That is all over. I don't have a job. We have 2 car payments, rent, and a wedding to pay for (among our other expenses). Thankfully we do have a little cushion until I get a job, but I am mildly determined to never tough it. Through a little trial and error I have found some ways to save money, and hopefully make a little extra on the side. Give me your ideas too!
There are lots of little things you can do that really add up. Like hundreds of dollars a month. All of these are easy to do and start implementing 1 a day will really make the savings start to add up.
Save it up:
FOOD
-Coupons! OK so I'm a fan of clipping coupons. I probably use maybe 10% of the coupons I clip, but that's because I get anything that I may possibly need.
-Check what's on sale and stock up. You can view all the store ads online.
-Never buy something just because you have a coupon or it's on sale, but if you find it is a good deal go for it.
-Buy store brands. Most are just as good and cost less. Every store I shop at also lets you return their brand if you are unsatisfied.
-Stick to your list. You may find some great deal you missed, but other than that keep to what you have planned.
-Plan your meals. No need to have a whole month or the exact day you'll eat what. Buy for a week or two and eat the food before it spoils.
-Have leftovers. Cook enough to have at least an extra lunch out of it. Even have a leftover night once a week to get through them.
-Buy bulk. Meats, bread, cheese, and milk are among some of the foods that freeze very well.
-Manager special. Stores mark down meat and veggies (the pre prepared bagged kind) that are getting close to expiring. Go shopping after 7 when the new markdowns are and plan a meal or two around what you can find on sale.
-Freezer cooking. Prepare meals in bulk and freeze them until you're ready for them. You can use any meal that you put together and bake. You can also bag slow cooker meals and thaw overnight before putting in the slow cooker.
-Stop buying bottled water or cans of soda. Invest in a water filter pitcher and 2 liter bottles of soda. If you can live without soda cut it out entirely.
-Garden. Pick a few of your favorite herbs and veggies and start a garden. It also gives you an activity to do.
-Eat out sparingly. When you do use a coupon or deal site (like Groupon) to save more.
-Birthday Rewards. Almost any restaurant has a birthday program that you can redeem the entire month of your birthday. Sign up anywhere you eat (or want to eat) and see what you get for free.
HOME
-Turn your lights out. If you don't need a light turn it out. Not only are you being eco friendly (I'm glad it's really trendy now), you're also cutting down on your electricity cost.
-Watch your temperature. Try raising the AC a few degrees this summer.
-Use Mother Nature. If it's breezy or colder at night open your windows to cool your house. Close everything up in the morning or when the breeze dies to keep the cool inside.
-Turn off the TV. Play a board game instead or go for a walk or swim. Head to Goodwill and get a used game or two to mix things up.
-Don't dry clothes/dishes. Skip the drying mode and open up your dishwasher to let your dishes finish drying. Put up a clothesline and let your clothes air dry. Use that summer heat to help save some energy and money.
-Get the best rate. See if your energy and cable are giving you the best rate. If not, try for a better deal or change services.
-Make your own cleaners. They are more natural and a fraction of the cost. I'll have links up soon for the ones I try.
-Fill your freezer. The more stuff you have in there, the less work your freezer has to do to keep everything cool. Bag ice and fill the empty spots until you have food to go in there.
ACTIVITES
-Groupons. Again they have great deals on tons of activities.
-Take a hike (or walk).
-Check out a book. Libraries are amazing! Find a new book or series to start.
-Dollar theaters. Go see a movie for cheap.
-First Showing. AMC and other theaters offer their first movie showing of the day for around $6.
-Sports. Check out your local high school for sports games. If you have a minor league team in your area check them out as well.
-Game night. Spread out some games, invite friends over (have they bring the food) and have a fun night. You can also have them bring their favorite game for more diversity.
-Movie night. Get a movie from Netflix or Redbox, make some popcorn, grab some candy, and relax at home.
-Search for free events in your area.
-Have a DIY (or pinterest) day. Invite some friends over and get crafty and creative with things you can actually use. Each person is in charge of bringing one activity. Set a theme (household cleaner, baking mixes, etc).
OTHER
-Plan ahead. See what errands you have to do and where you need to go each week. Plan your route and time to make the most out of both.
-Stop impulses. Some items seem amazing, and then you get them home and never use them. If you don't know if you'll use it enough, don't buy it.
-Return! Don't be too proud to return items.
-Use credit cards. Find a card with rewards you want. Make sure you pay it off every month!
Make some money:
-Surveys. There are many survey sites that pay you for taking surveys. I have a ton of free time now, so I'm only starting to explore this amazing concept. I love inbox dollars because you get paid to click through emails they send you and search the web. Try it out here, plus you get a $5 sign up bonus.
-Ebates. Sign up here and I promise you won't regret it! You get cash back for shopping at tons of stores that you probably already shop at. You're also saving money on gas since you don't need to go to the store to buy your items.
-Sell your stuff. After moving and looking back through my closet, I have found a lot of stuff I don't really need. Take it to a consignment store or sell it yourself on ebay. I'll probably have a post soon on my closet reorganization (thanks to Pinterest I have tons of ideas).
-Get Crafty. I do all sorts of crafts (crochet, sew, make cards, etc). With my free time I'm hoping to get some stuff together and create an etsy site to sell it on. Etsy is this amazing website where anyone can sign up and buy and sell homemade goods. By buying on there you are helping out small artisans (many have an amazing price). Find something you're good at and start selling it.
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