30 Ways to Save Up to $1,000 With Minimal Effort

SAVING

30 Ways to Save Up to $1,000 With Minimal Effort

30 Ways to Save Up to $1,000 With Minimal Effort

12 MINUTE READ

Saving money isn’t always easy. If it were, everyone would do it. And with 39% of Americans having no savings to speak of at all, it’s clear to see that a lot of us could use some help with it.(1)

But what if it was easy? What if there were tons of small ways you could make a huge impact on your retirement, vacation, debt or mortgage each year?
We want you to see just how effortless saving $100–1,000 can be. Add a few changes to your daily, weekly or monthly routine and watch your savings go up!

Daily Money-Saving Tips

1. Use cash-back apps.

Will it make you rich? Nope. But using cash-back apps can add up to some serious savings. Ibotta, Shopkick, Receipt Hog, Checkout 51 and Dosh are a few of the many apps that will give you points (which add up to moolah) just for scanning your receipt or buying specific products. But be sure you’re not getting caught up in the temptation to spend money at stores just to get the cash-back points.

2. Turn off the TV.

Is The Little Mermaid still playing after the kids have left the room? It’s amazing how many times the TV is on when no one is even around to watch the tube. Shut that sucker off! And make sure everyone knows to turn it off if they’re not going to watch it anymore.

 

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3. Turn off the lights.

By the same token, it’s like your mama always told you: Turn the lights off when you leave the room! It might seem minor, but those small expenses really add up. So when you walk out of the room, just turn off the lights. Really—it’s that simple.

4. Install energy-efficient lights wherever you can.

Whether it’s LED (light-emitting diode) or CFL (compact fluorescent) bulbs, just making the switch to more energy-efficient lighting can really impact your power bill at the end of the month. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, using these types of lights in your five most used light fixtures can save you around $75 a year.(2)

5. Brew your own coffee.

Your daily drive-thru coffee is probably costing you somewhere in the neighborhood of $65–120 each month. Grab some high-quality beans and a nice travel mug. Then, turn on the coffee maker and stick it to Starbucks!

6. Change your office hours.

Traffic jams cost Americans a pretty penny each year in gas and car wear and tear. Not to mention, spending hours in a car majorly zaps your productivity level. Plus, traffic jams are just downright annoying.

Save hundreds a year by changing your daily work schedule. If possible, drive to work either earlier or later to stay off the road at peak times. That way, you’re not burning precious fuel or wasting precious time sitting in traffic. Bonus: Your overall mood will probably get a boost too!

7. Use a programable thermostat.

We’ve all heard this one, but how many of us are actually doing it? There’s no need to run the air conditioning or heat if you’re out all day. A programable thermostat can regulate the temperature of your home year-round and help keep your bill under control.

Or if you don’t want to take the plunge, just turn down the heat or the air conditioning while you’re away from the house. When you’re sleeping, open up the windows or use a fan instead of blasting the air conditioning. And when you’re chilly, just throw on some extra blankets or use a space heater. You’d be surprised at how much you can save by taking these shortcuts.

8. Pack your lunch.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that Americans spent an average of $3,365 on food away from home . . . also known as eating out.(3) Think about it: If you spend $10 on lunch every day, that’s $50 a week—which adds up to $200 a month! Ouch! 

Believe it or not, packing a lunch takes way less effort than calling in your order, driving there, waiting, paying, picking it up, and driving back. And you could save $10 a day just by packing leftovers or turkey sandwiches! Now that’s our idea of super-saving.

9. Ban bottled water.

News flash: Water is basically free. You don’t have to buy expensive bottled water just because you see other people with it in their shopping carts. Try drinking from the tap for a while and see if you survive. If your tap water is downright disgusting, then invest in a water filter to help you out.

10. Embrace the 24-hour rule.

Oh, delayed gratification, how we love (and sometimes hate) you. It’s amazing how much clearer our thinking can be if we take 24 hours and step back from what we’re wanting to buy. Make a habit of giving yourself 24 hours before you make an impulsive, “gotta have it” purchase.

Weekly Money-Saving Tips

1. Split your paycheck and deposit a percentage into your savings.

It’s easy to make saving a priority when you never have an option not to. What in the world do we mean by that? Set up your paycheck to automatically deposit a percentage into your savings account every payday. That way, you don’t have to remember to do it and you can’t talk yourself out of it (you know you would).

2. Save on insurance with an Endorsed Local Provider (ELP).

Are you paying too much for insurance . . . are you sure? A lot of people don’t actually realize how much money they can save by taking a deeper look at their insurance expenses. Trying to make sense of it all can be overwhelming, so give an ELP a call to see if they can help sort it out for you.

3. Use less laundry detergent and cut dryer sheets in half.

It might sound super cheap, but things like this really do add up. Cut back on the detergent and tear those dryer sheets in half. You probably won’t even notice any difference in the clean quality of your clothes, but your budget will thank you for buying less!

4. Temporarily freeze your spending.

We spend a lot of extra money “here and there” on nonessentials. Instead of spending $100 on impulse buys, try a spending freeze. How? Simple. Don’t buy any nonessential items for a whole week, month or until you hit a specific savings goal—you decide how long.

It sounds restrictive, but knowing the spending freeze has a time stamp on it actually makes it a fun little challenge. Just raid your pantry or fridge for meal ideas, avoid Target and Costco like the plague, and wait on any hot new items you just “have” to buy.

Not spending money is the best way to save it.

5. Start couponing.

Using coupons is a breeze, but a lot of people end up leaving that savings on the table just because they don’t go the extra mile. Take the time to look up a discount code, cut out a coupon, or download it on your phone. Believe us, this tiny smidge of effort is worth it!

6. Only eat out once a week.

For some people, eating out once a week is a major splurge. But for others, eating out only once a week is a major sacrifice. No matter where you fall, try to limit your restaurant eating to once a week and see what a big difference it can make in your budget!

7. Order water at restaurants.

Did we mention water is free? That includes when you’re at a restaurant. Skip the soda, the sweet tea or your adult beverage of choice and opt for the free H2O.

Monthly Money-Saving Tips

1. Cut the cable cord.

Let’s be real. Cable television is expensive. And with so many alternatives to having a cable package, there’s really no reason to keep clinging to your precious cable cord—especially when it could free up an extra $200 a month!

2. Switch grocery stores.

Instead of shopping at big-name grocers, try a discount chain like Aldi. As long as you don’t mind bagging your own groceries and renting a cart for a (refundable) quarter, you can save a lot of money. Even if you only save $25 a week, you’ll still have $100 extra in your wallet at the month’s end! So take a good look at your grocery shopping habits and see where you can save.

P.S. Don’t forget to actually stick to your grocery list.

3. Buy generic.

If you’d rather stick to your favorite stores, at least go generic—especially when it comes to milk and juice, pantry staples (spices, flour, sugar) and even certain medicines.

Think your food won’t taste as good? Think again. A group of Consumer Reports “taste testers” found most store brands measure up to the name brands in overall taste and quality—and they’re usually 15–30% lower in price!(4) Worth it.

4. Cancel your subscriptions and memberships.

Are you paying for multiple monthly or yearly subscriptions? Think about it: $12.99 for Netflix, $20 for Stitch Fix or $119 for Amazon Prime. Which of these have you not used in a few months? Cancel them. If you miss one, order it again. If not, you made the right choice and probably saved yourself a hundred bucks in the process! And here’s the thing: You can pick your subscription back up whenever you want to, so it’s not like anything is set in stone.

5. Replace two restaurant outings a month with your slow cooker.

Heading out to eat with your entire gang can cost close to three digits in a hurry. That’s ridiculous! Replace two restaurant outings a month with your slow cooker. It’s convenient, requires little effort, and makes tons of food for way less.

6. Borrow appliances.

We’ve all heard about lending a cup of sugar to your neighbor, but how about lending them your food processor? Now that’s really something! Need a handheld immersion blender to make some butternut squash soup? Borrow that rarely used appliance from a friend or neighbor instead of running to the store to buy it. Just be sure to send some yummy leftovers back as a thank you.

7. Weatherproof your home.

If you feel like you’re always heating or cooling your house only to have all that precious temperature-controlled air leak out, you might just be right. Seal up your doors and windows to reduce strain on your air conditioner and heating system—it might help you save up to 20% on your energy costs!(5)

8. Use low-flow fixtures.

If your water bill is always sky-high, look into low-flow faucets, toilets and showerheads. The U.S. Department of Energy reports that installing low-flow fixtures can give you a water use savings of 25–60%.(6)

9. Pay with cash.

An amazing thing happens when you pay with actual cash and not just your debit card: You feel it in your gut in a different way. It might even slightly pain you to watch that cash slip out of your hands. And when you’re rocking a couple twenties in your wallet, you’re probably going to hoard them for as long as possible instead of mindlessly spending them.

If you’re constantly overspending on certain categories in your budget, then give the envelope system a try. Just carry your budgeted amount in cash (let’s say $150 for groceries) and when the cash in the envelope is gone, that’s it! You can’t spend anymore!

10. Save loose change.

Now that you’re using cold, hard cash, you’re going to have some leftover coins. Remember that stuff? Dump all your loose change into a jar and see how much you’ve saved up at the end of the month!

11. Wear your specs.

Contact lenses can cost anywhere from $220–700 a year, according to consumer site All About Vision.(7) If you’re trying to meet a financial goal, wear your not-so-pretty-but-perfectly-fine glasses for a few months instead. Hey, at least you’ll look smarter (and maybe even a little hip too).

12. Lower your cell phone bill.

You may be shocked every time you get a glance at your cell phone bill, and for good reason. J.D. Power reports the average monthly bill will set you back $157, so it probably clocks in right under your cable bill.(8) Sheesh!

Call up your cellular provider and cancel the phone insurance, switch to a different plan, or jump to a different carrier. You’d be surprised by how quickly you could free up 30–50 bucks with just a few changes to your cell phone bill.

13. Make a budget.

This one’s super easy. If you really want to save money each month and curb your spending, then you need to do a monthly budget—before the month even begins. Our ultra-simple and free budgeting app EveryDollar makes it easy to see where your money is going and helps you stay motivated as you’re working toward your budgeting goals!

Already have a budget? Great! Now trim it up. Shave five bucks from every budget category before the month begins. That means your restaurant cash will be $45 instead of $50, and your clothing fund will be $25 instead of $30. It’s barely noticeable, but collectively, it adds up!

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Author: HOMEPROFITCOACH

I have been marketing online for 30 years helping people do it right with education, and list building tools and procedures.