When we started our debt-free journey, it was amidst the crazy busy toddler-raising years. Time felt so sacred and something I couldn’t get enough of or make go faster.
We were living paycheck to paycheck before thinking about our financial habits. I knew I So insteadt take on any more hours at my part-time job. Instead, we constantly found ways to cut back and save money rather than bring in money.
Depending on where you are in your current season of life, it may be easier to save or make money. If it’s saving money, this is the licashr you. If you think you can bring in some extra money, check out this post here.
It’s no secret that moms always look for ways to save money fast. But sometimes, it can be tough to know where to start.
That’s why we put together this list of easy ways to save money on everyday essentials you’re probably overlooking.
Around the home:
Cut the Cable
1. Get rid of your cable plan and switch to a streaming service like Netflix, Hulu, or Amazon Prime. You’ll save hundreds of dollars every year and still be able to watch all your favorite shows.
Cut Energy Costs
2. Cut back on your energy use by making simple changes around the house, such as turning off lights when you leave a room, unplugging electronics when they’re not in use, and using a powerstrip for your home office.
Cut Water Costs
3. Save your water bill by installing low-flow showerheads and faucet aerators. These simple devices can save you hundreds of gallons of water every year.
Cut Heating & Cooling Costs
4. Reduce heating and cooling costs by sealing drafts around doors and windows, insulating your attic, and using a programmable thermostat.
Meal Plan
5. Planning your meals ahead of time, create a grocery list, and stick to it when you go shopping. You can also lower costs by buying in bulk, taking advantage of sales and coupons, and cooking at home more often.
I can’t emphasize enough how crucial this step is when cutt back your grocery bill. I have so many articles and shopping trips to show you how to do this here.
Cut Car Insurance Costs
6. Shopping for the best car insurance rates, consolidating your errands to reduce gas usage, and keeping up with regular maintenance.
Cut Cell Phone Bill
7. Reduce your cell phone bill by switching to a no-contract plan, choosing a cheaper data package, or eliminating unnecessary features like an international calling.
Right now, you can take advantage of this cell phone deal. Get 1-Month FREE when you buy 1-Month of 1GB + Unlimited talk & Text for only $15 a month from Gen Mobile.
Cut Travel Costs
8. Planning your travel trips, looking for deals on flights and hotels, and packing light to avoid checYou can price compare for the best deal whenbaggage fees. When you use websites like Travelocity, booki for the best deal.
Cut Back on Entertainment
9. Cut back on entertainment expenses by renting movies instead of going to the theater, taking advantage of free streaming music services instead of buying individual songs or even CDs ( if anyone still buys those!).
Check your local theatres for discount days. The theatre near us does discounts on Tuesdays. Check out this article for ways to save on concerts and outdoor entertainment.
Home Repairs
10. Do home repairs yourself and by shopping around for the best deals on materials. You can also take advantage of free or low-cost resources and being prepared. Youtube is a life saver for so many home projects we have run into.
DIY Cleaning Supplies
11. Make your cleaning supplies – it’s easy, and you’ll save money. Check out this post for inspiration.
In your personal life:
Buy Used
1. Shopping at consignment stores, thrift stores, or online retailers like eBay and thredup. You can also cut costs by mending clothes instead of buying new ones and by planning your wardrobe around a few key pieces that can be mixed and matched.
You can take advantage of discount days at thrift stores like Goodwill too. Check out my Tiktok video, where I was not SO pleasantly surprised I got a senior di,scount on Wednesdays! Okay I still loved saving money but….
Cut your Hair
2. Cutting your hair yourself and coloring it at home, or using coupons at a discount salon. If you only want a basic trim, it is easy to do this at home. I use this Youtube video to trim my and my girl’s hair. You can switch to a cheaper hairstyle that requires less upkeep.
DIY Nails
3. Do your own nails, go to a discount salon, or use coupons. You can also extend the life of your manicure by using a top coat and avoiding activities that will damage your nails.
There are so many kits available at Target and Walmart to give yourself a nice pedicure for less.
Cut Back Makeup Costs
4. Start saving on makeup by using coupons, buying in bulk, or switching to cheaper brands. You can also create your makeup using ingredients like coconut oil, cocoa powder, and Vaseline.
5. To help you save on fitness, work out at home or use a gym membership discount ( Planet Fitness runs promotions frequently or exercise outdoors for free.) Look in your buy nothing Facebook groups or local ads for workout equipment.
Many apps are now affordable offering workout classes. You can sign up for at-home fitness classes with an app called Get Healthy U TV. They are offering a year’s membership for only $0.99!
Free Hobbies
6. Start saving on your hobbies by finding free or low-cost activities that you enjoy, such as hiking, biking, and bird watching. You can trade or sell your unwanted hobby supplies.
Cut Pet Expenses
7. Buy pet food in bulk. Consider adopting from a shelter or looking for coupons and deals on pet food and supplies. Grooming your pet and training yourself.
Also, price compares the cost of using online services like Chewy verse going to the store yourself or doing a curbside pickup order.
Cut Back Date Night Costs
8. Date night doesn’t have to cost a ton. Find free or low-cost activities, and make your food and drinks. Get creative with your date night ideas and stop thinking they have to be a fancy dinner out.
The Dating Divas is my favorite website to come up with fun at-home date nights.
Create Your Gifts
9. Make gifts yourself, shop at consignment stores, or find deals online. You can regift items you no longer want and give experiences instead of physical gifts.
Declutter Extra Stuff
10. Decluttering and selling unwanted items, refinishing furniture instead of buying new ones, and doing home repairs.
Cut Back Eating Out
11. Try eating at home and taking advantage of coupons and deals. Look for any restaurants in your area that offers kids eat a free day.
In your financial life:
Start Early On Taxes
1. Get a hard start on taxes by taking advantage of deductions and credits, filing electronically, and organizing early. Choosing a tax service you can do yourself, Like Turbo tax, is cheaper than paying a professional.
Cut Bank Fees
2. Choose a bank with no banking fees, use a credit union, or go with an online bank. Use your banks ATMs to avoid transaction fees.
Pay Credit Card
3. Pay off your credit card balance in full every month, choose a card with rewards that suit your spending habits, and avoid cards with annual fees.
You can use a credit card that offers cash back or points and paying your bill on time to avoid interest charges.
Save on Investing
4. Want to save on investing? Use dollar-cost averaging, setting up a regular investment plan, and staying disciplined with your investments. You can also save by investing in index funds and using a Robo-advisor.
Find apps that will help you save and invest like Acorns. This app you can invest spare change, save for retirement, save and invest when you spend, earn bonus investments and much more. Just $3/month.
Employer Matching Funds
5. Contributing to a 401(k) or IRA, starting as early as possible, and taking advantage of employer matches. You can also save by investing in low-cost index funds and avoiding fees and penalties.
Health Insurance
6. Trying to save on insurance? Shop around for the best rates, bundling your policies, and raising your deductibles.
Check to see if your insurance offers and discounts when you have a healthy checkup. Usually this means you fall into what the insurance company rates as healthy.
Check any of your Flexible Spending accounts so you don’t miss out on using any of the benefits before they expire.
Financial Planning
7. Cut back expenses on financial planning by creating a budget, tracking your net worth, and setting up a system that works for you. Use free or low-cost financial planning tools and working with a fee-only financial planner.
In your career:
1. Lower job search expense by using free or low-cost resources and networking. Many local counties offer a free job search placement center.
2. Cut expenses on resume costs by using a template and writing your own. You can sign up for a FREE Canva account here. It’s my favorite editing website, and very simple to get started.
3. Save on interview expense by preparing and dressing for success. Take advantage of Youtube videos to help you with interview questions.
4. Cut back on business travel expenses by planning and traveling during off-peak times. Constantly price compares your rates to other online travel services.
5. Take advantage of free resources for your buisiness and attending local events.
6. Ask a family member or friend to help with childcare, and check local community centers or clubs. For example, our small town has a great community center that offers after-school child care.
7. Lower expenses on office supplies by shopping around and buying bulk. This is a great way to take advantage of cheap wholesale club membership deals. Try to stock up on office supplies when the back to school sales start.
8. Buy used electronics for your business by shopping discount websites like Amazon warehouse or declutter.
9. Lower your expenses on marketing by using free or low-cost resources and being creative. Take advantage of social media. Right now, Titkok is still pretty hot, and you can get a significant amount of reach for free. This has been a game-changer for my business.
Frugal Attitude:
1. Be open-minded – A frugal person is careful with their money and doesn’t spend it unnecessarily. They are also often open-minded to new ideas and are willing to try different things to reach their financial goals.
2. Be patient – Frugal people are often very patient when spending their money. They are willing to wait for a sale or a better deal before making a purchase.
3. Be creative – Frugal people are often very creative when saving money. They are always looking for new and innovative ways to lower costs on everyday expenses.
4. Be disciplined – Frugal people are often very disciplined when it comes to their spending. They have a budget and stick to it to ensure they don’t spend more than they can afford.
5. Be knowledgeable – Frugal people are often very knowledgeable about personal finance and money-saving strategies.
Increase Earnings:
1. Get a better-paying job – One of the best ways to save money is to make more. If you can get a higher-paying job, you can save more money each month.
2. Start a baby emergency fund- A great way to start saving is to start an emergency fund for unexpected expenses like a sick child, car repairs, or a job loss.
3. Invest in yourself- One of the best ways to make more money is to invest in yourself. You can do this by taking courses, attending seminars, or reading books about how to make more money.
4. Selling on consignment– A great way to make extra money is to sell items you no longer need on consignment. This can be done at a consignment shop or online. Amazon selling is still a huge market.
5. Make money from home- There are many ways to make money from home, such as starting a blog, doing freelance work, or becoming a virtual assistant. Check out the full list here.
6. Have a yard sale– A great way to make some extra money is to have a yard sale. You can sell items you no longer need and make some extra cash.
7. Rent out a room in your house– If you have extra space, you can rent it out to make some extra money. This is a great way to start saving on your housing expenses.
8. Get a part-time job– One of the best ways to make some extra money is to get a part-time job. This can be done in your spare time and help you earn extra cash.
9. Do odd jobs for people in your community– Another great way to make extra money is to do odd jobs for people in your community. This can be anything from mowing lawns to doing laundry.
Coupon Websites:
1. The Krazy Coupon Lady is an excellent website for finding coupons and deals on all sorts of products.
2. Hip 2 Save– Hip 2 Save is another excellent website for finding coupons and deals on all sorts of products.
3. Passion for Savings– Passion for Savings is a great website for finding coupons and deals on various products.
4. Coupons.com– Coupons.com is an excellent website for finding coupons for various products.
5. Rakuten– a long time standing cashback website that earns you money for shopping online.
6. My BJs Wholesale– coupon site for BJ’s Wholesale members
If you want to learn how to extreme coupon check out this post HERE.
Loyalty Programs:
1. Airline miles are a great way to start savingon travel expenses. You can often earn airline miles by signing up for a credit card or flying with certain airlines.
2. If you are trying to save on hotel expenses find loyalty programs for hotels. You can often earn hotel points by staying at certain hotels or using a credit card offering points for hotel stays.
3. Cashback programs- Cashback programs help your savings on everyday expenses. You can often earn cash back using certain credit cards or shopping through certain websites.
4. Retailer loyalty programs- Retailer loyalty programs are a great way to save money fast on everyday expenses. You can often earn points or discounts by shopping at certain retailers or using a retailer’s credit card.
5. Gas rewards are a great way to earn cashback on transportation expenses. You can often earn gas rewards using credit cards or shopping at certain gas stations.
Bargain Shopping Places:
1. Craigslist – Craigslist is an excellent website for finding bargains on all sorts of items. You can often find great deals on furniture, electronics, and more.
2. Freecycle is another great website for finding bargains on all sorts of items. You can often find great deals on clothes, household items, and more.
3. Thrift stores- Thrift stores are a great place to find bargains on all sorts of items. You can often find great deals on clothes, furniture, and more.
4. Garage sales- Garage sales are another great place to find bargains on all sorts of items. You can often find great deals on clothes, toys, and more.
5. Flea markets- Flea markets are a great place to find bargains on all sorts of items. You can often find great deals on clothes, antiques, and more.
6. Facebook Marketplace- Facebook Marketplace is great for finding bargains on all sorts of items. You can often find great deals on clothes, furniture, and more.
These are just a few of the many ways that you can save money on everyday essentials. These tips can help you save money on groceries, transportation, housing, and more.
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