Do you know the ways to save money? Our money-saving tips will leave extra cash in your pocket and keep you smiling.
Saving money can sometimes feel painful, but it doesn’t have to be! You may not believe that because, if you’re like me, you were raised to think that we need to make sacrifices if we want to save a few bucks, but the truth is that our mantra doesn’t have to be “No pain, no gain.”
If you REALLY want to experience the long-term benefits of saving money, getting locked into a new mental mindset and adjusting your daily habits will go a long way.
So, we’ve put together a list of five surefire ways to save money without sacrificing your quality of life.
The Best 5 Ways to Save Money
Is saving money a good idea? Whether you’re trying to build your savings account, cut back on your spending, or just looking for some extra cash for the latest and greatest gadgets, these tips will help you achieve your goals.
1. Save Money by Creating Lists.
When it comes to ways to save money, the starting strategy for saving money is to make a list and stick to it.
So who am I to tell you how to run your life? Well, I’m just a guy who cares, but I’m also a guy who knows how money issues can weigh on a person.
We all know that impulse buying is one of the easiest ways to spend more than initially intended. That’s why grocery stores put candy in the check-out line, and I should never go into a guitar store alone.
By creating a list before you go shopping and sticking to it, you can prevent those unnecessary purchases from happening.
If you’re one of those who doesn’t like to plan before shopping, maybe that’s why you find yourself overspending. There are many things I don’t like, such as being poor. I’ll bet we at least have that in common. So, I suggest you try it, at least once. What’s the harm? Even if it prevents you from buying one unnecessary item, you’ve won!
2. Save Money by Clipping Coupons.
In the movie Elf, Will Farrell emphatically says, “Smiling is my favorite! “It makes me smile (if not laugh) every time, and we always use that line around the house.
You know what else makes me smile? Saving money, because saving money is MY favorite, and one of the best ways to save money is to clip coupons. So get out a pair of scissors, and let’s finally start putting those kindergarten skills to good use.
These days, plenty of apps and online programs allow you to harness the power of coupons without going old school. So, put this one on your list of favorites and start saving!
3. Save Money by Asking for What you Want
4. Save Money by Ditching One Streaming Service
I know that I said there would be no sacrifices, but would it REALLY be a big deal to lose one streaming service?
There are more than 200 streaming services available in the US, and the number of streaming services that the average US household subscribes to is around four.
How many movies, sitcoms, docu-dramas, documentaries, and sports events does one household need?
Hey, I enjoy a guilty pleasure, but how many Real Housewives can one person watch?
We made a deal in our home during the early days of the COVID pandemic to add Disney+ for three months, and guess what? We still had it 18 months later!
It only took 30 seconds to cancel the subscription online (while writing this blog) but being lazy all those months cost us money.
This is one of my favorite ways to save money because it was so easy to do, and we didn’t miss it one bit once it was gone.
When you cancel a streaming service, not only do you save money, but you save time that you were wasting in front of the television, and that’s not such a bad thing either, right?
5. Save Money by Eating at Home.
Learning how to cook Chinese was so much fun! Sure, I made some mistakes along the way, but my Crab Rangoon are delish!
Eating out is one of the most expensive habits a person can have. Plus, eating at home not only saves money, but it can also be a heck of a lot healthier as well.
Even if you don’t know how to cook, it’s never too late to learn. There are so many self-help videos and blogs that anyone can learn –look at what it did for me!
People have all kinds of excuses for why they can’t cook at home, from not knowing how to or not having enough time. These days, the pandemic has changed that for most of us and, if you’re following our list, you should be watching a lot less TV anyway.
Cooking is fun and, if you’re like me, you can do it while listening to a podcast, grooving to your favorite music (expect a couple of comments from the kids), or even watching a television show. But, be careful, because you DO need to pay attention, especially around the hot oil!
Saving Money Feels Good
Life can be good, especially when you have a few extra dollars in your pocket.
Having extra cash gives you more choices, relieves stress, and builds wealth. Start with some easy wins, and build on them. I know you can do it, and YOU know you can do it.
Embrace the desire for change, and when you see how easy it is, it will feed on itself.
Here are some surprising words for you!
Ben Jones - CFA, CPA, CFP
Funny enough, some of the greatest achievements in my life took lots of time and effort, and others not so much. So why do we have to make money a challenge, when it can be fun? So, how about 5 more additional money-saving, painless tips? That’s twice as nice, right?
1) Change your habits. Well, how about just saving your change? My dad was a big man, and for some reason, he never spent his change. His pants seemed to always be pulling downward. Why do I remember that? Anyway, as kids, we’d sneak into his room for a little spending money, because every night he’d throw his change on his dresser. He had 100’s of dollars. You forget about it, and it’s a great way to save. You can even use your debit card, and “round up” into a savings account. It’s the 21st-century way of handling change. If you spend $7.86 you can have the 14 cents go into savings. It’s that easy. So, why not try it? Acorns is an app that started in 2014 in order to save and invest your change. Check it out (Acorns – Invest, Earn, Grow, Spend, Later | Acorns ) from a small acorn (your change), can grow a mighty tree (your wealth)!
2) From one comes two. When Mrs. Jones cooks a meal, it’s always great (at least that’s what we say 
). But making one big recipe can yield leftovers. Hey, I don’t like going out for lunch that much. It’s expensive and full of extra calories. Put those leftovers in a piece of Tupperware, and take them to work. That’s a money saver as well as a time saver. You’ll be happy you did, and your significant other will think you lover their cooking!!!
3) Money and movies. I admit I love movies. But, when you go to a theater, a small popcorn is averaging almost $7 when it was about 70 cents when I was in high school. Ok, that’s an old-timer speaking. Anyway, movies are costly. With a bit of patience, you can see the movie a couple of weeks later at HOME. How cool is that? You get to snuggle under your favorite cover, get close to your wife and if you got a dog you can spend some quality time with them too!! Plus, you can make your own popcorn (extra butter, drizzled chocolate, coconut, light salt, with M&M’s, etc.), get special drinks (maybe an adult jalapeno margarita), and not have to worry about driving. And, I saved the best for last….SAVE MONEY!!! With technology, you can even watch a movie with a friend who may live thousands of miles away. It can be a lot of fun texting and face timing when the main character shoots chocolate milk out their nose on screen. Try it, and I don’t think you’ll regret it!!
4) Who’s your buddy? Well, Gas Buddy (GasBuddy – Cheapest Gas Station Finder App with Money Saving Benefits ) can be, if you use it. Save money and go on a treasure hunt. The treasure is cheap gas, and the technology on this app helps you find it. Kids can help direct you to the cheapest spots, so why not? Plus there are hundreds of money-saving apps out there. If you buy gas, taking a couple of minutes could consistently put more liquid in your gas tank while taking out less green from your wallet!!!
5) Give it or take it. Have you ever felt bad that you bought that Star Wars sweater for your cat or that spin bike to lose weight? If you have, and we all have, then you may want to see it find a good home. Well, Next Door (Free Finds | For Sale & Free — Nextdoor ) is a platform that has lots of free stuff on it. Before you go and buy something new, try something free that may be VERY close to new. Free is my favorite 4 letter “F” word. Check it out and enjoy the savings.
Ugh, all of this food talk is making me hungry.
I think I’ll try that Crispy Beef recipe while you chew on these five easy and fun ways to save money without (a lot of) sacrifice.
