Do you remember the show Extreme Couponing (2011)? In case you haven’t, this television program showcased people who paid little to no money for their groceries (and sometimes the grocery store ended up paying them!) by using a variety of methods to coupon their way out of a grocery bill. Sounds like something that could be useful in 2022, right?
While you may not want to be a full-time “coupon guru,” there are ways to keep costs down that involves using what you already have and simply organizing your belongings. Hard to believe? Just take a look at these reasons for getting things in order.
Do I Already Have This?
Have you ever been at the store and just can’t remember if you already have the item that is in your hand? In order to save on a trip back to the store in case not, the item is purchased only for you to find the same thing in that safe-place-you-won’t-forget-about-but-do a few months later.
Being organized is a great way to know what you have and where you have it. A lot of waste comes from forgetting what is in your fridge and sometimes, why you bought it. According to usda.gov, 133 billion pounds of food is wasted each year. So, keeping your refrigerator organized, as well as your meal plans, prevents food waste and overbuying.
The Subscription Trap
What goes along with the above section are buy again subscriptions that allow you to order certain products automatically. It is easy to forget that an order is coming up, and if you haven’t used all of your previous products, start building excess products. According to Yahoo.com’s recent survey, around 5% of adults admitted that they don’t even use the products – a whopping average of $348 a year. The solution? Write out a list of all your subscriptions, including non-food items like entertainment fees and what you pay per month and year. Are there ones that you aren’t getting any real value from? If so, drop them.
Time is Money
The saying that “Time is Money” isn’t always wrong when it comes to organization. Did you know that Americans spend about 2.5 days a year looking for lost things? * This same survey states that Americans spend an average of $2.7 billion annually replacing lost items, and looking for those items causes 60% of lateness for work or school, with 49% completely missing an appointment or meeting.
Doing simple things like installing a key rack to hold your keys when at home, putting those remotes in a see-through bin on the couch, will help you keep better track of easily losable items.
Bills and Taxes, Oh My!
Document organization will lessen the chance that important items are forgotten or accidentally discarded. Having a place to keep bills, even if it is a small desk, will help prevent bills from being paid late. Say goodbye to late fees!
Even documents that are only accessed once a year, such as for taxes, will end up saving you a lot of headaches and running around with a little organization assistance.
Save, Donate, or $ell
So far, we’ve talked about organization saving you money, but did you know that organizing can also make you money? It’s true – those five toasters that you got from your wedding, but never even opened the boxes all those years ago can be a great way to create a little extra cash flow. Whether you sell them or donate them for a tax credit, you will be amazed at what you can do with things you no longer need.
Less Mess = Less Stress
Finally, as you declutter and open up time and space into your life, you will benefit from a noticeable decrease in stress levels. And less stress helps your body withstand sickness and illness. With greater health comes fewer medical bills, but even more importantly, you will feel better. And there’s no price that can be put on that.
*Survey via Pixie; getpixie.com