Most people would love to be able to live rich but don’t have the funds to be able to do so. When hearing stories about travel adventures, seeing pictures of luxurious homes, reading reviews of the latest 5 star restaurants, seeing social media updates about a newly announced concert, or even checking out the newest gadget at the electronic store, sometimes living frugally can make you feel like you are being held back from fully enjoying all life has to offer. The good news? It is possible to live rich without breaking the bank!

 

Travel: Travel is one of those luxuries everyone wants to be able to afford but may not be able to fit into their budget. Luckily there are a few ways to be able to see the world without spending a fortune.

1. Mix and match – Sometimes it’s not cheaper to fly just one airline or to fly into and out of the same airports. Mixing and matching airlines as well as arrival and departure airports can save you a hefty chunk of change.

• Be willing to get bumped – Oftentimes airlines will overbook their flights then request volunteers to get bumped to a later flight for a voucher potentially worth hundreds of dollars. If you aren’t in a rush to get to your destination, volunteer to get bumped and get that voucher.
• Fly on cheap days – The most expensive days to fly tend to be Friday and Sunday, so if possible try to avoid flying on those days. If your travel plans are flexible, book your flights for Tuesday or Wednesday as those tend the cheapest days to fly.
• Avoid hotels – Hotels can be pricey, so look for alternatives. If you have family or friends where you are traveling, ask if you can crash with them, offering up your house if they ever travel to your hometown. If you aren’t opposed to staying with strangers, check out Couchsurfing. Hostels are another option that allow you to save while meeting fellow travelers.
• Travel in the off-season – Travel prices are always higher around the holidays or typical vacation times. Whenever possible, make it a point to try and travel during non-tourist seasons. It will save you an arm and a leg.

 

Home: Seeing pictures of celebrity homes may make you wish you could have a bigger home or give your current home some updates. It is possible to spruce up your home without emptying out your wallet.

• Use a mirror – Is your apartment or home feeling small? Find a mirror to add to one of your walls. Mirrors can make a room seem bigger and can give you the illusion of having a larger home without buying a larger house.
• Use your pictures as art – There is no need to spend hundreds of dollars on art. Chances are you have a camera and can use the pictures you’ve taken as art. Print your favorite pictures, find some cheap frames, and add some custom art to your home.
• Shop on Craigslist or thrift shops - To get furniture and decorations for cheap, consider checking Craigslist or your local thrift shop. Like they say, “one man’s trash is another man’s treasure.”
• Paint – Doing something as simple as changing the paint color of one room or even one wall can make your home feel new and fresh. Find a color you like and get to work.
• Add an area rug – Are you sick of your carpet or tired of your hardwood floor? Find an area rug you like to throw on the floor and change things up without having to replace all the carpet or floors in your home.

 

Dining Out: We all hear about people who go out and spend hundreds of dollars on meals at fancy restaurants. If you are a foodie, there are some awesome ways to be able to dine out without spending hundreds on a meal.

• Follow restaurants on social media – Most restaurants have social media accounts, be it Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Pinterest, Instagram, or Foursquare. Sometimes they will post deals or coupons for their social media followers. Next time you head out to eat, follow the restaurant you are headed to on social media and see if you can score some deals.
• Discount gift cards – Sites like Plastic Jungle and Cardpool have unwanted gift cards that you can buy for a substantially lower price than their actual value. Go online and see if you can find cheap gift cards to your restaurants of choice.
• Rewards program - Find out if your favorite restaurants have a rewards program and sign up! Many restaurants offer rewards programs where you can get free drinks, appetizers, and even meals so if you go to a particular restaurant frequently, sign up for their rewards program if they have one.
• Coupons and Deals – Head online and check out sites like Coupons.com and Restaurant.com and search for coupons for restaurants you like. Or, if you are open to trying new restaurants, check out daily deals sites like Groupon and Living Social for discounts.
• Happy hour deals – Most restaurants offer some sort of happy hour menu with discounts on drinks, appetizers, and entrees. Find out the times your favorite restaurants have their happy hours, then take full advantage of their discounts.

 

Entertainment: Your best friend just scored floor seats to your favorite artist’s concert and you wish you could afford even the nose-bleed tickets. Here are a few ideas on how to be able to afford entertainment expenses without breaking the bank.

• Be flexible – If it isn’t absolutely vital for you to attend a certain show or event, waiting until the last minute to buy tickets can sometimes get you a better deal. Season ticket holders may drop their ticket prices the day of an event just to recoup some of their costs, so waiting until the last minute may pay off big time.
• Buy discounted tickets – Oftentimes you can find cheap tickets to concerts or sporting events on websites like eBay or StubHub. Or if movies are your thing, take advantage of buying tickets in bulk for a discount at stores like Costco.
• Daily Deals Sites – Want to go skydiving? Horseback riding? Take a helicopter tour? Sites like Groupon and Living Social offer significant discounts on activities like these, so check it out and get adventuring!
• Free Events – Local coffee shops or parks oftentimes offer free events while museums and zoos offer free admission days from time to time. Go online and find out what free events are going on around your neighborhood.
• Go to a Matinee – If you are a huge movie fan, opt to see a matinee instead of going to the movies at night. It is considerably cheaper and chances are the theater will be fairly empty so you’ll be able to get your ideal seat.

 

Splurges: So your neighbor just splurged on the latest 3D TV and you are a bit jealous. It is possible for you to be able to splurge like the rich without going into the red.

• Save up multiple gift cards – Do you tend to get many gift cards to the same store or website for your birthday or for the holidays? Instead of spending them as soon as you get them, save them for that big purchase you want to make. Just beware of potential expiration dates.
• Create a splurge fund – Leave yourself some wiggle room in your budget for those unplanned for splurges. By allocating some extra funds each month for unplanned spending, you won’t end up breaking your budget when you see an item you must have that doesn’t fit any other budget categories.
• Look on eBay or Craigslist – If there is a new version of the latest tech product coming out and your gadget is beyond outdated, go on eBay or Craigslist to see if anyone is selling a more recent model of your gadget. Oftentimes people will sell their gadgets so they can get the newest version, so you can get a more recent generation of that gadget you want at a cheaper price than you’d pay in stores.
• Comparison shop – Want the latest big screen TV or cell phone? Take the time to comparison shop multiple websites and brick and mortar stores to make sure you get the best price. Apps like Redlaser and Amazon Price Check can help you with comparison shopping.
• Use Coupons – Before you make a big purchase, go online and check local newspapers for coupons for whatever your splurge item happens to be. There’s no reason to pay full price for something when you can use coupons to get a discount.

 

What tips do you have to live rich without breaking the bank? Share them with us and you could win $5,000 plus a money makeover by David Bach. Enter here to win.

 

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Ashley Jacobs is the Community Coordinator, Social Media Editor, as well as a writer for Wise Bread. Follow her latest tweets on @wisebread.