Ten hints how to save some cash in Toronto

Being in real estate in Toronto business is a great responsibility - my relation with client is complex. That’s the reason why we have written this article!
Do you find it hard to keep up in these difficult times of financial crisis? 
Would you like to spend less?
Put your worries aside: without handy list of 10 common dollar-gluttons, you too can stop overspending on every day expenses.

1) Grocery shopping

Two rules: do not shop on empty stomach and stick to your shopping list. That way you shopping for what you need and not for the products with the most expensive advertisement. Since goods come in variety of sizes, look for the price per ounce or pint. You might notice that you always find the most expensive stock right in front of your eyes, while the cheaper alternative (private label or store brands) would be located right at the bottom of the shelf.
Why would anyone willingly want to overspend on items that taste the very same, whether they cost $1.99 or $4.99?
But be careful: buying something only because it is cheap is foolish. Only buy what you previously put on your shopping list.                                                           

2) Bottled water

Is bottled water really necessary?By filtering your tap water you save both money and you also help the environment.  Can you imagine the amount of the plastic bottles you leave behind every year?                                            

3) Coffee

Can’t live without your coffee? Most people can’t.But do you really need to stop by at your favourite coffee shop every morning?  Why not make your favourite drink yourself: you can get a coffee pot for about $10.     Learn to make coffee yourself and save a lot.                                                           

4) Snacks

Snacks are important for those long periods between main meals.
Have you tried munching on fruits and vegetables instead of buying your favourite chocolate or protein bar?  Getting slimmer is just another side effect.            

5) Movies & Cable

A movie night at the cinema for a couple can be as much as $30, if you include popcorn and babysitter.  For a fraction of that cost ($9 per month for unlimited view) you can watch movies on Netflix.                                                            
But when you do finally sit down and watch TV, do you go through all the channels you have available? As with anything, try to avoid paying for something you have no use for. If possible, pick those channels your family regularly watches and away with the rest.                                                           

6) Music

Are CDs still the #1 medium for you? Why don’t you get your favourite tunes at Amazon or iTunes, where you pay per song, so that you can download only those you really like for under $1 per song.                                                            

7) Phone

While some people may be able to live without a cell phone quite happily, most of us can’t either for personal or professional reasons. But having a cell phone doesn’t have to be a burden. Don’t stay with your cell network provider only because of loyalty. If you find a better plan with another company, go for it. Also consider pay as you go.                                                           

Smoking

If you need your nicotine fix every day, your habit has cost you huge amount of money over the years. Switching to rolling tobacco might change that. You might need a few days before you master rolling your cigarette, but the saving effect (as much as 50% in many countries) will be astonishing.    Learning rolling cigarette properly might take you around a week of practise, but the reward is awesome. You will be able to save as much as 50% of what you are paying now!                                                           

9) Petrol

If you cannot give up your car altogether, it is still possible to save. Because the cost of petrol differs significantly, you should look up the prices of petrol online before you make the purchase. What you save might not be a lot the first time, but over the years it is worth it.                                                               

10) Credit cards

Credit card interest and fees are a killer of any budget, if you can’t repay your credit card spendings on time, which you probably know very well. Closing your credit card accounts except for one left for emergencies is the way forward. If you stick to paying cash, you will never pay the interest again or the late charges. You will also not spend more than you have, which is really the only way to go.

Technorati Tags: Canada, Finance, hints, money, real estate, save, tips

Tags: Canada, Finance, hints, money, real estate, save, tips