How to Make Your Money Work for You

This article originally appeared on Mitlin Financial and has been republished here with permission.

Most people will read ” How To Make Your Money Work For You” from a financial advisor and think, “here we go, another blog about investing, 401K matching, and retirement planning.” Well, this piece has nothing to do with any of that at all.

Man in airport waiting for boarding on plane

Today, we’re going to talk about how to get your money to work for you just by what you’re spending everyday, anyway. The advice contained herein isn’t fancy or complex; it’s about getting the most out of the money you spend. There are so many perks available from so many retailers and you need to know how to benefit from them.

Grocery Store

One of the first places you can have your money go further is at the grocery store; many of the larger supermarket chains have no-cost loyalty programs. My older son recently learned that if he got a store reward card (no cost–you just provided your name and cell phone) for the supermarket that he uses through Instacart can save him money.

During a recent order, he saved $10 just for entering his loyalty number, as easy as that. The local supermarket I use gives us pennies off per gallon of gas (up to certain maximums) and given the size of my gas tank, this adds up to real money when it comes time to fill up the tank.

Restaurants

This same philosophy also applies to many restaurants you visit. Scanning your customer number can result in perks from free food to an accumulation of points that can be used for free items as well. These rewards programs have become so popular that we are now seeing some of the old school fast food places implementing them too.

When it comes to food you can also take advantage of the holiday deals many high-end restaurants run. As an example, if your favorite restaurant has a buy $100 gift card, get $25 free; buy a gift card for you and your family and you just received a 25% perk. Nothing says the gift card has to be given away or given as a gift.

Credit Cards

Another great way to get your money to work for you are the perks associated with some credit cards; these perks offer so much I wrote a whole article about them, 5 Benefits of Credit Cards! If you pay the bill off each month and don’t carry a balance, credit cards can help your money work for you. Just be sure you have the right card and it provides you the benefits you want. The key is to make sure you are paying off the balance and not hindering your credit simply to get a few perks.

Browse Rewards Credit Cards

Travel

And then there’s travel…. One of the biggest things about this one is loyalty. Whether it’s a hotel chain or airline, frequenting the same company can generate rewards. In our case, though, at times, flights on our preferred airline were a bit more expensive. In the end, a first class travel photo of me was a perk from having status! It was a true testament to being recognized for our loyalty to their brand.

This article represents the opinion of Mitlin Financial Inc. It should not be construed as providing investment, legal and/or tax advice. Investing involves risk, including possible loss of principal. No strategy ensures success or protects against loss. To determine what may be appropriate for you, consult your financial advisor.