Are you looking for simple ways to save money? If you are, you are in the right place.
Today, and everyday, we all want to save money, but we also want it to be easy, so that we continue to do it for a very long time.
We tend to add and stick to new habits in our life when they are quick and easy to do.
None of us will stick to a habit that is hard, because truth be told, we are busy people, and we need simple ways to make changes in our lives that help us see quick results.
And when we are searching for simple ways to save money it means that our finances are sticky and we want help, and we want help now.
Living pay check to pay check, or worse yet, barely able to pay our bills on time, is no fun. If you suddenly find yourself in a situation like this here are 30 simple ways to save money now.
Simple Ways to Save Money Everyday
1. Use coupons when buying groceries, cleaning supplies and bathroom products. Whether you shop in person, or shop online, search for coupons before you make your purchases.
2. Make lunches and dinners that are cheap and easy to make. Every dinner does not need to be as elaborate as Thanksgiving dinner.
You can still eat healthy meals, just keep them simple.
Less ingredients mean less money.
3. If at all possible, grow your own produce. Our ancestors found simple ways to save money by growing their own gardens.
Everyday it gave them a reason to go outside to look after their garden.
The benefits from growing your own garden are amazing. Your fruit and veggies will definitely be pesticide free, and the sense of satisfaction you will feel when you grow those large juicy tomatoes and cucumbers, will be amazing.
4. Leave your car at home and ride your bike as often as possible.
Not only will you save money on gas, but you will feel better from the fresh air and exercise.
5. One of the simple ways to save money everyday that is also super easy is to always bring your lunch to work. If you feel the need to buy lunch at the food court, try narrowing it down to just once a week.
While you are at it, bring a tall thermos of coffee as well. My father worked for over 25 years, and brought his coffee and lunch to work, every single day. He worked blue collar but retired as a millionaire.
6. And yes, another way that my father saved money was by washing his car at home instead of going through the car wash.
Today, going through the car wash can cost you anywhere from 12 to 20 bucks a wash.
Yet the line ups to get in one are always super long.
Next time, consider, if you have the space outside your home, then just go home and wash your car. You will instantly save money.
7. Yes there are a lot of reasons to use cash instead of credit, but when you use reward cards when buying groceries and gasoline, you will receive cash back, either monthly or yearly. And who doesn’t love getting cash back?
8. Are you in the habit of paying your bills on time?
If you pay your bills on time, then you already know that it is a simple way to save money.
You avoid late fees and interest charges by paying your bills on time.
If this is a habit that you struggle with, consider setting up reminders in your calendar that repeat every month.
And set them to remind you to pay each bill about 10 days before it is actually due.
Another way to ensure that you pay your bills on time, is to contact any companies that you pay money to on a monthly basis and setup auto-withdrawal payments. Many utility companies offer this now.
9. Head to the library and borrow books and magazines instead of buying them. Or look online for websites that offer free ebooks for you to download and read whenever you wish.
10. Do you get excited when a new clothing season begins, and instantly start shopping for new clothes and shoes?
Stop.
Wait.
Remind yourself that you are developing new habits around saving money.
The best time to shop for clothes is towards the end of each season when every store has their big sales.
And do not worry, their end of season is very close to the beginning of the actual season, weather wise.
For example, it is only the beginning of June, and already most clothing stores are having 70% Off sales on their summer clothes, that they received back in April.
Perhaps a good incentive for you to not pay full price for that next pair of jeans is if I tell you how much the store actually paid for them to begin with.
Yes, no?
I worked retail for a Christmas season, and had a chance to see the invoices that came in with the new clothes. A blouse that we sticker priced for $79, for example, only cost the store $4. No lie.
I always think about that and I have never paid full price since!
11. I am guessing that you pay a monthly fee for Internet and cable, right?
Cancel your cable or satellite, and keep your Internet.
Then watch all your favorite shows online. You’ll be amazed at how much money you will save.
12. Always shop with a list.
That goes for groceries and clothes.
Planning ahead of any shopping trip, be it in person, or online, will always save you money.
13. When you need groceries (especially canned goods) and household supplies, always check out Dollarama, or any local dollar store, first.
It is amazing what you will find, and how much money you will save.
14. Why in the last 20 years have we all gotten into the habit of using so many paper towels?
Our parents got by without them. They used linen napkins instead of paper napkins or paper towels.
Then they washed them, and used them again. Tadda… Instant, simple way to save money.
15. I think you will find this to be very easy.
You know why?
Because who enjoys cleaning out the dishwasher more than once a day, or doing more laundry than necessary?
Save money by only running the dishwasher and the laundry machine when you have full loads.
16. I constantly use too much detergent.
Not in the dishwasher, but for laundry. So I specifically remind myself, each time, to use less soap.
When adding detergent to the laundry machine, cut the amount you normally use in half.
17. There are so many movies you can watch online these days.
As they say, fun for the whole family.
Save money and do a fun movie night at home instead of paying to go to the theatre. Just remember to have some popcorn ready.
18. Cook large batch meals on your day off and freeze the meals. This allows you to buy the ingredients in bulk and save money.
19. Make Friday night in your home a fun food night.
Instead of going out for pizza and nachos, make them at home and let everyone pitch in.
This could also be a fun date night idea for the two of you.
20. Buy a programmable thermostat so that you can easily control the furnace and air conditioner in your home.
If no one is home during the day, it doesn’t really need to turn on and off all day.
You can set it to turn on 15 minutes before you normally get home.
21. My husband’s favorite, yet simple way to save money is by reducing our electrical bill.
He uses energy efficient light bulbs everywhere in our house.
22. Can you walk to the corner store when you need more milk?
Can you walk the kids to school in the morning instead of driving them?
Whenever possible, walk instead of drive.
23. Shop for Christmas and birthday gifts throughout the year, when you see a good sale.
But again, make sure you start with a list.
24. Bake cookies, muffins and cupcakes at home instead of paying three or four dollars for a cupcake at the local cafe.
25. Another trick we love, is to make our coffee or tea at home and take it along with us in a thermos travel mug, if we go out for a day trip.
Actually my thermos is simply filled with water so that I do not buy bottled water when we are out.
26. Before you hire a babysitter see if you can trade babysitting with a good friend.
Your friend may need someone to watch her children in the afternoon when the kids come home from school before she gets home from work.
And you may need someone in the evening when you go to work for a few hours, or go out to run some errands.
27. Instead of going out for drinks on Friday night after work, invite the gang back to your place.
Let everyone bring something and have fun at home.
I think this will be a good way to visit with people, yet stay safe and healthy, as we move out of this pandemic and things like bars and restaurants begin opening back up.
I mean, remember how crowded bars always use to be, with very little space between people.
28. Plan a local staycation instead of flying overseas or to a resort for your holidays.
There are probably many fun places within your local area that you could do day trips to.
29. Ladies, invite a few gals over and do a home spa night party instead of paying the high prices at a local spa.
Perhaps one of your friends is good at doing manicures and another one knows how to dye hair and do highlights.
Get started. Save money while having fun.
30. Several years ago I had a friend that was very good at finding ways to save money. For her it was just natural.
She introduced me to this cool idea – Have a ladies clothing swap several times a year.
Invite a few friends over and ask each one of them to bring a few friends.
Each person brings clean clothing items that she no longer likes but are still in excellent condition, and you can swap clothes.
Heck, now that I think about it, I bet moms could easily do this with their kids clothes too.
31. Extra bonus tip! Look at your insurance policies for life, health, car, and home insurance and see if you are paying way more than you need to for insurance.
If there is any way for you to reduce the amount of money that those are currently costing you, then get on it.
These Simple Ways to Save Money are Doable
Many people will look at this list of simple ways to save money everyday and think, instead of doing all that, why not just make more money.
Let’s remember that while that is an awesome goal, sometimes making more money isn’t all that easy.
We need to keep in mind that everyone’s situation is different and in some cases saving money is easier than making more money.
As well, sometimes we are finding ways to make more money but that money will only benefit us if we save it, right?
Saving money isn’t as difficult as it sounds. When times are tough, the trick to surviving is to become creative and to challenge yourself to stretch each dollar as far as you can. And even once you get back on your feet financially, practicing these money saving tips will allow you to put extra money towards your savings account, retirement account and vacation account.
(PIN IT)
