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The Spend Less Challenge: 1 Idea for Every Day of the Week

We've found the easiest strategies to help you save more and stash away the extra money—without having to pause your (necessary) spending.
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Wednesday: Clean Up Your Dirty Benjamins
And the Hamiltons, Jacksons and Grants, too. Subconsciously, we think old, grimy-looking bills are worth less than clean, crisp ones. And so...we generally spend them faster and more freely, found a study published in the Journal of Consumer Research. Luckily, there's a simple solution: If possible, ask for newer bills when getting cash back.

Paying with clean bills might get you a better deal: A field study at a farmers’ market found that sellers more frequently overcharged customers after touching grubby banknotes than new ones.
— Jena Pincott
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Published 05/14/2014
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