Finance pocket. Learn to save more and better.

Savings is a skill that can be learned, just like anything else. Some people naturally have a greater ability to control their consumer impulses, while others may struggle more to reflect on their spending and achieve their savings goals. Whatever group you may belong to, I hope this post helps you improve your saving skills.

In my first post of finances pocket I helped you take the first steps towards becoming a great saver. In this post, I will go one step further so you can continue to improve and refine those little details that make a difference.

"Take care of the small expenses; a small leak will sink a great ship."

Benjamin Franklin

Review your contracts before renewing

We all have phone contracts and insurance policies that renew every year. Dealing with customer service departments to manage these household contracts can be a real pain. But if you calculate the cost per hour spent on these tasks, I can assure you that it's worth it.

So I recommend that you put on your headphones (wireless if you have them) before calling. I usually take advantage of these calls to cook or do housework. While I'm waiting on hold or being transferred from operator to operator, I prepare the contract number and other related documents that I may need.

In addition, it is important to be clear on the following points:

• The conditions of your actual contract.
• The price you are currently paying, both monthly and annually.
  • The offers from other competing companies.
  • You can start managing the renewal 2 months before the renewal date (I set alarms on my mobile calendar for this purpose. Yes, I'm a bit of a geek, but everyone has their quirks)."

So keep insisting until you are connected with a real person (machines will never solve your problems). Tell them that you want to know about the renewal offer they can give to you. Don't accept the first offer because they will always make you one (or two) counteroffers.

Always ask for the contract's duration and the penalty you will have to pay if you breach the agreement. I keep all these details noted in my contract tracking file. It will be impossible to deceive you!

Make a wishlist or a wish of needs.

I admit it. I'm crazy about lists. I make lists of the lists I have to make. It may be a bit exaggerated, but the truth is that in this life it's important to ask yourself what you want. In every sense. But for now, avoiding the metaphysical and moving on to a more material plan, it's vital to know what we need or what we want to buy.

If you have a clear idea of what you want, it will be harder for someone to manipulate you into buying something that you don't really need or that you haven't been wanting to buy for a while.

I also add a column to that list to indicate the current price and on which page I found it. This way, it's easier when I see an offer to know if it's really a good opportunity. Don't forget that companies will always try to rush you (e.g. last units!) and convince you that it's an incredible offer (e.g. 70% off). But sometimes they raise the original price to make us believe that we should buy it and we should do it now.

"A bargain is not a bargain unless it's something you need."

Sidney Carroll

Apúntate al cashback

Hay varias plataformas de cashback. Esto es básicamente que te devuelven una parte del dinero que gastas en determinadas tiendas online.

¡Cuidado! Si no tienes claro lo que quieres (por eso es tan importante la lista que comentaba), es una invitación constante al consumo. Si no eres capaz de controlar tus impulsos y reflexionar sobre lo que realmente necesitas, estas aplicaciones no son para ti. Huye ahora que estás a tiempo.

Si has tomado consciencia de en lo que quieres gastar tu dinero, es una buenísima oportunidad para obtener grandes descuentos y además que te devuelvan una parte de la inversión.

Mi plataforma favorita es Igraal. Es la que llevo más de un año utilizando y he podido comprobar que funciona. Tanto con los descuentos que publican como con la validación de los cashback. He cobrado también de ellos en varias ocasiones sin ningún problema. Ofrece descuentos en compañías áreas, hoteles y en multitud de grandes marcas (ej. Nike, Adidas, Michael Kors, Clarins, GHD…)

Mientras realmente necesites o desees lo que te dispones a comprar, si lo haces con descuento, mejor que mejor. ¿A quién no le gusta una buena oferta?

"Even celebrities like discounts."

Michael Jackson

hope that with these ideas, you manage to save a little more each month and improve your finances. In this case, every small gesture counts.

See you soon and happy reading!

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