Who wouldn’t like some extra money in their pocket every month? There are several ways that you can earn extra money, like getting a part-time job on the weekends, but most people don’t want to do that.
Luckily, there are several ways that you can cut down your expenses, which is going to give you a lot more money in your bank account every month. There are dozens and dozens of different ways that you can trim down your budget, most of them are very simple to do, but can make a huge impact on your finances.
Buy Generic
One simple way that you can save money on your grocery bill is by choosing store brands instead of the name brand foods. Most generic brands are going to be much cheaper than brand name goods. If you save a $1 on each item, you can easily save $20 or more on your grocery store bill, which is going to translate to around $80 or more every month.
Car Pool
It’s time to make some friends around the office. Not only will it make your coffee breaks better, but you can also create a carpool group and cut your transportation costs in half or even more than that. Make a schedule of everyone willing to carpool and rotate the driver every week. This can save you hundreds of dollars on gas depending on how far that you have to drive to work every day.
Go Public with Transportation
Another way to save money on your transportation costs is to start taking public transportation instead of driving every day. If you live in an area that has some form of public transportation, you can save money on gas and maintenance of your vehicle. While you may not enjoy your commute as much, it can save you thousands of dollars every year on gas and other related costs.
Review your Insurance
Insurance isn’t the most exciting topic, but it’s full of areas where you can save money. If you’ve had all of your insurance policies for years, it’s time to look for discounts or cheaper plans. One simple way to save money on insurance plan sis to bundle your coverage with one company. Just about every insurance company will give you a discount for having all of your plans with them.
Coupons
While you may think of cutting coupons as a thing of the past, it’s an excellent way to get your grocery bill down even further. Most people don’t think coupons are worth the effort, but it’s one of the simplest ways to cut your grocery bill by 10% or more, and that money quickly adds up.
Skip the Morning Coffee
While every coffee addict loves their morning specialty drink, those cups of joe can run you $4 or $5 every day. If you buy one every morning before work, you can spend $25 on coffee every week, which is going to be $100 a month. Instead, make a cup of coffee at home and take it to go. By simply making your own coffee, you can save yourself $1,200 every year.
Dine-In
It’s nice to enjoy a night out for dinner, but don’t make those nights a habit. Going to a relatively cheap restaurant with your spouse or family can rack up a $50 bills. If you’re looking for some easy ways to save money, it’s time to hit the kitchen and start cooking your own meals at home. Even if you aren’t an experienced chef, there are millions of easy recipes on Pinterest or you could try the mail order meal boxes. Both options make it much easier for anyone to cook from home..
Drink Water
Whenever you do decide to hit a restaurant for lunch or dinner, try getting water instead of soda. Getting a drink other than water is going to be an additional $2 for everyone that’s eating. If you’re eating with your family, that can be around $10 a meal. Not only is water great for your health, but it’s great for your wallet as well.
Eat Early
It’s time that you moved up your dinner time. If you want to save money, eating earlier in the day can save you money. Those early-bird specials aren’t just for retired people. If your favorite restaurant has early dinner rates, take advantage of those and had a snack later in the evening if you get hunger.
Find Free Entertainment
Going to the movies can be expensive, but there are dozens of options for free or cheap fun. Take your family to the park for a picnic or to a local play. More than likely your town has a calendar of events for free or cheap admission. Not only is this a great way to save money, but it’s an excellent way to support your town.
Shop the Sales
Wait for the seasons to change, and then do all of your clothes shopping. All of the stores will be looking to get rid of inventory, which is going to translate into savings for you. If you want to save money, clearance racks are going to be your best friend.
Buy in Bulk
If you have the room to store nonperishables or toiletries, buying in bulk can trim your budget. If you have any discount bulk stores near you, you can stock up on things that you use a lot and pay less per unit. It’s important that you only buy things that won’t expire. Otherwise you’re wasting money by purchasing in bulk.
Plan around Sales Papers
When you’re planning out your meals for the week, grab the grocery store sales papers and plan your meals around what’s the cheapest. If the store has chicken on sale, then cook several meals that are based around the chicken. Also, you can stock up on some of the protein items and freeze them for the next week.
Make Your Saving Automatic
It’s a lot easier to save a part of your paycheck if you never see it. One simple way to save money is to make your savings automatic. Set up an automatic deposit every month from your paycheck.
Cut your Cable
One of the biggest trends for saving money is to cut the cable bill and use online streaming instead. Cable prices have gone through the roof recently. Instead of paying the expensive monthly bills for cable, switch to services like Netflix and Hulu, it could quickly save you $50 or more every month.
Trimming down your Budget
As you can see, there are dozens of ways that you can save money every month, and these are just a few of the simple ways to keep more money in your pocket. Using a couple of these ways, you could find yourself with several extra thousands of dollars at the end of the year.
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