10 ways to save while you spend

Let’s be honest, we could all use a few extra rands in our pockets, but we don’t want to change our habits entirely. Fortunately, there are ways to spend smarter that are just as helpful as, and a lot more realistic than, not spending at all.

By asking everyday people about their own experiences, we compiled this list of tips to help you save money without having to stop spending altogether:

• Learn the art of negotiation and use it when and whenever you can - whether it’s for fruit at the local market or your next car. Negotiation is centred on knowing what you’re willing to give up, and understanding what the person you’re negotiating with really wants. If you get it right, everybody wins.
• Shop at wholesalers and buy your monthly necessities, like toilet paper, soap, and non-perishable food in bulk. Just make sure you don’t get tempted by discounted products that you would never have bought otherwise.
• You can save loads when you switch to buying house brands instead of well-known brands. Just give it a try.
• Instead of throwing old clothes away, awaken your inner fashion designer by upcycling them. Add a lace trim to a jersey, turn torn jeans into shorts, or get your friends together to do a clothes swop.
• Find out which of your colleagues stay close to you so that you can start a carpool with them. You get to share the petrol expenses while also getting to know your colleagues a bit better.
• Instead of going out to see your friends at expensive bars or restaurants, rather organise a bring-and-braai at someone’s house and allocate an item to each person/couple that will be attending.
• Try buying your groceries online. This helps you avoid queues and the temptation of adding sweets and other items to your basket, plus you save on time and travel costs.
• Constantly keep an eye open for sales and buy gifts for all occasions throughout the year -just don’t get carried away!
• Instead of buying lunch every day, prepare your meals once a week and pack lunch as frequently as possible. Soups and stews are affordable and they improve with age, while packing low GI snacks is far better than buying a chocolate bar when the energy’s running low.
• A monthly budget is sometimes not strict enough. Try to tighten it down to a weekly budget so that you can see exactly where you’re spending most of your money, and where there are opportunities to move some money around.

Do you have any other savings tips that have helped you make your hard-earned money last a bit longer? Tell us all about it in the comments section below.