“If only I had more money…” Ever heard yourself utter those words? If you only had more money you’d… Travel more? Save more for the kids’ education? Invest more? The trouble is, most of us can’t just demand a raise every time we want more money. Well, what if I told you there is a way you could make more money without asking for a raise and didn’t require getting a second job? Would you be interested?

Let’s do some math. Let’s say you live in Ontario and your taxable income is $60,000. That would make your marginal tax rate (the amount of tax you would pay on an additional dollar of income) 31%. That means you would need to earn an extra $1.45 for each additional $1 you want to take home (1.45 x 31% = 0.45). Now let’s turn that around. If you could save $1 it would be like earning an extra $1.45! Get it? You buy things with after-tax dollars which means if you buy something for $100, you had to earn $145 in order to make that purchase. If you can buy things on sale, it’s like earning more money. When you consider your marginal tax rate, it makes waiting for a sale price really appealing. Of course we all know you have more money in your pocket when you spend less, but we rarely stop to consider how much we actually had to earn in order to have that money in our pockets. When you do, it makes your money seem much more valuable.

Now let’s really make things interesting. Let’s see what happens if you take the money you saved and invest it in a tax-sheltered vehicle such as a RRSP. Like lots of men, I love a big screen TV. Basically, the bigger the better. If I’m considering a new TV that retails for $1000 but I wait for a 20% off sale, I save $200. Remember, I had to earn $1630 in order to spend $1000 in after-tax dollars (my marginal rate is 38.5%). The $200 I save during the 20% off sale represents $325 in additional earning.

Ok. If I then invest that $200 in my RRSP, I save $77 in income tax. In other words, I save $200 on the TV but the government gives me a tax refund of $77 which means my actual savings on the TV is $277 and the $200 contribution really only costs me $123! Oh yeah, and that $200 will continue to grow tax-free! Let’s not forget I also have a new TV! If you commit to saving 20% – or more – on everything you buy, it’s not hard to see how it can be an important pillar in your retirement strategy.