If you loved this post, please share!



199





17



339 Shares

I’m a big proponent of building income in order to rapidly meet your financial goals instead of pinching pennies and squeezing as much juice as possible out of a dry lemon peel. You can only squeeze so much… However, there are times when it is definitely necessary to find different ways to save money in the monthly budget.

Now, you could take my previous advice and find things you spend money on daily that you can cut out, and free up a ton of money to build your savings account. This is one of the most effective ways to save money that I’ve found.

Or you could take a look at things on a global level and start seeing where you can really make some changes that won’t impact your lifestyle! These ways to save money will do just that!

Here are 42 painless ways to save money:

Ways to Save Money on Your Bills

Cut the cord and ditch your satellite TV or cable. There are so many different streaming services available that you can get a ton of options without spending all of your hard earned money on television.

If you really can’t bear cutting the cord, call your provider and ask for discounts or shop around. Last fall, I switched providers and saved $80/mo and I’m getting more channels. That’s $960 I’ve saved over the last year!

Reevaluate having a dedicated internet line. Use a mobile hotspot instead. Obviously, a lot of this will depend on the cell service at your house but I ditched my cable internet and switched to a Verizon plan with an unlimited hotspot and it saved me $60/mo! The unlimited plan on Verizon was only $20 more than I was paying before!

Buy term life insurance instead of whole life insurance. Term life insurance is typically way cheaper and will free up money to help you build wealth so that you don’t need life insurance by the time your term is over!

Shop around for car insurance every 6 months or once a year. You may not find any ways to save money here, but you also may find a few hundred in savings, especially if your current insurance company begins to increase your rates.

Turn the thermostat up or down. Depending on the season and where you live. You can save a ton of money by lowering your thermostat temperature by a few degrees in the winter and increasing it by a few degrees in the summer.

Keep your tires properly inflated. If you have an air compressor, you can do this at home. If not, stop by a local gas station or tire place that offers free air. There are usually a few in every city. Your gas mileage will improve and this is just one of the ways to save money on your transportation costs.

Refinance your mortgage. Depending on your interest rate, monthly payment, etc, you may be able to save tens of thousands of dollars with this one simple change.

Ways to Save Money on Credit Cards

Don’t use them! Interest rates are through the roof and if you are carrying a balance on credit cards, that interest adds up a lot over time.

If you already have credit card debt, pay it down as much as possible. Focus on those higher interest cards so you save money on interest.

Call up your credit card company and ask them to give you a lower interest rate. Threaten a balance transfer if you need to. Even if you only get 1-2% knocked off, that is more money in your pocket and less money in the bank’s pocket.

If they refuse to lower your interest rate, transfer your outstanding balance to a credit card offering a low or 0% promotional offer and focus on paying that bad boy off before it starts accruing interest.

I almost didn’t want to even list this one because I do not encourage using credit cards at all due to my past experiences with them, BUT IF YOU CAN PAY THE BALANCE OFF IMMEDIATELY (not tomorrow, not next week, but you physically have the money to pay the balance right away), then you can save money by using your credit cards to earn cash back rewards. Some cards offer up to 5% or more cash back. Nothing to sneeze at!

Ways to Save Money on Food

Plan, plan, plan. Figure out what is on sale, plan your meals around those sale items, and make the purchase based on your list.

Don’t buy fast food and make smart decisions when you do go out to eat. Refrain from getting the lobster and maybe opt for a chicken salad instead.

Cook in larger volumes and freeze for later. This will help save time on your busy days and it will also allow you to buy food in bulk, saving money there too.

Always have snacks and drinks packed and handy. Getting food and drinks on the go is expensive.

Meal prep as much as possible. You’ll save time and money.

Buy generic products when it makes sense. Big brand companies spend loads of money on making their brands appeal specifically to you. Typically, the only difference between brand name and generic is the name. That can of store brand green beans is going to taste the same as that can of Del Monte…

Ways to Save Money on Entertainment

Go to free events. Park parties, outdoor concerts, festivals, you name it. Find something free and go enjoy.

Go enjoy the beautiful outdoors. There are 401 U.S. national parks, covering over 84 million acres. That doesn’t even include state parks and your local parks and outdoor areas. No matter where you’re located, you’ll be able to find somewhere and something to do in the great outdoors.

Do matinee movies during the week. Most theaters offer steeply discounted tickets so you can see the newest feature film for a much lower rate.

Find inexpensive hobbies. For me, I’m an avid hunter and fisherman. While I could spend a lot of money on gear, clothing, etc. I don’t and I’m able to spend time doing something I really enjoy without spending much money at all.

Ways to Save Money when Shopping

Don’t buy crap you don’t need just because it’s on sale. You’re not saving money by doing that, you’re spending money that you wouldn’t have spent otherwise.

Don’t always buy cheap stuff. For items that you plan to use and keep for many years to come, you’re better off spending a little money up front so you don’t have to replace it every few years.

Buy used. Used furniture, used clothing, used appliances. You can find great quality items used and save a ton of money upfront.

Take care of the things you do buy. If you spend your hard earned money, then take care of that item so that it lasts longer.

Don’t buy clothes that require special washing instructions, such as dry clean. These take extra time and money to wash.

When you go shopping, make a list and stick to that list so you don’t purchase anything on an impulse.

Speaking of impulses, don’t make impulse buys. See a new purse that you really want or that new Apple watch? Remember it and wait at least a month. See if the appeal is still there after a month. If so, start saving up to buy the item if you really want it that badly. By delaying the purchase, you’ll put a lot of things back on the shelf.

Take advantage of senior discounts if possible. Many places have senior discounts.

Don’t shop when you’re bored. This is a great way to make purchases that you’ll regret. Find a more productive way to spend your time like reading a book or working on a side hustle.

Ways to Save Money on Kids Stuff

Kids are expensive little humans. Right off the bat, start buying diapers in bulk. You can get them cheaper that way and once the new baby comes, you won’t be worried about running out.

Buy cloth diapers. Personally, they are not for me and regular diapers are worth the extra cost. But if you really want to save some serious dough, ditch the regular diapers and go cloth. It’s better for the environment too.

Ask for experiences, clothes, and money for holidays. This is one of the ways to save money on entertainment as well since you can do these experiences with the kids throughout the year. With money, you’ll also be able to teach your kids about effective spending and saving habits by gifting them money.

Ask for gently used hand me downs. For the first several years of my daughter’s life, we had so many clothes from hand me downs and it saves us from buying new stuff every few months with as fast as kids grow.

Find your closest public library and use the crap out of it. They provide free toys, books, workspace, playdates, audio, videos, and entertainment. Just make sure to return everything on time to avoid late fees.

One of the ways to save money on daycare is to swap babysitting duties. Find a friend or family member with an opposite work schedule and watch each other’s kids. This is a great way to save money and build relationships too!

Miscellaneous Other Ways to Save Money

Pack a lunch so you don’t have to go out to eat. You’ll save way more than you expect and you’ll find you actually eat healthier too.

Shop online for your contacts! I have been wearing glasses since I was 3 and switched over to contacts about 12 years ago. You can save so much money by simply shopping around once you have your prescription. Head over to Contacts Compare to find the best deal!

Rideshare or Carpool. If you commute, find a ridesharing service or someone you can carpool with to save money on wear and tear on the vehicle as well as on fuel costs.

Maintain your possessions. Typically, regular routine maintenance such as filter changes, etc, are much cheaper than the cost of purchasing brand new when things malfunction due to poor maintenance. This one will cost you a little in the short run but save you big bucks in the long run.

Do it yourself! When repairs or projects need to be done, take to google or YouTube and learn how to do it yourself. A little DIY sweat equity can save you thousands!

Final Thoughts

There are so many more ways to save money, but I tried to develop this list so that it would be as painless as possible for you. I want you to be able to save money on things and still live a good life after all! If you really want to dive deep into saving money, check out this great list of personal finance bloggers to follow!

What did I miss?

Drop a comment below and let me know if there are some other easy and painless ways to save money and if I like them, I’ll add them to the post and give you credit of course!

Have an awesome day!

-Robert