I wrote these tips almost ten years ago and thought it would be a good time to share them again as our financial future is very uncertain right now. These are tips that you can apply right now and also in the future when things return to normal, or our new normal, to continue saving money for your family. This is going to be a four part series for a total of 100 money saving tips. Obviously not everything is going to work for every single person, but you can pick and choose what will work for your family.
Tip #1 Open up a Savings Account!
Preferably one that earns interest on your money. Your local credit union may even offer a savings account with an APY. Even though the APYs are measly right now, it’s still better than nothing! When we first started saving in our savings account, I was so motivated to just log in and see our number go up! It made me want to keep putting money in the account instead of buying another pair of shoes or splurging on a dinner out!
Tip #2 Buy a big refill bottle of hand soap.
The large 64 oz bottles give you much more bang for your buck. You can purchase one of the smaller Softsoap or Dial hand pumps and simply refill them. Softsoap usually goes on sale for $1 or less and often times there are coupons available. Some people really prefer the Bath and Body Works anti-bacterial soap (I enjoy these too, but rarely purchase them for us to use on a regular basis). These frequently go on sale and there are usually coupons available for a dollar amount off a single purchase. My frugal advice is to stock up on these soaps when they are on sale and use a coupon to save even more money.
Tip #3 Double up when cooking or baking!
The next time you make a casserole, pot of soup, pasta dish, or even cookie dough, just make two and freeze one of them. It really doesn’t take that much extra time to make that second dish, and it saves a ton of time on the night you’re going to make it, and hey, time is money, right?
Here is a great post over at Money Saving Mom about how to make the most of your regular freezer!
Tip #4 Menu Plan!!
This is a relatively new concept to me. It’s so incredibly easy I can’t believe I haven’t been doing it my whole life! On a Saturday or Sunday afternoon, I survey our pantry, freezer, and fridge and make a mental note of what we have. I’ll then look through my recipe book or head over to allrecipes.com to come up with 5-6 meals for the week. You can also purchase a weekly menu planner here so you can keep track of what you make!
If you are just starting out with this whole concept of saving money while you grocery shop or if you don’t have a stockpile of supplies built up, you’ll want to look at the flyers/ads before you go to the grocery store and base your meals off of what’s on sale that week.
Another thing that I did that I’ve found really helpful was to make a list of our favorite meals/recipes in Google Docs (and link to the recipe if it’s online). If I ever need any inspiration or feel like I’m in a rut, I’ll just pull this up and cook something from this list.
If there is a recipe that calls for a lot of prep-work, I’ll make that recipe on the weekend or I’ll at least prep some of it on Sunday so it requires less time during the week.
Tip #5 Brew your own coffee
This is such a common frugal tip that it has it’s own name: “The Latte Factor.” But seriously, this can save you a ton of money, and time, especially with a programmable coffee maker! Simply set it before you go to bed, and when you wake up in the morning, Voila! Coffee is ready!
Tip # 6 Use cold water to do laundry
You save money because you don’t need to heat the water. It’s also good for the environment! Some people even claim it’s better for the life of your clothing too! We’ve been doing this for years and everything comes out just as clean with cold water as it does with hot water
Tip #7 Make your own laundry detergent.
I have yet to do this, but have been seriously considering it. Maybe when we run out of laundry detergent. Trent over at The Simple Dollar has a great step-by-step blog post about how to do this.
Tip # 8 Shop with a list!!!!
This is key to helping you stick to your budget and limit impulse buys! Before going to the grocery store, take 5 minutes to look through the flyer and write down the things you need that are on sale. The same rule applies to any store you need to go to (Target, Costco, Victoria’s Secret, Bath and Body Works, or Petco!) You need to stick to your list and not buy anything that you haven’t written down.
Tip # 9 Comparison shop
Especially for the things you buy the most often. My challenge to you is to pick 5 things that you buy the most, and in the next 2 weeks, when you are out at various stores, jot down the price on a piece of paper in your purse or wallet. You may be surprised how much cheaper things are at one store versus another.
The next step in comparison shopping is to keep track of what things cost when you get them on sale or with coupons. Another way to do this is to keep a price book. This way, you’ll know what you can usually get the item for and can stock up when prices are low so you can make it to the next sale. You should never have to pay full price again!
2 Tips within a Tip
1) It doesn’t hurt to do this a couple of times a year, even if you’re a seasoned couponer and deal seeker. I used to always buy frozen chicken from Sam’s Club, until I realized that it was actually cheaper if I bought it when it was on sale and just took the time to freeze it myself.
2) Make a game of it! My friend had the great idea to (drag?) bring her husband along with her to Walmart one evening. She gave him a list of items that she wanted to price check, and she had her own list. Whoever got through their list first got to buy the item of their choice for $10 or less!
Tip #10 Join a warehouse club…
…but only if it’s worth it! And you must show restraint when shopping, just because you’re buying a “value pack” doesn’t mean it’s cheaper. Costco is great and the gas is always at least $0.10-$0.20 cheaper than other local gas stations. Before even setting foot in a warehouse club, I highly recommend sticking to your shopping list (Tip # 8) and knowing if you’re getting a good deal or not by comparison shopping (Tip # 9)
Tip # 11 Rainchecks!
My mom used to get these all of the time when I was growing up. I somehow forgot that they even existed until about a year ago. The next time you go to the grocery store and they are out of what you had planned to buy, simply swing by customer service on your way out and pick up a raincheck! It only takes a few extra minutes. The best part? Sometimes a coupon shows up while you are waiting for them to restock the product you have a raincheck for!!
Tip # 12 Pack your lunch instead of buying
This goes for your whole family. I like packing my lunch soooooo much more than buying lunch at work. 1) You know exactly what you’re having because you packed it. 2) It’s only a few steps away in the fridge so you significantly cut down on any wasted time during your lunch hour by having to go to the cafeteria or out to eat. You can either be more productive or simply sit and enjoy your lunch break. 3) It saves sooo much money!!
Even if you buy bread, lunch meat & cheese, fruit, and a snack at the grocery store without coupons, it’s still cheaper than buying your lunch every day. If you don’t mind eating leftovers, just make sure you make enough for dinner to have some leftover for lunch the next day. This can prove to be challenging though if your husband eats like mine does!
Tip # 13 Freeze perishables
There are so many things that can be frozen and used at a later time. Have you ever bought fresh fruits and vegetables or a package of meat with good intentions to use it all only to have all or some of it go bad a week later?
Aside from the obvious things that freeze well (chicken, ground beef/turkey, fruits and veggies), there are tons of other foods that you can stock up on when they are on sale and simply keep them in your freezer. My favorites include shredded cheese, butter, and bread).
There are some items that don’t necessarily freeze well as a whole, but if you cut it into pieces or throw it into the food processor and freeze individual portions, you can save a lot of money. (Think onions, peppers, etc). How often have you been cooking and the recipe calls for “half of an onion” or some other vegetable? You can double the recipe, or prepare and freeze the other half of the ingredient for a later date.
Don’t forget to label your items so you know when you froze them! Ziploc freezer bags work great if you don’t have a Food Vac.
Here are some helpful freezer tips to get you started.
Tip # 14 Rebates!
Rebates are one of the easiest ways to save a lot of money. I can’t even tell you how many things I’ve been able to get for free over the years simply by using rebates. Sure, they take about 5 minutes of your time to fill out the request, and occasionally a stamp if it’s not available online, but it’s still definitely worth it. As soon as I get the checks in the mail I just deposit them into our account!
But where do you find rebates? They’re everywhere! Sometimes they are in the Sunday paper, other times they’ll be on company websites or even in various stores (as an in-store display or a member programs). You can also check out online rebate websites like rakuten (formerly ebates) or shopathome for a small percentage of cashback on every purchase! Simply go to one of these websites first, log in, then search for the store you are planning to buy from. Easy peasy.
Companies offer rebates because they know not everyone is going to take the time and fill them out, but trust me, they are so worth the extra few minutes! Recently, some things I’ve gotten for free or close to free via rebate are: body wash, lotion, razor, face wash, a book, and a discount on our contact lenses.
Tip # 15 Stock up!!
If something you use regularly goes on sale (say, for half price during a BOGO sale), by all means, buy several!! I’ve gotten so used to doing this that I cringe if I have to pay full price for a bottle of salad dressing or a package of shredded cheese! (Or pasta sauce, toothpaste, contact solution, deodorant, shampoo, lotion, coffee, pasta, frozen veggies, etc, etc etc!)
Sales at grocery stores are cyclical, meaning, every 6-8 weeks chances are the same things will be on sale (not always, there are definitely a few things that rarely go on sale – so if you come across those things you definitely want to stock up!)
If you’re new to this whole concept of “stock-piling” or if you just don’t have the space, just buy 2 of whatever you were planning on buying (when it’s on sale, of course). It will probably be easier to start out small, because then you can really get a feel how quickly you go through various items. And as always, check the expiration date. The last thing you want to do is have to throw food away and waste money because you forgot you had something or it got pushed to the back of your pantry (I hate when that happens)!
This concept goes hand-in-hand with menu planning and keeping a price book.
Tip # 16 Use Coupons!!!!
Believe it or not, there is a right way and a wrong way to use coupons. The wrong way is to get the Sunday paper, cut out all of the coupons, and try to use as many as you can before they expire. The right way is to get the Sunday paper, cut out all of the coupons (and organize them either by genre – food, household, personal care – or alphabetically) and then ONLY USE THEM WHEN THE ITEM IS ON SALE!!!
Honestly, I probably only use 1/3 of the coupons that I cut out. I’ll be honest, it is kind of a pain to cut them all out and organize them, but when I don’t cut and organize them, I miss out on a bunch of deals, and spend even more time trying to find the coupons I need before a shopping trip.
Money Saving Mom wrote a good post about why everyone should use coupons and answers some commons “complaints” that people have when it comes to using coupons!
Tip # 17 Use Internet Coupons
There are several reputable websites that put out coupons every month and more and more stores are accepting them (make sure you check at Customer Service before trying to use them). Using only internet coupons is a good way to ease into the coupon world. You can visit these sites a couple of times a month (or do a google search for a coupon before you go to the store). A lot of manufacturers place coupons directly on their website. This way, you won’t end up with a ton of coupons you can’t use. Here are a few of my favorite sites for coupons:
http://www.smartsource.com
http://www.bettycrocker.com
http://www.coupons.com
A few things to know about internet coupons:
- You may need to install a “coupon printer” on your computer. It’s a harmless program that needs to be installed before you can print from most coupon sites.
- You cannot photocopy them. This is illegal. A legit internet coupon should have a watermark on it anyways when it prints out.
- There is a limit on how many of each coupon you can print. Usually this limit is 2, but sometimes it’s only 1. To print two coupons (per computer), simply hit the “Back” button, and then hit the “Refresh” button.
- There is an overall limit on how many coupons that can be printed from each website or manufacturer. Basically, if you come across an internet coupon that you think you might use, go ahead and print it because it may not be there for long.
- Some sites require you to “register” with them before printing coupons. If you are concerned about your inbox getting bombarded with spam or coupon messages, simply go to yahoo or google and create an email address specifically for coupon sites.
Tip # 18 Buy a programmable thermostat
This is a simple thing that you can do to save money AND energy! You can still save money even if you don’t have a programmable thermostat simply by changing the temperature before you leave the house for the day or when you go to sleep. This website has a lot of information to help you learn more about programmable thermostats. Click here to check out these highly rated programmable thermostats available on amazon.
Tip # 19 Exercise!
This is one of those things that you’re not going to realize how much you’re saving unless you don’t exercise and develop health problems. Exercise has been shown to help you not only lose weight, but prevent diseases associated with increased body weight (including Type II Diabetes, Coronary Artery Disease, and High Cholesterol). It can also help curb depression symptoms, help you quit smoking, and help with many, many other illnesses or bad habits that cause you to spend more money.
Not only can exercise save money on potential health problems, but you can save some gas money (and car mileage) if you’re fortunate enough to live close enough to the store, work, or daycare that you can walk or ride your bike instead of drive every day.
Tip # 20 Put windfall money directly into your savings account
This is something we have been doing for years. Holiday bonus at work? Savings. Tax refund? Savings. Under budget for the power bill this month? Savings. Birthday money? Savings. Win an award? Savings. Make extra money at work? Savings.
Honestly, it’s one of the easiest ways to save money. You don’t even miss it because you never really had it. And it really does add up fast. There is only one better way to spend windfall money.
Tip # 21 Don’t carry a credit card balance!
Due to the current state of the economy, this should have crossed your mind at least once in the past year or so. If you have credit card debt, don’t worry, so do thousands of other Americans. The best way to get rid of credit card debt? Just start paying it off! I recommend either
1) The Dave Ramsey method: choose your card with the smallest balance, and pay as much as you can on that card every month until it is paid off.
OR
2) My method: choose your card with the highest interest rate and pay as much as you can every month until it is paid off. Put any and all extra money toward your cards until they are paid off!
Tip # 22 Clean and cut fruits & veggies as soon as you get home from the store
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve let produce go bad in the fridge. It makes me cringe just thinking about it. You’re literally just throwing money away when you throw away bad fruits and veggies. This is one of those things that doesn’t require a whole lot of extra effort but is definitely worth it!
Tip # 23 Shop at discount Grocery stores
Don’t be afraid of discount grocery stores like Aldi (I was at one point in time, when I was a teenager and my mom would stop there). But now we shop there every week. I mostly just buy the basics (milk, eggs, bread, and often times fruits and veggies, and actually their $2.89 wine isn’t too shabby either!) Aldi is a great alternative to save money on basic stuff that doesn’t always (or ever) go on sale at the grocery store. Just make sure you follow Tip # 22 and clean and eat your produce asap.
Tip # 24 Drive the speed limit
Here are some helpful tips to drive more efficiently, and in turn save a few extra dollars. I’m definitely guilty of driving (a little!) over the speed limit on the interstate. However, driving even 5 miles above the speed limit causes your car to use gas less efficiently. The same is true for accelerating to get around that slow person texting on their cell phone just to get to a red light. According to fueleconomy.gov, each 5 mph you drive over 60 mph is like paying an additional $0.24 per gallon for gas! That adds up!
Tip # 25 Grow your own herbs & veggies
This is something that anyone can do, even if you start with only one plant! I don’t really have the greenest thumb (and I don’t even think I have a “greenish” thumb, considering the past 3 years I have had to buy a new basil plant at the beginning of each summer). Even though I spent $3 on a new basil plant each year for the past few years, I still saved a ton of money not buying basil leaves from the grocery store.
If you don’t have access to a large area to garden, you can ask your friends/neighbors/co-workers what they grow, and you could pick something different and then exchange herbs/veggies with them. When you grow your own herbs and vegetables, it’s easy to have an overabundance when they start to grow!
So there you have it, the first 25 tips to help you save money in this four part series. Stay tuned for the next 25!
Disclaimer: Mom.Wine.Repeat earns a small percentage from each sale and earns a small commission from Amazon for any items purchased through the above link at no cost to you!
