ByAnn Hours Updated
Comments 5 Comments

How Ann Saves Money on Airfare, Hotels, and More

This post may contain affiliate links and Corporette® may earn commissions for purchases made through links in this post. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

tail of a Southwest plane

Note from Kat: I first asked my fellow writers here at Corporette if we could team up on our favorite money saving habits and tips and tricks — and everyone's advice was so good I thought I'd make a series out of it! (‘Tis the season, right?) Today, Ann, who writes our CorporetteMoms morning posts, is sharing her money-saving habits with us. Huge thanks to Ann!

Here are Elizabeth's money-saving habits, in case you missed them!

In the past we've shared our money roadmap (what to do first/next in your personal finance journey), how to automate your savings and how to set up automatic investing, as well as discussed how to save for multiple financial goals. We've also talked about where to keep your emergency fund, and where to stash your cash when you're unsure what you're saving for (e.g., retirement, wedding, house, etc).

ANN's Money-Saving Habits

When flying Southwest, I always check to see if the airfare has dropped since I booked my flight — if it has, a few easy clicks get me the difference as a flight credit.

I try not to check a bag, especially if there is an additional fee. [PSA: Southwest just announced a new policy: Starting with flights booked on May 28, you'll have to pay to check a bag unless you've reached upper tiers of Rapid Rewards, are flying business class, or have a Southwest credit card.]

At least half my clothes are preowned or thrifted (which is ironic given I write for a fashion blog). Places I shop include ThredUp, Goodwill Finds, Current Boutique (a local D.C. consignment store), and my favorite brands’ preloved sites, including M.M LaFleur's Second Act, and La Ligne's Re-Ligne.

My kids wear mostly thrifted or hand-me-down clothes. 

I will drive my car until the wheels fall off. I am still driving a 20+-year-old Corolla I had in law school.

Instead of going out for dinner, I make happy hour into my version of an early bird special. 

My kids often take classes or attend camps at the local park district. 

I’m not a point hacking expert, but we try to charge everything to our Hyatt card (paid off each month). That, along with many business trips, has gotten us about two weeks’ worth of free hotel nights and upgrades for our summer vacation. 

If there is a generic version, I often buy that instead of the name brand.

At grocery and big box stores, I'll look for the hidden shelf where they keep all the soon-to-be-expired, past-season, or slightly banged-up products that are still perfectly good. For example, I got a family-sized name-brand shampoo for about $5 because the pump had popped up.

Huge thanks to Ann for sharing her habits with us! Readers, what are your top money-saving habits?

{related: financial tips for new lawyers (or other women in their first high-paying jobs!)}

Stock photo via Deposit Photos / johnkwan.

5 Comments

  1. -Airfare, this works with many airlines, like for American if you buy Main Cabin or higher (not basic economy) you can always cancel for flight credit and then immediately use it to rebook
    -Bags, often these are free with an inexpensive airline credit card (like the $99 per year kind) so if you often check, probably worth it
    -Credit card, do the math on the rewards to see if a simple cash-back type of card is better, or if you really get your money’s worth out of the travel perks. personally we strongly prefer an airline credit card to hotel; the odds that we want to be in the same hotel brand (or a hotel at all) every trip are low, but the odds that we’re flying American (since they are so dominant at our home airport) are extremely high.

    Otherwise, we try to be frugal on stuff we don’t care about. Old used car, seldom get food delivered (we keep a bunch of soup, frozen pizza, etc. on hand for no-brainer nights).

  2. Aldi, Target, Walmart groceries and that hidden shelf of weird stuff at other grocers
    Have not owned a car since 2012.
    Second hand clothing (real real, Poshmark, thrifting)
    Buy nothing clubs
    Library for museum passes, borrow tools, movies, books
    Dry beans
    Plant based diet for many meals
    Borrow use of subscription digital services
    Work from home= much lower costs for wardrobe, shoes, bags, jackets
    Stay with friends on vacation visits
    Make dog food with sweet potatoes, pumpkin, rice, ground poultry and love
    Volunteering community garden and being home produce and flowers
    Born into family that already has season tickets to local pro sports teams, second homes and friends in attractive destinations, professionals in fields that charge premiums for services
    Frequently wear glasses and pretend this means it’s okay to skip eye makeup (dramatic reduction in replacement costs for liners, shadows, eye primers, mascaras)
    Friend on fitness competition contest app motivating me instead of a personal trainer
    Walking, cycling, bus, train not ride apps, not carshare, not car rental
    Gave up studio fitness
    Park district pool for lap swimming
    Make all my coffee at home
    Buy coffee beans in 5lb bags
    Treat friends by donating to our religious org to pay for light lunch for whole community (lunch = tax deduction)
    Maximize itemized deductions
    Pets support mental health
    Gave up alcohol in 2020
    FSA sunscreen, first aid kits, bandages, eyeglasses
    Use apps for locals to purchase discounted airfares to China and Japan

  3. Slugging
    Free cultural events
    Volunteer usher at theatres and concert venues
    Cosmetology school hair color
    Dental school orthodontia
    Model for medspa in exchange for discounted Botox
    Got a job at a university and then went to graduate school tuition free
    Free software, newspaper subscription, cultural events through adjunct teaching gig at a different university
    Epic pass for skiing
    Use friend’s Sephora employee discount in exchange for occasional pet sitting
    House sit and pet sit in vacation destinations
    Estate sale furniture
    Roommates
    Got a part time job at a framing store/art gallery and had my own art framed with frames discarded by clients
    Timeshare for a Paris apartment during last week of November

Comments are closed.