Ways to Save Money and Feel Richer

I realize that right now we're in the throes of some very tough economic times. This is worst recession we've seen since the Great Depression of 1929. However, just because times are tough it's not the end of the world. Keep in mind that regardless how bad things are right now, we here in the USA are still better off than the great majority of the world.

Here are some sobering facts to keep in mind the next time you feel like you have "no money" and are living in poverty:

Nearly half of the world (over 3 billion people) is living on less than $2.50 per day.

660 million people live on less than $2.00 per day.

More than 385 million people live on less than $1.00 per day.

Again, these figures are worldwide poverty rates. So, as you can see it's this author's opinion that we here in the USA, no matter how we feel like we're "struggling" are definitely doing better than the majority of the world.

Now with that said, I have some easy ways to stretch your dollars further. I even have ways for you to feel less like you're "struggling" and more like you're living. I truly believe if you feel and act rich, then eventually you will be rewarded with the actual means to live they way you've been "imagining." So, it's important to behave and act like you have all the money you want, even if you don't.

If you walk around constantly saying you can't afford something, then you never will. So, I'm going to give you some ways to start affording things. This should help curb that feeling to say "No, I can't because I don't have the money."

My first suggestion is for you to purchase the Entertainment Book. These books generally come out every August and are good until the following November. Meaning if you buy a book in August of 2009, the coupons in the book will be good until November 2010. The books are sold at many non-profit locations, but I like to buy the book online. If you sign-up to get email ads from companies like Mypoints. Com or Send Earnings, and fill out your profile, you'll eventually get ads from the Entertainment Book. One year I got the book in October (over a year before it was going to expire) for only $20.00 and since I purchased it through Send Earnings I also received rebate of $8.00. This made the net cost of the book only $12.00.

For those of you unfamiliar with the Entertainment Book it's a book of coupons. There are coupons for everything from fine dining to casual dining to take-out food, and coupons for car rentals, hotels, shopping and more. The dining coupons generally are buy an entrée get one for free. The other coupons give you discounts that range anywhere from 5% to 25% off the specified service or activity. Not only is this a great way to save some money, but it's a great way to try something new without having to pay the full price.

Want to know a great way to stretch your grocery dollars? It's through a program called Angel Food Ministries. No, you don't have to join a religion or a "cult" nor do you even have to prove "need." All you have to do is visit their website, and in most places you can now place your food order online. The food they sell is **real**food. Not "government cheese," not generic food that looks like dog food, but *real* food. There's chicken, steak, ribs, frozen vegetables, rice and more. You can feed a family of four for approximately one week for ONLY about $30.00. The only "catch" is you have to order the food in advance. The cut-off dates vary, but it's usually sometime between the 10^th and 15^th of the month. You would then go to the distribution center toward the end of the month, usually around the 25^th or 27^th to pick-up your order. You also need to bring your own bags and/or boxes to package your order. This program is located throughout the USA. People from all walks of life use this service, so take advantage of it, and don't let the low cost fool you.

You've been working hard and you want to get a new outfit or perhaps the kids are bugging you for som new clothes. However, your budget is telling you that you don't have $100 to spend on a new dress or $200 to buy the kids new clothes. No worries. Located throughout the USA is a store that carries all new merchandise, and it'scalled Susie's Deals. This store is a treasure trove of clothing for women including sizes for misses, plus-sizes, and juniors. The store also carries clothing for men, boys, and children. There is something here for everyone, and there's NOTHING in the store priced over $5.99. I'll even let you in on a little secret, many of the items carried here are found at your local big discount stores. You know the stores that have names that start with a "W," a "T" and a "K." Granted not everything comes from these stores, but there are quite a few items that do.

Another great way to save money is by shopping online. Yes, it's true you won't get the immediate gratification of brining the item home and using it right away. But if you can save 10% to 50% off the price, isn't that short wait worth it? Also when you are shopping online you'll usually see a box on the order page that says "discount code" or "promo code." Before you finish your order, open up another window in your browser and do a search on the Net for a promo or discount code. It's really easy. Start by going to a search engine like Google or Yahoo. Next, key in the words "promo codes XXXX" (replace the x's with the name of the store you're shopping). If there are any discounts or promos being offered this search should yield this information.

There are some other painless ways to save money, like always using coupons when you do shop at the grocery store. You work hard for your money, so why should you pay more for an item than absolutely necessary.

Surf the net and find blogs that deal with saving money. These blogs will give you some money saving tips and usually will have links to current specials being offered by different merchants. Here are a few blogs to get you started:

Discount Queen's Blog

Pat Veretto's Frugal Living Blog

Save Money the Frugal Way

Another way to find blogs on the topic you're searching for is to go to sites that basically only list blogs. Here are a few you might find helpful:

Blog Catalog

Blog Top Sites

Wordpress.Com

I hope these tips will help you stretch your budget further, and help you feel more rich than poor. Remember, your state of wealth all starts in your mind. If you don't feel rich, you'll never become rich.

Sources:
http://www.globalissues.org/article/26/poverty-facts-and-stats