Ways to save money
I get stressed every time I think about money, especially at the end of the month when the money seems to have disappeared. To help myself and everyone else who is in the same uncomfortable position, I made a list of ways someone can save money.
GENERAL
1. Don’t forget to ask for a discount.
2. Rent unused space in your home, it could be a room, a parking space, or your garage.
3. Sell stuff you don’t need or you don’t use anymore on the internet.
4. Split rent with a partner or a roommate.
5. Make your own greeting cards.
6. Make your own gifts.
7. Fill out online surveys to gain some extra money.
8. Use the bags from the supermarket for trash.
9. Check the warranties of any damaged product and ask for free repair.
10. Before you replace a damaged product with an expired warranty, check if it is less expensive to repair it.
UTILITIES
1. If you want to exercise do it at home, run or walk around the block. Skipping the monthly gym membership will save you a lot of money.
2. Instead of calling a babysitter, try to ask for help from a family member or a friend or arrange a nanny share.
3. Reduce the cost of living, by moving to a smaller place or to a less expensive area.
4. Get rid of subscriptions to magazines you never read.
5. Instead of driving kids to school let them use the school bus.
SHOPPING
1. For products that cost more than 50 euros, allow yourself two days waiting period before you actually decide to buy it. You will probably have changed your mind by then.
2. Paying with cash instead of a credit card helps us spend less because when you see the money disappear from your wallet you consider your purchases further.
3. Use promotion codes, gift cards, and coupons in any store you can, either online or in the shops you usually visit.
4. Move your incoming emails connected to sales and offers to a specific folder, so you don’t get tempted to buy.
5. Buy things when they’re off-season or during big sales.
6. Sign up for membership at the shops you regularly visit and benefit from membership’s offers.
7. Remove your debit card information from your favourite wesites and don’t make online shopping too easy.
8. Create a list of things that you actually want to buy or a gift you want to give and take advantage of the sale season.
9. Don’t buy when you are stressed just to make yourself feel better…it’s a waste of money.
10. Avoiding malls can help you resist the temptation to buy things you don’t need.
11. Before you pay, ask yourself “why am I buying this?” If you don’t find a convenient answer, put the item back.
12. Dress yourself minimally with clothes that mix and match.
13. Instead of buying, swap your books and music records with friends.
14. Before you decide to buy new clothes, organise your closet. You can’t imagine how many forgotten items you will find! This way you will avoid buying things you already have.
15. Avoid “dry clean only” clothes that cost money to clean.
16. Take good care of the clothes you have so they last longer and you buy less.
17. Instead of buying baby clothes, borrow from someone that has a child a little bit older than yours.
18. Buy clothes for the following year at the end of the season.
19. See if you can mend a piece of garment before buying a new one.
TRANSPORTATION
1. Keep your car in perfect condition so you can pay for as few repairs as possible.
2. Choose a car with a low purchase price and inexpensive repairs.
3. Drive efficiently to use less fuel. This means that you have to drive in low speed and also accelerate gradually. In other words avoid aggressive driving..
4. Walk and bike whenever possible.
5. If you rent a car, try to negotiate the price.
6. Pay off your car loan faster to save on interest payments.
7. Carpooling with a coworker is a good way to minimise fuel expenses.
8. Have your tires filled up according to the manufacturer. Properly inflated tires result in fewer fuel consumption.
9. Limit trips by car by planning to do the errands once a week.
10. Use public transportation rather than your car or a cab.
11. Do a market research for the best auto insurance rate.
12. Change the terms of your insurance contract according to the condition of your car (e.g. if it is too old consider dropping the collision and comprehensive coverage).
13. Check for multi-policy discounts on insurance contracts. Maybe there is a discount if you have all the contracts with the same insurance company.
14. If you are thinking of buying a new car choose a hybrid one.
15. Don’t leave extra weight in your car trunk. More weight results in more fuel consumption and mechanical fatigue.
16. Get rid of the second car.
17. Buying a car that is only a few years old is a much better investment than buying a brand-new one.
18. Sign up for a gas reward card.
19. Choose grocery stores that give discounts on fuel, depending on the amount of money you spend on shopping at the grocery.
20. Find the cheapest price for gas in your area.
21. Find cheap car parts
TRAVEL
1. Book your flight and accommodation in advance long before you travel to get the lowest fares.
2. Select a less expensive destination to travel.
3. Travel on off days.
4. Go on an off-season vacation.
5. Choose hotels with children’s free accommodation.
6. Pack food for road trips.
7. Plan a camping vacation instead of any other type of vacation.
BILLING
1. Pay your bills just before the expiry date. Keep your money in the bank and gain money from the interest.
2. Pick a bank with the most beneficial rates and perks for your account.
3. Use a financial app to help you stay economically organised.
4. Try to withdraw the money you need for your weekly expenses once a week from the ATM, and stick to it.
5. Cancel the unnecessary payments arranged with direct debits.
6. Plan your expenses and try to pay annually instead of monthly to have a bill reduction.
7. Save money for emergency occasions.
8. Record your expenses to figure out how much you spend.
9. Set investment and saving goals for the extra money you earn.
10. Sign up for reward credit cards that pay you back for your spending.
11. Empty your pockets every night before going to bed and store the coins in a piggy money box.
12. Save money for your retirement.
13. Start saving for college.
BUSINESS
1. Find yourself a co-working space near you.
2. If you need a quiet place to work and the nature of your work allows it, use your local library. It is a great place to get some work done free of charge.
3. Use a virtual assistant to stay focused on your work and don’t consume extra energy on tasks that don’t pay back.
4. Sign up for a college internship program that your business can be a part of or any government program for the unemployed.
5. Join a local or an online community to expand your professional network.
6. If you have a person that you can trust, it would be financially beneficial for both of you to form a partnership.
7. Find ways to monetise your hobbies and make money out of them.
8. Attend a class to broaden a skill that can help you save money (e.g. learn how to cook) or earn more (e.g. by increasing your job qualifications).
9. Invest your savings to develop your work.
10. If you have a company make sure you have the right people working for you.
11. Learn about the benefits your company offers.
ENTERTAINMENT
1. Create your own movie night. Make popcorn, serve yourself a drink, and lay down on your sofa to enjoy the movie.
2. Use an app to find drink special offers at bars and restaurants.
3. Invite friends over instead of going out.
4. Get a library card that gives you access to free books, movies, magazines, and newspapers.
5. Don’t spend big money entertaining your children, let their imagination and creativity run wild.
6. Before you visit a restaurant, check the menu and decide what meals fit your budget.
7. Visit museums with a free entrance in your area or when you travel.
8. Attend free local concerts and events.
9. Book tickets on the last rows of the theatre, they are usually cheaper.
10. Plan your celebration parties in advance to reduce costs.
11. In many restaurants the size of the portion is huge. Why don’t you split the meal and thus split the bill?
12. Ordering tap water at a restaurant can save you a lot of money throughout the year.
13. Avoid going out to eat except for special occasions.
14. Prefer to dine at a restaurant that offers free meals for kids.
15. Search for restaurant vouchers.
16. When booking your night out online you can earn special deals, offers, and promotions.
17. Chain restaurants have their own dining club, so become a member and save a lot of money.
18. Go for a picnic.
PERSONAL CARE
1. Do an online research for the best life insurance rate.
2. Quit the bad habits like smoking and drinking, to see money in your pockets.
3. Reduce stress which tends to make us want to smoke and eat (thus spending extra money for these needs).
4. Paint your own nails or let a friend help you, instead of paying for a manicure and pedicure.
5. Make your own products like shaving cream, body scrub, and soap.
6. Buy an imitation of your favourite perfume.
7. Lose your extra weight. There is no need to spend money to maintain your extra weight.
8. If you dye your hair consistently, try to find a cheap salon or ask from a friend to help you if you can’t do it on your own or dye your hair back to your natural colour.
9. Eat correctly and exercise to keep yourself healthy and away from medical expenses.
10. Prefer the public health center which is free of charge.
11. Ask your doctor to write you a prescription for the medicine to have a discount on it.
12. Try home remedies before heading to the pharmacy.
13. Find out what expenses your insurance covers, before you act (e.g. does your insurance cover a new pair of glasses?).
14. If you have to pay all or part of a health procedure, negotiate a lower price by maybe offering to pay in advance.
FOOD AND DRINK
1. Making your own coffee will only take you 2 minutes and will save you 2 euros per day.
2. Take your lunch with you at work, instead of buying something to eat.
3. It is cheaper when you cook your meals than eating out.
4. Make your own snack foods and smoothies.
5. Cut down on meat and replace those meals with beans, eggs, nuts and seeds, twice a week.
6. Prepare your own ice cream or desserts.
7. When you eat at a restaurant take your leftovers with you…you have paid for them.
8. Grow your own herbs and vegetables.
9. Three to four chickens on a quarter acre of land provide free eggs.
10. Choose to go to the supermarket with a full stomach. Don’t let your tummy influence your decisions.
11. Eliminate fast food.
12. Go to the supermarket alone and mainly without children…it’s hard to deny every candy or chocolate they ask for.
13. Plan your meals and make a list of the products you need and stick to them. That way you leave the store with only a few extra bags.
14. Bring your own reusable bag with you and save money from buying it.
15. Buy products that are in season, everything else is much more expensive.
16. Recycle glass and aluminium bottles and cans for an extra charge.
17. Buy supermarket brands.
18. Try cheaper cuts of meat.
19. Use the supermarket’s reward card
20. Stock up when the products you buy are on offer.
21. Search for coupons and discount deals.
22. Find recipes that are cheap to make.
23. Stop eating sugar, save your health and your money.
24. Keep an eye on the unit cost of anything you buy at the grocery.
25. For items you buy regularly, find which grocery sells it the cheapest.
26. The most expensive items at a supermarket are on the middle shelves which are on the level of our eyes.
27. Get a slow cooker, which is healthier and makes less use of electricity.
28. Make your own bread using a bread maker.
29. Don’t buy bottled water, invest in a water filter.
HOME AND ELECTRONICS
1. Unplug unused devices.
2. Change your light bulbs with CFLs and LEDs.
3. Install solar panels.
4. Invest in a smart thermostat. It will keep the temperature low when you are away or the weather is warm and only heat the place when you are there.
5. Install insulation onto the roof so you can have less heat loss.
6. Don’t heat the unused rooms.
7. Air-seal your house by insulating the windows and doors.
8. Insulate your water heater.
9. Replace old windows which are poorly performing with new ones.
10. Lower your water heater temperature.
11. Install low-flow shower heads, toilets, and faucets.
12. Try to avoid a dryer and hang your clothes to dry. Dryers use electricity and sometimes damage clothes.
13. Using low water temperatures on the washing machine can save you money on the electricity bill.
14. Don’t use the roof or floor fan longer than necessary.
15. Prefer energy-efficient appliances.
16. Cut cable and get an online service that meets your needs for much less.
17. Share your media streaming account by splitting the monthly cost with somebody else.
18. Do-it-yourself home repairs whenever possible.
19. Turn off the lights in rooms you are not using.
20. Make the best deal for your cell phone.
21. Use call and texting apps to minimise mobile minutes and texts.
22. Use wifi whenever possible and don’t use your mobile data.
23. Cut the landline and rely on your cell phone, otherwise switch to a lower-cost service.
24. Save money with triple play (have the same provider for internet, phone and cable).
Even though there are so many ideas to use in order to lower expenses, the hardest thing to do is to take the decision and persuade yourself that you are going to do it, that you are going to make the change and improve your life. So keep trying and good luck to all of us!!!
