How much have you saved?

[daylatedollarshort]

Can you offer any details on this? I looked into doing reviews or surveys, but haven't found a good, reputable company to sign up with. I figure it would be a good way to kill time, rather than playing games or watching stupid videos on the phone or laptop.

I just kind of lucked out on that program. It is an invitation only program with participants invited based on their prior product reviews.

 

[ivinsfan]

I just kind of lucked out on that program. It is an invitation only program with participants invited based on their prior product reviews.

Where did you post the reviews that got you noticed?

 

[daylatedollarshort]

Thanks for the response. You are definitely one of my favorites to follow. I probably do 75% of your suggestions and will be looking into some of the other ones.

I've been playing the credit card rewards game for decades now but I just started this year doing bank bonuses. Already made $1,500 moving 50k around. That $1,500 took a couple of hours of my time at most.

When the pandemic is over I will definitely look into seat filler memberships.

I need to do another round of the bank bonuses and credit card hacks. I slacked off on those lately and they are easy, free money. Thanks for starting the thread. The same buzzkills always come around and post whenever anyone starts any kind of frugal thread and make the same comments. Don't let those posters discourage you from more threads like these for those of us who enjoy a good bargain.

 

[Sunset]

I don't believe in credit cards. Everything you get from them is from you, you just don't recognize it.

The same part is that I like to save money from finding good deals online. Recently someone on a different forum posted that including the phone purchase cost and the plan, they spend around $30/mo/line for their smartphone spending. I followed the same method, and my smartphone spending in the past four years was averaged $1.6/mo/line. Before that it was even cheaper because I had a flip phone with $10/year prepaid.

Once I reach the retirement age I will definitely try the gov sponsored free phone plan and see if their 'free' phone+plan is true.

The credit card $$$ I get is from Everyone, including you.
This last CC I spent $4,000 that I would have to spend anyhow, just used the CC instead of cash. For that they gave me $1,300

For cell phones, we have smart phones and depending upon use, the cost per year for each phone ranges from $10 to around $40.

 

[Sunset]

I guess the 2% credit card rewards have been built into the spending budget.

Not for me, I'm going to spend $X amount per year, whether I get zero or 32.5% bonus. (Last CC , spent $4K got $1,300 in cash as bonus).

 

[Winemaker]

Through a grocery store loyalty program, DW and I have received 30 gallons of free gasoline per month over the past 10 years. The grocer reports that has saved us about $1500/year. Using a Southwest credit card for the past 8 years, we have qualified for a companion pass for the past 7 years. While we have only taken a total of 6 trips since the pandemonium broke out, we were taking 7 trips per year. But there are over 400,000 points accumulated for future trips. Once we hit our "limit/target", we then start using our Delta AM Ex card or our United card, to start earning points there for a trip where SW doesn't go.

We are probably paying higher prices somewhere along the lines but we're happy with the present scenario. When we bought granite countertops through a box store using gift cards purchased at the grocer, we had so many gasoline points that I filled up gas cans, and we gave gas away to neighbors, and relatives, for weeks.

 

[athena53]

Can you offer any details on this? I looked into doing reviews or surveys, but haven't found a good, reputable company to sign up with. I figure it would be a good way to kill time, rather than playing games or watching stupid videos on the phone or laptop.

I don't know if e-Rewards is signing up new members but I've been using them for years. I do get the occasional frustrating survey that kicks me out after 10 minutes of thoughtful answers, but I occasionally get products to test. Nothing in the $5,000/year range but paper towels, toilet paper, skin creams, etc. Supposedly I've got a high-end coffee maker arriving soon that will require me to use a smartphone app and upload info on my use for a year. I then get to keep it.

Last year I responded to a FaceBook ad and got $200 for being on a mock jury via Zoom. It was a tragic car accident and the lawyers wanted to run things by a model jury and see what we noticed/didn't notice and how we'd answer the questions they posed about who was at fault. Really fascinating.

 

[Retired Expat]

I can’t be bothered to keep track of that stuff. My Ex used to pick up every penny or coin she came a cross and put them in a special jar. After 10 years she had about $27. I then found a couple hundred dollars on the street one day! Came home, handed a hundred dollar bill to my wife and said “Here, I am not picking up any more damn pennies!

 

[CaptTom]

I don't know if e-Rewards is signing up new members but I've been using them for years.

Their web site says invitation only.

I've tried a few survey sites, but I suspect the problem is I'm not in their demographic. I suspect they're more after what the BTD crowd thinks.

I've seriously considered simply lying. Yes, I shop at Whole Foods all the time. Never look for discounts. Buy lots of top-name-brand clothing. Spend hours in high end stores every week. Subscribe to every streaming service. Line up for every new iPhone. That sort of thing. I bet I could make a fortune.

 

[11522914]

Through a grocery store loyalty program, DW and I have received 30 gallons of free gasoline per month over the past 10 years. The grocer reports that has saved us about $1500/year. Using a Southwest credit card for the past 8 years, we have qualified for a companion pass for the past 7 years. While we have only taken a total of 6 trips since the pandemonium broke out, we were taking 7 trips per year. But there are over 400,000 points accumulated for future trips. Once we hit our "limit/target", we then start using our Delta AM Ex card or our United card, to start earning points there for a trip where SW doesn't go.

We are probably paying higher prices somewhere along the lines but we're happy with the present scenario. When we bought granite countertops through a box store using gift cards purchased at the grocer, we had so many gasoline points that I filled up gas cans, and we gave gas away to neighbors, and relatives, for weeks.

Thanks for sharing.

I'm 972 points away from earning companion pass for 2021/2022.

Then near the end of 2022 my wife will sign up for her Southwest card and we'll get companion pass for 2022/2023.

Wow, 400,000 points with companion pass. That is awesome and a TON of free travel.

Love Southwest

 

[athena53]

Their web site says invitation only.

I've tried a few survey sites, but I suspect the problem is I'm not in their demographic. I suspect they're more after what the BTD crowd thinks.

I've seriously considered simply lying. Yes, I shop at Whole Foods all the time. Never look for discounts. Buy lots of top-name-brand clothing. Spend hours in high end stores every week. Subscribe to every streaming service. Line up for every new iPhone. That sort of thing. I bet I could make a fortune.

I get kicked out of a lot because I don't have any plans to buy a new car, don't buy high-end brand-name stuff, etc. but they seem to have a lot of interest in how I manage my investments, what I do with my electronic devices (how often watched, what sites/programs, what apps, cable vs. streaming) and what I think of insurance companies and what it would take me to switch. Every once in awhile I qualify for a lucrative survey for something oddball- I just replaced my deck and they were asking about various decking materials, I had an auto insurance claim a few months ago and they asked about that experience in detail.

Ironically, for years I cheerfully got myself kicked out of surveys asking when I planned to buy a new (as in current model year) car because I had no plans to- I'd bought used for years. Then my car died and- yep- I bought a current model year car. Oh, well.

 

[daylatedollarshort]

Where did you post the reviews that got you noticed?

Sending you a pm.

 

[ivinsfan]

Sending you a pm.

THX

 

[gayl]

>50% on groceries
1.5% Cash rebates on cc & I started putting everything on it during pandemic
2k a month & no idea why

 

[Ferd]

I not only saved but made money today I got 10 packs of 80 count Bactive wipes and Menards is paying me 10 bucks to haul them out of the store.

Let's see someone top that.

I bought some spark plugs on ebay and got a rebate for more than I paid for them. Only problem is I later realized they were counterfeit plugs so I had to throw them away. No way I'm going to put those in my engine and risk a broken plug taking out a piston. Sometimes if it seems too good to be true it really is.

 

[dixter]

well if your just looking for ideas, this is a pretty good one...

after we got the 1 million frequent miles we started to use them pretty frequently... and of course the total count started going down.. so we got a bank account that pays back the frequent miles that we use each year.. so with the credit card giving miles and the bank account giving miles its going to be hard to use all of those miles.... the bank is bankdirect.com they give 1 mile per $ at no cost to you... so if you want to travel for free you just put what ever it takes into your savings account... thats worth quite a bit of money for what you get...

 

[almost there]

This year prices are rising faster than my savings rate. Guess it depends where you live. Calif. is nuts.
Just a heads up.

 

[daylatedollarshort]

I not only saved but made money today I got 10 packs of 80 count Bactive wipes and Menards is paying me 10 bucks to haul them out of the store.

Let's see someone top that.

Not trying to top you, but here are a few of my small wins this week. DH was able to get $20 off a prescription this week from my little gift card games. After the drugstore pick up we went to Safeway and our groceries were free with my gift cards and discounts. We didn't buy a lot, but still a $0 grocery total doesn't hurt. I'm going back today armed with coupons, gift cards and $5 Friday for free shrimp.

 

[almost there]

I go to Albertsons / Vons. Get the weekly specials / phone app. (Just for you) Mainly the meat dept.
Average savings? 60% of the bill. Works for me. Plus I don't have to think about what to put on the pellet grill / smoker. They let me know on Tues. Smoked 6 lbs. of salmon 3 weeks ago, ribs the next week, then Jumbo shrimp, this week Tri-Tip. Not a bad way to go. Takes the guess work out of what to cook. .

 

[ivinsfan]

Not trying to top you, but here are a few of my small wins this week. DH was able to get $20 off a prescription this week from my little gift card games. After the drugstore pick up we went to Safeway and our groceries were free with my gift cards and discounts. We didn't buy a lot, but still a $0 grocery total doesn't hurt. I'm going back today armed with coupons, gift cards and $5 Friday for free shrimp.

That's OK I like a good savings war....game on...

 

[AbbA]

Exactly. If your saving is proportional to spending (cashback programs, CC rewards, etc.) then greater savings doesn't necessarily mean you've come out ahead. It just means you've spent more money on more stuff for a fraction less.

I prefer to use total spending as a financial metric.

I love this analogy. I never thought about substantiating my 'savings' vs.my spending. Yes, I 'save' at Costco, but I wouldn't lose much if I stuck by Lidl and ALDI. Since Lidl opened almost across the street from ALDI that's been a very positive change for us. Thanks to them I now find inconvenient to go to Costco but I still shop there once a month or once every two months... It's just too crowded there. I still 'save' enough to over our Executive membership, so I'll renew our membership for another few years for sure.

 

[11522914]

well if your just looking for ideas, this is a pretty good one...

after we got the 1 million frequent miles we started to use them pretty frequently... and of course the total count started going down.. so we got a bank account that pays back the frequent miles that we use each year.. so with the credit card giving miles and the bank account giving miles its going to be hard to use all of those miles.... the bank is bankdirect.com they give 1 mile per $ at no cost to you... so if you want to travel for free you just put what ever it takes into your savings account... thats worth quite a bit of money for what you get...

Very interesting. I'm currently finishing up getting the Southwest companion pass that's valid for the rest of this year and next year.

My wife and I will be able to fly quite a bit with the points we have.

Never had American Airlines points but like that they fly to Europe.

I also have Delta points which would allow my wife and I to fly to Europe at least once.

Thanks for the tip.

 

[daylatedollarshort]

I still 'save' enough to over our Executive membership, so I'll renew our membership for another few years for sure.

I upgraded our Costco membership to executive status this year in order to use their mortgage program. My savings for the year was only $6 since we haven't shopped there too much lately. When I went to downgrade my membership, they refunded the extra I had spent on the Executive Membership automatically since I hadn't realized much savings. I thought that was a very nice feature. You can't really lose then trying out the Executive Membership option.

 

[11522914]

I love this analogy. I never thought about substantiating my 'savings' vs.my spending. Yes, I 'save' at Costco, but I wouldn't lose much if I stuck by Lidl and ALDI. Since Lidl opened almost across the street from ALDI that's been a very positive change for us. Thanks to them I now find inconvenient to go to Costco but I still shop there once a month or once every two months... It's just too crowded there. I still 'save' enough to over our Executive membership, so I'll renew our membership for another few years for sure.

I use to go to Costco, Sam's Club or BJs. I've learned that I can get groceries significantly cheaper than any of them by shopping at Aldi's and the BOGO free offers at Publix.

Plus, now that the last kid will be on their own by the end of the year, it will just be me and the wife. No longer need those huge packages they sell.

 

[cyber888]

Does buying a 2nd hand car count ?
I bought a Bimmer with only 20K miles for $25K and looks almost brand new. The brand new price was $46K, so I saved $21K.

Our last trip to Lake Como in Italy, I went with my cousin, who is an airline employee, so DW and I saved $3,000 using her guest travel pass.

I exchanged our timeshare for a 3 Bedroom Oceanfront Penthouse resort on the highest floor. The exchange cost around $300 for 8 days 7 nights, the room rate was $2800 a night or $19,600 (for 7 nights). So, I guess I saved $19,300.

Hello everyone.

This is not about saving and investing for your retirement.

To start off I realize most of you great folks do not, would not, could care less, a waste of precious time, etc know how much money do you actually save using minimal effort in the process.

A little history

Back in 2015 I had a reputation at work for being the one who knew how to get the best deals, maximize credit card rewards, using cashback portals, where to get coupons. Everyone said I must save a ton of money. I thought how much do I really save? Since I have been using Quicken to track every penny I have spent since the early 90’s I thought maybe I could track it in Quicken.

I came up with making tags in Quicken to track how I saved money. The only rule was in order to claim the savings I had to make some minimal effort. I couldn’t count going to a store and an item was on sale. If I had to find or clip a coupon then it counted.

Some tags I created:
Coupons
Credit card rewards
Negotiations
Gift card discounts
Cashback portals
Reward point programs
Many others

So how much have I actually saved? YTD I have saved $3,860.48.
Take a guess how much I have saved since June 2015.

$40,977.07 - $6,556.33 a year - $546.36 a month.

Not bad for something that really doesn’t require that much time, although, again, I realize that for the majority this is a complete waste of time to track this.

Top tags $17,332.39 in credit card rewards – typically flights, hotels, cabins, etc, $8,808.01 using coupons, $2,453.61 buying gift cards using credit card rewards, $2,402.08 buying gift cards at a discount.

How much have you saved or what type of activities/programs do you use to save? I'm always open for new strategies.

Kevin