Be Cheap – 4 Things It’s Okay To Buy On A Budget

As the recession shows no sign of lifting, most of us are forced to cut back. From mattress discounters selling budget beds to cheap toiletries and bargain breaks away; here are four goods it’s okay to be thrifty with.

Food – the truth is, despite what their marketing teams spend countless hours trying to get us to believe, supermarkets are not trying to save us money and help us cut back on our food bills. Rather, supermarkets rule the roost when it comes to formulating new ways to trick us into thinking we’re getting a bargain, and spending more money than we planned to.

As with many things in life, spending more money on food does not always mean it’ll taste better, be produced more ethically or be better quality.

Many supermarket discounters were previously associated with attracting poor shoppers that couldn’t afford the ‘luxury’ of Tesco and its friends. However, as we’ve started tightening our monetary belts, a realization has occurred that these stores generally offer very good quality.
In addition, check the stores for a ‘reduced section’. Great deals can usually be found on perishables, making a salmon or steak dinner something that can fit within even the most stringent of budgets.

Beds – a high quality bed and mattress can be two of the most expensive goods you buy for the home. However, this doesn’t mean quality has to break the bank. As with food stores, there are many mattress discounters around that sell budget beds. The thing is, usually these beds are the same stock you’ll find elsewhere for twice the price; it’s just been resigned to a ‘budget beds’ store because it’s taking up space, slightly damaged or simply out of fashion.

Toiletries – open any magazine and you’ll be bombarded with adverts for the latest anti-aging cream or a shampoo that promises to give you your shiniest locks yet. However, these claims are usually no more than a clever marketing campaign and cheap brands usually contain similar or even identical ingredients.
For instance, ‘cleansing face wipes’ can set you back around $3 for a small pack. But did you know that baby wipes are essentially the same thing? Stick to the ‘store brand’ and you can get a large pack for under a dollar.

Vacations – good news, budget vacations are still available! And thanks to the power of the internet, we can now take an in-depth peek at hotels and check out the credentials of budget vacation firms before we take the plunge and book.
Tripadvisor is an unbeatable resource for finding reviews on hotels and asking questions about local areas. Use it properly and it can ensure you have a fantastic vacation for very little money.

Amy Fowler writes about frugal living and money saving tips for mattress discounters, The Original Factory Shop.