Paying off debt, saving for your dream vacation, or remodeling your home all cost money! If you already feel stretched from paycheck to paycheck, check out these 10 simple ways to save money everyday. Without much effort, you can begin reaching toward your financial dreams. Every penny counts! Do something with the money you save.
1. Cancel Subscriptions
Special TV channels, magazines, monthly boxes, audiobook subscriptions, and more. Most of us have a subscription (or two) that could be eliminated. Make the call or log into your account today to nix that subscription and save more money.
2. Visit the Library
I love books, DVDs, and music but can’t afford to buy as many as I want out of pocket. If it’s been awhile since you’ve been to your local library, today’s the day to renew your card. You gain access to not only thousands of books, but also movies and music, too. Plus, many libraries use platforms like hoopla and Overdrive to allow you to “check out” audiobooks, music, and movies. You can stream them online for free just by entering your library card information. Reduce your entertainment costs with the library. For more ideas, check out Read More, Spend Less: Your Guide to Save Money on Books.
3. Meal Plan
Dining out and groceries are the two easiest areas of your budget to go overboard without realizing it. You can avoid these spending traps by weekly planning your meals. Did you know I have a FREE Printable Meal Planner? You can use it to track your meals and jot down your grocery list. Plus, check out the 10 ALDI Meal Plans I have on my site to give you some ideas for what to cook.
4. Watch Those Bulk Prices
Just because a product is in the largest package doesn’t mean it costs the least. Be sure you’re tracking price per unit or price per ounce when shopping. When you can, keep track of prices in stores so you know what’s a deal and what’s not. For more ideas, check out Best Bulk Shopping Tips PLUS 10 Items to ALWAYS Buy Bulk and Should You Stockpile While Paying Off Debt?.
5. Press Pause Before Making a Purchase
Just because something breaks, you might not necessarily need to replace it immediately – or at all. Set a specific time frame to make sure you’re not making an impulse or emotional purchase. For smaller items, I suggest waiting at least 24 hours. For larger purchases, wait 30 days. Need more wisdom in this area? Read 5 Questions You MUST Ask Before Making a Major Purchase and Every Purchase Has Power.
6. Stay Out of Your Temptation Zones
The Mall. Target. Amazon. We all have stores or websites that cause us to spend more than we planned on spending. Identify those destinations and then avoid visiting them. Or set a specific timer on your phone to keep your exposure limited. Did you know that typically the longer you spend in a store or on a website, the more money you spend, too?
7. Unsubscribe and Unfollow
To help you avoid those temptation zones, it might be wise to also unsubscribe from emails or catalogs you receive. You won’t even know what you’re missing and you’ll be much less distracted, too. You may need to unfollow or hide people in your social media circles who trigger poor spending choices, too.
8. Use Cash
Studies show you spend more money when you use plastic – even if it’s a debit card linked to your checking account. Switching to a cash only system puts a boundary around your budget so you don’t over spend. If you are not ready to go 100% cash in your spending, choose to use cash when it comes to the grocery store, dining out, and entertainment. For more ideas, check out 31 Debt Free Missions: Start a Cash System and The Best Ways to Navigate the Cash Envelope System. Plus, print these cute FREE Printable Cash Envelopes.
9. Plan a No Spend Weekend
One of the very best ways to break poor spending habits is by going cold turkey. Wrangle in your spending by planning a weekend where you make no purchases. Prepare meals at home. Play games with your family. Go for a walk. Serve somewhere. The only rule is that you can’t spend money!
10. Evaluate Your Bills
A lot of us wind up our bills and then don’t pay attention to them. You may be paying for services you don’t need. You may need to cancel cable or reduce your cell phone plan. Don’t go on autopilot and pay for monthly expenses you don’t use or need. Spend some time truly evaluating what you’re paying for on a regular basis and make adjustments.
You don’t have to use all ten of these strategies at once. Start simple. Choose 2 or 3 today and begin saving money!
My book is now available: Slaying the Debt Dragon: How One Family Conquered Their Money Monster and Found an Inspired Happily Ever After. You can also check out The Debt Free Devotional
This post contains an affiliate link. That means when you get a great deal, learn about a way to save, or maybe even something for free, I may end up making a small commission.
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