by jlpenner Leave a Comment
We’ve got 8 tips that can help you start saving money right now. These are ideas that can be put into action right away to make an instant impact.
1) Auto-renew is not your friend. This is one of the easiest ways to waste money. It seems so simple to just put subscriptions on auto-pay, but resist the urge! Things like bills are a different story, but beauty clubs and magazines are another. Auto-pay makes it so you don’t feel like you’re paying. You don’t have time to think about whether or not you actually need another year of “Knitting Monthly”. Warehouse clubs are another auto-pay culprit. If you only shop there every couple of months, stock up before your membership expires and just sign up for a new one next time you go in. You’ll have saved yourself from paying for 2 months of something you are not using. Look into your memberships today and see what is on auto-renew.
2) Water! Use less and drink more. Many cities are on water meters, which means they pay for how much water they use. Saving water is also infinitely beneficial to the planet. Look into low-flow faucets and shower heads to make conserving water an afterthought. The easier you make it on yourself, the more likely you are to do it! The same goes with drinking water. Get a couple of nice water bottles and keep them full and cold. Drinking more water (which is basically free) and less juice and soda that you pay for can add up to huge savings. Proper hydration also has great health benefits, and staying out of the doctor’s office means staying away from medical bills.
3) Call and ask for lower rates. Call your credit card company and ask for a lower interest rate. Let them know you are having trouble paying more than just interest and they may help you out. Call your cable company and mention that you saw a great rate for new subscribers and ask if they can do something like that for a loyal, existing subscriber. The great part about this one is that you’ve got nothing to lose by making those phone calls!
4) Become one with your kitchen. Eating more meals at home means spending less on dining out, which can add up to huge expenses quickly. Just skipping 1 casual meal out per week can save a family of 4 around $40 each week! That’s over $2,000 in a year! Experiment with recipes that use cheap ingredients such as rice and potatoes to stretch your dollar even further! Try new ideas and save the ones you like. Before you know it, you’ll have an arsenal of great recipes that hardly cost anything!
5) Of course, use coupons! When you use coupons, you are using clipped paper instead of money! There’s no more clear-cut way to save money than that! Save your Sunday coupon inserts and print coupons online if you’re really serious about it. Not that excited about it yet? At least be aware of the coupons staring you right in the face when you are at the grocery store. Many items will have coupons stuck right on them, or tearpad coupons will be on the shelves. Use those, please!
6) Proper food storage. If you’re trying to get better at tip #4 on this list, chances are you will have more food in your home. Proper storage of that food can result in less waste and less money being basically thrown out. Store bread and ripe produce in the fridge to extend its life. Transfer opened snacks from their bags to airtight containers to keep them fresh and crunchy longer. Be aware of items that you might not think would say “refrigerate after opening” like salad dressing, beef jerky and nuts.
7) Do it yourself. The more things you do yourself, the less money you are paying to have someone else do them for you. Do you really need to spend $7 to run your car through the gas station wash? Can you do it yourself for virtually free? Do you mow your own lawn, or pay someone else to do it? Pinterest can be your greatest help here. You can find ways to make your own beautiful wall art instead of buying a $50-$100 picture. You can also find tips for repairing your own clothing and making your own fashion accessories. Doing things yourself saves money and makes you feel accomplished!
8) Create a budget or financial plan. Doing this is important to any money management strategy. A budget creates limits and makes you think about the money that you are spending. It creates accountability for those impulse purchases. Does that 3rd Starbucks run of the week really fit into the budget? What about that new skirt? Keep things realistic, because an impossible budget will just cause you to get frustrated and give up on the whole thing. Make sure to put some fun money into the budget too!
This is a guest post from LookBeforeSpending.. head on over and check them out!!
Zack & Katie are the creators and authors of LookBeforeSpending.com. They are a married couple in their 20’s trying to save as much money as they can. Using the money saving tips they share on their site, they have already been able to eliminate thousands of dollars in credit card debt and are now saving more than they ever thought possible! They strive to make it easy for their readers to jump on the bandwagon and start saving money right away. If they can get smart with their money, anyone can!
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