What do I mean by being frugal, or saving daily? It’s not about being a tightwad, or compromising on the quality of life I enjoy. Rather, it’s about getting more out of life. Each of us works hard for our daily bread; why would you want to squander part of it for no reason or value, when with a little forethought, you could make sure of getting your money’s worth.

Our aspirations and desires are what make life enjoyable. Working like a dog around the clock isn’t the be-all and end-all of life; that’s barely existing. In an ideal world, the good things wouldn’t come with a price tag! But they do, so everyday becomes a series of trade-offs between what we want, what we need, and what we have.

Being frugal helps here. Depending on the choices you make, the amount saved could be trivial or substantial. But even a dollar a day helps - that’s a few hundred dollars more each year that you can use for other activities that you enjoy. Oh yes, by being frugal you could add pennies to dollars to your piggy bank. The real fun is in breaking open the piggy bank for something else, that you couldn’t have done without being frugal.

We have a budget for the month. The months we save on the budget, becomes a reason to celebrate. Pick up a new book, or music disc. Eat out at the best restaurant. Or drive out for a quick weekend vacation. Anything, that we value, but otherwise wouldn’t have gone ahead with.

So on to the daily ways that we’ve adopted. Hope you find this useful - and interesting.

Shopping - Groceries, daily purchases.

1. Avoid shopping when you’re hungry, tired, angry or depressed. For women, add PMS time to the above. You’re more likely to make impulse buys or miss out items on your list at such times.
2. Organize your shopping list into daily, weekly and monthly items. As far as possible, shift purchases into weekly and monthly lists - you’ll cut down on trips to the store, higher prices and impulse buys.
3. Make a list of what you plan to buy each time, before going out shopping. If you can, also estimate what the total spending will be. Avoid adding anything to your list while in the shop.
4. Shop in bulk for monthly needs. Club Stores or discount chains offer substantially lower prices for bulk purchases.
5. House brands usually offer better value for money. Check out a sample before you switch - there’s no point buying multiple packs of cereal and then finding that the kids won’t switch from Post’s!
6. Look for specials that fit into your list. Never add anything to your list just because it’s on special offer.
7. Don’t buy anything that you’ll use only months later - chances are, you’ll forget where you’ve kept it and end up buying again.
8. Don’t stick to only one store - check around before buying. Going online to the store homepage can save a lot of traveling around.
9. Check if the store has a store card, discount card or loyalty program that gives you additional benefits. Select one or two stores that are most appropriate to you (location, product range, benefits.)
10. Coupons from newspapers, store flyers and the Internet are useful. Again, cut out only the coupons that fit into your shopping list.
11. It isn’t worth spending $5 to get a $2 discount on canned beans - stick to shops closer to your normal travel (home / office).
12. Snack foods are more expensive and less healthy - if you find you’re stocking up extensively on these, rethink your daily diet.
13. Ditto for canned drinks. Fruit and Veg Juices are cheaper when you get the larger packs and healthier too.
14. Carry a tiny calculator around to help you decide - is a 31/2 oz pack @$1.23 better than an 8 oz pack @ $2.43?
15. Convenience stores, especially all nighters, charge a premium for the convenience. Do you want to pay that price?

Shopping - Clothes and Cosmetics.

1. Some department stores offer alteration services; these come in handy when you have growing children. Ask about these before you start shopping.
2. Check out the refund or exchange policies - if you’re buying for someone else and the size doesn’t suit, you’ll need to return it. Don’t cut off the store tags until you’re sure you’re keeping it. Keep all store receipts in a specific place - you can toss them out at the end of the month after you’re sure you no longer need it.
3. It’s more cost effective to spend a little more on classics. If you’re getting a white shirt, get a well-cut, durable, high-quality one rather than saving a few dollars on another that you’d need to replace soon.
4. For underclothes, look for bulk packs (3 - 5 pieces, maybe varying colours) instead of one-off’s.
5. Most department stores have periodic sales where they clear out older inventory; prices can be upto 50-70% off. Use this opportunity to pick up classics, casuals (jeans and tees), underclothes and the like.
6. Check that the clothes you buy can be washed at home. If it needs dry cleaning or specialized laundering, the costs can add up.
7. Buy cosmetics or beauty products when there’s a promotion. While you may not get a lower price, you usually get an extra pack that can be used for travel, or gifts.
8. An expensive brand is not necessarily of better quality. Check out the regular brands to see if they suit equally well.
9. Never rely on the store promoter for advice on cosmetics. If you need advice, go to an expert stylist or beautician who doesn’t sell these, and will tell you what you need to look for.
10. Sign up for a store card or loyalty program at the shop you regularly patronize, especially if it gives you discounts or advance viewing during sales.

Gadgets and Appliances

1. Check out garage sales and online classifieds like Craigslist for appliances (refrigerators, televisions, blenders and the like). You can get great bargains at literally throwaway prices.
2. If you are buying new, compare prices online through Pricegrabber. Check out the different store offers before deciding to buy.
3. Quite often, stores liquidate their stocks at low prices when new models are being introduced. However, the differences may be minor or cosmetic, resulting in a bargain buy.
4. Ask whether display units are for sale. Typically, display units are sold off at a substantial discount.
5. Where Electronics and Computers are involved, do a reality check. Do you really NEED that ultra-latest model, when a slightly lower performance is significantly cheaper?
6. If you can use them, older computers available through eBay or Craigslist can be real savers. I’m writing this on an old Pentium 2 laptop @ 400Mhz; 64 MB RAM, and a 4 GB hard disk. Still works well for internet access, wordprocessing, and email.

Transportation and Travel

1. Do you really need to take the car out? If it’s just around the corner, walk or get a bicycle. It’s healthier for the body and the wallet.
2. Plan your daily travel to cut down needless miles. Do your shopping en route or near your office / home, rather than driving out for miles.
3. Avoid peak times or crowded routes. You’ll save time and money by using an alternate route, even if it’s slightly longer.
4. Scout around for cheaper parking lots near places you visit often. Parking charges can vary significantly especially downtown, so find the ones that suit you better.
5. Carpooling saves money, and gives you company for long rides. You can do this not just for office commuting, but also for shopping and weekend activities.
6. Wash your own car instead of sending it to the car wash. Get it regularly serviced at one place; ask for a loyalty discount. You’ll get better service too, and advance warning if something’s about to go wrong.
7. Plan vacations early, and use Priceline or other similar websites to get a better rate. Keep your dates flexible to get a variety of options.
8. Check out alternatives. Quite often, overseas travel can be significantly cheaper than domestic - and you get to try out different things.
9. If you’re traveling overseas, carry cash and shop around for the best exchange rates. Credit cards have the worst exchange rates, plus fees on occasion.
10. Ask the hotel for an upgrade - most hotels keep a reserve for unexpected visitors, and will consider upgrading at no cost if it’s late in the day when they’re not likely to rent out the suite.

There are probably umpteen other things I’ve forgotten here; when I remember these, will add another post to include those. But meantime, check out other ideas from the Festival. I’m looking forward to it.