Getting the most out of your dollars

Whether or not you "bargain shop" or clip coupons, most people still enjoy getting something for nothing. Everyone enjoys the perks that come unexpectedly. I highly recommend that if you want to make the most of your money, even if you don't want to put the effort into comparing sales prices or waiting for Black Friday, why not take advantage of the great offers that you may be passing up and not even realize it. What am I talking about? I'm talking about getting a bonus for the things you do on any given day anyways. Like paying your bills, grabbing a drink at work, putting gas in your car. I'm talking about rewards programs, loyalty cards, and the like. There are TONS of them out there, I'm just going to highlight a few that I'm familiar with.



First up... Banking Rewards. Many Banks now offer customers a "Points" program from Visa Extras, this used to be a program only available to credit card holders, but now, even a plain ol' banking customer can take advantage. For me, this is FREE MONEY... I mean, I have to spend money on rent, utilities, groceries, etc... so why not get something for doing it. At my bank, (National City) I earn points for just about everything I do with my account. And what has the payoff been? Let's see, I've paid for my hotel stays with Marriot Gift Cheques, I've used Circuit City Gift Cards to buy the latest gadget I want, I've used various restaurant gift cards to eat out without breaking my budget and lately, I've been redeeming for CVS Gift Cards (do you know how long I can make $10 last at CVS) - I've also taken the time to learn the in's & out's of their program, so I know how to maximize my earnings - And in fact, since April, I've earned $70 in various Gift Cards, so the payout isn't that bad or long to achieve



So what else can you get - Have you checked out programs like MyCokeRewards - you can go online (or text from your phone) the codes you get when you purchase products & redeem for all sorts of coupons or free merchandise.



Fuel Prices suck, but how about getting a loyalty card, such as Speedy Rewards, and you can earn some points - which you can redeem for gift cards, free food, or cents off the gallon at the pump.



Heck, even the cat litter I used to buy had a rewards program where you could earn points & get coupons! So what's my advice - you don't have to reinvent the wheel, but take a look at your daily habits and see who will reward you for being just good ol' you!