SAVING CENTSABLY: What would I do differently?

Now that I have been a "full-blown" saver, a crazy-couponer, a savvy shopper, (you pick your adjective) for many years, I sometimes think -- "Oh! I wish I had done that sooner!"

Sometimes people ask me what I would have done differently, and there are a few things that I really wish I had known about sooner.

First, I would sign up for every "saver" card out there. What does that mean, and how much money could I really have saved?

There are some gas stations that offer approximately a 5 cents discount per gallon when you use your "gas membership card." Typically, I do not fill up my tank unless it is pretty empty. Let's say that I fill the tank with 18 gallons. If I had the "member savings card," I would save only about $1 each time I filled the tank.

But how often do I fill the tank? About every five days -- sometimes more often. That means I fill up about 73 times per year. If I had a member savings card that saved me $1 every time I filled up, I would save about $75 per year. Multiply that across the eight years I have been wholeheartedly pursuing saving money, and I could have pocketed (or found another way to spend) $600! This is just one way to demonstrate that every little bit counts.

Second, I would have registered for the CVS prescription bonus program much sooner. See, you earn $5 for every 10 "points" you earn. Points can be earned through filling a prescription (one point per 30-day prescription) or getting a flu shot at the Minute Clinic. For every 10 points earned, $5 in Extra Care Bucks can be earned.

For a family of six, the number of prescriptions (even for healthy children) can be significant. In a year, we fill an average of 70 prescriptions in our family. Purchasing 70 prescriptions would earn $35 in Extra Care Bucks per year. In eight years of savings, I could have pocketed (or found another way to spend) more than $275!

Third, I would have joined a "big box" club like Sam's, BJs or Costco earlier than I did. I have thoroughly enjoyed my membership to Sam's Club during this last year. I have discovered a whole new way of shopping -- less frequently -- and saving money through buying in bulk without coupons.

Finally, I would have been bolder across the whole eight years when it comes to asking for coupons and samples. I do not regularly ask companies for coupons like I should. If you have read my column for many years, you know that this is something I recommend.

Writing companies to simply ask for coupons -- and giving them feedback, for which you are rewarded with coupons -- can be very lucrative. It is truly something I should do more often! I will be taking my own advice and looking for a way to squeeze a few minutes out of each day to request coupons and samples from companies whose products I use.

As these examples can show, there are many ways in which we can watch the pennies add up. I hope that you will learn from some of my "should have dones" and start saving a few extra dollars today!

Contact writer Rachael Mercer at savingcentsably@gmail.com.

This story was originally published January 26, 2016 at 8:37 PM with the headline "SAVING CENTSABLY: What would I do differently? ."