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Frugality

How Frugality Super Powers Doubled My Savings

April 14, 2017
By Brock Kernin
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doubling savings, savings advice, saving tips

It doesn’t bother me when people poke fun at my frugal ways. I know for a fact that I get more for my money than most because of them. For example, my friends give me a hard time about always searching online for coupons on my phone. I also notice people shaking their heads as I use the calculator on my phone to add up all my purchases while shopping. I never enter the checkout lane unless I know how much my bill is going to be.  These two habits combined give me frugality super powers and recently saved me some extra cash.

My wife and I were shopping at a party supply store for an event we are hosting. Before entering the checkout lane, I searched the internet for a coupon and found one:

  • $10 off a purchase of at least $50
  • $15 off a purchase of at least $75
  • $20 off a purchase of at least $100

“How much does our stuff add up to?” my wife asked.

“About $280” I replied.

“Sweet, we’ll get $20 just like that!” she explained as she snapped her fingers.

“We’re going to get more than that,” I stated, “Go get another cart.”

I transferred just over $100 worth of items into the second card, and put some back on the shelves as well. I then found the same coupon on her phone and headed for the cash register. My wife and I both bought enough products to kick us over the $100 threshold to save $20.

By breaking our purchase into two separate transactions, we were able to save an extra $20.

People may make fun of my frugality superpowers, but they definitely save me money. Searching online I found a coupon that I could use to save money.

By adding up my purchase as I go through the store, I knew how much my items added up to, and recognized a way to put that coupon to full use. People may laugh at my methods, but nobody would laugh about having an extra $20 in their pocket.

How about you, Clever Friends, do you have a frugal habit that your friends poke fun at your for? Have they ever started doing the exact same thing once they realize how well it works?

For more personal finance tips check out these links:

Make sure you do these 5 Things On Your Loan Application
Is The National Consumer Panel Worth Your Effort?
What is Blue Apron?
How To Save On Your Water Bill If You Have A Pool
Keg vs Canned: Which is cheaper?

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About Brock Kernin

Brock is a software engineer by day and personal finance blogger at night. He is a fitness junkie and enjoys grilling and smoking meat. Married with two children,  Brock strives to improve his skills as a husband and father, and is always on the lookout to stretch his family’s budget as far as he can.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Adriana @MoneyJourney says

    April 18, 2017 at 2:42 pm

    I used to feel weird about taking out my coupons when grocery shopping or stuff like that, but after a while I realized I shouldn’t care what strangers think of my “frugal methods”.

    Also, I do have a weird frugal habit. Whenever my other half and I eat out, I almost never buy anything to drink. Or if I do, I buy plain water.

    I’m sure many think it’s because I don’t want to spend money on drinks, but the real reason is… I really want to avoid looking for a bathroom! Especially if after dinner we go see a movie!

    Reply

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