Many people find once that they are “retired” that they do not have enough money to live life the way they want. I am one and I have friends in the same boat. We worked, saved, planned retirement with a 401k, or other ways. However, things happened and the money disappeared. Sometimes we are not able to continue working even at traditional “senior” jobs. How do we survive? How can we live?
I scrimp and save money on anything I can. I do not save for a rainy day since all my days are “rainy days” now. I thought I would share some of the ways I cut corners and spend less so I can have more.
One way is through couponing. I do not mean “extreme couponing.” I just mean using coupons to save money on services, food, gas, things like that. Since I do not work, I have made these efforts “my job” now. I belong to several computer sites that offer coupons on food. My grocery store even offers digital coupons that are loaded to my loyalty card. I admit it takes time to go through everything and either clip or click to get the reward. But it does pay off. I am able to save a little on what I buy and that helps me buy a little more with the money I have budgeted for food. Sometimes, I allow myself a treat with the savings so I do not feel so deprived.
I mentioned computer sites that offer grocery coupons, but there are other sites that offer “points” that can be earned and turned into gift cards. There are sites that promote surveys or have you look at ad promotions for a product. You earn points for this. There are sites that offer points for the dollars spent on online shopping. I do not shop that often, but when I need to send something to a friend for a birthday or another special occasion, I shop through these sites. These points turn into dollars that can be turned into gift cards. Last fall I paid one month’s gas bill with gift cards earned through these sites. I enjoyed those savings tremendously.
I also use credit cards that offer points. I charge my food, gas, and other necessities with these cards. I then pay off the charged amount for these necessities from my budget. Once I get enough points, I either credit the credit card account with them or I get gift cards. A real savings is produced when I use the card to shop online through one of the point sites. A double whammy!!!
One final way that I discovered quite by accident is through my healthcare provider. They list a dozen or so things that they would like for me to have done to promote good health, i.e. bloodwork, screenings, etc. If I get a certain number done in a year I get $10 gift cards for each of that number. There are restaurant and gas cards available to choose from. I usually pick gas cards since I hate spending money on gas. But you can get restaurant gift cards, too.
Now I do not want to lead you to think that I am making real money. All I am doing is guaranteeing that occasionally I have a gift card to go out to eat, or a coupon to see a movie, or a free entry to a museum. I get to have a little of the fun that I had when I had a suitable income. It is work but I think it is worth it.
I scrimp and save money on anything I can. I do not save for a rainy day since all my days are “rainy days” now. I thought I would share some of the ways I cut corners and spend less so I can have more.
One way is through couponing. I do not mean “extreme couponing.” I just mean using coupons to save money on services, food, gas, things like that. Since I do not work, I have made these efforts “my job” now. I belong to several computer sites that offer coupons on food. My grocery store even offers digital coupons that are loaded to my loyalty card. I admit it takes time to go through everything and either clip or click to get the reward. But it does pay off. I am able to save a little on what I buy and that helps me buy a little more with the money I have budgeted for food. Sometimes, I allow myself a treat with the savings so I do not feel so deprived.
I mentioned computer sites that offer grocery coupons, but there are other sites that offer “points” that can be earned and turned into gift cards. There are sites that promote surveys or have you look at ad promotions for a product. You earn points for this. There are sites that offer points for the dollars spent on online shopping. I do not shop that often, but when I need to send something to a friend for a birthday or another special occasion, I shop through these sites. These points turn into dollars that can be turned into gift cards. Last fall I paid one month’s gas bill with gift cards earned through these sites. I enjoyed those savings tremendously.
I also use credit cards that offer points. I charge my food, gas, and other necessities with these cards. I then pay off the charged amount for these necessities from my budget. Once I get enough points, I either credit the credit card account with them or I get gift cards. A real savings is produced when I use the card to shop online through one of the point sites. A double whammy!!!
One final way that I discovered quite by accident is through my healthcare provider. They list a dozen or so things that they would like for me to have done to promote good health, i.e. bloodwork, screenings, etc. If I get a certain number done in a year I get $10 gift cards for each of that number. There are restaurant and gas cards available to choose from. I usually pick gas cards since I hate spending money on gas. But you can get restaurant gift cards, too.
Now I do not want to lead you to think that I am making real money. All I am doing is guaranteeing that occasionally I have a gift card to go out to eat, or a coupon to see a movie, or a free entry to a museum. I get to have a little of the fun that I had when I had a suitable income. It is work but I think it is worth it.
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