We’re all looking for new ideas on how to save money and keep a few extra greenbacks in our wallets. But for many of us who have too much month at the end of our money, it can seem impossible to do more with the money we’re already making. If that is true for you, check out our post on how to get out of debt to help you free up your income! The truth is, there are always ways to save money, particularly if you’re willing to invest a little time. I am sure there are more extensive and exotic ideas, but here are 87 easy ways you can save money and eliminate the waste from your budget. I can also give you some helpful ideas on quick ways to make money as well as the best way to invest money short term – be sure to check them out!
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It’s easy to make a little extra food at dinner, and package up the leftovers for your next day’s lunch. Not only does it take care of those pesky leftovers that can sometimes just stay in the fridge until they become a science experiment, it’s also much cheaper than buying lunch every day.Even if you do not have leftovers from dinner, it’s relatively simple to put together a decent lunch for much cheaper than fast food: grab a hard boiled egg, an apple or a banana, a cheese stick, and a granola bar, and you’ve covered every food group for a lot less than it costs to buy lunch.
Sharing a ride can not only break up the tedium of your commute, but it can also help to cut your gas costs in half. Even if you don’t know anyone who lives and works in the same places as you, you can find a fellow commuter through sites like www.erideshare.com and www.carpoolconnect.com.
87 super easy tips to help you save money every month:
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1. Cashback rewards cards
If you’re looking for an easy and painless way to save money on everyday expenses, look to your credit card for help. That’s right – with the right rewards card, you can save money on everything from your regular bills to your household expenses.To get these savings, you’ll need a rewards card that offers a percentage of cash back for every dollar you spend. While we highlight some of the best offers in our post on the best cash back credit card offers.2. Switch bank accounts
If you are being charged fees on your checking account or getting almost zero interest from your savings then it may be time to switch banks. You can get more than 10 times the interest using a high interest online savings account and there are plenty of free online checking accounts with no deposit. With either of these options you will save money over the bricks and mortar options.3. Negotiate new rates on your credit cards
Credit card companies are always trying to jack up your interest. They may do it for missing a payment or for lack of usage. Whatever the reason you can save a lot by calling them and asking them to lower your interest rate. If they will not budget then consider getting a new credit card with 0% interest for balance transfers. This will take your rate down to zero for up to 18 months and save you a ton in interest payments.TIPS FOR SAVING MONEY ON FOOD
According to a recent Gallup Poll, the average American family spends $151 per week on food, including restaurant eating. That adds up to a cool $7852 per year. Here are 20 ways you can keep more of that money in your pocket:4. Use Coupon Apps
One of the simplest ways to save money at the grocery store is to download a coupon app like Ibotta or Checkout 51. These two apps allow you to select coupons and then, once you buy the items, you can scan your receipt and receive cash back for those purchases. It takes almost no time at all and the apps can be used at any store where the receipt prints out a description. The best part is you can use both apps on a single receipt so I have both on my phone.5. Make meal plans
One of the biggest food budget busters is when you have no answer to the question “What’s for dinner?” Rather than get in the habit of ordering pizza or going out for fast food when you’re stumped by the dinner question—which is infinitely more expensive than cooking at home—get used to planning out your meals for the week or month. Not only will this save you money on take out, but it will also put you in a good place to actually use all the food you buy at the grocery.6. Make a grocery list and stick to it
Once you know what you plan to make for dinner each night of the week or month, make a grocery list based on your meal plans, and only buy what is on your grocery list! Meal planning ninjas can get to the point where they buy certain ingredients on sale to be used in multiple meals, but even just starting with meal plans and a list for the week will save you money. Having a specific list of items to buy can even combat the grocery mistake of shopping while hungry. It doesn’t matter how tempting the apricots jarred in honey may sound, if it’s not on the list, it’s easy to say no.7. Cherry pick the grocery deals
As you get better at meal-planning and list-making habit, you can start using your local grocery chains’ loss leaders for bigger savings. Each week, grocery stores publish their sales—and some of those advertised prices are so low that the store would be losing money if all the customers were to only buy the sale items. Making your meal plan with the grocery circular in hand will allow you to figure out what meals will be cheapest for you to make that week, based on each chain’s loss leaders. Then, buy only those loss leaders at each grocery store, and get the rest of your ingredients at whatever supermarket generally offers the best prices. This turns grocery shopping into a much longer affair—it takes several hours to pore through the circulars, make your plans, and then go shopping at several different stores—but the savings are certainly worth the time.8. Buy generic
With the exception of a few notable items (Pop-Tarts come to mind), most generic products are almost identical to their brand name counterparts. Do you buy Cheerios just because you always have? Try the Generic Os and see if they’re not exactly the same, for a fraction of the price.9. Pay attention to unit costs
The one caveat about buying generic is that sometimes it actually is cheaper to buy the name brand. This is why you have to keep an eye on the unit cost of anything you buy at the grocery. The generic cans of soup selling 3 for $5 sound like a great deal, but the Campbell’s soup selling for $1.50 each is actually cheaper. Most grocery stores offer a unit price listing, so that you can compare apples to apples (so to speak), but some do not. Get in the habit of carrying a calculator with you to the grocery store (or using the calculator function on your cell phone) to figure out what product gives you the biggest bang for your buck.10. Buy in bulk, but be careful
This is a money saving tip that could potentially bite you in the butt. It is much cheaper to buy most items in bulk, from crackers to cereal to toothpaste to shampoo. However, some individuals (including yours truly) cannot handle the temptation of having a 144 count package of cookies in the house, and end up overspending on food that’s eaten far too quickly. So only purchase in bulk if it is something you know you can handle storing in your house before use. In my case, that means I buy cleaning and personal care items in bulk, and I buy a week’s (or at most a month’s) worth of food at a time.11. Pay attention to expiration dates
I once bought a gallon of milk that soured before I got it home. We may have grand illusions about returning to the store and demanding a replacement or a refund, but I know that I never made it back to the store. It’s much easier to just keep a close eye on expiration dates as you put the items in your cart. Similarly, double check that the carton of eggs you’re choosing is free of cracked eggs, and that the cans you want are not dented, and everything in a jar is well sealed.12. Speed up your grocery shopping
If you try to squeeze in your shopping between other appointments, then you’re more likely simply get the items on your list and go, rather than meander through the store and get tempted by unnecessary items.13. Sign up for the free loyalty cards
Grocery stores offer loyalty cards that make you eligible for additional savings. If you’ve skipped the loyalty card in the past because you don’t want extra cards in your wallet (or on your keychain), now you have no excuse. Smartphone apps like Key Ring now make it possible for you to always carry your loyalty cards without having to keep track of yet another card.14. Bring your own grocery bags
Not only is this better for the environment, but many stores will also offer you a small discount for every reusable bag you use. The discount may not be much—generally about 5¢ per bag—but even 50¢ saved with each trip to the grocery can add up. After all, you’d be thrilled to save 50¢ on any one item on your list.15. Have a bi-monthly “clean out the pantry” week
We all have random cans and packages in our pantries, freezers, and fridges. Often, we end up throwing that food out later because we’ve forgotten about it until after it expired. Make sure you use up the food you’ve already purchased by planning a no-shopping week once every couple of months. That week, your mission will be to eat up all the food you already have without adding to the stockpile. This is a great time to practice some culinary creativity.16. Brown bag your lunch
It’s easy to make a little extra food at dinner, and package up the leftovers for your next day’s lunch. Not only does it take care of those pesky leftovers that can sometimes just stay in the fridge until they become a science experiment, it’s also much cheaper than buying lunch every day.Even if you do not have leftovers from dinner, it’s relatively simple to put together a decent lunch for much cheaper than fast food: grab a hard boiled egg, an apple or a banana, a cheese stick, and a granola bar, and you’ve covered every food group for a lot less than it costs to buy lunch.17. Learn to use up leftovers
When you are doing your meal planning, add some of the great fridge-clearing recipes for making sure you use up everything. For example, quiche is a delicious (and easy) meal that can handle any meat and veggie odds and ends you want to put in it. Stews and casseroles are also good ways to use up the tail end of Tuesday’s green beans and Thursday’s ham.18. Plan for “I don’t feel like cooking” nights
There is a definite time and place for convenience foods. On those days when you would rather go back to work than face the kitchen, you can have some frozen meals already set aside that you can just heat and eat. To be ready for those inevitable nights, just make a double batch of any kinds of meals that freeze well—lasagna, tuna noodle casserole, chicken and rice casserole, and the like—and freeze the one you don’t eat that night. If you do this every time you cook a freezable meal, you’ll soon have plenty of convenient options on harried nights, and you’ll have saved money on each casserole, to boot.19. Get a slow cooker
One of the easiest ways to make inexpensive and filling meals is with a crock pot. You can find these appliances for as little as $10-$15 on sale, and there are countless slow cooker recipes online. You can put the ingredients together in the morning before work, set it to simmer, and come home to find dinner done at the end of the day.20. Become a vegetarian (some of the time)
Meat is often the most expensive part of any particular meal. Even the most dedicated carnivore can find some favorite vegetarian recipes, and switching to at least one meatless dish a week can really help to bring down your grocery bill.21. Drink water
Every nutritionist seems to agree that drinking calories in the form of soda or juice is a terrible idea for our waistlines—and apparently diet options aren’t that much better. Rather than spend money on your beverages, why not develop a taste for water? If you’re used to sweet drinks, you can wean yourself off the stuff by mixing water and your favorite beverage, slowly changing the ratio until it’s just water.22. Eat in season and locally
You may know that watermelon is going to cost a mint in February, but most of us are so used to all produce being available year-round that we’ve forgotten what is in season when. Reacquaint yourself with the growing season. The cheapest way to buy produce is to only get what is naturally growing in your area. That doesn’t mean you have to start shopping at farmers’ markets (which can sometimes be more expensive just for the quaintness factor)—it just means that you use the produce that is abundant in your area.23. Dine out intelligently
When you do decide to enjoy a restaurant meal, you can still save money. Order an appetizer as your main course. They are generally more than large enough to fill you up, and will be much cheaper than the entrees. Another option is to split an entrée. Even if the restaurant charges you for splitting (as some do), this will still be a cheaper option than both of you getting your own meal.24. Eat less
There are very few Americans who couldn’t stand to take in fewer calories. If you’re already thinking about trying to drop a few pounds, you could also save yourself some money at the same time. Rather than spending money on diet programs or foods, why not just reduce your portions? Use the recommended portion sizes to determine the size of your meals, and you’ll save money.TIPS FOR SAVING MONEY ON TRANSPORTATION
The average sedan-owning American who drives about 15,000 miles per year will spend $8,946 in one year to own and operate that sedan, according to AAA. Here are some ways to make that cost a little more manageable:25. Maintain your car
One of the most important aspects of inexpensive car ownership is proper maintenance. This includes everything from keeping your tires properly inflated in order to help maximize your mileage, to getting your oil changed and your engine tuned up at the required intervals. This will keep your car from “surprising” you with a preventable problem.26. Improve your gas mileage
Many articles will recommend that you buy a gas sipper instead of a guzzler. However, that ignores the fact that it can be difficult to put together the money to buy a new (to you) car when the gas guzzler you have is perfectly serviceable. So, find ways to maximize the mileage you can get. This includes doing things like keeping extraneous items out of the car (as the extra weight makes the engine have to work harder), planning out the most efficient route around town for your errands, cleaning your car’s air filter, and driving the speed limit, as most engines operate most efficiently between 40 and 60 miles per hour.27. Shop around online for gas
Have you ever noticed that gas stations within a few blocks of each other can have 10¢-20¢ differences in price? Rather than just stop for gas at whatever station’s convenient, use websites like gasbuddy.com to find the cheapest fuel around.28. Don’t wait until you’re running on fumes to gas up
Beggars can’t be choosers, and riding on E will mean you have to accept whatever gas price you run into. Plan your fill-ups enough in advance that you can choose which gas station to go to—whether because of their good prices or your rewards card.29. Car pool
Sharing a ride can not only break up the tedium of your commute, but it can also help to cut your gas costs in half. Even if you don’t know anyone who lives and works in the same places as you, you can find a fellow commuter through sites like www.erideshare.com and www.carpoolconnect.com.