The views expressed in this Opinion article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Narcity Media.
Face it, the city of Vancouver is a pricey place to live between the steep gas prices, rising rental costs and even grocery bills.
I grew up in the city, and over the years have figured out some pretty sweet ways to save some money. These game-changing hacks that save my wallet in this pricey place will hopefully help you out too.
Delete those local food delivery apps
All those local delivery apps are way too convenient when you don't feel like cooking and they will add up quickly. From the expensive food items to all the extra fees added on top of the delivery, it's way cheaper to cook your own meal at home.
Ditch the car and bike instead
Purchase a bike and never have to pay for gas again!
Vancouver is filled with tons of bike lanes which makes it great for getting around. If you can handle biking rain or shine, the amount of money you could save without having to purchase any gas could be huge.
The city even has a bike map that will show you all the bike paths and greenways within Vancouver.
Cancel your TV package and stream free shows from the Vancouver Public Library
Why bother paying for extra TV services if you can stream shows for free? The Vancouver Public Library has an online video streaming website where you can watch a wide variety of films, all for free!
Get a More Rewards card
If you are grocery shopping at Save-On-Foods often, why not earn points while doing it? You can use your points to purchase things like BC Ferries tickets and it's basically a free trip to travel all the tiny islands in the province.
Hit up the local thrift shop for clothes instead of the mall
There are so many different thrift shops in Vancouver to find hidden gems and adorable pieces of clothes for a fraction of the price.
To me, it's pointless to pay full price when you could find something just as nice at the local thrift shop.
Turnabout Community is a great place to find some extremely discounted luxury items.
Don't skip happy hour at the local restaurants
Happy hour is a great way to save money on some food and drinks at your favourite restaurants. I love to hit up Biercraft for their happy hour menu selection which includes wings and tacos — yum!
