Taking control of your personal finances can be as easy as figuring out how to get more for less. Simple steps can guide you down the path to more money in your bank account. I’m all about “easy” and “simple”, am I not? Go back to your ABCs, or in this case, Cs. thinking clubs; think about coupons; think clearly.

Wholesale clubs charge a fee, but the savings you get can be paid for in a month. Consider splitting the fare with a friend or two and turning your shopping days into social events. (Just don’t get carried away once you’re there. Too much of anything, even at half price, isn’t a bargain.)

Clubs aren’t just of the Sam’s or Costco variety. Other memberships have their privileges. Bookstores like Border’s offer free membership, and that translates into weekly and monthly discounts. Other retailers are getting in on the act: World Market, for example, offers its members not only coupons for all purchases, but also special discounts that change from week to week.

Your favorite place to shop may have its own club – check out their website or ask the next time you visit. Store managers encourage their employees to sign up shoppers for email lists. However, you don’t have to fear receiving spam, as most companies, responding to customer concerns, refuse to sell their lists these days.

The Internet is also a source of coupons. Many companies have stopped buying newspaper space for these, so if you want that extra fifty cents off your next box of laundry detergent, try websites dedicated to brand names, like Tide, or general retailers, like Target. . Once you’ve signed up for a first-time discount deal, coupon emails usually follow. And Target is one company that has its own link for printable coupons for store brands and overstocks.

Retailers also send surveys to customers, either by email or by linking them to a receipt. Definitely take the time to complete them! The retailer receives the feedback and you get a coupon for ten to thirty percent off your next purchase.

Many companies now have software that tracks customer purchases. This can be based on membership cards or purchases at the same time. The end result is that your database can determine your favorite items, or at least the ones you buy most often, and then generate and send the appropriate coupons for the next time you shop.

When it comes to clarity, it saves money to be clear about what you intend to buy, before you buy it. That means, make a list. Going to the grocery store with one of those makes you less likely to impulse buy and less likely to forget the specific thing you intended to buy. Doing the latter can mean a trip back to the store, which means using gas. Like the interest on your credit statement, that adds up, and alarmingly so.

And so: embrace your Vitamins C! Join retail clubs. Clip coupons.

Clarify your planned purchases with a list before you leave. Add sunshine to your bank account… (Oh, you knew I was going to say that!) Improving your financial status doesn’t have to be complicated.