Due to the sheer amount of stress that 2020 has heaped on us all, it’s unsurprising that people have taken to more impulse shopping than ever before. No matter which website headlines are reporting on, they all agree on one thing. Internet sales records were completely shattered all over the world this year, as more people were obligated to adapt to the new normal. But before we see 2020 on its way out, there’s still time to take back control of the life it has forced on us.
One way to do that is to practice smart online habits.
Use Money Apps
Instead of noting down your expenses, bills, and purchases manually with pen and paper, it is more useful to take advantage of several money apps now available for download. Most of the time, they are even free! Depending on which app you choose, you can easily track receipts, get payment reminders, or observe your spending behavior complete with pie charts to reflect on at the end of every month. Use these money apps so that you are always aware of where your money is actually going. The Japanese call this practice “kakeibo” and if you haven’t tried this before, this can quite easily change your life.
Mind Your Subscriptions
With all this time on our hands, 2020 saw a 37% market share increase for streaming subscriptions. But even with our dire need to seek distraction from reality, it’s still worth reflecting on which ones actually add value to our lives. There are only so many hours in a day and you can’t watch on all your streaming services at the same time. It can be difficult, but hear us out. It’s better to stream exclusively from one platform for one month, and then switch to a different one the following month. This way, you won’t just save money on the subscriptions you’ll let go, you’ll also save the time you usually spend deciding on what to watch. Admit it, we’ve all been there!
Earn From Your Purchases
Make those dollars work hard for you by bringing you some dough back even as you spend them. Now that we’re making most of our shopping online, there’s no more excuse to forget tapping those cashback links. Especially if you are making pricey purchases, do yourself a favor and make sure you are hitting the cashback button before you add items to your cart. Need a new laptop? Don’t forget your Dell cashback and while you’re at it, forward your referral link to your friends so that they can share in this great deal!
Make Money Online
At least for a little while longer, we’ll have to think of garage sales as things of the past. The good news, however, is that we can still raise needed funds from our pre-owned stuff by putting them up for sale online. In fact, sometimes, this is even better because you can attract more customers on the internet. You can forward money from the sales to your next purchases so that you don’t make a huge dent on your savings once Boxing Day arrives. Who knows, you might even turn out to be quite the entrepreneur!
