.

Lately I've been cleaning up my house. The rules are 1) if I don't love him, he's gone, 2) if he's homeless, he's gone.

The thing about cleaning a house is that too much can be overwhelming. If you want a happy home, keep it free of obstacles.

I know some people do one item in, one item out. It doesn't work for me. I have collected books for a long time and built both my book library and my DVD library. I don't have cable and once in a while I like to sit down and watch a movie or let a cartoon lull me to sleep at night.

I switch to the library book sale and only buy books in June at Barnes & Noble when they have their annual book sale.

But lately I am facing the dilemma of too many books and not enough bookshelves. You should have the right storage, drawers, baskets and shelves to store your goods. As I am still renovating my office, new bookshelves are being ordered to house my huge collection of classic books. What happens? Fashion magazines and books that I've read and don't want to keep. They go to the library to be archived or resold. Trust me, they will all find a new home.

Being green, I don't have the heart to buy a Nook or other reader. I just can't see them surviving the apocalypse (insert laugh here). To tell the truth... it's easier to take a book to another country than it is to take an e-reader to another country. Sometimes it's better to stay simplistic than to move with technology. I also like to turn the pages, hold the book in my hands and smell the pages. This is what makes books so valuable to me.

The point is...if you love it...keep it with your collection. But store it properly so it lasts a lifetime. Do not overwrap items (such as toilet paper, soap, etc.) unless you can store them properly. I have a cupboard reserved for all the extra soap etc that I bought on sale.

There is nothing wrong with collecting the things you need. Just don't overdo it. Make sure you have room for it or a place for overhead storage. If you don't... you've overstepped. Just cut back on buying that product until you've made a serious dent in it.

When it comes to food, I consume canned tomatoes, beans, rice, ketchup, mustard, frozen vegetables and salad dressings. But be careful. Some of these items have expiration dates on them. It is best to stick to canned and dry goods in these cases.

I have shelves for these surpluses. I never overdo it. It shows that I keep my kitchen stocked with the essentials at all times (ketchup is the most used item, which means when ketchup is on sale, I get the volume).

Always have plenty of water on hand because the number one thing most homes need in an emergency (like a tornado or flood) is water (because clean water is often in short supply). It is also better to increase the volume of batteries for flashlights as well.

Be sure to keep a survival chest handy for those in emergencies. In this time you will end up using it.

11. Bring your own bags.When I started shopping at Target on a monthly basis, people kept following me because I was carrying a huge bag (or suitcase). I finally started bringing my $400 Just Cavalli bag to tell them… I have money, so stop following me around like I'm stealing!

What I have in the big bags are extra bags to carry my shopping home. When I do, they give me a credit of 5 cents per bag. Even though I end up taking a few bags, they still take 0.25 off my bill for bringing my own bags.

Getting back to the mess... it has taken me 2 years to get rid of all the plastic bags I have stored at home. That's a lot of plastic bags I've tried to recycle!

Many stores accept customers who bring their own bag. If you add up how many times you bring your own bags, I'm sure it will save you a lot more money on your bill a year from now.

You can also recycle your plastic bags (including sandwich bags, Ziploc bags, etc.) at Target and many local grocery stores. Ziploc gives you RecycleBank points when you buy their products and recycle them. More incentive to buy Ziploc and recycle! To me... it's free cat food! 😉

12. Dollar stores are your best friend.When I first moved into the apartment I live in now, I had to cut back a lot for the first few months until I could fully furnish the 2 bedroom apartment. I went from a shared apartment (for the first 6 months after moving to New York) to my own place.

Jack's 99 cent stores filled my fridge for a long time. I had to learn how to cook with different ingredients based on what was in the store that month. But it was a good thing, because I learned to create new dishes.

The dollar tree is also great for Christmas items (especially if you start with ZERO Christmas items to decorate). I loved buying plates and dishes for them. They are cute and last a long time. You can't go wrong when they're all $1 each.

Don't let a dollar store scare you. They have been my lifeline for years. Dollar General stores are still one of my favorite places to shop. There are many cool things. I still have soup bowls, margarita glasses, coffee mugs, etc. that I got from them...all for $1.

My millionaire aunt taught me that just because you got it at the Dollar Store doesn't mean other people have to know you got it from them. Just buy quality and expensive items. No one will know. 😉