Learn to Wait

   Welcome, 1070 WINA Listeners and thank you, Wendy Edwards for having me on your show this morning. Those of you that were not able to tune in I didn’t want to leave you out. The thing about saving money is it is a choice. It is really a choice you have to make. You have to decide that you want to save money. I say that I am a spender and I am. I just spend my money in a different way then you do. I empty my checking account each month and I spend every cent. I spend it on saving for something special or I pay more towards our children’s college fund. The point is I spend it on a future need. It is true I use a lot of coupons, coupon codes, and patience. I have learned to wait. I have learned to do research on big and sometimes small purchases to get the best deal.

I am not someone who goes without in fact I was featured in All You Magazine for being their strategic splurge. I bought Deborah Frye  boots that were over $600 but I got the 25% and I paid cash after saving for them. I believe that sometime you have to wait to get what you want. That will help you determine if you really need something and it will help you get the best deal. I am not an extreme coupon shopper. I am in fact an extremely normal coupon shopper. You can read our whole series about how to be an extremely normal coupon shopper. I only buy things I need if they have a coupon awesome if not I follow the sales cycle. I just know what a good price is.

These are my top tips for saving

1) Set up an email account for offers

2) Sign up for my Madame Deals Newsletters <—

3)  Sign up for outright.com it is free and you will now have an accounting system for your spending that sends you weekly reports

4)  Look for coupon codes in your emails before your go shopping or even while you are at the restaurant, beauty salon, grocery store. I am telling you everyone has a coupon and if they do not see if they match their competitors be informed.

5) Set a goal. I mean it pick out something you want to buy or pay off. Then ask yourself every time you buy something is this something I need or is it a want? Is it getting me closer to getting the item I am saving for or paying off sooner.

6) Learn to wait. You need time to decide if you really need the item. Is this the cheapest you can get it for? Can you do without it? Is there a better option? We are waiting to buy a new grill because when season is done they are between 55%- 70% off.

7) Reward yourself by saving for a rainy day. It can be $10 or $100 a month but put something away.

8) Keep a list of what you want to buy and one of what you need to buy. You can do this on your smart phone.

9) Be brave and do not fall for advertising … if you didn’t have it before do you need it now. You need to learn to ask the questions that do not always allow you to make purchasing decisions.

10) Do something nice for someone else it will make you feel better than buying that item you do not need. I have a list of 100 things you can do for free to help someone else.

You can see real deals all the time from our readers at Real Deals

This is what I consider financial success.