We may not like this, but money makes the world go round. And while they will never be able to actually buy happiness, the sad truth is that they can have a huge influence over your overall quality of life.
In a world of consumerism where temptations lie at every single step, there are a lot of ways to spend your money. What are the hidden ones that “help” you spend a lot more money than you think, though? We have gathered some tips for you – so read on and find out more.
You don’t plan ahead
Planning your future purchases can have a huge impact on your overall spending. Not only do you have more time to search for the right product and the right price, but you will also avoid making purchases on the whim of a momentarily feeling.
Planning ahead gives you time to read reviews and analyze all products. It gives you time to analyze the best prices and the best places to buy a product from. It also gives you time to hunt for the best offers (such as those on Black Friday, for example).
Not planning ahead can be quite costly – mostly because it will push you into making impulse buys and because it might push you into buying something that’s just not suitable for you (not to mention something you don’t actually need).
You pay by credit card
Psychologically, we don’t perceive credit cards just as “dangerous” as wallets with actual money – but we should. They may be just tiny pieces of plastic, but the absolute truth is that they can get us into huge financial trouble. Paying by credit card is easy, it feels remorseless and it can become a very bad financial habit – so avoid doing it.
The only payments that are actually recommended to be done by credit cards are those related to your bills. Paying these with the credit card and closing it in full every month can actually have a beneficial effect on your credit score, instead of simply lowering your credibility.
You don’t inform yourself
It may sound unbelievable, but not everything that’s advertised on discount is actually cheaper. It all depends on each store’s policy and on how they deal with products that should be sold, but, in the end, the safest way to know for sure if a product is actually cheaper in one place is by analyzing the prices it shows over a longer period of time, in multiple places.
Those strawberries advertised as being on discount? Think twice before grabbing them. See what prices are practiced in other stores and try to jot down what prices are practiced in the same store over a certain period of time. It may all be just a trick to convince you to buy strawberries that are not cheaper in any way.
This doesn’t sound like a big deal – but the truth is that it can cost you a lot in the long run! Be informed, keep “tabs” on your local supermarkets and make smart purchases!