Affluent but Frugal

I avoid going to stores in person like the plague. If I walk into a Target I will spend $60 or more, so I avoid going to brick and mortar stores and do most of my shopping online. If I can’t browse at items I did not think to look for, I won’t buy them. For me, it’s that simple. If I have to walk past the Target dollar section on my way in the store, I’m going to look at it and I will probably buy something that I did not even think I “needed” 5 minutes before but after I see it and it’s only $2, it will be in my cart. So I only go to target a few times a year when I need several things that I could not buy online (usually this is because shipping was cost prohibitive so the items is twice as much on Amazon). As a frequent online shopper, this is how I look to save every step of the way. 1)     Use a cash back rebate After I’ve found something I want  to buy I always check Mr. Rebates and Ebates to see if the store offers cash back and which provider offer...

My wallet is full! We like eating out, going to movies, traveling, and having a nice house. All of the things that cost so much money! A few years ago, I started “credit card hacking” to earn some side money for the things we’d otherwise using our money for, this is my approach! If you have trouble controlling your spending or you are in credit card debit, these suggestions are not for you. I have a two prong approach for using credit card points to generate extra cash: Taking advantage of signup bonuses Maximizing every day cash back First, I chase the occasional sign up bonus. Do you know that credit cards will give you 100s of dollars for signing up to a new account? How crazy is that? When you sign up for a new account, they will offer you a sign up bonus which can be worth $500 or more after having your account for at least 3 months and meeting a minimum spend, usually at least $3,000 during those 3 months. A few times a year, I will sign up for a new cre...

I am a woman who likes a good deal. A deal isn't a deal unless it's for something I need. We all need to eat and as an adult woman with a good job, I don't want to eat ramen 3x a week like a college student. Ok I hadn't ever tried ramen until well after college, but you get my drift. I drive 10 minutes to Aldi almost every week instead of going to the Harris Teeter grocery store that is 3 minutes drive from my house and I'd drive farther if Aldi was farther away. I do this because every thing  is so much cheaper at Aldi. You don't need a coupon, a store bonus card or to comparison shop Aldi is just cheaper. It is usually cheaper than the sale price  at Harris Teeter, or almost the same except at Aldi it's that price all the time. I tried Costco early this year and I think it's around the same prices as Aldi, but at Aldi I don't have to buy in bulk or have a membership. Since I'm in a 2-person household with limited storage, buying in bulk is...