Chatelaine Earn Spend Save: The savvy guide to a richer, smarter, debt-free life

Chapter 2. SPEND LIKE A PRO

Time to fess up. Kristin, a 42-year-old law clerk in Moncton, New Brunswick, isn't concerned about making more money. No. She just wishes she knew how to spend what she does have a bit smarter. Not that she takes expensive vacations (often) or splurges on pricey lipstick (much), but she just can't shake the feeling that finding ways to save a few bucks seems like too much work for too little gain.

But it isn't until Kristin visits her best friend's house that she's able to quantify how much she has been squandering both her money and her opportunities. Her pal Veronica bought a new mattress set right after Kristin decided to trade hers in.

"Amazingly, we chose the exact same model from the exact same mattress chain store," says Kristin. "But I couldn't believe the price she paid for hers. Four hundred dollars less than I did. They even threw in a couple of free pillows! At first I was jealous, then I just got angry—at myself."

IT'S NOT THAT KRISTIN IS MISSING A SMART SHOPPING gene or is keen to throw her money away, but how do you explain a chequing account that always seems to dip into the red despite a good income? Something has to change.

The beauty of spending less is that you get to do more with what you have. Yes, you could work harder or work longer hours to make that cash; or, you could take 15 seconds and ask for a discount on that pair of boots with a tiny flaw and score $20 off. Do the math. Those 15 seconds are probably the most lucrative you'll ...