TIPS FOR SAVING MONEY IN FOODS AND EXPENSES

- RECOMMENDATIONS TO SAVE MONEY IN CANADA

◊ - Avoid buying food or other products in 24-hour stores (Dominion, A&P, SOBEYs, etc, open day and night, as the usually charge an extra costs over the prices offered by day supermarkets.

◊ Buy foods brand “NO NAME” in supermarkets. The difference in price is up to 35% lower. In most cases, they are elaborated by the some companies that manufacture products of advertised brands, and those products are usually of the same quality or are just the same product Packaging is the only difference. Most supermarkets have brands such as “No name”, “EQUALITY”, “President’s choice”, “Compliments”,  or similar, that are used for naming generic products. You will find a number of products under these generic brands, such as cookies, sodas, coffee, cheese, orange juice, sparkling water, yogurt, margarine, pasta, sausages, and many more.

◊ Avoid buying products at “Convenience Stores”. These small shops’ products are more costly than in many supermarket, especially in those that are “24 hours” and the ones in gas stations. (SEE TABLE 3)

◊ Try to buy the vegetables and fruits of the season. For example, in June strawberries and asparagus, lettuce and some other vegetables. In July and August, cherries, “nectarines”, cucumbers, peaches, apples, pears, plums, and many other fruits and vegetables. IN September, grapes, tomatoes, zucchini, peppers, corn, etc. Remember that most vegetables and fruits are imported in winter, and that are more expensive.

◊ Buy products in simple disposable packaging. For example: a kilo of chicken legs in a simple closed plastic bag will cost, let’s say $4.89/kilo. The same product in a white plastic foam tray (polystyrene) with an absorbent piece of  cloth under it, wrapped in transparent plastic foil will cost 5.98. It is just logical, as you must pay for the tray, the piece of cloth and the transparent plastic foil. Moreover, you will have more garbage in your kitchen, which will contribute to the soil pollution, as these elements cannot be recycled.

◊ It is very common that those products whose expiry date is nearing are cheaper than their ordinary price. They have a label that reads “SPECIAL”,  as they have  a new lower price or for being separate from the rest. Meat and bakery products are most often offered as “special”.

◊ There are special offers in supermarkets every week, which are advertised in printed brochures send to houses and apartments. In most cases, they allow for saving money or for buying a bigger amount of items for the same price. However, avoid buying those special offers of products that you don’t use frequently. In this consumer society it is easy for families to stock up a number of cheap products that will never be used.

◊ The most economical way of buying clothes is buying outfits for the season that has just finished or is now finishing. Big stores in Canada (Sears, Bay, Wal-Mart, and many more) usually  keep those goods from a season to the other, on the contrary, they lower their prices several times to try and sell them, especially Summer clothes and Winter garments. This way, you can buy clothes for the next year at really good prices. However, avoid purchasing big amounts of children clothes, as they grow up rather quickly, and those clothes may not suit them.

-  COMMUNICATING WITH YOUR FAMILY

◊ The most economical way of communication with your family is Internet. By a chat program, as Messenger by MSN, you can write, speak and even see your relatives for a really low cost. Learning to operate it is easier than you suppose.

◊ The other economical way of calling abroad is by the use of international calling cards. Just buy the ones that only charge for the minutes you used and NO CONNEXION FEES, as they are more economical. Try several brands of phone cards and decide by your self which is the one that suits you best, according to the country and city you phone.

 The cost of direct international phone calls, over your residential phone line, are really high.

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