It doesn’t matter the day of the week or the month of the year. We are always trying to find ways to save money. We work hard for our money and the last thing we want to do is watch it dawdle away. By being smart with the money that we have we are able to SAVE for fun activities, emergency funds, and rainy days!
15 Ways to Save Money
Pay your bills on time and avoid late fees. Try to automate your payments. Schedule your bill payments in your calendar or a program like Mint. If you forget a bill (it happens!) you can call the company and politely request they waive the late fee. The worse they can say is no.
Use cash! You cannot spend what you do not have. Making a cash budget and sticking to it will save you from overspending.
Save your loose change. By keeping your loose change in a jar and not dipping in to it you can save a considerable chunk of change. Consider doing the 52 Week Money Saving Challenge and you will save $1,378 in one year’s time.
Use coupons. By printing and clipping coupons you are saving money on products you normally purchase. Why pay full price for toilet paper and tooth paste when you can use a coupon? Coupons are available to print fromCoupons.com,Redplum, and Smartsource. If you would rather your coupons be hassle free, use SavingStar to download them to your store shopper’s card. Take your money saving a step further with the two money saving phone apps that I adore: Ibottaand Checkout 51.
Brown bag your lunch. It is much cheaper to pack your lunch at home and take it with you to work, play dates, or other outings. It can also be healthier too, which is a great additional benefit.
Drink water. Fatigue,headaches, and theinability to focus are signs of dehydration. Water is the cure! Water is free, healthy, and essential. Ditch those expensive (less healthy) beverages and stick with water.
Use a prepaid cell phone. I have usedStraight Talkfor years now and I am very pleased with it! (Virgin Mobile is another great option). It’s so easy and I love not having a contract. My friends tell me what they pay for their iPhones each month and I am always in shock that people pay (a lot) more than they should for cell phone service.
Ditch cable. Sign up for a service like Netflix.For one low monthly price (around $8), Netflix members can watch as much as they want, anytime, anywhere, on nearly any Internet-connected screen. Members can play, pause and resume watching, all without commercials or commitments. I love, love, love Netflix! You can also stream movies with your Amazon Prime account. Don’t forget Redbox movie rentals as a great source of keeping up with the latest movie releases. You can also subscribe to Redbox Instant and receive unlimited streaming PLUS 4 free kiosk rental credits per month for subscribed users.Adding up the monthly price of Netflix ($8 per month), Amazon Prime (about $6.60 per month), and Redbox Streaming ($8 per month) you will pay less than $25 a month and have access to thousands of great shows.
Cut the phone cord. Use a Voice Over Internet Protocol Phone. We have used our for years now and I can’t imagine going back to a traditional phone line. Between our VOIP and prepaid cell phone we pay a fraction of what other families do.
Borrow from the library. Libraries have a huge collection of books, DVDs, audio books, magazines, and more for you to borrow. See if you local library offers passes to state parks or local tourist attractions (like zoos – I know that Zoo Atlanta participates in a free admission opportunity with the local libraries).
Buy used. Thrift Store shopping tricks are a great way to pick up items that you need for cheap! Check Craigslist (always meet in a public place), Freecycle, yard sales, or you local want ads for other places to buy great used products.
Repair it yourself. It’s scary to think about tackling home repairs, but if something is broken you can save a huge chunk of money by repairing it yourself. Get a handyman’s book from the library, checkout some DIY forums, or head to Youtube to watch videos of people with your exact problem and give it a shot yourself. My husband has fixed our washing machine, dryer (same issue, twice), van radiator, and even the central air conditioning system himself. We have saved thousands of dollars this way!
Start a garden. Whether you are using planters or have an area to for a Square Foot Gardenall you need to do is start some seedlings and watch them grow. You will be able to grow items you at home for a fraction of the cost of the grocery store!
Check your community calendar for free events and activities. There are often great ways to get out of the house without spending a dime! Each Friday we post Free Weekend Family Fun events that happen at retailers across the nation.
Master the thirty day rule. Stop and think about just how much you want an item. If you can wait thirty days and you still want this item then it is worth purchasing.
Do you have ways that you save money? Please leave a comment with your money saving technique!
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