There are many different ways to save money, and the more tips you take from this list, the more money you will save! I have used all of the tips I am about to share with you, and together these money-saving ideas have saved my hundreds (if not thousands) over the years!
Here’s the BEST tips you NEED to implement in your life ASAP!
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Reduce your subscriptions
Take a look at what subscriptions you pay for and evaluate how much you actually use them. Some of them you might be able to cut all together if you’re not getting much use out of them. Or, you will likely be able to reduce some of the subscription plans you have.
I was able to cut my Netflix subscription in half by reducing my plan and I never noticed a difference besides positively paying less each month! When Noah and I moved in together, we merged our single Spotify plans to a joint family plan, which saves us $5 a month. I ditched my SiriusXM radio subscription and rely on the endless music choices on Spotify instead.
Assess what plans you have and decide which ones can be reduced and which ones can get cut.
Buy in bulk. Or don’t.
Most of the time, it is way cheeper to buy in bulk! I always buy my paper towel, toilet paper, and meat in bulk. It is well worth it! But sometimes buying in bulk doesn’t always make sense however. If you aren’t going to eat 5 pounds of shaved ham before it expires, the you’ll be throwing money away.
Decide what you can buy in bulk, and capitalize on that. But if it doesn’t make sense to have that much on hand, don’t get sucked into buying things at Costco that you won’t actually use in time!
Buy secondhand
There are so many great things that you can buy secondhand. One of my absolute favorite websites to save money buying secondhand books is Thrift Books. Whether you’re looking for textbooks, novels for class, or books for your own enjoyment, you can save a lot of money on any type of book using this website!
The old time favorite eBay, is also another great way to save money on anything you can think of. Hint– this is a great way to get amazing designer items at very low prices! Just make sure what you’re buying is authentic.
Facebook Marketplace is a great way resource to save some extra cash. It’s like browsing a garage sale without leaving your couch! Furnature is s great thing to buy secondhand here. With a little paint or Rub and Buff, you can fix up just about anything!
Just be careful that you don’t end up buying things you didn’t originally intend to. It’s easy to get scrolling on these sites and start bidding on things or buying things you didn’t actually need.
Sign up for FREE in store discounts
Get your gas at SpeedWay? Sign up for their rewards.
Shop at Kroger or Meijer? Sign up for their rewards.
If the places you shop at have e-coupons and in-store rewards points, make sure you sign up. We have saved HUNDREDS of dollars every year just buy punching in our phone number at our local grocery store when we check out.
Signing up for that rewards program was free and saves us tons of money by doing absolutely nothing.
Some grocery stores will only give you the sales price you see on the tag if you’re a rewards member. If you shop there often and there’s a rewards program, sign up. But only if it is FREE!
Get less coffee
Stick with me here. I know there are a lot of people out there that say things like “don’t worry about your $3 coffee”. But are you really spending only $3 on your morning coffee? It usually ends up costing more like $5 any time you stop by Starbucks.
If you get coffee 3 times per week and it actually does total up to $3, that’s about $36 per month and $468 per year. Almost $500 per year on coffee alone! And if you’re spending $5 on coffee 3 times per week, that’s about $60 per month and $780 per year! Almost $800 per year on just COFFEE!
You don’t have to drink less coffee, but reducing how many times you’re stopping by Starbucks each week can save you a LOT of money. You can save a lot of money by getting a cheep coffee pot and brewing your own. Notice I said get coffee pot and not a Keurig. We’re trying to save money here! Keurigs are awesome and convenient, but the pods are way more expensive and aren’t good for the environment any way.
Pack a lunch
You get where I’m going here based on my last point… and lunch is typically more expensive than coffee.
Get this: if you go out for lunch 3 times per week and spend on average $8 each time, that is about $24 per week, $96 per month, and $1,248 per year.
And if you spend $12 on average 3 times per week, that’s $36 per week, $144 per month, and a whopping $1,872 per year!
AND, if you’re getting lunch and coffee several times per week… YIKES.
I know it seems insignificant at the time, but it all really adds up. Over a THOUSAND DOLLARS on lunch alone, and that’s only if you’re eating out 3 times per week. Maybe $96 or $144 per month doesn’t seem like much, but just think of what bill you could pay instead. That could pay your car payment, your phone bill, or even your utilities.
Reduce the amount you eat out
OKAY OKAY WE GET IT, I KNOW…
Set a limit to how much you are willing to spend eating out each month. Make more dinners at home! Combine that will less Starbucks and less take-out lunches and you will be saving hundreds of dollars a month just by eating at home more. A simple change well worth making.
Make eating out a treat instead of a habit.
Combine your shopping trips to save gas
This has saved my a surprising amount of money, and I usually average 32 MPG. I love to shop. I even love to grocery shop. One day I would go to Target and the next day I would go get my groceries. And it actually racked up my gas bill quite quickly.
Combining my shopping trips not only has saved me gas money, but it has also kept me from over spending on things I don’t actually need.
BUDGET
This sounds simple. It sounds cliche. It sounds like advice your Grandma would give. But you NEED to make a budget.
Making a budget allows you to spend guilt-free because you planned for the expense. Don’t think of a budget as a restriction, because in reality, you’re setting aside money to give yourself freedom. Whether you’re setting it aside for spending or savings, a budget gives you financial freedoms.
I have a FREE budget template for you to download instantly! This will give you exactly what you need to start setting yourself financial free.
Find store-brand replacements
There are so many store brand product that I buy that are as good (and sometimes even better) than the on-brand products! You’ve already read about why reducing eating out and reducing going to Starbucks is important- the little things truly add up over time. And the same principle applies to what you buy at the grocery store.
Even if it is only 25 cents cheeper, that will add up! Some examples of store-brand items that I buy are eggs, milk, canned goods, spices, cheese, frozen hash browns, oatmeal, stevia, greek yogurt, cottage cheese, and more.
Drink less
Buying less alcohol is a quick and easy way to cut your spending at the grocery store. And an even easier way to cut your dinner bill when eating out. Limit yourself on how many drinks you have while you’re out.
It’s totally okay to have fun and drink in moderation! But if you’re having several drinks at dinner, you’re racking up a hefty bill. Fast. I’ve seen friends and family spend $70+ on dinner for 2 people (meanwhile Noah and I pay around $35) on an average dining experience because they had multiple drinks or ordered a pitcher. If you’re doing this on the regular, you’re drinking your paycheck in a matter of minutes. Which probably isn’t worth it anyway.
Plan out your spending
This is a new thing for me that is actually working out really well. Plus, it allows me to stick to my budget. If I find things that I want but I have already spent what I have budgeted for the month, I will make a list of things I want to consider purchasing next month.
The key is, you can’t change your budget next month to account for extra purchases. Keep your budget as is and that fits with your financial goals. But, this method gives you something to look forward to next month and still allows you to purchase things you want. You might just have to work on delayed gratification a little bit.
Take advantage of student discounts
There are SOOOO many awesome student discounts out there! Spotify, Amazon Prime, and even Gymshark! Be smart about how much you’re spending, but keep an eye out for deals only students are able to take advantage of.
Click here for a FREE 6 month trial of Amazon Prime for Students!
Find ways to reduce your insurance payments
DON’T MESS WITH MY DISCOUNT!!
If you know, you know. If not, call your insurance company and find out. I have saved almost $65 just by having a safe driving record! Also, many insurance companies offer discounts to students with decent grades.
Call up your insurance company and see how they can reduce your bill. It doesn’t hurt to shop around either.
Keep coupons in an obvious place
I am notorious for cutting out coupons and never using them… By keeping coupons in my car or in my purse, I am much more likely to remember to use them. If I still forget, sometimes I will paper clip my coupons to my grocery list!
Reduce the amount of snacks you buy
Cheez Its, wavy chips, ice cream sandwiches, cans of pop, granola bars….
The list goes on! Not only will reducing the snack you by help you stick to a healthier lifestyle, but it will also help reduce what you’re spending. Having snacks on hand is absolutely essential. We’re all about good snacks here! But you don’t really need to stock up on all your favorite snacks every week.
Only buy what you really need, and be aware of which ones are more cost effective.
But, keep snacks on hand
If you know you’re going to be out for a while, bring some snacks with you to keep you tied over until your next meal (at home!). When I had classes scheduled back to back to back, I found myself stopping at the Snack Shops conveniently placed right outside the lecture halls.
Eventually, I noticed I was stopping by several times a week. Honor your hunger queues, but cut spending where you can. Instead, I just brought a couple snacks with me, and it saved me about $8 per week.
Shop at discount stores
I LOVE shopping at HomeGoods, TjMAXX, and Marshalls! There are so many great deals you can get for items you were looking to buy elsewhere. I always shop around online to price compare, and then stop by HomeGoods to see if they have what I am looking for at a cheaper price. Beware though, sometimes the deals aren’t as good as they seem, but they usually are better!
Dollar Tree has a surprising amount of amazing stuff
You’ll be surprised at the things you can find at the dollar store! In fact, I got almost all of my cleaning supplies from the Dollar Tree when I was in college. I still get a lot of things there!
My top favorite dollar store finds are glassware (they have the best margarita glasses!), holiday/birthday cards, gift wrapping, florals, small frames, little holiday decorations, The Works toilet bowl cleaner (its the best!), sponges, dish towels, and so much more!
Scale back your cell phone bill
Take a look at how much data you are using. If you can scale back and rely on more wifi (that you’re likely also already over paying for anyway), you can probably reduce your data plan. Don’t opt for unlimited data unless you really need it. And by “really need it”, I don’t mean mindlessly scrolling through Tic Tok videos.
If you’re really ambitious, call up your cell phone provider and see if they will reduce your bill. Many companies will do this for loyal customers with longevity. Not all will, but it might be worth a shot.
Take open enrollment seriously
If you’re not on your parent’s insurance plan anymore, actually take the time to review your company’s benefits package or your Affordable Care Act insurance plan before open enrollment hits.
Review what is offered and determine how much coverage you will truly need. If you’re in the doctor’s office more often than just for yearly check-ups, then you might want to consider taking on a larger plan. It might save you more in the long run.
Be smart about buying clothes
If it’s not on sale, don’t buy it! You know it’s going to go on sale eventually, so take a gamble and just wait.
Maybe it isn’t that expensive in the first place? Set yourself price limits on what you’re willing to pay for a certain item. For example, I know I am able to find great sweaters that are less than $20, usually around $10-15 on a good day. If it’s more than that, I walk away.
Walking away can be really difficult and takes a lot of willpower. Or at least if you’re anything like me it does. It takes practice, but keep holding yourself accountable and you’ll succeed.
If you’re a die hard Lululemon fan, I get it! I’m right there with you! Just don’t go crazy buying more than you need. I allow myself to buy more expensive clothing items, but I don’t go overboard or buy all at once. I plan for these expenses throughout the year.
If I buy an expensive clothing item, I might have to live with the fact that I went through my entire clothing budget for the month on one item. That’s okay when you intentionally plan for things like that. Guilt free!
Download and install the web extension Honey
This is an amazing web browser extension you NEED! Honey is able to search though past prices of an item you’re looking to buy and it will tell you if it is a good price based on its history. Also, you can earn point for qualifying purchases to get free gift cards to your favorite stores!
Its completely free to sign up too. It is by far the best web browser discount program I have used. Click here to sign up with Honey for FREE!
Put bills on auto-pay
If you have student loans, putting your payments on auto-pay is the easiest way to get your interest rate down. Many credit and loan companies do this! They’re willing to cut your rates by promising them that you will pay at least the minimum payment each month. Plus, this will help save you from missing a payment and in turn will help increase your credit score.
Need help paying off debt? Check out this post that explains the fastest way to get rid of debt. I also have a FREE debt workbook that you can download INSTANTLY to help you crush your debt and reach your financial goals as soon as possible!
Allocate direct deposit paychecks
If your employer offers direct deposit for your paychecks, then you are likely able to allocate varying percentages of your paycheck into different accounts. Instead of having your entire paycheck go into one account, try to put a chunk of your paycheck into one or more savings accounts.
The less thought you have to put into saving your money, the less hesitation and temptation you will face.
Take advantage of sales on meat
This might sound obvious, but if you’re a meat eater, buy extra meat when it goes on sale. Stock up your freezer when there’s an awesome deal on meat. If there’s a buy one get one deal, you know I’m buyin’!
Stick to your grocery list
Write a list and stick to it, well unless maybe meat is on sale… but seriously. Sticking to your grocery list is almost like an art form, I swear. The more you try it though, the more it becomes second nature. It makes sticking to your budget a whole lot easier too.
Try making more plant based meals
I hated tofu growing up and I believed that until the ripe ol’ age of 24. Once I tried it again and actually seasoned it well, it’s surprising good! Not to mention, its SUPER inexpensive. It’s cheaper than meat by a landslide!
Tofu is a great protein source and meat alternative that is incredibly budget friendly. Opting for some plant-based meals can save you A LOT. Using canned (low sodium) beans and chickpeas are great options too!
Try a no-spend month
This is something that I really want to try but still haven’t succeeded at yet. Having a month where you only pay for necessities is a great way to save money SUPER FAST. If you really stick to your budget and buckle down for a month, you’ll be surprised at how it changes your spending mind set.
Although I haven’t succeeded at this fully, even my failed attempts have really illuminated how easy it is to spend a lot of money on things that seem inexpensive, but usually don’t serve much purpose anyways.
How do you save money? Share your money saving tips in the comments!
This post has been about all the different ways you can save money. Want to see more content and inspiration like this? You’re going to LOVE these posts:
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