The best way to save money and stop living paycheck to paycheck is to quit buying small and unnecessary things. It’s easy to waste $1,000 a year or more when you spend without thinking.
If you cut out four unnecessary purchases that cost $5 every week from your budget, you will save $1040 a year. Think about it, if one day a week you don’t spend money on an energy drink, a fast-food sandwich, or an atm fee, you could have a considerable amount of money to invest by the end of the year.
Better yet, if you invested that money and earned 8% interest over the course of 10 years, you would have $15,282.33. I don’t know about you, but I like the idea of having more money without having to work a second job.
If you’re ready to stop buying unnecessary stuff, the following items can easily be cut from your budget.
The Best Way To Save Money Is To Stop Buying These Things:
1. Dryer Sheets
I haven’t used dryer sheets for years, and I don’t miss them. You can save money and avoid the toxins in dryer sheets by using these laundry room alternatives:
- Hang your clothes up to dry.
- Add wool dryer balls to your dryer.
- Add a quarter cup of white vinegar to your washer’s rinse cycle.
2. Cleaning Products
You can find a lot of ingredients around your home to make your own cleaning products. A great all-purpose cleaner is vinegar. Baking soda can be used as a mild abrasive on many surfaces in your home.Lemon juice can be used in place of bleach. Making your own cleaners is a great way to cut cleaning costs.
Try some of these frugal living tips to keep your house clean:
- Use vinegar and newspapers to clean the glass.
- Sprinkle baking soda in the toilet and let it sit for 10 minutes.
3. Baggies
We use glass food storage containers instead of baggies. The Pyrex containers come in many different sizes, and they are freezer, microwave, and dishwasher safe.
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4. Paper Towels
Paper towels are a massive waste of money. We use microfiber rags for cleaning around the house and cloth napkins for mealtime.
5. Bottled Water
Our drinking water is not the best, and for that reason, we were spending a lot of money on bottled water. A few years ago, I purchased a countertop water filtration system,and it has more than paid for itself.
6. Coffee Or Tea
I’m not a big coffee drinker, but I was spending a lot of money on frappes and iced teas from the drive-through every morning. Now I make a pitcher of iced tea every night and take some with me in the morning.
If you’re a coffee drinker, you could do the same thing, make your coffee and take it with you. I bought a large travel mug that keeps my drinks hot or cold, and it doesn’t spill or leak.
7. Fast Food
The drive-through window cost us a fortune every year! When I get home from work, I’m tired, and I don’t want to cook, but I found a way that we could eat without buying fast food.
We plan our weekly meals with this printable meal planner, and I prepare our meals the night before work.
When we get home, I heat the meal I already made, and then after dinner, I make a meal for the next day. Now I can relax for a while when I get home.
8.Greeting Cards
My husband and I no longer exchange greeting cards because they’re mostly a waste of money. Most people don’t save their cards for more than a month before throwing them away.
I use Canva to print out free cards or post them on Facebook. You can visit Canva’s website or download the app for free. You’ll find card templates for all occasions, and the app is easy to use.
My mom makes her own cards with inexpensive cardstock. The cards are adorable and personalized for every special event.
9. Stamps
Instead of buying stamps to mail my bills, I pay them online. Most banks offer free online bill pay. I know some people don’t like doing things online, but nowadays, it’s easier and safer than you might think.
The price of stamps goes up all the time, and that cost adds up in a year’s time.
10. Fees
I don’t pay fees ever; I don’t care if it’s ten cents or five dollars. If you plan ahead, you can withdraw the money you need instead of using an atm.
Shop around and look for checking accounts and credit cards that don’t charge fees. Credit unions are usually good about offering free services.
11. Credit Card Interest
We never use our credit cards unless we know that we can pay them off when the bill comes. Using credit cards is expensive if you have to pay interest on the balance. It’s best to avoid credit card debt altogether.
If you’re currently paying a lot of interest on your credit cards, you can transfer your balance to a different card or try to negotiate a lower interest rate.
12. Air Freshener
Not only are air fresheners expensive but they’re full of toxins as well. We use a few drops of essential oils in a spray bottle with water, and it smells great! A bottle of essential oils can last a very long time. We prefer the peppermint fragrance.
13. Pink Tax
Have you heard of the Pink Tax? Because of it, the average woman pays an extra $1,351 every year. Products can cost almost twice as much when they are marketed to women in feminine packaging.
A study by the New York City Department of Consumer Affairs surveyed close to 800 products and found in 42% of cases; women paid more for the same products as men.
This gender bias is outrageous. You can save money by buying the men’s version of products such as razors and shampoo.
14. Gym Membership
The average gym membership in the US costs $696 per year, according to a study by the Statistic Brain Research Institute. When you’re trying to save money, resistance bands are the answer. They are cheap, lightweight, and don’t take up much room.
They allow you to increase the resistance of just about any exercise. You can get a full-body workout by using only the bands. Grab a set of exercise bands, a carry bag, and an instructional ebook for around $20.
15. Cable
The average American pays around $100 a month for cable according to a 2016 study by Leichtman Research Group. That’s a lot of money.
Today you have a lot of great options to watch tv and save money at the same time. Here are six money-saving tips for cable alternatives to help you make a choice.
16. Convenience
How many times have you stopped at the local gas station and ran into the convenience store to grab a few things? Some people do it every morning on their way to work.
Prices are always higher at a convenience store than they are at a grocery store. I have a grocery list app on my phone so anytime we run out of something, I add it to the list. My phone is always with me, so that means I have no excuse when I’m grocery shopping not to buy everything that we need.
17. Lottery Tickets
I admit that I do buy a few lottery tickets at Christmas time for stocking stuffers, but that’s the only time. Gambling is a huge waste of money.
If you’re one of those people that buys lottery tickets every week, it’s time to rethink your strategy. You have much better odds of building wealth by investing your money regularly, even if it’s just a small amount.
18. Regular Light Bulbs
To save money, I buy LED bulbs instead of regular lightbulbs. LEDs produce a soft glow, and they can last for decades.
LEDs cost more than regular bulbs but swapping out four or five of your most-used bulbs can save you around $45 a year.
19. Name Brand Medication
Name brand medicine is way more expensive than its generic counterparts even though they have the same active ingredients.
The FDA says that generic drugs have to pass rigorous tests to ensure they meet quality standards. So the next time you need over-the-counter medication, try the generic version. They cost much less but work the same!
20. Shaving Cream
I have never used shaving cream; it’s too expensive. I use soap, and it works just fine.
21. Tampons
Not only are tampons and pads expensive, but they also contain toxic ingredients. Protect your body and your wallet by investing in a Diva Cup instead.
You can easily save money by not buying things you don’t need! Smart people know that the best way to build up your savings account is to start saving money and not make unnecessary purchases.
22. More Money Saving Ideas
Look for creative ways to save money around the house, like finding out if you qualify for free energy-efficient appliances or free internet. Also, be sure to check out the features that money-saving websites like Amazon have to offer.
Ways To Save Money Every Month
The following tips come from Elizabeth Seckman. She is a former social worker, mother of four boys—well, five if you count their father, and the caretaker of all the pets her children promised they’d take care of. She is a blogger atReally Real Housewives,andElizabeth Seckmanis an Author.
23. Buy Ahead
With four boys, I can always count on tennis shoes and jeans to wear out quickly. If I see some on sale or better yet, on clearance, I’ll pick them up and save them for later. I always look for the yellow clearance tags. Hint, they’re usually toward the back, past the new inventory.
24. Shop Out Of Season
Buy your coats in the spring and swimsuits in the fall. At the end of every season, there are deep discounts to make room for the incoming season. Again, look for the clearance tags.
25. Use Grocery Ads To Plan Your Menu
My least favorite question is what’s for dinner. Having a weekly menu makes answering that question easier.And planning those meals based on what’s on sale that week makes it a double money saver. Knowing what’s for dinner also keeps you out of the fast-food line. Count that as a triple saving.
26. Sign Up For The Store Discounts
If there is a free store card that saves so much as a nickel per visit, it’s worth the trouble to sign up for it. Signing up for the cards also puts you on the mailing list for sales and additional coupons.
27. Consider Paid Discount Programs
Some stores offer deeper discounts for a price.
Amazon Prime
For $139 a year, Amazon offers a lot of services. In addition to free two-day shipping which practically makes up for the cost of the membership, Amazon provides a lot more:
Streaming video. With Prime, you have access to movies, original television, and even exercise videos. All for free. Just look for the Prime logo.
Free reads. Go to the Prime lending library and download free books onto your Kindle. Don’t have a Kindle? Download the Kindle app on your phone, tablet, or laptop. Also for free.
Free audiobooks. Audiobooks can be very pricey. Amazon offers plenty to listen to as part of your prime membership.
Free photo storage. Download pictures from your phone or laptop automatically. No more worries about losing your photos or running out of memory.
That’s just a few of the Amazon Prime benefits.Check out the list here.
FYE VIP Backstage Pass
For $11.99 a month,FYE offers a cardthat gives you 10% off purchases. But that’s not worth the savings. However, the card also provides a few more perks.
$10 rebate for eating at any restaurant per month. Eat at any restaurant, turn in a receipt worth $10 or more, and you get a $10 check in the mail.
Get five $5.00 movie tickets per month. Let’s say you go to the movie and your ticket is $9.00…send FYE the ticket stub, and they’ll send you $4.00. You can turn in five tickets per month. If each was worth $9.00, you get $20.00 back.
You can get discounted gift cards. There is a list of stores, entertainment, and restaurants offering gift cards at discount prices. For example, you can get a $25.00 Buffalo Wild Wings gift card for $20.00.
Overstock.com Club
For $21.00 per year,Overstock offers free shipping, cumulative credit on purchases, and credit for writing purchase reviews. For example, I bought a backpack on clearance for $10.00. I received .37 cents credit for the purchase, it was shipped free, and then I was given a $2.00 credit for writing a review of the product.
**It’s important to be certainly sure you’ll shop at a site often enough to cover the costs of the membership. I’ve found it’s a money saver to shop primarily at a few large sites that offer free shipping over places that offer free shipping on purchases over a certain amount. There is a tendency to over shop to get the shopping discount.
28. Check For Discounts Online
There are plenty of coupon sites on theinternet. Before you purchase, check to see if there are any discount codes or printable coupons. To find a deal, google where you’re shopping. I put in “JCPenny discounts” in my search bar and voila! There are lists of possible coupons or discount codes.
eBates
The cash back is for real.Go to the eBates site, check to see if the store you’re shopping at offers a discount. If it does, click the link and start shopping. eBates track your earnings and sends you a check every couple of months.
eBates will also list couponsfrom participating stores. I always start at eBates when I shop. Put the store or item you’re looking for, and eBates will let you know if there are any active coupons or cash-back incentives for shopping. Then wait for your check. By checking eBates first when shopping online, I will be getting $63.00 from online Christmas shopping.
eBates is now offering in-store discounts also.
29. Buy Second Hand, Gently Used
Goodwillonline andSwapare great places to shop online “yard sales.”
Ways To Reach Your Savings Goals
Saving money can be difficult, but it’s important to have a cushion of savings in case of emergencies. Here are a few ways to beef up your savings account:
- Make saving automatic. Set up a direct deposit from your paycheck into your savings account. This way, you won’t miss the money, and it will start to add up over time.
- Keep money in a separate savings account instead of your checking account. This will help you resist the temptation to dip into your savings for everyday expenses.
- Put saved money towards specific goals. Having a goal in mind will help you stay motivated to save. Whether you’re saving for a down payment on a house or retirement, setting aside money each month will help you reach your goal.
Saving money may not be easy, but following these tips can help beef up your savings account.
Create An Emergency Fund
One of the best ways to safeguard your finances is to create an emergency fund. This reserve of cash can be used to cover unexpected expenses, such as medical bills or car repairs. An emergency fund can help you avoid debt if you encounter a financial setback.
Unlike savings accounts, which are designed for long-term purposes, emergency funds should be easily accessible to spend the money when you need it most. The size of your emergency fund will depend on your circ*mstances, but experts recommend setting aside enough cash to cover three to six months of living expenses.
Building an emergency fund may take time, but it is well worth the effort.
Conclusion
Did you find any of these tips helpful? Let us know which ones worked best for you. Saving money can be a challenge, but it’s definitely worth it in the end. We hope that these tips will help make the process a little bit easier for you.
What are some of your favorite ways to save money? Leave us a comment below and let us know!
