TIPS to save money | General financial discussion | Discussion forum

My Costco tips: You can get a refund on the extra cost of the Executive membership at Costco if you don't end up buying enough to justify it. And then you can do the same thing the next year... Thus, it need not cost you any money but you have the option of extra rewards if you should spend enough.
You can return things at Costco for quite a while (except some electronics) even if you have lost the receipt, if they prove unsatisfactory. Because it's a "membership" company (I use that term advisedly), they record all your purchases. I recently returned some Duracell batteries that were leaking. They had not come close to expiry date yet, but I no longer had the receipt. Which brings me to another tip: don't buy Duracell batteries! They leak and explode (I have had both things happen, and they were not abused or stored in bad conditions.) They are not what they once were. Reviews online will tell you the same thing. I only buy Energizer now, and hope for the best; so far, so good.
Costco has very good prices on hearing aids, if you need them and you just have run-of-the-mill hearing loss due to ageing. Most of us might not think of shopping there for hearing aids. Between what the insurance covered and what the government covered, they were free. It's last year's model usually, but, really, who cares? They don't change that much from year to year, and you would be wearing last year's model in a year anyway. You typically save $1000 or more.

You can almost always return house-brand items for a full refund if you don't like them - any store. PC, Compliments, Selection, etc.

In clearing out my battery collection, I also had to return some house-brand batteries from The Source, which had not expired but were beginning to leak. They gave me free replacements.

Staples is also good for returns of house band items. They have been replacing my calculator for years. Every time the non-replaceable battery wears out, I get a new calculator! I once got an upgrade because that's all they had, so, since then, I always get that model or its equivalent.

Watch for Specials on Gift Cards at grocery stores. They often have discounts or extra rewards (such as Airmiles) if you buy gift cards. The cards are often for other stores, so it depends where you shop. I have essentially been getting 10% off on purchases at Sobey affiliates for the last year or two because I bought gift cards when they had an AirMiles special. Don't buy more than you will use in a year though, as you might lose them plus you will be losing too much interest on the money. You need to be really sure that you will use these cards, and then you have to remember to use them. I have also bought Esso cards on this basis, so I am getting 5% off the top at Esso right now - and I have an Esso outlet a couple of blocks away that is one of their cheaper outlets. Gift cards do not expire in Ontario, but you need to watch out for the cards that have maintenance fees. Read fine print on the back before buying.

Decades of not spending anything (aside from transportation costs) on the way to work, at work, or on the way home (i.e. took all my food and drink with me from home) saved me a small fortune. Learned that from watching my Dad and his work mates. Seems to be largely a lost behaviour (the power of marketing again), many folks today like to spend $20 or so a day at the same time they're out hunting their dough.
Also, choosing carefully where you live. Commuting costs can be adjusted greatly, or even largely eliminated, by this. I moved about a kilometre just to be within walking distance to everything I need (except a hardware store) and where there's ready access to transit, so my car often sits for weeks. I live near a riverside park system with miles of trails (rode my bike year-round to work for 15 years) so daily recreation and entertainment costs zero and is a few steps away. People used to wonder why I moved such a short distance but for me it was a very deliberate decision about location and its impact on my life every day.

What a great idea, JustMe2016, to start this topic! I look forward to some more really good tips.

I'm quite enthusiastic about Shopper's Drug Mart Optimum Points. I shop there mostly on Thursdays so as to receive the 20% senior discount, although one has to be careful as this doesn't count if the chosen article is on sale. I shop smart, only purchasing what I need, and try to do it when other promotions are on, i.e., spend $50 and receive a $10 gift card. Shopper's also has great bonus points on sometimes, on other days, so if you're buying only what you need, you get an extra bang for your buck. If the item is on sale, even more savings! I had to buy Tylenol last week, on sale for $9.99/100 (arthritis slow-release and cheaper than store brand), and combined with my other purchases I received 4000 bonus points! I'm now at the $85 free 'stuff' point. Love it!

Keep the tips coming.....