40 Genius Ways to Cut Costs and Spend Less Money
Are you ready to begin to cut costs and spend less money in your life? That way you can begin saving money and growing your emergency fund.
My goal with this blog is to give you the support and advice you need to be living your best life. When you are stressed about money, you are not living your best life. I know this because I’ve lived it too often. So I have put together an epic list of 40 ways to be frugal that are easy to do.
There are so many little ways where we make mistakes with our money. We buy things we don’t need, we spend too much on stuff without realizing it. So in these ways to be frugal, I am sharing some of my favorite money tricks and tips that will help you be smarter with your money so you can cut costs and spend less money.
40 ways to cut costs and spend less money
1 find your spending triggers
Mine are buying coffees and books when I’m stressed. I have to try to distract myself to stop doing this bad habit spending trigger.
2. find free or inexpensive dates and activities to do
3. make a grocery list
4. Cut cable
5. pack your lunch
6. unsubscribe from store emails
7. track your daily spending
8. Don’t save credit card info on computer/phone
9. cancel any monthly fees for services you don’t use
10. Buy food in the right seasons
11. Get books and movies from the library
Use the Libby App to get digital copies of books. I use this all the time.
12. Have meatless meal nights
13. make eating in more fun by trying new foods or having theme nights (make your own pizza, breakfast for dinner)
14. batch errands so you can drive less
15. Call and check your cell phone and internet plans for ways to lower your monthly bill
16. check for discounts you may be eligible for (student, employee, AAA, etc)
17. never go grocery shopping when you are hungry or bored. You will buy more than you should
18. use generic or store brand when you can
19. start using coupons
20. Start a side Hustle, like a blog, to bring in more income
21. Stop before you buy and ask can I get this for less or borrow it
22. Use up what you have in your freezer/pantry
23. visit the clearance section when shopping
24. turn off lights and electronics that you aren’t using
25. Do a no spend challenge
26. Plan out your meals so you don’t feel tempted for take-out
27. swap babysitting with neighbors and friends to cut down on childcare costs
28. budget ahead of time for holidays and birthdays
28. use budgeting software like Mint to keep track of spending and your bills.
29. Keep it simple when throwing parties or celebrations
30. stock up on your most used items when they are on sale
31. work on being content with less. Check out this post on why having less makes you happier
32. Buy bulk in order to get price breaks on items you use regularly
33. Use Rakuten (formally Ebates) when shopping for cash back
Sign up for a website like Rakuten where you can earn CASH BACK for just spending like how you normally would online. The service is free too!
34. Stop buying soda and drink more water.
I use to mostly drink soda and now water is my primary drink which I did to be healthier but it’s also a money saver.
35. Make sure to budget for Birthdays and holidays
Don’t let these sneak up on you and end up blowing your budget.
36. Think before you make a big purchase
Don’t have money regrets as often by stopping and making yourself think through a purchase for 48 hours before you buy.
37. Buy Used when you can
Buying used will save you a lot compared to buying new. So check out used cars, furniture, toys, etc.
38. Make your own Cleaning Supplies
39. Join rewards programs at stores you regularly shop at for exclusive coupons and deals
40. Start Saving Money Automatically
Using an app like Digit
That’s it for now!
There are lots of ways to be frugal that I have tried and tons I haven’t. As I come up with new favorite ways I will share them with you in future posts.
