Although I love to write about money saving, I rarely share tips on how to cut costs or save a little cash. I don’t write much about small ways to save money because there is so much information already available.
Even though they may seem simple, many people reading this blog are not aware of some money-saving tips.
It’s okay to not understand or know about these things!
This post will focus on small ways to start saving money. You may also be overlooking some of them.
It does not mean that you will become rich within a year. Some finance articles make it seem like you can get rich by saving a few dollars a day.
These tips will not make you a millionaire.
These small savings can help you achieve your financial goals. While some of the items on this list may seem trivial, they will help you to keep some cash in your pocket.
Table of Contents
Never be afraid to speak up and ask for fees to be waived
Make a “maintenance run” on your car, household items, etc.
Avoid paying too much for contact lenses
Cancellation of Club and Gym Memberships
Drink More Water
Cancel Cable or Satellite
Crock pots are a great investment.
Pack food for road trips or cook on vacation
Credit Card Companies Will Negotiate Your Rates
Learn about the benefits that your company offers
Bonus: Pay Attention To Your 401k
Final Thoughts
Never be afraid to speak up and ask for fees to be waived
We pay fees for signing up to something, or anything else. We still pay it, even if we are complaining internally.
Many companies are willing to waive fees if you ask them.
It’s nice to have some extra money from fees waived. It’s also worth asking, even if not all companies are accommodating.
Make a “Maintenance run” on your car, household items, etc.
All of these items are essential to your everyday life. Many of these items can be expensive to repair or replace.
By doing a monthly check-up on these areas you can avoid future financial problems.
Check and clean your car regularly, and if necessary, add air to your tires. Check for wear on your appliances and clean out the vents.
A simple screw, washer or bolt replacement can make something run more efficiently and prevent a bigger problem from occurring in the future.
Avoid paying too much for contact lenses
Although I’m sure not everyone reading this has contact lenses, it is likely that some of you have them like me.
Contact lenses are worn by 45 million Americans. Not everyone chooses lasik either.
You can save money by recognizing that you may be paying too much for your contact lenses.
Depending on what you wear, you may need more every three to six months. You can easily see how much money you’re spending.
Compare your options and know what you can do to save money. ContactsCompare allows you to compare prices, and save money.
Cancel Club or Gym Memberships
This list can help you save a lot of money. People often forget to evaluate whether a club membership or gym membership was worth the money.
It’s my gym membership, which I recently cancelled. It’s true, I wasted money.
Now that my apartment complex has a gym, I don’t have to drive anywhere to go to the gym.
It’s only $20/month. That’s $240 per year that I waste. I thought, well, it’s just $20 and I will probably go back. Two years ago, I said the same thing! Oops.
If you do not see any value in your membership, you can free up some money. You can always re-pay it at a later date.
Drink More Water
Start drinking more water. I only started doing this in the past two years. Drinking water is not only good for your health, but also helps you save money.
How?
When you go out to eat at restaurants, you can save money by sticking to water. Drinking soda, tea, or alcoholic drinks can quickly add up.
You can also invest in a water filter container for your home. Fill it up and store it in your refrigerator to avoid buying bottles of water.
It’s not that I say you shouldn’t treat yourself with some juice or beer. But it does help.
I don’t buy soda or iced-tea anymore, and even have less of a desire for it. I do occasionally get one.
Cancel Cable or Satellite
I used to watch television very little and was not interested in what it offered. The $100+/month cost was also not appealing to me.
My roommate wanted it at the time for different sports reasons. We split the bill, which wasn’t bad.
After that, I promised myself to never do it again.
Netflix, or Hulu Live at half the cost, will give you everything you need. Some people who are experts in personal finance recommend that you remove it all. But I am not that extreme.
Find ways to save money and still enjoy the things you love.
Trim is a free app that you can download. Trim helps you negotiate cable, Internet, phone and medical bills as well as cancelling old subscriptions. Trim can help you save money.
Crock pots are a great investment.
Slow cookers and Crock Pots are great investments to make food. While you’re at work, you can cook large quantities of food.
When you return home, dinner will be ready. There are many delicious recipes that you can use to spice up your meal.
You will end up saving money and not having to eat out or order food from a delivery service after work.
You can have leftovers for lunches or dinners the following week. Score.
Pack food for road trips or cook on vacation
If you are concerned about food costs, try to bring enough food for the entire trip. When on vacation, cook most of the time.
Vacations are all about relaxing and exploring. It’s something I also enjoy! Instead of going out to eat every day, pick one or two days and cook the rest.
We packed our lunches and took them with us everywhere. We also cooked on the campsite every morning and evening. We saved a lot of money, and we had a great time.
Credit Card Companies Will Negotiate Your Rates
You can still have some control over your credit card debt as long as you continue to make your payments.
You can negotiate with your credit card provider your current interest rates, and you can also transfer your balance from one card to another.
Call your card issuer to explain your request. You can try to negotiate with your card issuer, but if you are not successful, look for a balance transfer credit card with 0% APR. This could save you money on interest.
Learn about the benefits that your company offers
This is something we often overlook or forget. First, you should understand your retirement package (if there is one) and take advantage of the company match.
You can reach your retirement goals faster and with less money by using this free money.
Your company might offer much more. You may get free training, be paid to return to school, or receive tickets for free events.
You should talk to your HR manager to find out all you need to know. You can also check your company’s employment manual for the information you need.
401k Bonus: Take Care of Your Investments
You’ll need to perform some maintenance if you are using your 401k plan through your employer. It’s not necessary to be an expert in investing, but it is important that you have a good understanding of the plan.
Talk to your HR representative to find out more about your plan. This is important because you may be investing in funds that cost you money and take years off of your retirement goal.
Many 401k plans offered by companies may also have strange hidden fees. By doing a routine check-in you can save thousands.
Blooom is a great way to make sure you’re on the right path and catch any hidden fees. Their free 401k analysis tool is a great way to get insights, recommendations and more.
Final Thoughts
Here are ten simple ways to save money. These are all things that I had never considered before, but they have helped me save a lot of money.
As I mentioned in the introduction, these tips will not make you rich or enable you to retire early. I think it’s great if you are able to save a few hundred dollars every year.
