Budgeting Tips: Small Ways to Save Big Money

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I am one who is always looking for ways to save money. Personally I hate the thought of spending money unless I know it’s something that I need. It’s great to be able to try to stay on budget and not over spend. Right now the economy isn’t the greatest with all that’s going on. Many are very tight on money right now, so it’s really important to save when you can. Here are some small ways that you will be able to save money.

 

Stop Eating Out

We all know that going out to eat can get costly. Instead of going out to eat, pick up some groceries and make a meal. If you wanted to go out with friends, just invite them over and cook together. This could even be a fun learning experience for everyone.

Switch Grocery Stores and Shop Weekly

Watch which grocery stores you go to because you may be able to find better deals at other stores. Also only go out once a week to go grocery shopping. Try to get everything you need for the week in one trip. That way you’re not going back lately and possibly getting something you don’t need. Plan ahead for what you need at the store. This can help save a lot of money and nobody likes to waste food either.

Single-Life Serving Sizes

Instead of buying to much of one thing, try to buy smaller portion sizes. Try going to your local farmer’s market. They have a lot of wonderful products at great prices and smaller portions too. You can eat healthier, cheaper and support your local farmers this way.

Check the Event Calendars 

Are you looking for something fun to do in your city? You don’t have to go out and spend a lot to have some fun. Instead, just check out some of the free events happening in your area. A lot of the times you can find these events on Facebook. There are often times when you’ll find a free event in your area. It beats spending a lot of money by going out too.

Museum Deals

A lot of museums will have student discounts. Some of them are even free for students. Even if you’re not a student, you can check out other days that might be free. Take a friend or some family members with you and check out the museum and maybe learn something new.

Library Card

My daughters and I use our library cards all the time. We love visiting our local library. If you get yourself a library card, you can borrow movies and books for free. This is a great way to check out something without having to buy it. I personally love to read, so this is something I do weekly. Some libraries even have video games you can check out. There is so much you can get from the library. Libraries also have a lot of fun free events for everyone. My family enjoys going to these events, and we do it often.

Cut Your Memberships

If you have any memberships that you just don’t use, or could cut down on, now is the time. I know some video companies like Netflix have different plans. If you watch it, you could always cut down and get a smaller plan if needed. Some companies like Spotify have family plans. That way could could even split the bill with family members. Family plans for Spotify are up to 6 people, so you could split that six ways and save a lot. That way the all of you can save some money. Check out all the memberships you’re in and see if you can find some better deals or maybe you could live without those memberships.

Volunteer

Most of the times when you volunteer, you get to go to events for free. You can help out a great cause and possibly get in to a fun event for free. Volunteering is a great experience and while knowing you’re helping someone out, you may be able to really enjoy the event for free too. Sometimes free food and drinks are provided for volunteers too.

Have a Picnic

If the weather is nice, set up a picnic. My daughters love this, so we do it often. All you have to do is bring your own food and set up a nice free picnic. We have done this in our very own yard before too. The kids love it. You could even go out to the park and do this. If you have kids, they can play on the playground too.

Scoot

Hop on a scooter or find a bike to rent instead of using an Uber or pay for parking. Those can get very expensive. I personally love walking and biking, so those are things I’d enjoy doing while checking out places. Many places now have these scooters and bikes for you to rent, and they’re really good prices too. It’s a great way to get some good exercise too.

Turn Off In-App Purchases 

If you’re paying for any apps on your phone or any device, you know how quickly these can add up. Even if they don’t cost a lot, they will over time. Little things always add up. At least think about these before making the decision. Do you really need these app purchases?

Apps

Speaking of paying for apps, some of these apps are actually great for saving money. You can even find some free ones out there. If you need some help with saving money, check out some of those free apps. You can get help setting budgets and such with some of these apps. Some of these may cost money too, but in the long run, you’re going to be saving money with all the help.

Save Up Your Points

Many stores offer points on purchases. There are a lot of reward programs out there. If you shop at a certain store many times and they have a rewards program, it’s best to sign up for those. You could be earning points towards some free stuff. Make sure to try not to spend those points right away though. The more points you get the better the items are going to get too.

Use Coupons

This is something that I do very often. If there is a coupon for something I need, I’ll clip that coupon and use it. There are even places online where you can get coupons. Look online and in papers for coupons before heading to the store. Some stores even have apps now where you can get coupons.

Cut Utility Bills

You can do a lot around the house to cut down on the cost of utility bills. If you cut down your time in the shower by just five minutes, you could be saving a lot of money, plus, you are helping the environment as well. It is estimated that 2.5 gallons of water is used every minute you shower. That’s a lot! Another thing I always learned was to keep certain items unplugged if you’re not using them. Don’t run something unless you really need to. There are so many ways you can cut the cost of your utility bills.

Sell Your Stuff

This is always a fun one. I’m sure we all have something lying around that we don’t need anymore. I personally sell stuff throughout the year all the time. I’m always finding stuff that I just don’t need or use anymore. It’s a great way to get some of that clutter out of the house and earn some extra money too. You could even have a garage sale if you have enough stuff. Facebook Marketplace has become really popular with many for selling items too.

Switch to a Credit Union

Many of us have probably been with the same bank for years. You probably haven’t even really thought about switching either. Credit Unions offer more ways to find money vs. a bank. Lower fees, higher interest rates on savings accounts and lower interest rates on loans, to name a few. I have actually been with a credit union my whole life, and I love all the great ways to save.

All the little things can really add up. I hope that you’ll be able to try some of these tips and start saving money today. Even small dollar purchases each day can really add up, and so can the savings you get on fees, the extra interest earned on savings, and the lower interest rates on loans you get with a credit union. Every little bit really does count. Hopefully these ways to save money can help you too.