In the past, I have found myself in a situation with a lot of debt and barely making enough each paycheck. In that time, I really analyzed my budget and discovered some common areas where I was spending when I could have been saving.
1. Make Your Morning Brew At Home
Many people stop by their favorite coffee shop every morning and grab a cup to-go. Most coffee shops charge about $2.50 – $6.00 or more for a small cup of coffee, tea, or crafted espresso drink. If you purchase coffee grounds and brew your own coffee, you can get an entire month’s worth of coffee at your local wholesale store for about $12.00.
Total Monthly Savings: $48 – $110
2. Cook Dinner at Home and Take Your Lunch
By stopping in to your favorite eatery for lunch every day, you could spend anywhere from about $5 – $15; Dinner would likely cost you $10 – $30. If you plan out your meals and stick to your shopping list, you can easily keep your spending to about $40 a week. If you cook meals that can produce leftovers, you can take those for lunch the next day. For tips and recipes to get started, visit my section on Eating on A Budget.
Total Monthly Savings: $240 – $1100
3. Cancel Unnecessary Subscriptions
Do you really need cable, internet, 3 video streaming services, and 2 music streaming services? Chances are you can live with just one television service and internet. If you find yourself recording all of your shows and watching them later, a video streaming service would definitely be more suited for your needs. Cable can cost you about $60 – $200 where as video streaming services can cost about $8 – $15 per month.
Total Monthly Savings: $52 – $192
4. Stop Impulse Shopping
It’s just too easy to make purchases these days with the presence of online shopping and free 2-day shipping. So it may be easy to forget that you’ve purchased multiple items every week. Instead of purchasing items right away, try making a list on your phone or putting the item in the “save for later” part of the cart. This will give you time to think about whether or not that item is a necessity and to give you a chance to possibly find it cheaper elsewhere. On that note, stick to your list when you go out shopping and do not allow yourself to purchase anything extra. In addition, do not buy more of an item just because it’s on sale.
Total Monthly Savings: $0 – $1000+
5. Pay More than the Minimum
Help yourself save more money by paying more than the minimum on your vehicle and credit cards. By doing this, you can save money on interest and have your debts paid off earlier. Even an additional $5 per month can make a huge difference over time. Seriously, give it a try!
Total Monthly Savings: $0 (This will save money in the long run)
If you successfully complete these 5 items, you may save yourself anywhere from: $340 – $2400+ Per Month.
Total Yearly Savings: $4,080 – $20,800 (Yes, it’s true!)
Even if you can just do a couple of these, you’ll find that you save more than you originally anticipated. If you’re in need of a little extra cash, check out my article on easy ways to make money from home.
Happy Saving!
Disclaimer: These statements are the opinion of the author. The information provided in this post is for entertainment purposes only and is not intended to provide medical, legal, or other professional advice. Read and/or use any of the information from this post at your own risk. Some or all of the links displayed on this site may be affiliate links.
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