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  • Do you have tips on pinching pennies?

    Posted by deann-r on May 5, 2023 at 10:33 am

    With the current state of the economy, I find myself trying to pinch pennies. I’m realizing my disability is making that challenging. Because I don’t drive, I can’t easily shop the deals at various locations at a moment’s notice. Although I try to get the best bargains it’s frustrating knowing I miss out.

    It’s also frustrating when single-serve products I can manage are considered a convenience, therefore having higher pricing. For example, I can snag a 59 oz carton of Minute Maid OJ for $3.18 at Walmart but the 6 count of 10 oz is $4.78. I can’t handle the carton so I usually spend more for the singles. The same goes for oatmeal. The cups I can manage on my own, but comparing pricing the bulk amount is so much cheaper. If I buy the big container, I won’t be able to make it myself. I could go on and on but you get the idea.

    Do you have any tips on saving money? Do you opt for “convenience” even if it costs more?

    alyssa-silva replied 11 months, 2 weeks ago 3 Members · 3 Replies
  • 3 Replies
  • blake-watson

    Member
    May 5, 2023 at 12:08 pm

    I’m not a super frugal person but I have noticed the same phenomenon—stuff that’s easy for me is more expensive. I still buy it anyway, though. But yeah it’s frustrating at times.

    I do try to make sure I have some money left after bills and groceries and such so I can put some in savings. For anyone on SSI, ABLE accounts are good for this purpose because the SSA doesn’t count the first $100k (!) of your ABLE account as a resource for the purposes of eligibility testing..

  • blake-watson

    Member
    May 5, 2023 at 12:13 pm

    Oh, I do have one tip. If you can afford to take advantage of it, many services that have recurring monthly subscriptions typically offer annual ones at a 1 or 2-month discount. It’s a steeper up front cost but results in pretty nice savings.

    I have a lot of monthly services because of my profession and hobbies, so not sure how well this advice applies to others.

  • alyssa-silva

    Member
    May 6, 2023 at 9:30 pm

    I usually spend based on convenience too. I also second an ABLE account.

    Have you tried a budget tracker to first see how your money is spent? Then maybe you can think of ways to save from there.

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