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We all know cash is hard to come buy, so it's important that we have enough to pay our bills, yet be able splurge a little to pamper ourselves. In this consumer age, there are so many products and services begging for us to purchase them that we usually do, without thinking about whether we really need them. And when we do purchase them, we may be paying more than we actually need to.
The current sharp inflation makes things worse, with everyday household goods' prices increasing by as much as 5.2 per cent.
These 20 unexpected ways will help you save more money, depending on your lifestyle. You'll be surprised at the little things that count.
From finance-related payments such as insurance premiums and credit card interest fees to daily life items such as toiletries and food, here are 20 ways you may be getting ripped off without knowing it.
Some of them are:
Travel-sized toiletries
Know those little tubes of toothpaste or little bottles of shampoo that are
sold in convenience stores for travellers?
It may not be worth it to buy these travel-sized toiletries if you can simply
squeeze some toothpaste from the family-sized tube from home and put it into a
small bottle.
The same goes for soap and shampoo.
Wasteful charities
The news is strife with reports of dishonest or wasteful charities which
either waste donors' money on unnecessary office furnishings or allow the
donations to end up in workers' pockets.
Be careful who you donate to and check their licences / credentials
meticulously to ensure that you're not wasting your money.
Academic textbooks
If you are pursuing further studies, or if your child is in university, note
that you don't have to buy every single latest edition of your academic book
from the bookshop.
Older editions work as well too. For some books, "latest edition" merely mean
that there have been some tweaks to the text or examples.
You can easily find out whether these changes are important.
What's more, these older editions can probably be found in bargain bins or
book exchanges.
Anti-virus software
If you wish only to prevent malware or spyware on your computer, there are
some anti-virus software which can be downloaded for free from the Internet.
While some anti-virus software are genuinely good and safeguard your personal
computer against the latest threats and attacks, they may not be able to keep up
with the multitude of cyberthreats released by hackers.
So, think before you buy that latest anti-virus software selling for a
discounted price. It may already be outdated.
Health supplements
Extra health supplements may not be necessary if you partake in wholesome
foods and do lots of exercise.
Fruits and vegetables usually do the trick, together with regular exercises.
Credit
card interest fees
Credit card fees or interest can be pretty hefty if you miss making payments
on time.
Furthermore, you'll have a bad credit report to your name and you may not be
able to take out loans in the future.
So remember to pay off your credit car bills and not put it off until the
last minute
Pre-packed
snacks
Buying pre-packed small-size packs of snacks may be more costly than you
think.
It's easy to buy a family-sized pack at a cheaper price and then use your own
containers to pack them according to the portions you want.
It’s more environmentally friendly too.
Car
rentals / servicing
If you need to rent a car to get around, think twice before doing it.
Borrow a friend's ride or get someone to give you a lift.
If you usually go to premium car servicing centres, why not try out your
neighbourhood car servicing centre? They can usually do the job for a cheaper
price.
