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Personal Finance Consultants may argue that the money you spend on small purchases (e.g. cup of Starbucks coffee) add up together and redirect towards a huge expenses. Assuming it costs $5 per cup, you are spending over $70 in a week. This is why you can save thousands of dollars in two years if you reduced your caffeine expense.

5 Clever Ways To Save Money on Coffee…

1. DO NOT EQUATE PRICE TO QUALITY

A blind taste test by New York Magazine’s Adam Platt showed that people prefer the inexpensive Dunkin Donuts coffee to the upscale Starbucks coffee. Even though it is expensive, it does not mean it tastes good. So, try the small coffee shops across your office.

Image Credits: Cherrysweetdeal via Flickr

2. MAKE YOUR OWN BREW

Coffee beans are cheaper than Starbucks; try to make your own to save a significant amount of money. If you are feeling creative, buy black coffee and add your own mixture of milk, cream, and sugar.

3. GIFT CARDS

Fish for discounted gift cards on Ebay or Carousell. This may not be worth your time if you are an occasional coffee drinker. But, if your caffeine habit is emptying your pocket, this tip will save you quite a bit.

4. LOOK FOR COFFEE DEALS ONLINE

Discover coffee or coffee maker deals online. Deals Singapore is currently having a 33% off deal on CEO Lingzhi Coffee while Groupon is having a 30% off deal on Philips Coffee Maker.

Image Credits: Alan Levine via Flickr

McDonalds may have “free coffee Mondays” so follow them on Facebook or Twitter.

5. REDUCE YOUR CAFFEINE INTAKE

Lastly, one sure-fire way to help you save a significant amount of money is to reduce your coffee intake. I know it takes a lot of willpower at first but it gets better as time passes.

Do it gradually, you cannot force this process or you will experience symptoms of withdrawal (i.e., headache, depression or nausea). Eliminate a cup per day.

Reducing your caffeine intake will not only increase your savings but it will also increase your survival. It decreases your risk of hypertension and increases calcium absorption to help keep your bones and teeth strong.

Nowadays, almost everyone uses a hand phone or a digital device (e.g. tablet, laptop). And as these devices grow in popularity, its complexity, features and parts also increase.

When a hand phone or cell phone is broken during the 1990’s, people will probably self-repair it by the use of small screwdrivers or even a pair of tweezers. But, self-repairing a Smartphone is not possible now…or is it?

The truth is…there are some repairs you don’t have to pay someone for. I bring you the ultimate list of 4 Smartphone Mishaps that You Can Repair Yourself (and save money in the process)…drum roll please!

1. REVAMP THE CHARGING PORT

With continued use; your charger may not fit as well into the port as it did before. The simple way to fix it is to use a sharp toothpick to remove the lint and dirt from the port. Clean the rest of your phone by using cotton swab/ cotton buds/ cotton tips with drops of distilled water on it.

Image Credits: Yutaka Tsutano via Flickr

2. IMPROVE THE AUDIO QUALITY

Overtime, you may experience hearing an inferior sound when you plug the earphones into the “jack” (usually on the upper-right hand corner of the phone). To fix this audio quality, stick a cotton swab into the jack and use it to clear out any dirt.

3. REPLACE A SHATTERED SCREEN

Replacing your smartphone’s screen is usually do-able and it is easier than you think! All it takes is the right tools and a little courage. Get concise instructions online (here or here) and buy a repair kit if you don’t have a toolbox. You may buy a repair kit on IFIXIT or Ebay.

Image Credits: Toby Charlton-Taylor via Flickr

4. REVIVE A SOAKED SMARTPHONE

One of the common mishaps is water damage. Even I experienced it myself. So, if your phone takes an unexpected swim, remove the battery (if possible), and place it in a bag of rice for one day or two to absorb the moisture within. With luck, this will do the trick.

Image Credits: rharrison via Flickr

Sources: Reader’s Digest Magazine, Lifehacker.com

Spare yourself some money and time by subtracting Smartphone repair to your expenses! Truly, there are some mishaps that you can handle yourself. All it takes are tools, courage, determination, and a little help from the Internet.

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