Worrying about money can be stressful. If you regularly find yourself spending more than you earn then it’s probably time to reassess your outgoings and think of some ways to cut back. Looking for some easy and unusual ways to save money?
Here are 30 unique money saving tips to help you cut your costs of living and put some money to one side:
1. Say No to Your Car!
Walk and bike wherever possible: not only are walking and cycling both excellent forms of exercise, there are no real costs involved. You won’t have to pay for gasoline or any motoring maintenance charges, and you might even find you enjoy it so much you could get rid of your car completely!
2. Car Pool
Not practical to live life without your car? Then why not car pool instead! The average American commuter spends in excess of $1,000 on gas every year just by driving to and from the office. If you carpool with just one client, you can cut this bill in half: find two colleagues to carpool with and your annual gas costs could drop by a third.
3. Lights Out!
When you leave a room, remember to turn out the lights. This simple tip will have almost no impact on your life, but will have a significant impact on your energy bill!
4. Unplug Your TV
When you’re not using your TV and any other electrical appliance, be sure to turn it off at the mains switch. Leaving these items in standby mode will drain your power, increasing your electricity bill unnecessarily every month.
5. Cancel Your Cable
On the subject of turning away from the TV, did you know that if you cancel your cable subscription, you could save up to $500 per year?
6. Switch Your Insurance Provider
If you haven’t switched your insurance providers recently then it is highly likely that you can save money on your car insurance, home insurance, and travel insurance. Switching is surprisingly easy and won’t take as long as you might think: Check around for the best prices, make a few phone calls, and let your new insurance company do the rest!
7. Choose to Quit
If you’re a smoker then use the money you’ll save as your motivation to quit. Smoking is an expensive habit: the average smoker spends around $2,000 a year on cigarettes; money you could put to better use.
8. Cut Down Your Alcohol Intake
On the subject of bad habits, cutting down how much alcohol you consume (particularly at retail prices in pubs and bars) will help you to make significant savings.
9.Find a Happy Hour
Not prepared to give up cocktails with your friends? Find a happy hour where drink specials are available instead.
10. Work Out Online
Give up your monthly gym membership and instead find an online aerobics or yoga program to follow. This will give you all of the health benefits without any of the expense, and you can exercise from the comfort of your own home!
11. Pile on The Blankets
Feeling the cold? Don’t turn up your thermostat – instead reach for a cozy blanket and snuggle on the sofa. This will save you money whilst still keeping you warm.
12. Buy Energy Efficient Lightbulbs
Although they may be more expensive than regular lightbulbs in the hardware store, energy efficient lightbulbs are so effective that they will save you money in the long run.
13. Make Your Own Greeting Cards
Birthdays, weddings, Hanukah, Christmas, the celebrations never end! Store bought cards can be expensive, so instead start making your own greetings cards using card stock and imagination instead. As an added bonus, homemade cards are thoughtful and usually much more well-received!
14. Make Your Own Gifts
Gifting can also be pricey. If you have any special skills (such as baking or painting) then why not utilise these to make thoughtful handmade gifts instead?
15. Get a Library Card
Love to read? You don’t ever need to spend money on your hobby again! Get a library card and read whatever you want, whenever you want!
16. Check The Labels
When shopping for clothes, always check the care labels. Avoid anything that needs to be dry cleaned or any other kind of special care. These can be pricey to maintain and will add to your monthly cleaning budget.
17. Shop Your Closet
Before you hit the shops, sort through your closet. Most of us have pieces tucked away at the back that we have never worn: try everything on, and shop your existing pieces for an outfit that you can breathe new life into.
18. Cut Your Own Hair
Cutting your own hair isn’t complicated, but learning how will save you a fortune in pricey hair cuts. This is doubly true if you have children: their hair grows so fast that cutting it yourself will save you a lot of money in the salon each month.
19. Or Get it Cut For Free
If you don’t like the idea of cutting your own hair then instead search online for your beauty school; they are often looking for models and will cut your hair for either a donation or for free.
20. Washing in Cold Water
The most costly part of cleaning your clothes is turning up the temperature on your washing machine. If your clothes are only lightly soiled then wash them in cold water and reap the savings instead!
21. Leave Your Wallet at Home
Heading out for a run or a walk? Leave your wallet at home! If you don’t have any cash with you then you won’t be tempted to stop and spend it on a coffee, or another reward, on your way home.
22. Make The Most of Reward Cards
Sign up for reward cards for all your favourite cards, and make the most of them: keep track of when they are offering double points, for example. Saving points on your rewards card can ultimately save you money on the everyday things you need (and the occasional treat that you don’t!)
23. Save Your Black Bananas
Bananas looking black, bruised, and sorry for themselves? Don’t throw them away! Save money by turning them into delicious banana bread or freezing them to use up when you need them in fruit smoothies.
24. Pack Your Lunch
Taking lunch with you will save you a fortune! Whether you’re going to the office, heading out for a trip to the zoo, or spending time on the beach, taking lunch with you from home will save you a small fortune on convenience food when you’re out and about.
25. Shop With a Friend
Like the sound of that buy one get one free offer but don’t need double the product? Instead shop with a friend and get the amount you actually need for half the price.
26. Shop the Sales
Do you need to buy something new? Perhaps your toaster has broken or you’re looking for new shoes. Whatever you’re looking for, wait for the sales to begin before you start shopping. Savvy money savers never buy anything full price!
27. Grow Your Own!
Do you like to eat plenty of veggies, fruit and salad? Why not try to grow your own! Not only will it save you money, it will also taste better, and there is nothing more satisfying than eating something you have grown yourself.
28. Buy in Bulk
When shopping for non-perishable products (such as deodorant or washing powder) why not check if you will get a better deal for buying in bulk? Unit prices are often cheaper, and you can simply store the excess until you need it.
29. Drink More Water
Not only is soda bad for you, it’s also expensive! Say no to pricey sodas and juices and drink more water instead. Your skin will be as happy as your bank balance.
30. Cook in Bulk
Finally, when you’re cooking double the values of your recipe to make a larger batch that you can portion and freeze. Not only will this save you food prep time, it will also save you money on buying smaller quantities of ingredients and the energy costs involved in running your oven.