Reducing expenses isn’t alway simple to do. Even if you mean to rein in spending, your goals can be dashed. If that’s you, here are 12 easy ways to save money even if you’re terrible at it.
Compare Auto Insurance Rates
When was the last time you compared your car insurance rates? Reports indicate 40 percent of drivers haven’t done so in the last three years.
If that’s you, you could be leaving money on the table. A site like The Zebra or Gabi let you compare rates from several dozen insurers. Within a few minutes you can often find rates that will save you several hundred dollars annually. It’s that easy.
Get Rebates on Your Grocery Shopping
Saving money at the grocery store is a challenge in an era of rising prices. You can use an app like Ibotta or Fetch Rewards to counteract that.
Download one of the free apps, then go shopping. Once done, take a picture of the receipt within the app. The platform identifies active rebates, and credits your account. Then, you can withdraw the earnings in cash or free gift cards.
Automate Your Saving
Do you often just plain forget to save? Automation is your friend. Most employers let you transfer money with every paycheck to a savings account.
If they don’t, most bank let you automate transfers from your checking to your savings account. No more forgetting!
Try a No-Contract Phone Plan
Are you on a legacy phone carrier like Verizon or AT&T? If so, there’s no need to stick with their expensive plans.
No-contract services offer similar reliability, and data, for a fraction of the cost. Imagine what you could do by trading a $100 monthly bill for $30, without sacrificing what you want.
Earn Rewards Points
While seemingly odd, rewards credit cards can be a fantastic tool to save money. You can opt for a cash back card that gives you money back on your purchases, or a travel card that gives you points and miles.
We opt for the latter to stretch our travel budget. The former gives you a small influx of cash monthly for your purchases. Regardless of which you choose, pay it off in full every month.
Shop Secondhand
Thrift stores, Goodwill, and the Habitat for Humanity Restore are all good choices to shop secondhand. Opting for used items instead of new ones reduces waste and saves you money.
We regularly shop secondhand and it often saves us good money.
Use Free Streaming Services
How much are you spending on your monthly cable or streaming costs? If it’s too rich for your liking, consider using free streaming apps.
Apps like Tubi, The Roku Channel, Pluto, and more are fantastic choices to watch free TV shows or movies, and they’re all no cost. If you don’t mind commercials, it’s tough to beat free entertainment.
Meal Plan
Do you feel like your family is wasting too much food, or overspending at the store? Give meal planning a try.
Write down the meals you want to have this week, then use that to create your shopping list. This helps you spend less and still have what you need.
Use Active Coupon Codes When Shopping Online
Nothing is worse than searching for a coupon code online, only to find it’s not valid. Free browser extension apps like Honey by PayPal let you avoid that.
They work in the background as you shop. When you go to the shopping cart, they scour the internet for valid coupon codes and applies the best one. It’s that simple.
Save Your Spare Change
Saving your spare change is a long-known way to save money. Take it one step further and invest that spare change with an app like Acorns.
The app rounds up all your purchases and invests it in a low-cost portfolio of your choice once you reach a $5 balance. Not only does it save you money, it also helps increase your net worth. That’s a win-win.
Take Your Lunch to Work
Costs to eat out have grown dramatically since 2022. Reports show that fast food alone has increased over 20 percent since 2022.
Skip the lunch out routine and brown bag it. It helps stretch your food budget and it’s often healthier.
Pay Less For Your Prescriptions
How many prescriptions do you regularly use? Regardless of how many, an app like GoodRx can be a helpful way to reduce your expenses.
The app partners with over 70,000 pharmacies and allows you to save up to 80 percent. Best of all, the app is free to use.
35 Proven Ways to Save Money Every Month
Many people believe it’s impossible to save money. Or, they think saving $20 or $50 a month won’t amount to much. Both are incorrect. There are many simple money-saving tips that can add up to big savings. You just have to start one, then another, to increase your savings.
Ways to Save Money Every Month
How to Cut the Cord on Cable or Satellite
Record numbers of Americans are cutting the cord on cable and satellite. This guide shows the best way to end your contract and replace it with a top streaming service.
How to Cut the Cord on Cable or Satellite
21 Awesome Passive Income Ideas
Passive income is an excellent way to build wealth. Thankfully, many ideas only require a little money to start. Pursue these options to grow real wealth.
Best Passive Income Ideas to Build Real Wealth
How to Start Investing With $500 or Less
You don’t need a lot of money to start investing. It’s possible to start with several hundred dollars, or less. Take advantage of time and start growing your money as soon as possible.
How to Start Investing With $500 or Less
Best Prepaid Phone Plans
Legacy carriers trick us into thinking we need a contract to get what we need. That’s a lie. A prepaid phone plan can give you the data you want for significantly less.
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