Geld besparen bestaat uit twee delen. Daarom zul je merken dat elk van de 250 geldbesparende tips die ik je ga geven in een van de twee categorieën past:
Dit zijn twee heel verschillende dingen:het saldo op uw spaarrekening laten groeien gebeurt niet automatisch alleen maar omdat op de onderkant van uw laatste kassabon staat dat u € 16,02 heeft “gespaard”.
Je moet die € 16,02 (en nog veel meer) WERKELIJK op je spaarrekening zetten om deze te laten groeien.
We gaan het hebben over methoden die u helpen beide te doen:veel geld besparen op aankopen EN meer geld op uw spaarrekening krijgen.
Zoooo...klik rond en blijf een tijdje!
Naast dat je daadwerkelijk actie onderneemt op veel van deze geldbesparende tips tegelijk, kun je ook snel veel geld besparen met mijn Bank It! methode.
Wat is de bank? methode?
Wanneer u aan het einde van uw kassabon geld ziet dat u heeft gespaard (in de supermarkt, bij CVS of ergens anders waar ze u vertellen hoeveel u aan coupon- en kortingsbesparingen had) zet u dat bedrag daadwerkelijk op de spaarrekening (bankeer maar!).
Dit werkt om snel veel geld te besparen, want in plaats van dat u die “besparingen” nooit echt als daadwerkelijke besparingen op uw rekening ziet, kunt u dat nu doen. Het zorgt ervoor dat u binnen uw budget blijft en geld uit de bestedingscategorieën van dat budget naar uw spaarrekening haalt, waardoor u veel sneller geld kunt besparen dan u momenteel kunt.
Dit zijn geen eenmalige tips om geld te besparen; deze tips zullen u maand na maand na maand geld besparen (en vaak, nadat u slechts EENMAAL actie hebt ondernomen om de voortdurende besparingen te oogsten!).
Dat is een leuke manier om je spaarvarken te laten groeien.
Ik heb negen strategieën die ik persoonlijk heb gebruikt om een goedkopere huiseigenaarverzekering te krijgen (één Alleen al de fooi heeft ons $1600 bespaard!).
Psst:hier leest u hoe u aan de slag kunt gaan met het zoeken naar een goedkoper verzekeringsplan voor huiseigenaren.
Ik heb een artikel geschreven over 17 verschillende niet-bederfelijke maaltijdideeën. U vindt niet-bederfelijke desserts, diners en bijgerechten.
Bevindt u zich in een geliberaliseerde energiemarkt? Door van elektriciteitsleverancier te wisselen, kunt u een behoorlijk deel van het wisselgeld besparen. Sterker nog, er zijn energiezoekmachines die GRATIS voor u rondkijken en u vertellen welk abonnement het goedkoopste voor u is, op basis van uw eigen gebruikspatronen. Lief!
Vorig jaar heb ik de tijd genomen om onderzoek te doen en vervolgens ons spaargeld om te zetten van een rekening met een schamele rente van 0,75% naar een rekening met 1,4% (dus bijna een verdubbeling van onze rente-inkomsten elke maand).
En een jaar later? Dat percentage bedraagt nu 2,35% (enkele jaren later is het 4,40%).
Dat betekent dat ik, zonder dat ik extra werk hoef te doen, onze rente-inkomsten elke maand heb verdrievoudigd (die oorspronkelijke rekening waar we bij waren? Heeft NOG STEEDS maar een rentepercentage van 1%). #winnen
Als er een elektronica is aangesloten, zuigt deze nog steeds energie op. U wilt de stekker van uw apparaten en dergelijke uit het stopcontact halen als u deze niet gebruikt (een eenvoudige manier om dit te doen is door uw entertainmentcentrum op één stekkerdoos aan te sluiten en vervolgens de stekker er één keer uit te halen voordat u naar bed gaat).
Het is een van mijn beste tips over hoe je de elektriciteitsrekening in een appartement kunt verlagen en hoe je je oude apparaten voor geld kunt verkopen.
Wissel het geld terug in de vorm van een cheque en plaats het op uw spaarrekening.
Tip:het gebruik van creditcards kan ervoor zorgen dat u meer geld uitgeeft. U kunt dus, net als wij, een hybride benadering gebruiken voor het gebruik van creditcards, om de beloningen te maximaliseren en extra uitgaven te minimaliseren.
Stop met het vergroten van je bestellingen, maar verlaag je bestellingen (dit wordt lastig; ik heb gemerkt dat fastfoodrestaurants er automatisch van uitgaan dat je een medium wilt, dus je moet in plaats daarvan 'klein' zeggen).
Heeft u zich aangemeld voor een gratis proefperiode en bent u deze vergeten, maar worden er nu elke maand kosten in rekening gebracht? Controleer uw account op eventuele terugkerende kosten die u niet wilt.
Tip:de Trim-app zal deze automatisch vinden en voor u verwijderen.
Deze betaal je maandelijks, dus kijk zeker eens hoe je kunt besparen op de zorgpremie.
Mijn man kreeg een bekeuring voor te hard rijden en besloot de cursus defensief rijden te volgen in plaats van de volledige boete te betalen. Ja – onze autoverzekeringsmaatschappij gaf ons nog steeds een maandelijkse korting omdat we de cursus hadden gevolgd!
Hier zijn de 10 beste manieren om geld te besparen op autoverzekeringen.
Laten we het hebben over winkelen bij dollarwinkels. Het is niet altijd een goede deal. Maar als u erachter kunt komen hoe u er een goede deal van kunt maken, moet u dit aan uw spaarstrategie toevoegen.
Persoonlijk, als ik iets nodig heb dat ik maar één, twee, misschien drie keer ga gebruiken, dan ga ik naar de dollarwinkel – de kans is heel groot dat het product dat ik daar goedkoop koop, zo lang meegaat.
Als ik iets nodig heb dat ik keer op keer zal gebruiken? Ik zoek naar hogere kwaliteit en verspil die paar euro niet vooraf.
Bel uw verzekeringsagent en kijk of er een maandelijkse toeslag/vergoeding in rekening wordt gebracht voor het maandelijks betalen van uw factuur. Als dat zo is, betaal dan in plaats daarvan voor zes maanden of een jaar per keer (wat nodig is om te stoppen met het betalen van de maandelijkse kosten) om te besparen op verzekeringskosten.
Bent u er klaar voor om uw kabelrekening helemaal te laten vallen? Maak je geen zorgen, er zijn nu een aantal geweldige alternatieven beschikbaar. Gebruik de premiebesparingen die u de eerste paar maanden krijgt om zoiets als Roku te kopen voor het streamen van enkele van uw favoriete programma's. Bovendien is deze HDTV-antenne goedkoop en heeft hij een zeer hoge ontvangst (hij wordt geleverd met een signaalversterking).
Ik had Verizon voor ongeveer $ 83 per maand. Vervolgens ben ik overgestapt op Virgin Mobile... en mijn mobiele factuur bedraagt nu slechts $ 39,99/maand (na belastingen). Niet alleen dat, maar ik heb ALLES onbeperkt, wat ik niet had bij Verizon. Hoe dan ook, wat een coole manier om een rekening te verlagen en er uiteindelijk beter uit te komen.
Zodra u uw auto heeft afbetaald, HOUD hem dan. In feite stopt u elke maand honderden dollars terug in uw zak . Een nog beter idee? Zet dat geld de komende jaren op een spaarrekening van een autofonds, zodat u contant kunt betalen voor uw volgende auto.
Vaarwel rente betalen op een autolening!
Bekijk hier meer over mijn klopauto's.
Als u ELKE maand maar een uur zou besteden aan het ondernemen van actie op basis van deze enorme lijst met ideeën die ik u heb gegeven, dan zou u GEWELDIGE vooruitgang zien in uw vermogen om geld te besparen. Het zou uw spaarvermogen het komende jaar vergroten!
Wat je deze maand ook wilt doen of hebben, zoek ernaar in Google (persoonlijk gebruik ik de Swagbucks-zoekmachine omdat ik beloningspunten verdien en deze inwissel voor mijn Paypal. Maar dat ben ik) plus het woord gratis. Je weet letterlijk nooit wat je zult vinden.
Ik heb al eerder gezegd dat we een hybride strategie van zowel contant geld als creditcards gebruiken om ons geld te beheren.
Iets wat ik ook wil vermelden is dat we periodiek extra aanbiedingen krijgen van onze huidige creditcard om ons nog meer cashback te verdienen (van nu tot eind volgende maand zou ik bijvoorbeeld 3x mijn normale beloningspunten kunnen verdienen). Zorg ervoor dat je je hiervoor aanmeldt; ze zijn gratis.
Wil of heb je nieuwe kleding nodig voor jezelf of voor je kinderen? Ga eerst door de kasten en laden en haal er alle kleding uit die kan worden doorverkocht. Je kunt ze meenemen naar plaatsen als Plato’s Closet, een plaatselijke consignatiewinkel en andere winkels die je er geld voor geven (sommige nadat ze zijn verkocht). Gebruik dat geld vervolgens om je nieuwe garderobe te financieren, zodat je geld bespaart dat je toch al zou uitgeven. Misschien wil je ook eens kijken naar Thred-Up.
Bonustip:doe dit vóór de komende seizoenswissel en zorg voor kleding voor warm weer of kleding voor koud weer.
Er zijn heel veel geweldige voedingsstoffen die plotseling trendy worden en je denkt dat je specifieke producten moet kopen om ze te krijgen. Het blijkt dat je dezelfde voedingsstoffen kunt krijgen waar anderen zo enthousiast over zijn (zoals Omega-3 vetzuren, Omega-6 vetzuren en volledige aminozuren), maar dan uit andere, goedkopere bronnen.
Tip:je kunt sommige van deze ingrediënten zelfs kopen bij de Dollar Tree! Bekijk mijn Dollar Tree-maaltijdplan, Dollar Tree Charcuterie Board-ideeën en Dollar Tree-lunchideeën.
U kunt zoeken op Groupon.com, LivingSocial.com, enz.
Het uitschakelen van automatische opnames van spaargeld – misschien in een moment van wanhoop – is een stuk eenvoudiger dan het weer inschakelen ervan.
Wees dus voorzichtig als u erover nadenkt om dat te doen. Probeer in plaats daarvan een alternatieve manier te vinden om uw budget te laten werken.
In plaats van nieuw speelgoed voor uw kinderen te kopen, kunt u een speelgoedruil organiseren met moeders uit de buurt/vriend/familie. Iedereen loopt elke paar maanden met nieuw speelgoed weg, zonder dat je naar de winkel hoeft.
Een deel van mijn budgetteringsstrategie voor de feestdagen is om een kast in mijn huis te hebben die alleen voor cadeaus is bedoeld en deze te vullen met geweldige aanbiedingen die ik het hele jaar door tegenkom. Het hele jaar door winkelen voor de feestdagen bespaart u niet alleen geld; het haalt echt de stress uit de vakantieperiode.
U wilt regelmatig alles controleren, zodat u niet dubbel koopt voor dezelfde persoon, en dan in de herfst een lijst maken met cadeaus die u nog moet kopen (hint:als u te veel heeft gekocht, kunt u het hele jaar door cadeaus gebruiken voor verjaardagen, Vaderdag en Moederdag) .
In plaats van elke date-avond een date-avond te organiseren, kies je één date-night IN. Maak je geen zorgen:ik heb een aantal hele leuke hulpmiddelen voor date-avonden thuis voor getrouwde stellen (waarbij de televisie niet is inbegrepen).
Hint:en als je uit wilt? Probeer een van deze Dollar Store Date-ideeën.
Eén keer per jaar, meerdere jaren op rij, huurde ons gezin (alle broers/zussen van mijn man en hun kinderen) een groot, mooi strandhuis. We waren ongeveer 3-4 dagen op de oceaan, en de kosten bedroegen slechts een paar honderd dollar per gezin (inclusief de voedselkosten – we kookten om de beurt een maaltijd in de keuken).
Dit was een geweldige manier om ons geld bij elkaar te brengen en er even tussenuit te gaan, met aanzienlijke besparingen dan wanneer we voor een weekend ons eigen strandhuis hadden gekocht.
Psst:je kunt ook een staycation overwegen. Zo plan je een fantastische staycation , plus 11 ideeën voor een winterverblijf voor gezinnen.
Als mensen vragen wat ze u of uw kinderen kunnen geven voor vakanties/verjaardagen... wees dan strategisch. Vraag hen om iets waarmee u elke maand geld kunt besparen, of geld kunt besparen omdat u het toch moet kopen.
Onze schoonzus vroeg bijvoorbeeld wat we voor de kerst voor onze kleine man moesten kopen. Ik gaf haar twee suggesties die we toch zouden kopen:de maat schoen die we de komende maanden nodig hebben, of broekmaat 4T. (Tip:geef uiteraard alleen suggesties als daarom wordt gevraagd!) .
Heb je in het verleden gedacht dat er gewoon geen goede manieren zijn om geld te besparen met een krap budget?
Als je je volgende salaris nauwelijks haalt, laat staan geld voor jezelf opzij zet op een spaarrekening, dan kan dat zo voelen.
Maar ik kan je – met vertrouwen en ervaring – vertellen dat er veel manieren zijn om toch geld te besparen, zelfs als je van het ene salaris naar het andere leeft en niet zeker weet waar de uitgaven voor nieuwe kinderen volgende maand vandaan zullen komen.
Hieronder wil ik 25 van deze strategieën met u delen.
Ja, je kunt zowel met een verhuurder als met een appartementencomplex over de huur onderhandelen. Hier zijn mijn 9 (beproefde) strategieën voor het onderhandelen over huur.
Psst:we hebben zojuist met succes onderhandeld over een korting van 2% op de voorgestelde tariefverhoging van 6%. Wauw!
Als u de werkkosten uit eigen zak moet betalen en terugbetalingen moet indienen, moet u wachten op de betaling.
Dat betekent dat u de rekeningen van die loonstrook of de rekeningen van die maand hebt afgehandeld zonder dat u dit geld nodig heeft (aangezien u het al hebt uitgegeven en de tijd is verstreken).
Dus als het geld naar u toekomt, kunt u het rechtstreeks naar uw spaarrekening sturen.
Ja, je hebt me goed gehoord. Voor uw volgende operatie (dat IS GEEN noodgeval – ik deed dit met de kosten van een hernia-operatie), moet u een aantal prijsvergelijkingen doen om te zien waar u dit kunt laten doen op een manier die uw portemonnee niet doodt.
Dit is een heel gemakkelijke manier om voor slechts een klein deel van uw tijd enkele honderden dollars te verdienen (een nieuwe rekening openen en deze financieren vanaf een andere spaarrekening die u heeft – verplaats het geld gewoon).
Ik heb het gebruikt om spaardoelen een vliegende start te geven, zoals toen ik een rekening opende met een bonus van $ 250 om te beginnen met sparen voor onze huwelijksreis! U moet het geld op deze nieuwe spaarrekening bewaren gedurende de periode die de bank u aangeeft om het bonusgeld te kunnen ontvangen, bijvoorbeeld 90 dagen, 3 maanden of 6 maanden.
Hier vindt u veel meer informatie over hoe u kunt bepalen of een bankopeningsbonus de moeite waard is.
Als u 18 jaar of ouder bent, een Amerikaans staatsburger bent, een spaarrekening heeft, online bankiert en een geldig e-mailadres heeft, komt u in aanmerking voor SaverLife.org!
Ze zijn een non-profitorganisatie die het besparen van geld aanmoedigt door u punten toe te kennen voor het geld dat u op uw eigen spaarrekening zet (u hoeft zich niet aan te melden voor een nieuwe bankrekening – u koppelt eenvoudigweg de uwe aan het SaverLife-platform voor trackingdoeleinden).
U kunt uw punten vervolgens inwisselen voor prijzen en kansen om geld te winnen. Scoren!
Psst:hier is mijn volledige SaverLife-recensie.
Bespaar uzelf geld op recepten door uw arts te bellen en te vragen of u een generiek medicijn kunt nemen ter vervanging van een van de medicijnen die u nu heeft (waarvoor u een hogere eigen bijdrage betaalt).
Als je net als ik bent, dan heb je ongeveer 15 kinderen om kerstcadeautjes voor te kopen (om nog maar te zwijgen van verjaardagscadeautjes het hele jaar door).
Benader je familie en vraag of ze de komende feestdagen namen willen kiezen. Dit zal helpen bij het budgetteren voor de feestdagen.
Word echt goed in het maken van iets, en maak het dan voor veel mensen voor je volgende vakantie. Mijn vriend maakte bijvoorbeeld zelfgemaakte lotion/zelfgemaakte deodorant/zelfgemaakte lippenbalsem, enz., en gaf deze vervolgens aan verschillende mensen.
Ze waren geweldig en volledig chemicaliënvrij! Een jaar lang maakte ik verschillende sets wijnbezweerders en gaf die cadeau. Dit zal niet alleen de vakantie voor u vereenvoudigen, maar het zal u waarschijnlijk ook geld besparen.
Als u producten koopt die kortingen opleveren, blijf dan binnen uw budget. Wanneer de kortingscheque vervolgens per post wordt verzonden, kunt u deze op uw spaarrekening storten.
Dit is een manier om meer besparingen uit een krap budget te halen, aangezien u nog steeds het gewenste product heeft gekocht binnen het budget dat u heeft gekregen, en dat geld nu naar een 'For Keeps'-account kunt sturen.
Bewaar al uw kleingeld (laat uw kinderen regelmatig in de banken en onder uw autostoelen kijken) op één locatie. Stort het elke zes maanden tot een jaar bij uw bank.
Ik hou er gewoon van om nieuwe recepten uit te proberen. Maar wat ik merk is dat als ik elke boodschappencyclus 3-5 nieuwe recepten uitprobeer, ik uiteindelijk ‘eenmalige’ ingrediënten koop die we ALLEEN nodig hebben voor die recepten, en dat de rekening veel hoger uitvalt.
Nu beperk ik mezelf tot het uitproberen van slechts 1-2 nieuwe recepten per boodschappencyclus (we doen om de week boodschappen).
Hoe vaker je in de winkel bent, hoe meer je wordt blootgesteld aan dingen om te kopen en aan die verleidingen toe te geven. Niet alleen dat, maar om de week boodschappen doen dwingt u ook om een maaltijdplan te maken (wat ook een GEWELDIGE manier is om geld te besparen).
Vorig jaar stuurde de geweldige bank waar onze spaarrekening bij is (PurePoint Financial) een e-mail met een verwijzingslink. Voor elke persoon die we hebben verwezen en die ook een rekening heeft geopend, krijgen we $ 200 op onze spaarrekening, en die persoon krijgt $ 200! Hoe geweldig is dat?
Wij mochten maximaal 6 personen doorverwijzen. Zoek naar een mogelijkheid als deze bij uw eigen bank, waar u geld verdient voor uw eigen spaargeld door vrienden en familie door te verwijzen (ik weet dat Oportun.com ook een verwijzingsprogramma heeft, waarbij u $ 5 aan uw spaarrekening wordt toegevoegd voor elke verwijzing die u geeft en die een rekening opent).
Wist je dat je een interbibliothecaire lening kunt gebruiken om de meeste dvd's die je wilt via Netflix te krijgen (je Netflix-abonnement opzeggen en dat geld in plaats daarvan op de bank zetten)? Waar kun je nog meer een gratis vervanger voor vinden?
Ik meen dit serieus als een manier om te besparen op gezinsuitgaven – mijn man en ik rijden nu al meer dan een jaar in één auto (beide auto’s kwamen onder water te staan tijdens de orkaan Harvey + een plotselinge overstroming drie weken later). Ik breng hem elke dag naar zijn werk en haal hem 's avonds op, waardoor we elke dag 2 uur extra tijd met hem hebben.
We zijn ook eerder een gezin met één auto geweest toen een betere auto van ons het begaf, een paar maanden achter elkaar (ook al hadden we destijds twee verschillende banen). Het kan worden gedaan, en u bespaart verzekeringen, wat benzinekosten en wat olieverversingskosten, die u allemaal op uw spaarrekening kunt zetten.
U kunt zich aanmelden voor Swagbucks.com en via deze sites op internet zoeken. Van tijd tot tijd wint u Swagbucks, die u vervolgens kunt inwisselen voor contant geld (via PayPal). Voor elke 5.000 punten kunt u $ 50 contant via PayPal ontvangen, of u kunt uw geld verzilveren voor 2.500 of 10.000 punten. Zet dit geld op uw spaarrekening!
Sites zoals MoneySavingMom.com publiceren GEWELDIGE deals voor kwaliteitsproducten en items die je toch nodig hebt/wilt, tegen waanzinnig goede prijzen, de hele dag door.
Je wilt hier vaak naartoe gaan, zodat je goedkoop of gratis kunt krijgen wat je nodig hebt.
Sterker nog, ze heeft ALLEEN een gedeelte van haar site voor freebies en weggeefacties, dus daar kun je je een tijdje aan houden!
Je kunt tijdschriftabonnementen delen (ik geef de tijdschriften weg die ik altijd heb gelezen!), carpoolen naar dezelfde school/kinderdagverblijf, enz.
In de aanloop naar je volgende verjaardag kun je je aanmelden voor gratis verjaardagscadeaus (zoals een gratis Starbucks-drankje naar keuze en een gratis bolletje Baskin-Robbins-ijs. Ik heb zelfs ooit een gratis set pareloorbellen gekregen bij een juwelier!). Gebruik deze lekkernijen dan als verjaardagscadeau in plaats van iets voor jezelf te kopen.
Ik heb in het verleden enig succes gehad met online werfverkoop – in wezen onze spullen doornemen en in één keer, voor een bepaalde tijd, foto’s maken/prijzen voor Facebook-verkoopgroepen. Het zou een mooie start kunnen zijn om uw spaargeld op te vangen.
Je moet je spaargeld ergens vandaan halen, dus kijk rond en maak een lijst van wat je regelmatig verbruikt.
Ga vervolgens één voor één door de lijst om wat prijzen te kopen. For example, start by price shopping your pet food/medications/needs, then price shop your prescriptions (yes, different pharmacies charge different prices! Also, check out what the heck gag clauses are – it could save you money), then price shop oil changes, then price shop whatever is next on your list.
Three places to check are the cost of buying it online (check out these 19 online shopping tricks and hacks), buying it in bulk (like at a membership store), and buying it at a competitor’s store. Small changes, over time, will add up to big savings!
There are some awesome no-spend challenges out there, whether you want to do a no-spend weekend, no-spend week, or even a no-spend year!
You should involve your kids in the money-saving process. Not only will it help get everyone onboard, but they need to learn about how to stretch money from somewhere, right?
Might as well let them help you save it by doing things like scanning in your receipts to cash-back apps (I used to use CoinOut, but now I LOVE iBotta and Fetch), have them hang up laundry on the laundry line (here are way more tips on how to save money on laundry), give them a small bonus each time they don’t leave the lights on (or charge them $0.25 every time you find a light left on), etc.
My husband and I made a weekly date night a priority in our marriage after our little guy was born, and it’s been a game-changer. We don’t go out often (probably just 1-2 date nights out a month) – most are at-home date nights.
However, couples from our church group let us know that they used to do a childcare ring for date nights, where each couple took a turn watching another couple’s kids so that everyone got to go on date night without paying $30+ to a babysitter. Nice!
If you could get rid of two unhealthy things from your diet, while simultaneously saving money, would you do it?
How about you nix two of any of the following completely from your home – soda, chips, ice cream, frozen meals, crackers, etc.?
The stats are in, and it’s well known now that if you use credit cards (or plastic, in general) to pay for things, you will spend more money.
It’s because parting with actual dollar bills is harder to do than swiping a card.
Don’t believe me? Go one month with paying in cash, and then compare your spending with the previous month. We did and decided to use a hybrid spending strategy with cash and credit from here on out.
Still there? Geweldig! Because we've still got 200 ways to save money to go!
Many purchase decisions have to do with the household. There are groceries, clothing, home repairs and renovations, Pinterest projects, toiletries, and probably 237 other transaction points that all take place within/around the household.
So, we’re going to dedicate 50 of the 250 money-saving tips to this specific category.
I can’t believe how well this tip has worked (without any “side effects”). On many of the household items that we use, I simply just decided to use half the amount I had been.
This meant doing things like cutting dryer sheets in half, using half the laundry detergent that’s recommended (it’s true! Still cleans), making half recipes (or if we use the whole recipe, freezing half for another meal later), etc. Try it out!
There are TONS of reward programs/loyalty programs out there. If you take the time to sign up for each, get the cards/apps downloaded, and then read through how to use them, then you can save a bundle off of everyday purchases over the next years.
We did this for years until our little guy came along. WOW do you save a ton of money. In fact, check out all the different ways for how to save money on laundry.
My friend, Aurora, and I were discussing this – we are voracious readers (as is my husband), yet we buy fewer books than you’d think.
We get by this by using our library’s Interlibrary Loan (ILL) system to get our hands on almost any book we’d like, Overdrive to download books on our phone to borrow from the library, free eBooks, free full-length audiobooks, and Paperback Swap. Why not resolve to do this for the next year?
Each month, check out your spending by category. Then ask yourself, “Did I receive satisfaction and value in proportion to life energy spent?” This is from the book Your Money or Your Life , a must-read!
This one is a bit harsh, because by setting it up – you could find yourself getting your debit card declined at checkout (BUT, you won’t be charged the $30 overdraft fee).
Opt out of overdraft protection at your bank. Periode.
It means you will be denied at a cash register in the event that there is not enough money in your checking account to cover your purchase — which could be embarrassing — but at least you will not be allowed to spend money you do not have (and incur a hefty charge for doing so).
There are items you own that require maintenance (at additional costs), and items you CAN own that won’t require additional maintenance. Own more of the items that don’t require maintenance.
For example, do not buy dry-cleaning-only clothing – eliminate that maintenance cost.
We’ve saved hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars over the years (as well as saved our neighbors as much) by finding nearby people to feed our cats while we travel.
Leftovers are great for dinners, and lunches, and then to make your own freezer meals that you can reheat months later. For example, we hosted Thanksgiving, and after 4 days of eating leftovers, we were over them.
So, I simply put the rest into two freezer meals, and in late December, we enjoyed them again!
Also, when I make a meal with a sauce, there’s generally enough sauce left over to make that same meal again. I’ll then freeze that sauce and label it, and that part of the meal’s made the next time.
Here's how to reuse leftovers.
Don’t renew your magazine subscriptions, and instead, read free digital magazines.
I never (or ALMOST never) eat my entire restaurant meal in one sitting. I typically take half or even ¾ home and have an awesome lunch or meal for the next night.
It cuts down on the costs, and time/energy of preparing a new meal.
My husband and I LOVE going to the movies. But they didn’t have these awesome monthly movie passes before we had our little guy (re:we don’t get to the movies that often anymore).
Renting out unused portions of your home for storage, or for renters is a great way to increase cash flow and dedicate that to your savings account.
Trust me on this one – you’ll score hundreds and thousands of dollars worth of free toiletries by playing the drugstore game.
My husband’s Timberland boots (over a decade old) started flapping in the wind. To replace them was a staggering $139. Instead, we took them to a shoe hospital and had them professionally repaired for $16.
See what you can get repaired!
You’ll need a discounted newspaper subscription, and a coupon site (like the Coupon Mom site) to save with coupons. This lady pairs together all of the coupons to the sales every 12 weeks to give you a double whammy of savings, for FREE!
You only eat from your pantry/freezer/cupboards (except maybe milk and bread and eggs, or something like that) for a period of time. Like this lady did.
Every time you’re about to make an online purchase, take the total amount in the cart, and ask yourself if you’d rather have that amount of money in savings for XXX GOAL instead? Shop accordingly.
Psst:here's 47 cool things to save up for, how to prioritize savings goals, plus 7 free S.M.A.R.T. financial goal worksheets.
One of my favorite places to shop at our grocery store is the clearance section in the butcher’s area.
This is because organic, grass-fed meats are marked down severely, and as long as we go home and freeze them for future use, and then use them the same day we defrost (which is normal for us to do), we’re good to go.
I kept my last smartphone for 6 years. The one before that was at least 5 years old. They still worked, though perhaps a bit slower. Maar weet je wat? I saved lots of money by not buying the latest and greatest.
if you know your A/C unit is out, then get it repaired in the winter. It’ll be cheaper! Same for your heater (get it repaired in the summertime), or other appliances/items.
I can’t tell you how many times I saved hundreds of dollars by not taking the first repairman quote I got for repairs on our home.
I go into detail here about how to find an honest car mechanic, which can save you thousands over the years.
My friend, Aurora, gave me this tip – they keep buying Subaru cars because they learn how they work and can do minor repairs/oil changes/etc. on the car themselves instead of paying a mechanic.
Try to get some free wood to burn in your fireplace for the winter (or wood stove). If a neighbor is cutting down their tree, ask if they are going to keep the wood. Heck, we’ve even found great free wood on big trash day.
If you find you eat out a lot as a family, then you’ll want to do once-a-month (or even less often) freezer meal cooking days. It’ll decrease the temptation to hit up the drive-thru on the way home.
Do you travel for work? Use this time as a vacation by extending the end of it and adding a few days to the place you’re at. This can substitute for your own vacations.
Next time you’re going to go out to dinner or for lunch, go to your local grocery store instead. Pick foods from their prepared foods section, and save money (plus no tip!).
Have you ever heard of karmic yogis? They’re people who clean up part of a yoga studio, and in exchange, get a free membership. Where else could you volunteer to get free access (a concert? Fundraising event? The zoo? etc.)?
I love to read stories of extreme frugality. Not because I want to do what those people are doing…but I find it inspirational when trying to stretch my own frugal muscles.
We were fortunate in that we got the $8,000 first item homebuyer’s tax credit (the one you didn’t have to pay back!).
When you have a big purchase of any kind, do a quick search online to see if there is any tax credit available for buying it a certain way (like, an appliance with a certain amount of efficiency).
If you’re buying anything online, make sure you do a quick search for an online coupon for that site. I’ve been pleasantly surprised with this over the years.
Read this about when to buy all different kinds of items in order to find the best deals.
I’ve got loads of ideas for cheap things to do with your family at home family activities that will still allow you to engage and bond.
I know several people who continually spend $50+ on lottery tickets each month (for decades now). Just stop. Instead, dedicate that money to savings. You’ll get to what you want faster.
My husband and I are voracious readers. The way we afford to be so is by using both Interlibrary loan (ILL), Overdrive to borrow books on your phone, and Paperback Swap.
Do you smoke, or drink a good bit? These vices cost a lot of money.
My husband quit smoking during our marriage, and we are saving $100 more each month because of it. Deprioritize your money going to vices and prioritize your savings instead.
Turn one of your takeout nights/month into a CopyCat Recipes night where you make your family’s favorite restaurant dishes at home.
Before you think about replacing something, look at your warranties (you’ll want to keep a warranty file in your filing cabinet). Like getting your Tupperware replaced after all these years (here’s our Tupperware replacement experience).
We have lots of experience with disputing medical bills (because we were wrongly charged). It can save gobs of money!
Here’s how to negotiate medical bills over the phone.
I want you to take the time and strategies needed to financially prepare for the next big thing in your life – so that you don’t end up getting it/doing it too soon and not being able to save any money (because money is too tight).
I detail here how much signing up for freebies has meant to us financially over the last several years.
If I know something is going to expire before I can use it, I freeze it. That way, I won’t have to re-buy the ingredient when I want to make a dish with it later.
Can you imagine how much more you can save in your savings account each month without a mortgage? Here’s how to pay off your mortgage faster.
Here are ways to save money off your water bill.
Did you know there are checking accounts that will pay you interest on your money?
You’ll want to know whether a family membership is worth it or not, and I’ve got how to do that here.
You can use gasbuddy.com (and get your kids to help if you’d like!).
You want to periodically clean out these areas in your kitchen because you’ll find lots of food that needs to be eaten (before it expires…or you missed it already and you’ll be more aware of what will get eaten in your household in the future).
Things are about to get a bit more interesting – I’ve got 25 creative ways to save money that will help stretch your resources way further than you thought possible.
I successfully fought our property taxes and had our home’s appraised value lowered by 3.9%. Sounds like something you wouldn’t want, right? But it doesn’t affect market value and will reduce the taxes you’ll owe.
Here’s how to fight property taxes.
My friend recently introduced me to Buy Nothing Facebook Groups.
It’s a local community of like-minded people who all want to save one another money plus help the environment by getting their consumption needs met through each other instead of through Amazon or at the store.
Talk about a creative way to save money (by not spending it!). Simply type in “Buy nothing groups near me” in the Facebook search bar, and see if you can find one.
Got health insurance? Then you also get a free annual physical with your doctor. That’s the perfect time to get refills on medication or to ask a few (simple) questions.
Granted, you might need to schedule a follow-up appointment if your question entails more than just a minute. But you never know – you might get what you need without having to pay a copayment.
There are some fun saving money games for adults out there people play in order to save more than they thought they could – like saving every single $5 bill that comes into their wallet.
I also love this idea about “tipping” yourself, or the One Percent Challenge, or the 52-Week Dice Game.
Remember college drinking games? Choose to save a buck every time something happens (like, $1 every time someone on The Bachelor says “It’s me, not you”.)
Rosemarie from the Busy Budgeter has an awesome idea that's helped her to save money each week:she gives herself an incentive to do so.
She sets a budget, and then 20% of whatever she doesn't spend from that budget becomes hers to spend on what she likes. She calls it her blow money.
She even keeps a list of things she wants so that she knows what her reward will be.
The other 80% of the money she saved from their budget? Gets to be applied toward her family's savings or debt goals.
Brilliant!
I really like mystery shopping. You get the assignments from your email at home (take what you want, leave what you don’t want), you do the reports at home, and you get to try out new places/buy things/experience things on someone else’s dollar.
For example, we mystery-shopped a date night at a local Irish pub, and a horse race at a racing grounds (we even got to place bets!), and I mystery-shopped our oil changes for a few years. Companies I’ve personally worked for include Intelli-Shop.
Nix the cost of hotels or even Air BnBs by setting up a house swap for your next vacation with family and friends. Choose the same dates, and either drive or fly to each other’s homes with your family. Leave a list of any instructions + local attractions to check out, and clean up after yourselves when you’re through.
I challenge you to take your spending on entertainment down to $0 for a year. There are TONS of free things to do if you live in a city and tons of things around your home that are just waiting for you to explore.
On top of that, if you have parents or family members who ask what to get you for the holidays (like we do), as for experience gifts (such as movie theater gift cards, restaurant gift cards, a cooking class, a foraging hike, etc.).
Then, use them one by one throughout the year as your entertainment.
Each time a family member does something against a family rule, make them pay a dollar (or whatever you’d like) – parents included. Then, deposit this money into your vacation savings fund or any savings fund you’d like.
Are your property taxes really high (here's how to fight property taxes if you're already locked in)? You could purchase a home to get into a lower-tax district. Just be sure to research ahead of time and see if you can send your child can apply and enroll at different schools (in case the lower-taxed area does not have a good school district).
For example, here in Houston, you can apply to enroll at whichever paid or “free” school you’d like – you don’t have to stick with the one you’re zoned to.
And, of course, you’ll want to take closing costs on selling your home and purchasing another one into consideration when figuring out if the move is worth it (so, how much tax savings will you see, and how many years will it take to live in the new place to essentially make a profit from the move and start adding that tax money to your savings account instead?).
Weird, right? But after reading American Wasteland , I set out to take pictures of the food that we purchased and didn’t get to eat before it expired/rotted/etc. so that I could write about it on this blog.
I was amazed! Just having that awareness meant we spent less money on groceries, used what we had in our pantry more, and saved money.
For your next vacation, use travel hacking to get your airfare for free! We’ve done this. Most recently, we got $900 in free Southwest gift cards.
A few years ago, we made it to Michigan for my family’s Thanksgiving dinner, saving $1,281 on airfare by using travel hacking. Here’s a beginner’s guide.
We all love to reward ourselves in different ways. But what I have found is that it’s typical (even in my own life) to up the ante over the years.
Suddenly, rewarding myself with a $2.50 ice cream for a job well done isn’t good enough, and now I set my sights on one in the range of $25.00-$35.00. I like to call this rewards inflation and keep my eye on it.
How has rewarding yourself changed over the years? Are you spending a lot more on a reward than you used to?
You might want to CD ladder your money to get paid higher interest rates than in a regular savings account.
Don’t rush out and buy new things (new books, new electronics, new exercise equipment, new DVDs, etc.). Instead, be patient, and buy them used from the first wave of people who had to get their hands on them.
You’ll pay SO much less.
Getting on the same page with your partner about money is CRITICAL to increase savings, get the things you guys want, pay off debts, and so many other things.
Stop working against each other and start working towards your savings goals with my page on marriage and money.
Shamelessly pursue your pleasures, but also stop mindless consumption. If you do both, then your quality of life will go up (not to mention, your savings account!).
This year? Take this sage advice about going deeper with the belongings you already have in your life, rather than going wider (by purchasing a bunch more).
I’m talking between rooms, and between homes. Sometimes our sisters-in-law are just “done” with the décor they’ve had in their home, and they offer them up to others in the family.
Also, I love taking décor that feels stagnant in one room, and putting it into another room – it gets a whole new life. Give it a new look, even, by changing it up.
For example, you can take a bunch of old, tired picture frames, and paint them all the same color. Suddenly, they pop!
I once took a whiteboard that was quite stained and simply painted the white part with chalk paint. Now, I’ve got an awesome chalkboard for my office.
Keeping up anything that is “extreme” for the long haul is usually going to backfire. But little extreme sprints here and there? Totally doable.
Specify an amount of time – could be one weekend, one week, one month, six months, etc. – where you are going to be extremely frugal + put all of the extra money you then have into your savings account.
At the end of that time period, you can go back to your “norm”, but with a bit of a bigger savings account.
Remember – the key is to not deprive yourself so much during this time that you go haywire in spending (the elastic-band effect). That’s why you should pick a duration of time that won’t drive you nuts.
Did you know you can actually shop around for surgeries (not the emergency kinds)? I did this with hernia operation costs and was pretty amazed at the difference in prices.
You know how sometimes you have to pay for work expenses on trips and such out of your own wallet, and then you get reimbursed? Do this using your debit card, and submit your expenses, but then when the money comes rolling in a month or so later, send it to savings instead of just to your checking account.
After all, you made it through the month without that money – so this can feel like extra.
While we’re talking about shuffling some of your spent money around, let’s talk about the rebate shuffle.
Do the same thing as above – spend money within your budgeted categories on products that will give you a rebate. Submit for the rebates, and then when the money comes in, send it to savings.
I use this cool savings app called Oportun.com – an app whose algorithm automatically sends small deposits from my checking to savings without me even noticing – and each time a referral of mine signs up, I get $5.00.
The thing is – you don’t have to be a blogger to get this referral. You can sign up for this service, love the dickens out of it, and then refer your family and friends.
Keep all the money earned in your savings account through the app, and use that towards your savings goal.
Do you have a savings goal that hasn’t been a priority, but would benefit everyone? Make it a family savings goal to get there faster, plus model for your kids how to actually save money for a goal.
Mindlessly entering sweepstakes and giveaways is probably not a good use of your time. But entering ones where you have greater odds?
Well, that’s just smart. Even on my own blog – when I’ve hosted giveaways, maybe 12 people have entered. That means your chance of winning is WAY higher than if you enter big cash giveaways.
This category covers action steps to take ONCE, that will continue to save you money month after month after month.
We’re all about upgrading, right? How about downgrading your cable package, your internet package, your Netflix account, etc. to save money each and every month?
Every six months, or once a year, call your insurance companies (homeowners, auto, etc.) and try to negotiate for a lower price (psst:you'll definitely want to check out my article on 9 strategies for scoring cheaper homeowner's insurance ).
I’ve had much success with this over the years.
Habits are something we do daily, weekly, and monthly. If you can replace just one habit with something that costs nothing, you’ll automatically increase your monthly cash flow.
In our own household? This could include my 3 times/week Starbucks’s Iced Chais.
In yours? Perhaps your habit of getting takeout food on grocery shopping night (because you’re too tired to cook), or eating out three lunches per week, or waiting for twice the length of time in between getting pedicures.
Try to incorporate one of these 17 daily frugal habits, instead.
Every month we consume tons of products. But there are tons of products available now that are reusable instead of disposable. For a bit of extra money upfront, you’ll save yourself hundreds and even thousands over the years.
In our own household, we purchased the Reveal mop instead of the Swiffer because you can put the mopheads in the washing machine instead of having to buy disposable ones, we substituted cloth diapers for regular diapers (we lasted a year), cloth wipes for baby wipes, we use a hybrid of dish towels and paper towels instead of just paper towels, etc.
I can’t believe how many people rush into “buying” a new car as soon (or even before) their old one is paid off. Of course, this is coming from a gal who’s never – in her 36 years on this earth – had a car payment.
I’ve always paid cash for my beater cars, and then run them into the ground. Do yourself a favor, and once you pay off your car, keep it for another 5 years. Ernstig. Or longer.
And what do you do with that $200-$500 you’re paying each month? You put it in a car savings fund as if you were paying a car payment. After 5 years, you’ll be able to pay for your next car, in cash (without paying any interest).
Psst:you might also consider becoming a one-car family until you ca save up enough cash for that second car. That's what we did for 2.5 years!
Do you pay PMI (private mortgage insurance) in your monthly mortgage payment? It’s because you had less than a 20% down payment when you purchased the home.
Did you know you can get that removed once you reach 20% equity in your house? Figure out how much more you would have to pay on your mortgage in order to get rid of your PMI (it’s money you’ll never get back that you’re paying out each month). Consider paying that off, then read this about how to physically get rid of your PMI.
Once a year I audit my monthly biz expenses.
I generally uncover up to $80/month I’ve been spending where the services no longer make sense, or that I can combine two services into one and get rid of a service. Those are the savings I see every month for the next year.
Don’t take the bank’s preapproval offer as sound advice for how much you SHOULD spend. Trust me – you’ll likely feel house-poor if you do. Instead, purchase a home that will cost less than 30% of your take-home pay.
Want to really rock your savings each month + leave flexibility for future lifestyle design? Then buy a house that is less than 30% of just ONE person’s pay.
We have a gym membership because it’s at a community center and is actually a cheap form of childcare.
So, I’m not completely against gym memberships. But to save money each month, you might want to ditch yours.
Don’t go it alone – there are some really awesome workout gurus that you can follow and it feels like they’re in your living room, cheering you on. Two of my favorites are Yoga with Adriene and Natalie Jill.
While we’re on the subject, see if you can swing a “hybrid” form of childcare. Instead of paying for 5 days somewhere and working, could you do a few days somewhere and a few days with grandparents?
Could you sign up for a community center and work in their café while you get 90 minutes of “free” babysitting (included in our $99/month cost) once or twice per day? Can you sign up for a childcare co-op, and volunteer a few days a month using your + your partner’s vacation days, then have your child taken care of the rest of the days?
What about partly working from home?
Do you work in an office, and find yourself at the vending machine each day? That can get expensive.
Save money by bulk-purchasing the snacks you like from a membership store (like Costco or Sam’s Club), then filling the bottom drawer of your desk with them.
I know someone whose circle of friends does potluck game nights several times a month. Each person takes turns hosting, and everyone brings food. The host offers up their board games (here are 19 free printable board games for adults) – it’s a lovely time, and I’ve gone twice myself!
Ever heard of the Danish term, hygge? It’s a way of life – about coziness, warmth, getting rid of annoyances, etc.
Set your life up with this in mind, and not only will you increase your happiness, but you’ll be less likely to turn to spending money for comfort.
Many years ago, I started to shop in clearance sections of stores – clothing stores, discount stores, grocery stores, etc. – FIRST instead of last. Makes a big difference.
In summer, turn your thermostat up just one degree. In the winter, turn it down just one degree. Experiment with this.
You may make automatic bill payments, which is convenient. But be sure to periodically check this month’s cell/internet/electric bill rates against the ones about a year ago.
Have they gone up? If so, it’s time to call your service provider and get them reduced.
Are you a Starbucks Junkie (hey, hey – no judgment here). Then check out your signature drink and find a copycat recipe to make it at home instead.
Figure out how much the ingredients cost per drink, then subtract from the cost of that same drink at Starbucks. Bank the savings each day you choose to make your own!
You’ll want to read what extreme couponers know about couponing that you may not.
If you’re only frugal during the hard times, then you likely aren’t saving enough money to put money into your savings account. Be frugal during the cash-flush times in your life as well, and bank those savings!
Borrowing works best when it flows both ways – you borrow from others when you need things, and others borrow from you when they need things. Then everyone saves money, and everyone is happy to continue the reciprocity.
You’ll want to read up on how to get paid to walk.
There are all kinds of ways how to save money on electricity bills.
Save money on your next smartphone purchase by finding the best place to sell your used cell phone.
I am THRILLED to introduce you to The Dating Divas, a site (and a group of married gals) that offers some of the coolest free and paid printables for date nights that you could ever imagine.
You will LOVE these guys – not to mention, both nurture your relationship AND save money while doing so! Some of my favorites include the
We routinely enjoy free zoo days (first Tuesdays of the month here in Houston), free art museum dates (Thursday nights), free open gymnastics times, etc.
Take half an hour or so to look for the free nights/days for local attractions where you live (this will be easier if you live in a city), and then mark them on a list or in your calendar to actually take advantage of it.
Alright…you want the best tips for saving money? I’ll add in this section the tips I think are the absolute best from above (plus a few more for good measure).
So far, we’ve discussed tons of ways to increase your monthly cash flow by decreasing your monthly spending. But this section? We’re dedicating it to figuring out the logistics for how to save money from your salary, and then how to increase those savings.
Lots of employers offer 401(k) plans with matching contributions. Commit to (meaning, do the paperwork) saving a percentage of each paycheck you get into your 401(k).
Bonus:save the amount you need to get your employer’s maximum contribution they’re willing to give.
Up your 401(k) contribution by just 1% – something you’ll hardly notice – to set yourself up for bigger retirement savings over the years. Even better? This is a percentage.
So, the amount you’re setting aside for retirement automatically increases each time you get a raise, without you having to do anything else. Score!
Did you know that many companies will allow you to split your paycheck’s direct deposit into more than one account? Go ahead and automatically have a percentage of your paycheck deposited into a savings account.
Here's a bunch of other ways for how to save for multiple goals at the same time.
You want to take advantage of an FSA for the tax advantages (you get to pay for eligible childcare and healthcare expenses with pre-taxed dollars). Then bank those tax savings.
This is your secret weapon to saving even MORE money from your salary. In fact, I’ve saved an extra $4,215.37 using the Oportun app over the last two years. That’s amazing!
Does your employer offer a matching 529 college savings plan? Take the time to sign up for it to get the full match (and if not the full match, start with half)!
My husband’s company has a wellness health program where each person – the employee, plus their spouse – can earn up to $450 in gift cards per year by doing things that they likely do already (such as getting your physical, annual woman’s exam, etc.).
This past year? We got $900 in Southwest gift cards! Even cooler – you can use the money to decrease your health insurance premiums for the year.
Make a rule for yourself that any overtime pay you receive will go straight to your savings account. It might get you super-motivated to take on more work!
Any tax return you receive this coming year? Resolve to set 50% of it into your savings account.
If you’re paid bi-weekly, then you actually have two months in the year where you get three paychecks. Since your budget is set up to be covered by two paychecks, you can just bank them (if you’re diligent).
Take a calendar and work out when your paydays are so that you can clearly see which two months this coming year you’ll be receiving a third paycheck. Then be sure to bank it!
Typically, a person’s income rises over their career. So, if you resolve to save a percentage of every paycheck, then when your income rises, the amount you save will also rise.
You can do this through HR if they allow you to split direct deposits between two accounts (so, your checking and then a savings account). From the forms I’ve seen, you get to put a percentage of pay that goes into each account.
Got two people working in your household? How about you save an ENTIRE paycheck each month (or their entire salary)?
My husband and I did this for several years – the amount of money that we were putting into retirement and savings accounts equaled my monthly pay.
To start, you might want to try just one entire paycheck a month, or the entire salary of the person who makes the lesser amount of money each month. What a challenge!
I’ve set up a strategy here for how to save for your retirement, by getting double tax benefits.
Ever heard of paying yourself first? It means, putting some money into your savings account (your “for keeps” savings account) FIRST, and then paying out your bills and living on what’s left.
It’s one of the best ways to ensure you actually put money into savings (ever notice by the end of the month there just doesn’t seem to be a lot left, if any, to send to savings? This should fix that).
Set up an amount you’re going to save, automatically, through your savings account by associating your checking account to your savings account and filling in the details online. Much more info on this in The Automatic Millionaire .
If you make a rule now when you make less income, that you will save 50% of every pay increase you ever get…well, you don’t have to do any math to see that you’ll really increase your savings over the years.
What I like about this, though, is that you also will still get more money to spend each month as well! It’s a win-win.
Lifestyle inflation is the idea that as we age and earn more money, we also spend more money. Once our consumption levels rise, it’s hard to come down from them (think about it:would you go back to living like a college student? Maybe, but it would take some sacrifices).
BUT, what if instead of allowing your lifestyle to inflate with each pay raise, you experience savings inflation? Food for thought.
When my husband and I first married, we took a look at both of our health insurance plans to see how much it would cost to insure the other.
It turned out, it made sense for us to keep our plans separate. Then when he got another job, it made financial sense for me to go on his insurance.
If both you and your spouse are working, periodically check to see whose health insurance is cheapest to go on.
Savings Account 623839394 is really boring. But if you name your online savings account after what you want to do with it – like the Margaritas in Mexico account or the House of Our Dreams fund – then you’ll be more likely to actually, well, fund it.
You’ve heard that portfolio fees can eat away at your retirement savings, right? Yet, if you’re like me, you have 7-8 different retirement accounts (from moving jobs).
It’s hard to know how many fees you’re paying each year. That’s why I like to use the free tool, Empower, to tell me how much in fees I pay across my portfolio and investment accounts. If you have a 401(k) with your company, you should know they’re notorious for having lots of fees.
It’s worth checking into, and possibly rolling your money over into an IRA (while you’re still employed there).
I use this free tool to track my net worth, and then each year I figure out what our personal savings rate was. What do I do with this awareness? I use it to up the ante for next year. If our personal savings rate was 19% for the year, I’ll calculate how much we’d need to save to get to 22% next year.
Here is plenty of motivation to save money.
Do you know that you’re 33% more likely to meet your savings goal by just writing it down?
In order to save money, you need to either earn more money than your expenses, or spend less than you earn (they sound like the same thing, but they’re not, exactly).
But, what if you both earn more money AND cut expenses?
You’ve now widened the gap even more between your income and expenses, and that’s all beautiful money to set aside into savings.
For each of your paychecks, ask yourself, “How do I spend the least amount of money out of this paycheck while still obtaining what I need/desire so that I can keep the most amount of money for my savings?”
We paid for our honeymoon to Austria mostly from cash that was not from our salaries. Check out how.
You might think I should stop at 200 saving money tips. But to be honest, not only do I know way more tips for saving money than 200, but I also want to give a wide variety of tips so that you’ll find lots of ideas for how to get more of your paychecks into your savings account.
Wait…you want 50 MORE money-saving tips and ideas?
Okay, okay. You want it, you GOT it!
We got both our refrigerator (stainless steel) and our washing machine/dryer at the Scratch N Dent store in Houston.
Both were half off! The dents are a little noticeable…but you know what’s even more noticeable? That $1,000+ in our savings account.
You know how Subway and other places offer a Buy One Get One Free coupon? Go once, get two subs or whatever you’re buying, then eat one today and the next tomorrow for lunch.
A super easy tip to save money on groceries is, while you’re unloading your groceries and putting everything away, just put the old product on top of or in front of the new one you bought.
Like, if you have two old yogurts, and you bought 6 new ones, put the two old ones in front of the new ones so that you eat those first. Waste not, want not!
RewardSurvey.com is the EASIEST place to get free magazine subscriptions that I have found (magazines.com comes in a close second). You just take a survey here and there, and get $15-$30 at a time to “spend” on magazine subscriptions.
I get Oprah’s magazine, I’ve gotten Martha Stewart’s, Women’s Health, Good Housekeeping, and all kinds of other subscriptions – I even get free subscriptions to give to my in-laws and grandmother!
We have a beauty school about ten miles away from us, and you can get a free haircut or even a pedicure from them. You do, generally, still tip them a few bucks.
Does your company or your husband’s offer corporate discounts for everyday products and cell phone plans? Take the time to look around the website they give you, and see if you can take advantage of any deals.
Does your credit card offer price protection (as in, if you find something you just purchased within 6 weeks or so drop in price, you can get a refund of the difference)?
I’ve done this twice with our credit card for sneakers and was pleased with how it all worked.
If you look up airplane tickets ahead of time, then make sure you erase your browser’s cookies before looking them up again a few days later. This is because sites know you want those tickets, on those exact dates, and by the time you come back to buy them they can put up the price (there’s demand).
Are you paying for a roadside assistance subscription when your car insurance company actually offers it within your insurance package? Double-check your coverage with your insurance agent.
If you shop at CVS but don’t want to play the drugstore game, let me show you just one trick you can use to save a lot more. Take your transaction, and divide it into two. In your first transaction, pay for items that will earn ExtraBucks rewards. Then, for the second transaction, partly pay for it USING those ExtraBucks rewards. BOOM.
Many plan providers charge less during non-peak hours, and more during peak hours (meaning hours when everyone is trying to use electricity). Give your provider a call and find out when the cheapest times are for you – then do things like all your laundry during this time period.
Psst:here's how to lower electric bill in old house.
Have you SEEN how large some restaurant’s appetizers have grown? And how yummy they are? Order 3 appetizers for a dinner out instead of two meals.
You can still spend money on the areas that are important to you AND save money at the same time…but probably only if you do conscious spending.
Off the top of my head, over the last several years we’ve eliminated paper towels (we use dish towels and wash them each week), baby wipes (man, it’s easy to get addicted to them! They’re so convenient), diapers (gotta love potty training!), dryer sheets (though we live in humid Houston), and Swiffer Mops (we use the reusable Reveal Mop instead).
We also just don’t wash our beater cars (though for Mother’s Day, my husband and son gave ours a hose down!). Eliminating items entirely off your list will save you money.
One of the reasons why I think people love going to Starbucks all the time (and I’ve had my own stints with it, especially after the baby came!) is because you have such a nice coffee cup/cup to carry around a drink in.
Just a theory!
SO, what I did to cut back on my own use, was spend the money to buy a nice tumbler that I would then love to put a drink into.
It kind of uplevels the whole experience, causing me to not feel like I’m missing out by skipping the drive-thru. If you use it to replace designer coffees/iced coffees/teas, then it’ll pay for itself very quickly.
If you’re still building your family (or not sure if you want a second/third/fourth/etc. child yet), then you definitely want to ask for + buy gender-neutral baby and toddler clothes. This could save you a bundle for the next little bundle of joy!
I fall for this one WAY more than I’d like to admit – buying something that’s not 100% suited for me, just because it’s really low-priced.
I could actually buy something very high-quality if I stopped spending the $5 here and $10 there on things I don’t end up using (listen to your gut!).
This is especially true in the blogging world, but I have found it to be true in real life as well. There are tons of courses free information, and free things out in this world. But if we get something without paying for it, the tendency is to take it for granted/not use it to its full potential because it’s not worth as much in our eyes.
Stop this thinking!
I’ve gotten some of the best business advice of my life through free courses and articles, and have implemented them as if I had paid $1,000 for the information (most online courses for businesses range from $497-$997). Where are you undervaluing something just because you got it for free?
Check out this article on 51 places to score birthday freebies.
Why not stop buying so much stuff, and instead spend the saved money towards buying back some of your time (such as meal planning help, getting your home cleaned, and childcare)?
I know it sounds weird, but this is part of the conscious spending above. You can totally buy these services and still save money in your account; you just have to then stop buying in other areas.
The time you gain? Use it to save even more money (plus, well, you know, enjoy your life!).
Here are my thoughts on time vs. money.
I shopped around for a random vet service once to prove a point and was BLOWN AWAY by how different the prices are for the same service. Make sure you do this.
If you can work from home for any number of days in the week, then do it. It’s less gas costs, less temptations to spend on lunch or at stores, etc.
We always get the most gorgeous gift bags, and I feel like it would be such a waste to not reuse them! This tip alone has probably saved me over $100 in the last few years. Just don’t give them back to the same person.
Do you make $54,000/year or less? You could qualify for free tax return help.
I could kick myself at how long it took me to take the time to figure out how to use gas rewards at our grocery store.
Once I did it the first time, I routinely saved $10 or so each month on gas (and the price there was always a few cents cheaper than other gas stations anyway).
If you’ve lost your job, or ever lose your job, you should know there are other options for health insurance (you also don’t want to lapse) than the really expensive COBRA. Read about health insurance without a job.
Your library has a collection of DVDs for you to borrow, PLUS, you can use the interlibrary loan system to get your hands on just about any DVD you want.
Do you live near a college? My college used to have community events every month – such as film festivals – where people in the neighborhood could come for free or cheap. See what your local college offers!
Keep the kids busy by doing a free park crawl – do a search for all the different kid’s playgrounds and park areas within 20-30 minutes of you.
Each day you need something to do, go to a new one. Have your kids put pushpins in a map (if it gets them excited).
Be the person who volunteers to take the next flight since yours is overbooked…and save those travel vouchers for future trips!
You might also want to check out my article on how to save on weekend getaways.
Do you know your airline passenger rights? Knowing them could get you a decent chunk of change the next time you miss a flight, your flight gets canceled your luggage gets lost, etc. GetAirHelp will even go after any money owed to you from the airlines, on your behalf.
Do you need some savings inspiration? Perhaps some books will stretch your thinking on just what you can achieve with your current income? I always love to read survive-and-thrive stories from others who have been in worse situations than myself.
I can’t tell you how many times this has caused me to change my perspective and break through to another level of savings. Specifically, I love to read about how people survived the Great Depression.
We all are influenced by the people we hang out with, and we influence others as well. Make sure you’re hanging out with people who are gung-ho about saving money – even if it’s just online.
Finding Facebook Groups of frugal savers will teach you tons of techniques you hadn’t thought about, plus keep you on the path to high savings. Trust me when I say it’s nice to talk to like-minded people sometimes.
Three FB groups I’m personally a member of include Money Saving Mom’s Deal Seekers, Rachel Cruze’s group, and Your Money and Your Life’s Group (run by NPR).
Have you ever listened to the Serial Podcast? I was about two years behind on hearing about it. But once I listened to the first one (there are 3 seasons)? I was hooked.
I opened up my laptop while cooking each evening, and listened to an episode (which was super helpful because at the time I had an infant). Completely free. What other awesome podcasts can you consume for free instead of, say, an audiobook?
Take advantage of back-to-school sales by actually restocking your OWN office with office supplies. Bonus savings if you can get these items tax-free, as well!
Every time one of our expenses goes up – such as a rise in our flood insurance premiums, an increase in gas costs, or an increased service cost – I play the zero-sum expenses game.
This means I need to take the increase and find out how to save that amount of money (or more) on something else in our budget. That way, our spending still stays the same (hint:this is a really great thing for when you get raises at work – if you keep your expenses the same, then you’ve widened the gap between income and expenses, and saving becomes easier) .
See if you can save money on a prescription using a prescription discount card, like GoodRx.com.
One of the best times for you to buy things you need for around the house is in the post-Christmas sales. The problem is, that most people don’t save any money to spend around this time of year, so they miss out on these incredible sales.
Don’t let that be you next year! Make a list of what you’ll get at 50-75% off, and then go get it during the sales.
Got buyer's remorse? It might be a little inconvenient, but go get your money back on purchases that just weren’t right for you. You can do this all in one fell swoop, or one at a time over lunches during the work week. If it’s been a long time, and you still have the receipts and tags? Many stores will give you credit to the store.
If you’re not using a credit card or can use another one that has the same or better perks, then get rid of the card with fees.
FYI – you’ll likely take a hit to your credit score when you do this, so don’t do it if you’ll need your credit soon (like you’ll be buying a home with a mortgage, or car with a car loan, soon).
Take the time to email a brand that you love, and tell them why you love their products (be specific). Many brands have been known to send out coupons and free products to big fans!
My Aunt used to take her old truck to the local vo-tech (Vocational-Technical) school to get routine maintenance + repairs done. She just had to pay for the supplies and didn’t have to pay labor.
Valentine’s Day and Anniversaries are both all about love! You can save some money on your anniversary gifts by shopping the clearance after Valentine’s Day.
Not only will you save lots of time and energy (which are worth money), but using your crockpot to cook food will keep you out of the drive-thru, and use up less energy than using your oven. Plus, there are bound to be leftovers (unless your family is Duggar-sized. If they are? Check out these 16 money-saving tips for large families).
We did this 7 years ago. Over the life of the loan, we’ll be saving an astounding $103,000 off of interest payments (going from a 30-year down to a 15-year mortgage). Read more about refinancing our mortgage.
Here’s a secret my family probably has not even noticed – I substitute ingredients for recipes all the time. If I have every ingredient I need to make a recipe for dinner, except the shallots, I’ll use any kind of onion we have in the pantry, instead.
I’ll substitute cheeses for one another, almond milk for regular milk, etc. I’ve even used garlic powder in place of garlic in a pinch (though we cook from scratch with real ingredients almost all of the time).
Anything that will keep you out of that extra run to the store!
It’s easy to just not make a purchase for something – especially for us ultra-frugal. But I have found that delaying a purchase now can sometimes lead to having to pay MORE later.
For example, if your roof is leaking, not fixing it now means that you might have an insulation/wall/painting issue later. Or certain car repairs, if not made now (like getting the brakes checked *ahem*) could lead to more repairs later (like getting into a minor fender-bender that costs $1,000 PLUS the original brake repair – I'm talking to myself, here).
There are savings accounts where you get entered into a prize drawing each month for saving money! For example, one such account enters you into a drawing for every month you save at least $25.
Sometimes, I can be very black-and-white. If I don’t get near my savings goal for the week or month, or my spending is out of control, I just throw in the towel.
Don’t do this – give yourself a clean slate at the beginning of each week or month. You CAN and ARE a success, even if last week or last month didn’t look so hot.
If you know your kids are watching you do things like use coupons, comparison shop, and make deposits at the bank, then chances are you will get better at saving money. Model how to do it for their sake, and increase money in your savings account faster at the same time!
You can keep a swap in the family – just tell your brothers and sisters to bring 10 items they no longer need/want in their house, and you do the same. At your next family gathering, everyone gets to swap!
So here’s my silly confession of the month:I always thought that you needed an ice cream maker in order to make homemade ice cream. Not only is that not true, but there are recipes that you can make for many things that don't require things like bread machines, ice cream makers, or popcorn makers.
I've enjoyed ones like Martha Stewart’s Sugar and Spice Popcorn recipe, and the awesome master artisan bread recipe that the book Artisan Breads in 5 Minutes a Day is based on.
I’ve got one bonus idea for you on how to save money fast, on a low income.
If you’ve got a low income, then you likely will qualify for a savings match program. These are programs sponsored by Nonprofits, the government, and banks/organizations with the purpose of helping you achieve substantial savings goals on little income (such as saving up for a down payment on a home, paying for job training, paying for college tuition, or even building an emergency fund savings. On top of the financial help where you get free money for saving your own money, some programs offer free financial training.
There are loads of saving money challenges out there that you can join to really boost your savings performance. A few of my favorites are the 52-week savings challenge and the $1,000 in 30-days challenge. Got a small budget? Check out these 9 mini savings challenges.
Amanda L. Grossman is a writer and Certified Financial Education Instructor (CFEI®), Plutus Foundation Grant Recipient, and founder of Frugal Confessions. Over the last 17 years, her money work has helped people with how to save money and how to manage money.
She's been featured in the Wall Street Journal, Kiplinger, Washington Post, U.S. News &World Report, Business Insider, LifeHacker, Real Simple Magazine, Woman's World, Woman's Day, ABC 13 Houston, Keybank, and more. Read more here or on LinkedIn.
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