How to Use Facebook to Save Money

According to a recent study by Bloomberg news, the average Facebook user spends about 40 minutes per day browsing their news-feed, updating their status, and interacting with friends. That’s pretty much nothing compared to the hours watching television, but it’s still quite a bit of time to waste away on the world wide web!

I totally get it though.

With access to all the social media apps on our smartphones, it’s almost too easy to “check in” right when you wake up, while you’re waiting in line at the grocery store, or {ahem} sitting at a red light.

But instead of feeling guilty for what some might consider a general waste of time, I propose a different idea. Why not use Facebook to our advantage? Meaning, if you’re spending so much time on Facebook anyway, you might as well turn it into something useful……like saving money.

Borrow, Instead of Buy

Is there a book you want to read, or a tool you need for your next DIY project? Maybe there’s a kitchen appliance that would make your monthly freezer cooking session that much easier. Instead of buying those items, see if you can borrow them from your Facebook friends!

If your friends are anything like mine, they love to help, and those local to you can lend a hand whenever you’re in need. And even if they no one has what you’re looking for, I’m sure they can point you in the right direction.

I’ve asked for all sorts of advice on brand names and what to buy when items around our home bite the dust. Plus, it’s always super helpful to know what works and what doesn’t so you don’t waste your hard-earned cash.

Create Interest Lists

Out of my 222 Facebook friends, and who knows how many LIKED pages, there’s a lot of clutter in my news feed, and it’s practically impossible to see every new update. This is where Interests Lists can come in really handy, and not too many people know about them!

Interest Lists allow you to organize all your pages in separate “lists”, so you can segment your news feed at any time based on which list you want to view. If you’re not exactly sure how to create interest lists and add pages to them, this post on Sprout Social features an easy-to-follow tutorial to get you started.

Here’s an example: Let’s say you follow quite a few coupon bloggers. Find each of their pages, and add them to a list titled, Deals and Coupons. Then anytime you want to check a sale or find coupon match-ups, click to view only that list. It will bring up all the latest posts by the pages you added and nothing else.

More Interest List ideas:

• Local Deal Bloggers {For the latest coupons and deals in your area}
• Frugal Lifestyle Bloggers {For general money saving tips}
• Favorite Companies and Businesses {For sale notifications and coupons — you could unsubscribe via email and just follow them via an interest list if you wanted to clear out your inbox!}
• Friends that have a business or blog {For support and latest updates}
• Healthy Food or Recipe Blogs {For those dinner time dilemmas}

It might take a little bit of time up front to get everything organized, especially if you like a lot of pages, but once everything’s in place, I think you’ll find Facebook that much more enjoyable and easier to use to your advantage.

Check Pages for Coupons

Facebook pages used to incentivize you with a coupon for liking their page, but since Facebook doesn’t allow them to do that anymore, most have done away with any sort of discount.

However, there are still a few pages that offer coupons “just because”, and you can usually find these offers listed as a tab right under the header photo. Be sure to check the MORE dropdown tab as well for promotions that might not be so obvious!

Here are a handful of pages that currently offer coupons:

• Silk
• Rite Aid
• Angel Soft
• Uncle Ben’s
• Seattle’s Best Coffee

Bottom Line — if you put any brand-worthy items on your grocery list, don’t forget to stop by their Facebook page to check for any current coupons or promotions before you head out to the store.

Join a Group

There are Facebook groups for just about anything, and while they can get distracting if you’re subscribed to every single notification, they’re still a really fun way to connect with others who are interested in the same topic as you, especially when you’re looking to save a little extra money.

Hyper Local Deal Groups: Many groups just focus on deals and specials specific to their area, and joining can be a great way to try a new restaurant or get notified of a special discount for a local family-friendly activity. Type “your city or closest metro area” + “deals” into the Facebook search bar to see what pops up.

Local Buy/Sell Groups: Other groups were specifically created for members to buy and sell from each other — almost like the Craigslist of Facebook. The really nice thing about them is you can instantly ask questions about each item instead of emailing a random address. Plus, you’ll get notified of garage sales happening in your area with a few pictures of what’s available. This saves a lot of time and effort from driving around wondering if you’ll find any hidden gems!

Couponing/Frugal Living Groups: If you’re looking for moral support, couponing advice, a different perspective, or accountability to reach your financial goals, there’s a group for you! True Couponing has quickly become my all-time favorite coupon group, and I always pop in before grocery shopping to find the best deals. I also have my own group called the CSB Inner Circle, which is all about budget-friendly living. I’d love to have you stop by!

Save Money Saving Articles to Read Later

Did you know that you can save links on Facebook? All you have to do is hit the drop down button on the upper right hand side of each post, and there is usually an option to save that post. Every post you save automatically shows up in your SAVED section under the Favorites column, and stays there until you archive or delete it.

Why is this helpful? Because sometimes you’re on the go and don’t have time to sit and read every article you come across. So whenever I find a post I’m really interested in reading, I’ll click save, then pull it up when I’m sitting in a waiting room or have a few extra minutes at home to check it out.

I use this trick whenever I want to save a particularly helpful post, especially if it relates to saving money, or if I want to investigate an online promotion a little further.

See, Facebook isn’t all that bad! The key is to make this social media network work for you, rather than the other way around. These five tips should help point you in the right direction!

 

 

Kalyn Brooke is a life management expert for busy women who crave a simpler and more organized life. Through her recognizable, down-to-earth approach, she provides a daily dose of inspiration and guidance, whether you’re looking for smart money tips, time saving routines, or anything in-between. When she’s not experimenting with ways to do even the most mundane tasks more efficiently, you can find her crafting detailed to-do lists in her bullet journal, or indulging in—yet another—personal development book. Meet Kalyn and learn how stay on top of it all at KalynBrooke.com.