Social media channels like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat can connect you with friends and family, deliver daily trends and news and even help you find lost pets. But if you’re not using these popular sites to save money, then you’re missing out on one of the most helpful features.
Brands have long taken advantage of connecting with their customers on these channels. By following or “liking” your favorite stores, you can take advantage, too. Many stores and restaurants will post coupons and sales on social media before email newsletters or their website, granting loyal fans first access to discounts. Others offer codes just for liking their Facebook page. Look in a page’s “About” section to see if anything is listed. Budget travel companies, airlines and hotels are known for frequently posting limited time only deals on social media too, so if you’re looking to take a trip make sure to check these out first.
You can find plenty of discounts and money-saving tips on Twitter, too. Organize your favorite accounts in Twitter lists for easy browsing, such as one list for stores, another for coupon websites and another for money-saving experts. These experts often use Twitter to share 140-character tips and nuggets of wisdom that you can use for a more frugal lifestyle.
If you want to do a deeper dive into one topic, keep your eye on Twitter chats. Often money experts or media outlets will host an hour-long discussion about topics such as holiday shopping, renting versus buying or eliminating debt. Some finance experts host chats weekly. This is a wonderful free resource to chat with money-saving authorities and even ask your own burning questions.
I recommend lookout out for chats to join regularly and chiming in with your own suggestions, too. It’s almost like crowdsourcing your bargain-hunting, because everyone is sharing information and tips with each other. After a while, you’ll start to feel part of a community, too. The best part is, you all share a common goal of saving.
When you’re shopping for something specific, or want to find deals at a certain store, use hashtags to tailor your search. This works especially well in Twitter and Instagram. Using #deal or #coupon alongside the name of a product or store brings up a list of real-time results including those terms.
Blogs and brands use social media to host sweepstakes and give away prizes to loyal fans. The more popular the brand behind the contest, the more entries there will be, but it’s always worth a try. You can find contests to win anything from gift certificates to products to an all-inclusive getaway.
Referral programs have been revolutionized by social media. By sharing your own unique link on social media, it’s incredibly easy for companies to track how many people signed up or made a purchase because of you. Then you get the benefit with a discount or bonus, and it only took you a few clicks.
Pinterest is another social media website that offers plenty of ways to save money. You can easily search topics such as “couponing,” “saving money,” or “DIY” and find a list of pinners that link to the exact content you’re looking for. Follow specific boards on these topics, or pin links to your own boards to remember and check on later. There are endless tutorials to DIY or hack otherwise expensive projects for a fraction of the costs. Again, one of the benefits is being part of the community, which encourages you to save more and embrace a frugal lifestyle.
Another website to join when you’re looking to save money is Reddit. This popular community offers hundreds of subreddits on specific topics, such as r/personalfinance and r/frugal. You can browse content for tips and advice, or ask your own questions to the community. Just make sure to adhere to any subreddit’s precise guidelines for posting.
I hope this information will encourage you to look towards your own communities (or new ones) the next time you are searching for a deal, in need of financial advice or trying to boost your income. The best part is, all the communities mentioned are free to join!
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How Social Media Can Save You Money originally appeared on usnews.com
