8 Fun Ways to Save More Cash Today
Saving money is one of those things that we all want to do more of. Unfortunately, it can be difficult to make your cash stretch further – no matter how hard you try. Combine the complexity involved with saving money with the fact that counting the pennies isn’t exactly the most fun a person can have, and it’s easy to see why people avoid budgeting.
Fortunately, if you’re sick of relying on your piggy bank, and you’re ready to get more out of your savings strategy, the following tips could help.
1. Save a Specific Bill
One of the best ways to save money these days is to pay with cash instead of credit. Cash forces you to look at your money in a new way and ensures that you’re not spending passively. Once you’ve taken your cash out of the bank, you can also commit to saving every specific note that you get. For instance, maybe you’ll decide to save all your five-dollar bills. For example, if you go to the movies and pay with a twenty, then you get a 5 dollar bill back, put it in a jar for later. Eventually, those extra fives will add up.
2. Replace the Cable
Cable television is so last year. Now that we have countless streaming services like Netflix, Amazon Prime, and Hulu to choose from, you don’t need to pay for an expensive cable bill anymore. Get rid of that, plus your home phone expenses if you don’t use it, and switch to a streaming provider instead. You’ll still have plenty of entertainment options available, but you won’t be paying as much to use them.
3. Get a Green Thumb
These days, it’s becoming increasingly easy to grow your own vegetables- no matter where you live. You can even grow various plants, including avocados, from your kitchen windowsill. Make a list of the vegetables you use the most and go online for tips on how to grow that produce effectively. You might discover that making your own grocery store garden saves you a lot of cash and gives you a relaxing new hobby too.
4. Make home-made Cleaning Supplies
Growing your own vegetables is just one great way to save cash by being more self-sufficient. Another option is to create your own cleaning supplies. Not only is making these products yourself cost-effective, but it’s better for the environment too. You’d be surprised how much you can make with just a little bit of lemon juice, white vinegar and baking soda, for instance.
5. Compare your Loans
We all need a little extra financial help at times. Whether you’re taking out a personal loan or car finance, just make sure that you’re getting the lowest possible interest rate and the lowest fees on the loan that you choose. There are plenty of comparison websites out there today that can help you to find the right offer. The less you need to spend on paying back your loans in the long-term, the more money you’ll have to dedicate to other aspects of your budget. There are also sites out there that specifically cater for people with poor credit.
6. Look for Free Entertainment
While there are plenty of places where your money can suddenly disappear over the month, most people spend a lot of money on entertainment. However, you can reduce costs by looking for more cost-effective ways to get out of the house. Instead of going to the movies, head to the park for a relaxing walk in the sun, or take your kids to a free open day at a museum. There are plenty of ways to find free things to do online today – mainly if you follow local groups on social media.
7. Get Rewards
Cash back websites might seem a bit outdated today, but they’re still one of the best ways to save some extra money. If you plan on spending cash online, find out whether you can get any cash back rewards by signing up with a service before you use your money. You’ll only get small rewards at first, but eventually, you’ll end up with some extra cash that you can pull back into your bank account, and you won’t have had to do a lot of work for it.
8. Stop Paying for Delivery
Finally, when you decide that it’s time to reward yourself with a takeout, consider picking your order up instead of collecting it. You’ll save money on tipping the driver, and you could even burn some calories if you’re close enough to the store to walk there.
