Saving money doesn’t have to come from a complete budget overhaul. Take note of some of these simple tips and see how much you can skim off your household spending!
- Take your lunch to work one day a week more than you do now. Eating out can be a hard habit to break. Not to mention, sometimes getting out of the office for a change of scenery can be a savior for your sanity. So instead of depriving yourself every day, why not start small and pack your lunch one more day than you do now? You’ll be surprised how fast the savings add up!
- Put yourself on a drinks diet. If you have a 5 p.m. cocktail hour habit, consider cutting back. Not only will you save calories, but also some hard earned cash.
- Clean out your closet. And while you’re at it, also take a look at the rest of the house! Chances are you have more possessions than you actually realize or even use. Take that clutter and turn it into cash by consigning, selling online on websites like eBay or donating for a valuable tax write off.
- Adopt meatless Mondays. While a lot has been said on the health benefits of giving your body a day off of meat, serving up a budget friendly vegetarian dinner (such as simple beans and rice) once a week can be surprisingly healthy for your budget, too.
- Make your own cleaners. We recently wrote about this in another post, but making your own household cleaners is an easy way to save money and keep a watchful eye over the chemicals used in your home. Check out the full post here.
- The freezer is your friend. Have an extra pack of hot dog buns from last weekend’s cookout you didn’t need? Made too much spaghetti sauce last night? Take advantage of opportunities to freeze otherwise perishable foods you can use again with quality freezer bags and storage containers. You’ll really stretch your food budget and potentially save yourself some valuable time later on.
- Shop the stock. Take a tally of the food already in your pantry before heading to the store. Plan your menu around the items you already have at home to cut down on waste and save money.
- Dine out only on special occasions. In the past, dining out used to be reserved for special occasions but now, for many of us, it’s more a matter of convenience than celebration. By making more of an effort to prep and plan meals ahead of time, you will subtract the five o’clock “what’s for dinner?” panic and add to your bank account…. Maybe even enough to cover your next date night out! Now, that is smart math!
- Go on a spending freeze. Challenge yourself and your family not to purchase anything that isn’t a necessity for a weekend or even a week. Feeling especially disciplined? Take a monthlong spending freeze and watch as your bank account grows.
- Use the last drop. Whether that means scraping the bottom of the peanut butter jar to make just one more sandwich, actually finishing an entire lipstick before buying another or repurposing leftovers that were less than fabulous the first time around, by adopting a philosophy to use up everything you bring in your home, you’ll save money and cut down on waste!
What are some of your favorite money saving tricks? Share below!
