Posts Tagged ‘saving money’

The iPhone is a pretty cool gadget. By cleverly combining a computer with a cell phone, the iPhone has basically changed the cell phone industry overnight. And this isn’t just the case in the US. I live in Japan and the market here is now almost completely dominated by smart phones. So why if it’s so great, am I giving mine up? Let me explain.

When I first got my iPhone it was great. It allowed me to make phone calls, connect to all of my social media programs, use Skype, have a decent Japanese program, and not to mention the ability to watch YouTube from bed. It seemed perfect.

However, my love affair was soon ended when I received my first bill. The cost was over triple what I was previously paying. All of a sudden all of those extra features didn’t seem quite as valuable. The idea was that when I was in the house I would use wifi, so I wouldn’t get charged for using data. The problem was that the iPhone switched between the two and my data plan was maxed every month. So in order to make sure this didn’t happen I had to turn off 3G, which meant that I then couldn’t use email.

Now, the problem wasn’t actually with the iPhone, it was with the phone companies. They realized they had something people wanted and could charge a fortune for it. They created all kinds of new plans which REQUIRED you to opt into various services, which weren’t required with other phones even though they accessed data the same way. And since people were so thrilled with their smart phones, no one seemed to care.

After having my iPhone for over two years, I have come to the realization that an iPhone is a cool device. It combines the abilities of a cell phone and a tablet. Unfortunately, it doesn’t do either one if these things as well as the originals. A basic phone costs far less and will allow you to make phone calls easier and cheaper than a smart phone. You also don’t have to worry so much about it getting damaged or lost. I can’t tell you how many times I leave my iPhone in the car (leaving me without a phone) when I go to the beach, for a jog, etc.

Yes, it can be used as a mini tablet, but the screen is too small to make it comfortable to do so. You have to spend too much time scrolling back and forth on the screen.

So yesterday I shut off my iPhone and am back with a regular cell phone. This time I went real simple and my bill is a third of what it was. That will easily save me enough to save up for a tablet in a few months if I choose to do so.

My new cell phone isn’t amazing, but it does something great that my iPhone never did that well: it works as a cell phone.

In my local town, most of the stores have set sales days. The closest grocery store has sales every Tuesday and Sunday. If you shop Sunday, you also get a coupon for 5% off valid on Tuesday. Now a lot of people tend not too worry about such small savings. But over time, these small consistent savings add up to large amounts of money. Not only the money we directly save on groceries, but also the money we save in gas and time.

As you can see, only being able to shop two days a week, or sometimes only once does take a little more planning. Not only planning out our meals, but also planning out where we will store it (our refrigerator is tiny). It will however, save you time overall since you will spend less time in the store and less time going back and forth. Creating a list of the items you need for a set period of time will also help you from buying things you don’t really need. Helping both your wallet and your diet.

Another great way to save money is to buy at the end of the season. If it is something you know you will be using again next season, then purchasing it at the end of the season is one of the best savings you can make. Most holiday items will go on sale from 50-70% off once the holiday is over. If we could make that kind of money in the stock market, we would all be rich by now. Sure you will need to store it for a while, but you also get to purchase it when everyone is already done with their buying.

Additional tips

• Keep records of the prices you are paying. Just because it says “SALE” doesn’t necessarily mean it’s a good buy
• When you find something you use on a regular basis really cheap, buy as much as you can store
• When possible and reasonable, buy in bulk to save extra.

Helpful links

• Recession Eating
• Saving Money Around The Holidays
• Save Money on Groceries
• Time Management