Time to Think Outside of the Box
15 May 2020 0
15 May 2020 0

Alanna Abramsky
(Enriched Academy Financial Coach / AFCC)

We’ve been in isolation now for what seriously seems like forever. But the time is flying by, isn’t it? Our coaching division has been working diligently with our clients to help them navigate through this time, and I’ve compiled a list of ways to help clients cut back and think outside of the box to stretch their dollars the furthest. Here are some that may help you if you’re finding that funds are tight.

Take This Opportunity to Clean the House and Sell Your Unused Stuff: Have you ever taken a step back and thought about how much stuff you have but never use? Craigslist, LetGo, Kijiji, Bunz, Facebook Marketplace are some of the amazing platforms out there that allow you to sell and buy used (if you need anything). Not only will it feel amazing to get rid of everything, but if you can free up some cash, it will help in the long run. One person’s trash really is another person’s treasure!

Do You Have Any Reward Points That You Can Use?: I don’t know about you, but I’ve been accumulating PC Points for years. I signed onto my PC Points last week and found that I had $500 worth of free groceries. WINNING! So, then I started to look at some of my other rewards points that I’ve been accumulating all of these years and found that I had $100’s of dollars in reward points. This is the PERFECT time to use those points if you find that you’re strapped for cash. Air Miles? Coffee rewards? Points from your bank? Sign onto your platforms and see what you have and start to use them if you need. Also take a look at unused gift cards!

If You Absolutely NEED to Shop: Have you Heard of Rakuten? We all have things that we absolutely need right now. Perhaps those necessities can be purchased through Rakuten. It’s a website that gives you cash back on purchases that you’d be making in-store anyways. And if you use this link, you'll get $5 cash back on your first purchase!

Take a Look at Your Insurance: Do you have insurance on two or more cars that you’re not driving right now? Time to call your provider and cut one of the monthly car insurance premiums. If you’re able to drive one car between a family, you might as well scrap the monthly cost for the time being. Have you read the fine print of your insurance premiums? Maybe you haven’t taken a look at your insurance policies in a while. There are a few really awesome websites out there such as PolicyAdvisor and PolicyMe that will provide you with a quote in minutes. You can compare them to the policies you currently have. Maybe you can save a few bucks every month by making the switch.

Get Rid of Those Pesky Monthly Bank Fees: I've always asked my friends why they're paying a financial institution a monthly bank fee to take out their own hard-earned money? Unless you actually need a service that a No-Fee bank cannot provide you with, this idea has never made sense to me. Bank fees typically range anywhere from $5-$30/month, but it doesn't need to be that way. There are TONS of no-fee banking options out there that also offer high-interest savings accounts. Here are a few of them; Simplii Financial, Tangerine, and EQ Bank.

I know that times are tough right now, but with a little more thinking outside of the box, I’m sure there are a few other ways that you can think of. Feel free to share them with us!



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