As much as we strive to increase our salaries and find multiple streams of income (which are both great financial goals might I add), it is equally important to become better savers. I truly believe that every dollar counts so every dollar saved is essentially money that is earned. It is incredibly important to be good at money management and I always say that I do not care as much about the size of a person’s salary as much as I care about a person’s actual money habits. One can be very “rich” when looking at their annual salary but on the other hand actually be carrying large amounts of debt or simply never have anything stored away. This is where money management comes in and why it is a life skill that we should also all strive to get better at–no matter how much money you make or what you currently have now as there is always room for growth and change.

Buy Things Second Hand – My parents instilled in me at a young age the benefits of thrifting which for me meant shopping at consignment stores and second hand shops. Of course there are certain items that I think is best to buy brand new but there are plenty of things you can easily buy second hand at a fraction of the cost. There are also many websites nowadays where people are giving stuff away or selling things at a very low cost which means extra money to be kept in your wallet.

Compare Prices Before Purchasing – While many people buy things impulsively or choose to purchase something on the spot, I cannot stress enough the importance of shopping around first before you make a final decision because often times you will find a better deal just from comparing all your options.

Online Coupon Codes – I will admit that there are many good deals to be found on the internet and for convenience, why it is best to do a lot of shopping online. Before I make a purchase, I always google coupon codes and often times get lucky with finding a percentage off or a free shipping code. I have even been more tech savvy where I’ll look for coupon codes from Instagram influencers who publicly post a code on one of their posts which they tend to get credit for and I also get to save a few dollars.

Rakuten.com – I am obsessed with Rakuten! Who doesn’t like free money?! Formerly known as “Ebates,” this website offers plenty of online retailers who will give you a small percentage back from your total purchase (on average between 2-10% cash back). Once you create an account, you just search the online shop and it tells you how much cash back you can receive that day from making an online purchase. Each store varies and the rebate amounts change daily.

For every person you refer, you both will receive a $20-30 cash back reward so it is a win/win because your friends create an account to save and you’re also getting a little something in return. Last summer, I referred 10 friends/family members to join while it was a $30 cash reward promotion so I earned $300 on top of my online purchases. Again, who doesn’t like free money? If you are not familiar with Rakuten and want to start collecting free money today, be sure to use my referral link — (we each receive $30 back after you make your first purchase)!

Don’t Buy Something for the Sake of a Good Sale – Of course I advocate buying things on sale but how often have we purchased things on sale or in the clearance section when we really didn’t need these items? I am sure we have all been guilty of this and have just bought things for the sake of a really good deal. I have gotten much better at passing up on sales because even if it appears to be a good deal, it is a waste of money if I am buying something with little to no use. That is why it is much wiser to resist the urge to shop during sales so you don’t end up with useless items. I much rather pay a little more for something that I truly want and/or need than to just buy things to “save money.” Remember that the things that are on sale are often on sale for a reason.