No matter if you are have a big project coming up, if you are trying to pay off debt, or if you are saving for something fun like a trip, your retirement (the best!), or college for your kids, sometimes you need more money than what you currently make at your job. When this happens, it’s best not to get into debt, but instead, try to find creative ways to save money, and hopefully make some extra money on the side, too. If you are wondering how you can possibly save money, here are a few ideas!
Turn off the TV
There’s one thing that is for sure: your TV is not helping you save or make extra money! In fact, some people spend more money while watching TV, depending on their data plan, how they scroll on the phone while watching TV (best to avoid Amazon scrolling, ha!), and more. Turn off the TV and instead of watching The Bachelorette finale, start brainstorming ways that you can save and earn some extra money instead. I will say, though – not all TV is bad. You can stream YouTube and learn valuable skills that can bring in extra money, but realistically, this is not what the majority of people are watching.
Cook at Home
Cooking at home can save you so much money! Eating out and/or ordering in adds up very, very quickly. While it’s not a bad thing to save time by eating out once and a while, try to set a goal to cook at home a certain number of days each week. Eating at home can definitely put money back into your wallet, especially if you order your groceries in bulk, and make enough of each dish to have leftovers for lunch or other dinners, too. This is a great way to save money and not waste food, as well!
DIY Projects
My friend is in the very beginning stages of building a chicken coop. Originally, she was going to order a coop from a small company, but they were charging an arm and a leg (think $6,000-16,000+). When she started researching a DIY coop build, she found that she could save so much money ($500-$2,000 for a really nice looking coop). DIY projects definitely take up more of your time, but they make up for it when it comes to saving money. If there is a project that you are wanting or needing to do soon, consider taking on a DIY approach if it is possible. Of course, make sure you research it first and see if it is feasible to 1) do your project and 2) save money doing it. Sometimes, it really is best to leave it to the professionals, especially if it has anything to do with heavy lifting. But, keep in mind – you can always outsource part of each project. For example, if you do have to do any heavy lifting that is not feasible for you, hire that portion out. Typically, quality moving companies can help you for a fraction of the price (compared to hiring the entire project out).
Get Cancel Happy!
There are probably subscription services that charge your account each month without you even paying attention to it. At the end of the day, we are all so busy – it’s hard to keep up with the “I need to cancel this,” subscriptions, and usually they are just tucked under the rug. Take an hour or two out of your week and get cancel happy! Take the time to go through your subscriptions and work on canceling them. You will be glad that you took the time! There is also a company that will do this for you and will either cancel or negotiate a better price for you, so that is always an option if you need.
Keep Track of your Finances
At the end of the day, the best way to save money is by keeping track of your finances and keeping a set budget. Budgeting is not fun at all, I know. But, it’s very worth it! If you want to save money, this is the #1 tried and true way to do it- figure out what your finance situation looks like and what you can nix out for a little while, to put more money into your pocket.
