So, I am going to apologize in advance for this extremely long post. But trust me, you will want to read the whole thing. I just couldn’t leave anything out. I love finding ways to live simply and not bound by finances. So hopefully, these 44 easy ways to save money, couldsave you a couple hundred dollars per month (or more) depending on how much you are willing to give up. Each little thing really adds up.
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1. My number one tip and the one that saves my family the most money is to change your phone service to Republic Wireless
Seriously, if you haven’t looked into Republic Wireless, you should today. You will not be disappointed! Visit their website or check out this post to get more information. We have been happy with our service for over four years. Plus, they have won awards for the highest customer satisfaction!
2. Get rid of cable, use Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime, or just an antenna
Cable can be outrageously expensive and how many of the channels do you actually utilize? My husband and I bought an antenna when we first go at married and haven’t gone back, we no where also have a monthly subscription with Netflix which we use for our family movie nights. This costs us $9.99 each month. Or you may want to try Amazon Prime (take advantage of their 30 day free trial) with thousands of shows and movies for one low yearly cost.
Join Amazon Prime – Watch Thousands of Movies & TV Shows Anytime – Start Free Trial Now
3. Use e-bates to shop online
My guess is that you are already buying things at major retailers like Walmart, Amazon, Target, and Kohl’s. Ebates is completely free to sign up and will give you cash back when you shop. You’ll even get $10 just for signing up. Click this link to get signed up or check out my honest review here to decide if this is right for you.
4. Shop at second hand stores
there are so many options for buying used items now that it doesn’t make sense not to at least look around before making a purchase. My family purchases almost everything used and I know it saves us hundreds of dollars each year. Check out my post about how we dress our kids for free here.
5. Buy the store brand groceries
I budget $50 per week for groceries for my family of five, which means I need to stretch every dollar. Most store brands have the exact same ingredients as their more expensive counterpart.
6. Eat at home instead of out
If you eat out often this could save you a bundle, but even just once a month could save you $35 or more depending on your family.
Plan your meals around sales. Insteadof meal planning from Monday through Friday or whatever your current process is, choose the beginning of the store’s sales. Wednesday-Tuesday works best for me. I can look up the sales at the two stores I shop at most and plan meals based on what’s on sale. I usually save about 50% on my groceries doing it this way.
7. Make your own coffee
If you are a coffee drinker, you know how expensive it can be to buy coffee. A few dollars here and there doesn’t feel like a lot until you actually add it up for the whole month. My guess is, you cold save over $10 a month by having your coffee at home.
8. Turn your lights off
This is simple, but something that can save money easily.
9. Entertain your kids with free activities
Go to the park, take a nature walk, go out and take pictures, read books, color, etc. Do things that are free. Your kids will love them just as much! Here are some ideas for photo projects you can do with your kids.
10. Cook breakfast for dinner once per week
Breakfast is super cheap to make and often a very healthy choice so why not add it to your dinner menu. We do this at least once a week.
11. Clean out your closets and house and sell items on Craigslist, eBay, or Facebook
We all have junk laying around the house. Make money from it! I make about $100 or more on Craigslist each month and it is way nicer to have the money than have a cluttered home.
12. Stop buying extra stuff
Take a good hard look at how you spend your money for one month. You will no doubt find items that you didn’t need to buy. Use this to help you make better choices in the future.
13.Drink water, cut back on other drinks like juice and soda
Water is cheaper and much healthier!
14. Set a budget in the beginning of the month before you spend any money
Create a budget before you spend a dime. Start here. Make sure you know where you will spend/save every dime so you don’t spend unnecessarily. If you haven’t read Dave Ramsey’s book, it will be an investment that will change your life and your financial status. Check it out here.
15. Call companies you’ve been with for a while and ask for a lowered rate
If you have been loyal and paid bills on time, you would be surprised how often you can save money on your bills.
16. Cut your own hair and your families
Check out you tube videos. Cutting your hair and others in your family is easier than you may think. The average woman’s haircut costs nearly $50 and a man’s cut around $20. A nice pair of scissors and trimmers is a fraction of the cost. Here’s what I use.
17. Choose cheaper alternatives at the grocery store
Thighs instead of breasts, pork instead of chicken, chicken instead of steak, cod instead of salmon.
18. Opt for fruits and veggies as snacks instead of prepackaged snacks
Prepackaged foods are much more costly than your healthier choices.
19. Make your own granola bars, muffins, or other baked goods
You can bake for a fraction of the cost of purchasing these items.
20. Carpool with a friend or coworker and split the cost of gas
Gas can add up so by sharing transportation you can cut this expense in half or more.
21. Take your lunch to work instead of going out
I love these bento boxes for packing lunches for my family.
22. If it is nice outside, hang dry your laundry
This can even make your whites naturally whiter. (An added bonus!)
You may also want to read:
- How to Eliminate Clutter for Good, Super Simple Steps
- How to Make $500 Extra Every Month
- 9 Ridiculously Simple Fixes to Help You Save Money Every Month
23. Make your own laundry soap and cleaning supplies
Here’s an easy guide to making your own natural cleaners. The laundry detergent costs me about $2 per batch and lasts 6 months. I do laundry everyday, sometimes more than 1 load and have 3 young kids, so yours might last even longer. Compare that to a $20 bottle of Tide which lasts my family less than a month.
24. Make gifts and cards for special occasions rather than buying them
It’s fun to come up with gifts someone will love and then creating it yourself. Here are a few ideas that’s can easily be made for kids. And these fun signs are perfect for anyone on your list.
25. Take a shorter shower
This is the hardest one for me. If my husband is home and I know I won’t have a child running in during my shower, I tend to make them last forever! But you can save quite a bit when you use less hot water.
26. Replace your furnace filter
Did you know you are supposed to replace your filter every month? That actually sounds like an added expense, but having a clean filter can make your furnace run more efficiently and save you money every month. We save almost $10 on our gas bill when we replace our filter (which only costa couple dollars).
27. Set your thermostats 2 degrees cooler or warmer depending on the season
You most likely won’t even notice the difference, but you will see a difference when the bill comes.
28. Borrow from friends and family
If you need something that you will only need for a short time, see if you can borrow it rather than buy it.
29. Watch a movie at home rather than going out
Some of you may love the experience of the movie theatre, but watching just one less each month can out $15 or more back in your pocket.
30. Eat less junk food
Candy and other sweets are really just extras. Do without, and not only will you be healthier, but you will also save money!
31. Exercise at home
A gym membership can cost a lot! If you are spending quite a bit of money on one and not using it enough, discipline yourself to workout at home. Use You Tube videos or Pinterest to find great workouts.
32. Use target cartwheel and atarget red card
Most of us shop at Target. Some of us probably too much. You don’t actually have to open a credit card to benefitfrom the 5% savings. A red card can be attached to your checking account just like a debit card and you will automatically get 5% off your total purchase at the checkout. This works when shopping online as well!
33. Plan your meals ahead of time
If you have a plan for what you will cook, you are less likely to go out to eat. You are also able to plan what you spend using sales and coupons.
34. Stay at home
Enjoy more days at home. It’s always cheaper!Drive less and do errands one day a week. depending on where you live, you can save $5-$10 just cutting back 2-4 gallons of gas.
35. Eat leftovers
One day a week, we eat leftovers. Everyone chooses something that is left from a previous meal. I don’t have to cook or spend money for another meal.
36. Make a list of needs and luxuries that you currently spend your money on and take away one luxury.
This could be anything. We all have things we spend our money on that we do not need. If you are trying to save money, be willing to drop some extra expenses.
37. Do your own housework, yard work , and minor handyman stuff, you’d be surprised what you can learn on you tube
(disclaimer, do not take on something you cannot handle, some projects can be very dangerous or cause serious injury or damage to your home, some projects need to have a licensed worker and/or be checked by a professional, you may need permits, not everyone on you you tube or the internet is giving accurate information so be cautious ).
38. Use what you have for longer
You don’t need to have the latest greatest. This can be clothing, electronics, or anything else. Buy things that will last and let them last.
39. Make saving a priority
The very first line item on my budget is savings. I take this money out of my account before spending on anything else. This makes it easier for me to cut expenses because I know it enables me to save more. Get this free budget printable to help you get started!
40. Shop around for big purchases and ask for a cash discount
If you are spending a large mount of money, take the time to find the best price. Also, you can often get a discount for paying in cash if youask. Remember, companies pay a fee when they run a credit card so you are saving them money by using cash. Ask the man to pass that savings on to you.
41. Buy in bulk
If you use something a lot, it makes sense to buy it in bulk. I save a lot on toilet paper, paper towels, trash bags, and other everyday items by purchasing these things in a large room quantity.
42. Have no spend weekends each month
Choosing just one weekend a month where you do not spend any money will save you a lot! It will probably inspire you to do it even more often when you see how much you save.
43. Do free date nights
Just like doing free activities with your kids, you can enjoy free dates with your significant other as well.
44. Trade nights to babysit with friends instead of paying for a sitter
Give your friends a night off and let them give you one. Save $30 or more on a sitter.
If you made it through this entire list you are either serious about saving or had some extra time on your hands today! I know, it was a lot, but I do hope you found a lot of new ways to add money to your pocket this month! In case you don’t want to scroll back through, here are a few things you can do today!
- Switch to Republic Wireless
- Join Ebates
- Apply for a Target Red Card
- Cancel your cable
- Read Dave Ramsey’s book and create a budget.(Free printable and the steps to get you started.)
- And if you are looking for a new way to make money, these ideas could make you $500+ per month!
