Food, Home and Style

Saving Strategies Part 72

With unemployment in the double digits and the holiday season kicking into high gear, saving money has never been more important—or simpler. And these days, sometimes the easiest way to save money is to simply ask. Really. Here are some tricks that we are thankful for, this holiday season:

1. Short is Better!

Do you throw away half of your grande latte from Starbucks every morning? Then save money and ask the barista for a “short.” In Starbuck-speak, that’s a reasonably-sized 8-oz. cup of coffee that costs about 30 cents less. Savings: about $80 a year

2. Members Only

If you prefer to get your double-decaf latte with soy milk at the same cool café around the corner every morning, ask the hipster behind the counter if there is a “discount card.” Many such cafes—like NYC’s Joe: The Art of Coffee—do. For every 10 lattes or espressi, you get one free. Savings: about $100 a year

3. Sample Sale

If you desire that LCD Hi-Def flat-screen or a new kitchen table set this holiday season, express interest in the floor model. More than ever, sales clerks will be desperate to move inventory this season. Depending on the store, the brand, and the time of day (shop at a less busy time like mid-week and post-lunch), you might be able to save as much as couple hundred dollars.

4. A Click is As Good As Asking

The next time you’re on Amazon, check out the free MP3s they offer almost daily; you might discover a great new band or song. And there are plenty of discounts too: Just this week, the remastered version of John Lennon’s Imagine was available as an MP3 album for only $2.99; the CD costs $14 (plus shipping and handling). Savings: $14

Read the rest of this article on the LearnVest blog.

Tags: budgets, saving money, shopping