Dealing with a tight budget and need to cut corners? If you would like to save more money while sticking to the budget you have set, follow these 50 simple and effective tips to save money that truly work.
These saving money tips are practical and easy to implement.
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50 Different Ways to Save Money When the Budget is Tight
1. Cut Coupons
Cut as many coupons as you can find and use them when you are shopping. There are coupons for all kinds of things, including shoes, clothes, personal hygiene products, and groceries.
I love Coupon Surfer for their online coupons.
2. Get Rid of the Costly Cable Bill
Cable bills are often too expensive. Save money by cutting the cable. You can watch a lot of your favorite shows on different websites for free if you have internet.
Try Amazon Prime TV with a free month trial.
3. Avoid Ordering Food
Ordering food is going to cost you a lot of money. One simple trip to a fast food restaurant can cost you up to $40. Save money by making the food at home.
4. Make Your Grocery List
Write out a grocery list before you go to the grocery store. It is better to know what you need ahead of time.
5. Pack Your Lunch
Why spend money on lunch each day? Pack a lunch and take it to work with you to avoid going hungry or spending money on food from a fast food restaurant.
6. Brew Coffee at Home
Those cups of coffee from the café can truly start adding up. You can still have your coffee without spending nearly as much by simply brewing it on your own at home.
7. Buy Generic Products
Always get affordable generic products. You can find generic toilet paper, paper towels, sandwich bags, cereal, peanut butter, and so much more.
8. Switch to a No-Fee Bank
If your bank charges you a monthly fee, find one that is not going to charge you anything. You can end up saving more than $100 per year by switching to a no-fee bank.
9. Put All Your Change in One Spot
Start putting your change in a container or piggy bank. The change adds up over time.
10. Go to the Library
Instead of spending money on books to read, go to the library and borrow them for a bit. You can find a lot of great books at the library and you might even be able to request certain books when they are released.
11. Shop at the Thrift Stores
Avoid buying clothes at retail prices. You can find a lot of great items at the thrift stores, including pants, shirts, and accessories.
12. Drink Water Only
There is no need to spend money on soda or iced tea when you have access to water at home and at work. Drink water and save money!
13. Unplug Electronics
Keeping your electronic devices plugged in throughout the day will waste some electricity. If you want to reduce waste and save, unplug them when you are not using them.
14. Make Your Own Laundry Detergent
It is possible to make your own laundry detergent with a few simple ingredients, such as borax and baking soda. If you make your own detergent with the right ingredients, it can last you months at a time.
15. Eat Leftovers
Start saving your leftovers in food containers. Eat them for lunch or for dinner the next day.
16. Stop Using Your Credit Cards
Cut those cards and stop using them. If you do not have a balance, you can avoid paying back money with interest. If you have a large balance, see if you can find a bank that will let your transfer the balance to a 0% interest rate card, then DON’T put anything else on that card!
17. Sell Unused Items
Get some extra cash by selling items you no longer need. You may find some clothes, electronics, and even toys in your home that you can sell to others for quick cash.
RELATED: De cluttering your home
18. Avoid Buying Alcohol
Alcohol is often expensive, especially if you are buying it at the bar. Stop drinking as much as you can to save.
19. Stop Buying Cigarettes
It is a bad habit to have and it is a costly one. If you want to have more money in your pockets, you should stop buying cigarettes. Also your lungs and heart and children will thank you!
20. Make Affordable Freezer-Friendly Meals
Make meals that you can put in the freezer and save, such as large pots of spaghetti or casserole dishes. Not sure what to make? Try these!
21. Shop at an Affordable Supermarket
Choose an affordable supermarket whenever you need to go out and purchase groceries.
22. Go to the Cheapest Gas Station
Find out which gas station is offering gas at the cheapest rate and then go there when filling up your tank. Join their loyalty plans and do what it takes to save those pennies per gallon, it adds up!
23. Do Not Shop When Stressed
Haha, shopping with children is always stressful, however it is best to never go to the stores when you feel stressed because then you might end up shopping for things you do not need.
24. Use Your Bike More Than Your Car
Try using your bike to get to work instead of wasting gas by riding in your vehicle to get there.
25. Exercise at Home Instead of at the Gym
Avoid paying the costly gym membership fee and simply exercise at home in your spare time.
26. Buy Meat in Bulk
When you notice that meat is on sale, buy it in bulk and freeze it until you are ready to prepare it. Or look to a local farm and see if you can buy meat direct from the little guy in a bulk order.
27. Move to a Cheaper Apartment
Find a cheaper place to live. If you live in an apartment, look for a place where the rent is lower, even if it means having less space.
28. Grow Your Own Vegetables
Start growing your own garden in the backyard because then you can use the vegetables from your garden when preparing meals.
Learn everything you need to know about starting a garden.
29. Find a Cheaper Cell Phone Plan
Look for a cell phone plan that is much cheaper than the one you are currently paying to save money each month.
30. Buy Cheap Yet Effective Razors
There is no need to buy costly razors. If you are going to need to shave, purchase cheap yet effective razors that work well.
31. Make Your Own Bathroom and Kitchen Cleaner
Use a combination of vinegar, dish soap, and baking soda to create your own effective bathroom and kitchen cleaner that will last a long time for you.
32. Have Fun for Free
Find different ways to have fun for free, whether you are attending a free event in your area or watching a movie at home.
33. Shop at the Dollar Store
Visit the dollar store for affordable items, including pasta, toothpaste, and even cleaning supplies.
34. Join a Couponing Group Online
By joining a couponing group, you can learn a lot of useful information on how to get the most out of your coupons.
35. Save Condiment Packets From Restaurants
If you do eat out, collect condiment packets from the restaurants because then you can use them at home.
36. Take Public Transportation
Avoid wasting gas by taking public transportation when you need to go somewhere.
37. Hang Your Clothes Up to Dry
Instead of putting your clothes in the dryer, hang them up on the clothesline and let them dry outside or in the basement.
38. Take Showers Instead of Baths
Conserve water by taking showers instead of taking long baths.
39. Use Thick Curtains on the Windows of Your Home
Cover your windows with thick curtains during cold months to provide more insulation and protection against the cold weather.
40. Turn the Television Off at Night at the wall
Some people like sleeping with the television on. It is wasteful, so make sure you are turning it off when you are going to sleep. Also, you will get a better quality sleep in the silence.
41. Start Meal Prepping
Meal prep a week in advance. Figure out what you will make and then prepare it ahead of time and freeze it until you are ready to eat it.
Grab our free printable meal planning sheet here:
42. Spend More Time Outdoors
If you are spending more time outside, you will not use as much electricity, which means you can save money on your electric bill.
43. Do Not Flush the Toilet as Often
If you are only urinating, you do not need to flush the toilet as often. Flushing less will help you save money on your water bill.
44. Wash and Reuse Your Sandwich Bags
Sandwich bags are considered disposable, but you can usually reuse them. Simply rinse them out, set them on the table to dry, and then use them again. Or better yet, swap them out for a plastic free option.
45. Use Less Toilet Paper
Try to use less toilet paper when wiping. If you can stomach it, try family cloth and wipe with a damp towel that you can wash in the washing machine.
46. Reuse Plastic Cups
If you have some plastic cups, wash them out and reuse them instead of throwing them away.
47. Make Your Own Cleansing Wipes
Add paper towels and an antibacterial cleansing solution to a container to create your own cleansing wipes that you can use to wipe down surfaces.
48. Use Coconut Oil For Everything
Buy bottles of coconut oil and use it for oil pulling, moisturizing your skin, and even cooking. It is good for all kinds of purposes.
49. Get a Filter For Your Faucet
Add a filter to your faucet or a filter jug and drink water from it instead of purchasing water bottles at the store.
50. Use Cloth Diapers
If you have a baby, use cloth diapers. You can wash them and reuse them instead of throwing them out like you would with disposable diapers.
These 50 tips are sure to help you save hundreds of dollars over the span of several months. If you want to live frugally to stay on budget, these are the tips that are worth following.