I don't know about you, but I am always looking for how to save money every month.
There are so many benefits to saving money. Wouldn’t you like to have a bit extra at the end of the month? Or maybe you would like save money each month to put towards a vacation, save for an emergency fund, or pay off debt.
Now, I don’t know about you but I hate paying interest. Paying interest, to me, is like tearing up my hard earned money and throwing it away. I love earning interest on my money. All the money I can save will go in the bank to earn that awesome interest. Now, I didn’t used to try and save money. I literally spent it all…with a tiny bit thrown into a savings account. You too?
With everything that is going on in the world right now saving money each month might be a priority for you. And sometimes it is hard to see where you can save money because you are so close to what you think you need. Saving money on a tight budget is especially important. The last thing you want to happen is to have more bills than money.
So, to help you out, I have compiled a…‘40 Ways to Save Money NOW’ list for you.
These are all things that I have personally used to save money and they sure do work. Was it easy? NO it was not easy! There were some weeks I only had $2 left and couldn't even buy milk for cereal or coffee in the morning. Does that ever happen to you?
My 1st tip is…pay cash for EVERYTHING
Pay cash for everything that is not rent, utilities, monthly bills. etc. And, I mean everything! Figure out how much money you might need for the week and stick to it. This includes spending money on: groceries, gas, eating out, coffee, hair cuts, medical co-pays, pens, paper towels, toilet paper, postage, dog food, cat food, and everything else that I can’t think of right now.
You will be surprised at how hard it is to pull those $20’s out of your wallet. I did this for 3 years! It was an amazing journey. I went from not having enough each week to reducing my weekly cash budget by $100! That’s right – $100 a week less. And, I didn’t use any credit cards either. Bonus!!
If I can save money (the queen of spending) then you can too!
How to Save Money: 40 Simple Tips – I have personally used every single one (and still do for the most part).
Here are a few of my faves:
- Plan your meals ahead of time. Breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks. Then…..
- Make a grocery list and STICK TO IT. Don’t buy 1 thing because it looks yummy. And….
- Never go to the grocery store when you are hungry. You will end up buying all of those snacks you really don’t want.
- Shop at discount grocery stores. Like Trader Joe’s or Aldi. You aren’t paying for the name brands.
- Pack your lunch or dinner. Pack your snacks. Put them in a lunch box and use Tupperware. You save on bags and save the landfill..
- Go to the library. I know that might not be cool, but it sure is FREE.
- Do your own nails.
- Don’t go to Starbucks for your coffee or fancy drinks. I drink tea. I carry tea bags with me, ask for hot water, and make my own. No one has ever asked me what I was doing 🙂
- Cook dinner at home and invite friends. My daughter and her husband have game nights. Their friends look forward to home cooked meals and usually bring the sides and/or dessert.
- Make your own Kombucha – only 32 cents a bottle. Better than beer.
- Quit smoking. This is a no brainer on many levels.
- Find free events. Go to the park. Go to the beach. Go to the library. 🙂
Go on add grab ALL 40. It's free. Keep it on your desk and have fun saving!
Once you put all of these in practice you are well on your way to becoming debt free. And then you can begin to start saving money! Living on a Budget is a wonderful thing – try it sometime!How
Thanks Jane! Timely and practical. I will start today to figure out what $$ needs to go where, then stick to it. I can implement some suggestions immediately, others will take some planning. I appreciate this so much.
Hi Sharon – so happy you can put a few into practice immediately. If you get stuck let me know. I used to be a budget counselor. It is not easy – I know that fact personally. But, once you get the buggy moving….it is addicting. Don’t forget to print out the list and keep it handy – as a constant reminder and….as a checklist of accomplishments.
Need to be better about #7 and want to start doing #37 – that’s a great idea!
Any success with #7 or #37? I apologize for the late reply – my comment notification was not working!