Looking for ways to save more money this year? Here are 5 super easy ways to save money this year!
Several years ago, I decided to resign from teaching elementary school to stay home with my kids. I knew living off of one income would be difficult, but I had no clue just how much giving up my half would hurt us.
I’d planned on working from home as a freelance writer. My idea was to live off the one income for a few months- or maybe a year at most- until I established myself as a writer to write my way back to the income I’d made the previous year.
As you may have already figured out, that is not at all what happened. After years of work and rarely any pay, I learned how to stretch our tight budget to make ends meet.
Over the past few years, I’ve discovered all sorts of ways to save money.
5 Super Easy Ways to Save Money
Here are a few of the simple ways I’ve learned to spend less and save more:
#1 Make Your Own Coffee
Your morning routine at the coffee shop can add up quickly. By skipping that specialty coffee, you could save $100 or even more each month.
#2 Pack a Lunch
We all know how rushed our mornings can be. It’s easy for us to just grab something from the cafeteria at work or from a vendor. But are those conveniences really worth doubling or tripling the price?
A little extra prep time the night before to pack your own lunch could save you $200 or more on a monthly basis.
#3 Eat at Home More Often
This was a huge help at our house. We now reserve eating out to only one night a week at most or to celebrate special events.
This one change can shave $300 or more from your monthly expenses.
#4 Cut the Cable
To be honest, we’ve never had cable or satellite, or any of those things. And I’m happy to say that my basic television stations have been plenty of entertainment for us in the TV department.
Cut the cable and you could save around $75 a month.
#5 Choose Home Entertainment Over Expensive Movie Nights
We love a movie night, but with the price of a soda and popcorn, movie nights are a big splurge.
By popping your own popcorn, renting a movie at home, or pulling out the board games, you could save your family another $75 a month.
By following these 5 super easy steps, you could save $750 a month.
That’s over $9,000 a year!
I’d say that’s a super way to pay off stubborn debt and invest in your future. 🙂
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I really wish I could get my dh to cut the cable. Apart from the History Channel, we hardly ever watch cable anymore.
I love your ideas, I always make a cup of coffee to take when leaving the house, and a snack so when I get hungry I am prepared. we have dish and my husband would be lost without his sports, he has no other vices and it gives him a break.
Thanks for stopping by Friday Feature this week. Happy New Year!!!
PINNED! love the ideas…wish I could cut back on cable too but may have to fight my roommate on that! 🙂
I definitely need to cut down on buying coffees, I make one each day at home but social dates make it so easy to spend lots of money when catching up with friends. Now I suggest walking and catching up, or coming over to my house for a coffee at home!
great idea- coffee at home with friends is a lot more fun
Hi there, im stopping by from the Merry Monday hop. These are great tips. I take my lunch to work during the week. Its a great way to save money and eat leftovers. Your blog is great & im a new follower.
The only thing I don’t do is #4. LOL I just cannot give up DirectV. 🙂
Thanks for joining the Link Up this week!
great tips here.. I need to look into getting rid of our cable, I feel like we don’t really use it!
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These are all great ideas! It’s amazing how much you can save by packing a lunch!
Great ideas. We do most of these, but had been eating out too much. That is changing though. Thanks for sharing.
Great tips. We already do most of these.. I do put some money on Dunkin Donut gift cards for when we are out of time or what a treat but it is a small amount and not even every month.
The one thing we have agreed on is actually not giving up the satellite TV. Where we live, we don’t get any channels with an antenna. We don’t go to the movies, we rarely go to concerts or out to eat or shopping for fun. The $68 a month we spend on the TV service is our main form of entertainment.
(visiting from the Titus 2 Tuesday link-up)
We do all of these except for the cable. That has to stay for now.
These are all really great tips. I buy entirely too much coffee out. Otherwise we do pretty well on these.
Coffee at home is a great suggestion! I have really been trying not to spend when I am at work so I can save for a laptop. Love these suggestions.
yes, I make own coffee at home instead of stopping by the gas station saving $.1.25 each day.
#1 is my biggie! I have been trying to only buy coffee out once a week! So far so good.
Great tips. We do everything except the cable. My boys can’t live without sports and we haven’t found a good option for that yet. Otherwise, I would totally cut the cable.
We do all of these things….except cutting the cable. My hubs loves to watch FOX News. But recently we cut waaay back on the cable channels. Our kids are just too busy to sit and watch tv and we got netflix! We LOVE it!!!
Great list, because doing these things really does save you money! 😀
These are so smart and yet sometimes so hard to do.
We’ve always been pretty frugal in respect of these things – the one thing we can’t give up is cable as my hubby loves to watch sports – but what we do do is call the company every 6 months and ask what kind of discount we can have since we’ve been a customer for 12 years!
Great tips! We don’t have cable either after getting rid of it last year and we don’t miss it at al and we love the extra savings!
Great Ideas! i i stopped teaching Kindergarten seven years ago to home school my youngest son, now 13, who has Down Syndrome, My husband was in his second tax season of being out on his own a cpa. my job was our security and stable income at the time. It was so difficult then and still is at times! I am always looking for inspiration on how to save money. Thanks for the tips.
I resigned from teaching 3rd grade around the same time, Carmen, to stay home with my 2 boys. It hasn’t been easy, but it’s so worth it! Hope these tips will help you, too. 🙂