So, here are some of my favorite money-saving tips I've come across lately:
1. "Facebook Buy Nothing groups are a lifesaver! I’ve been able to get a table and chairs for my dining room, a large dresser, snowboard boots for my daughter, lots of home decor, and several houseplants, all for free."
2. "Just asking myself, Do I reallllly NEED that item? Most of the time, I don’t, so nowadays, rather than racing out to pick it up, I stay home and think about how I’ve saved money, gasoline, air quality, and a little bit of my planet by not going and getting it. To say nothing of reducing my own anxiety levels!"
"My big questions are, Do I have space for it? Do I have time to enjoy it? If an object is coming into this house, it needs a 'spot,' and that spot can't just be a pile.
"The exceptions are things I use for research (I occasionally teach and lecture on historic clothing) and needful hobby items."
3. "I buy food through the Flashfood app. It's like a manager's special rack in app form. The food is expiring soon or is discontinued but still good. I usually buy whatever meat they have and freeze it until I use it. It's saved me quite a bit."
4. "I keep three or four frozen meals from Trader Joe’s in my freezer for when the urge for takeout hits."
5. "I adopted this policy not long ago. I have to calculate how many meals I can create from a meat cut or seafood when deciding whether to buy it. I don't buy it when there's only enough for one meal, no matter how much I crave it. Very tough at the start, but it's gotten easier since."
6. "I buy all wrapping paper, gift bags, and other gift-wrapping items from the dollar store or HomeGoods. So much more affordable."
7. "Unplugging things not in use is a huge one! It's estimated that 10%–15% of the average American's electric bill is stuff that’s plugged in but not in use, aka vampire energy."
8. "On payday, I put away for savings in an instant- or easy-access savings account. I spent a bit of time working out how much of my paycheck goes on regular bills and expenses and then set up a standing order to put most of the rest into an instant-access savings account the day after payday."
"I find I spend less on impulse buys because there's less in my account, but if I have a big or unexpected expense, I can easily move money back out of savings to cover it using online banking.
"Before I started doing that, I'd find myself spending my whole pay every month and relying on a credit card even for big costs I knew were coming up (e.g., car insurance)."
9. "I sat down and made a budget. I realized I had been lying to myself for decades. I am now getting back on track, and it’s painful and joyous all at once."
10. "If you see something you like but don't know the cost of it — in your head, assign a price you'd be happy to pay for. When you find out the price, see how much you still want it if it varies greatly from the price in your head."
11. "My husband and I decided not to buy any food (other than fresh foods, like vegetables and fruits) until we emptied most of our freezer. We're still working on it. We put together some unusual meals but are saving money each week. And we've begun the process of removing meat and poultry from our diet, which will save more money as time goes along."
"When my insurance policies, cellphone contracts, etc., are set to renew, I always shop around. Most companies offer discounts to new customers, not to existing ones."
12. "I keep a small cooler in my car. I know I’m going to get hungry when I’m out running errands or shopping. So I stock the cooler before I leave home with things I want to snack on while I’m out driving around. I make sure some of it is fun stuff so I don’t feel the urge to stop for treats. This saves me from stopping at fast-food places and really keeps my splurges down."
13. "Increasing the time between recurring expenses like haircuts adds up to savings over time. I have long hair, which makes it more doable, but for example, six haircuts a year vs. four saves a lot while not actually denying you the pleasure of said haircut."
14. "Community events, for sure. My city library offers fun adult craft nights for free once a month. It's fun to meet new people and just relax. So far, I've taken a canvas painting class, a clay project class, and also a free sound bath/yoga class. Also, if you have a city library card, there's an app called Cloud Library to rent audiobooks and ebooks for FREE."
"I haven’t heard of Cloud Library, but I use Libby, and it’s great! I highly recommend taking advantage of getting a library card."
"Kanopy and Hoopla come with many libraries, as well. Movies and more e/audiobooks. Also, city passes to cool places."
15. "A tip I always tell people is to think about how much time that money took to earn. Say, if you're paid $15 an hour, and that video game costs five hours to earn, after taxes, then you worked five hours for that video game. It's a good way to teach someone to be frugal early, especially if they hate their job."
16. "Rounding up. When tracking my spending, not only was it easier to tally, making me more likely to do it, but by rounding numbers up, it was also better because I tended to underestimate things and overspend."
17. "Buy in-season fruit and veg. It sounds like a no-brainer, but it also forces you out of your rut and makes you get creative. And if you are really craving strawberries in January (I know the feeling; the struggle is real), just get frozen ones. The fresh ones are usually gross. Oh, and watch your store ads for meat sales. Get some freezer bags, split it up, and freeze it. Or make a big batch of whatever and eat off of it for a few days."
18. "Paying yourself back. For example, I just bought a new pair of expensive shoes. The deal I had with myself is that I can buy these, but I have to save that amount of money on my next credit card statement. I use this for a lot of things. Quite honestly, it is probably too much, haha, but it only saves me money."
19. "Use curbside pickup as much as possible. If you don’t go into the store, then you won’t buy unnecessary stuff. It also saves a lot of time and hassle."
20. "To save money and waste less food, figure out a few cheap meals you can eat daily, weekly, or several times a month — beans and rice, oatmeal, grilled cheese and tomato soup, whatever. There are a few things this can help with. You save money on groceries and waste less food because you’ll use up all the ingredients, bonus points if it’s mostly shelf stable ingredients. It can save time and decision fatigue because you don’t have to decide what to eat; your brain knows you have red beans and rice on Mondays, and you finish any leftovers on Wednesdays, etc. You have oatmeal for breakfast every day, and always add whatever fruit you need to use up."
"My personal favorite is beans and rice. There are so many versions from around the world to try, and you can always add whatever meat or vegetables you need to use, even in small quantities. It’s also easy to turn any leftovers into soup."
21. "Buy the sample size first before you commit to the full product. This has saved my ass on shampoos I didn't like, makeup, sunscreens, and even food. Buy the small portion size first, then, if you like it, buy the bulk saving size."
22. "I shop around for my insurance every January, since it's the beginning of a new year. I also do my health checkups and major car maintenance. One year, I actually saved $200 on my insurance by switching to another company."
23. "When shopping for clothes or accessories online, I rarely buy immediately or pay full price ever. I’ll usually save the item and wait at least a month to see if I still want it. If I do, then I will buy in a sale. OR my other little hack: I look at the brand's tagged photos on Instagram. Quite often, you will find a tagged pic of an influencer with a discount code!"
24. "I've instituted a system where I buy things on Wednesdays. For absolute emergencies (usually related to my 18-month-old), I will make an exception. But groceries, gas, Costco, and even Amazon are all done on a Wednesday. If I think I need or want something, I wait until the next Wednesday, and by that point, I usually don't need or want it anymore."
25. "Pick a store and get really good at using their rewards system. I just don't have the time or energy to be going to a bunch of different places. We go to Safeway and Costco — Trader Joe's maybe once a month for wine and snacks. I have had the Safeway app for years, and at this point, it gives me deals on stuff I buy. I know it is far from the 'cheapest,' but it's a clean store with a layout I am very familiar with. With the app deals, I feel like I get within striking distance of some of the cheaper places."
26. "Watch who and what you follow on social. I unfollowed a lot of influencers who were overconsuming. I love following the ones who teach you to shop your closet."
27. "Really enjoying/using/repurposing what you have is a satisfying alternative both to recreational shopping and to buying stuff in general. I've been focusing more on that this past year as I go through a frugality and decluttering process, and it's honestly great."
"Repairing as well — I had a backpack that had several pockets that split along the zipper seams. Actually sitting down and fixing those with some fabric and a sewing machine (though hand would work too) was particularly satisfying, so I didn't need to go out and get an alternative."
28. "Check the markdown racks at your grocery. I find cheap cereal, bread, and veggies that I can prep and freeze. Go early in the morning, and meat going out of date that day is often marked down. Take it home, portion it out, and freeze it."
29. "I have learned to repair almost any home appliance. YouTube is a lifesaver and has literally saved me thousands of dollars. Furnace, AC, dishwasher, oven, washer, dryer, and sump pump — I have fixed them all."
30. "If you're thinking about buying a new appliance (like an air fryer or a slow cooker), check the local thrift stores and garage/yard sales first. You can sometimes pick up an expensive appliance for just a few dollars. 'Used' often means they tried it once and didn't use it after that. I've gotten a brand-new air fryer still in the original box for $5."
"Facebook Marketplace is a nice spot for slightly used appliances."