Money makes the world go around.
And in this day and age, finding ways to hold onto every cent of it feels imperative.
I'm big on clearance sales and weekly coupons.
I'll buy in bulk on the 2-for-1 deals.
You can make stuff last until the next big deal comes back on.
I also find that it's been helpful to try to track monthly sales.
Most supermarkets repeat the same deals every 3-5 weeks.
Creating a shopping pattern can be very helpful to the bank account.
Unless, of course, you can win the lotto.
Then spend it however you want.
Most of us aren't that lucky.
A Redditor wanted to learn about all the best ways to keep money from going out, so they asked:
"What is the best money-saving life hack you discovered?"
Make a Take-IN
"Learning how to cook my favorite takeout dishes at home. Now I’m saving money and not ashamed of how often I eat burritos."
- Pretty_Vickie
"Especially pasta dishes. Once you realize how cheap pasta is you’ll second guess any high-priced pasta dish. Learn how to make a good sauce, add your choice of protein, and add pasta."
- powaking
Season 5 Cooking GIF by Living SingleGiphy
Quality Control
"Buying quality stuff once instead of cheap stuff five times. It’s harder upfront, but my closet is finally free of 3-for-1 sale shoes that disintegrate after one season."
- Happy-Vickie
"Heard a good piece of advice about this a few days ago. Buy the cheap thing first. If you use it often enough to break it, then you know you will be using the better one enough to justify the cost. Of course with something as important as shoes this is different."
- ShadowfireOmega
"This works really well with hobbies. If you're interested in a new hobby buy the cheap equipment first. If you keep using it and wear it out and like it then replace it with higher quality."
- awe2D2
FAVORS
"When I bought my house I eventually was added to a Facebook group by the HOA. Now at first this sounded like a bad idea, turns out people were able to ask for 'favors' like assistance with a broken toilet or that their kid would mow a lawn for $20. Someone asked if anyone could help set up a Google Home device they’d gotten as a gift, and I said sure. Well, that resulted in someone helping me diagnose a leaky water pipe later. I was able to save hundreds or thousands on repairs by just asking for help and providing some every so often."
- Sensitive_Scar_1800
Make it Last
"Eat your leftovers. If you cook right they taste better the next day anyway (ie stews- casseroles- lasagna- soups etc etc) and you don't have to cook again the next day saving energy, time, and resources."
- tassiestar
"Alternatively, freeze your leftovers (most foods freeze well). If you cook a batch of something, it lasts weeks to months in the freezer, and if stored properly, can be portioned so you don't have to reheat the entire batch of leftovers or have the same thing for several meals/days in a row. As long as you also reheat it properly, it can be just as good as the day you made or bought it."
- johnnybiggles
Eat First
"Never grocery shop when you’re hungry. Saved me from buying half the store!"
- Racermia
"My problem is if I go grocery shopping when I’m not hungry I just wander around the store like, 'Eh, I don’t feel like any of this' and I end up buying practically nothing and just have to go again later in the week. Or I buy a bunch of random stuff thinking I’ll want it later and by Tuesday I wonder what the hell I was thinking. I’m really terrible at grocery shopping."
- Wishyouamerry
Bad Puffs
"I don't smoke but live my financial life as a smoker. This means that every Monday I transfer the sum of one week's worth of cigarettes to my savings account. If people who earn less than me can afford to smoke, so can I."
- year-endstillness43
"This actually sounds like a great idea! I'm trying to stop smoking so I wonder if this idea would help me achieve that and saving in general."
- Serenititty2113
Begin Early
"I start Christmas shopping in January and only shop sales and clearance racks throughout the year. I have a rather large family and I'm usually done shopping by September. I wrap everything in October. My wallet is happy and so am I not having to be stressed out."
- Amazing-Figure9802
"On the flip side, mutually deciding to not exchange with your family members. No stress, no spending money, no crap you have to decide what to do with."
- GuessMyName23
"This is what I normally do as well, there are plenty of things that I can buy year-round that I know people will like. I've found things at the clearance racks that can be used for everyone and it's a lot cheaper to just repurpose those clearance items into a larger gift basket."
- MartyMcMuffin
More than Once
"Buying reusable objects in place of single-use ones. It's better for your wallet and environment. Steel water bottles, reusable K cups, dish towels instead of paper towels, etc. Over time the costs of little things really add up."
- valempmin
"Oh yeah, coffee is a super obvious one. Coffee pods are practically as expensive as going to a coffee shop or a McDonalds and ordering a coffee. Much more economical to get reusable pods, or use a French press. Or if you don't like the cleanup hassle of a French press, you can get a pour-over drip cone and cheap paper filters."
- i_liek_trainsss
Right Away
"Automatically direct deposit a percentage of your check into a hard-to-reach bank account. It will force you to budget properly, prioritize increasing your income and it’s oddly easy to forget about and not waste."
- Famousdeadrummer
"I have two accounts in two different banks. It originally started as something I had to do, I had to hide the money I had so it wouldn’t be demanded. Now the two accounts have turned into life/unusable savings and useable savings. I now have about the same amount in each account, but I often forget about the second account. So in my head, I only have half the amount of savings I actually do. I’m still comfortable, and it makes me live within my means since I think I only have 1/2 of what I actually do.
"Next, I need to look into ways to invest it."
- Overall-Emphasis7558
Fun Money
"One of my best money-saving hacks is to set up a separate savings account specifically for 'fun money.' I automate a small amount to transfer to that account every month. It helps me save for things I actually want to do without feeling guilty about spending! Plus, it keeps my main budget on track."
- LunarEch0o
"I do this, it's only a tiny bit of my income (3%) which I don't miss anyway but it adds up surprisingly fast. Impulse buys, just use the fun account."
- zerbey
Necessities
"Ask yourself 'Do I need this? or do I just want this?'"
"Wants and needs are two different things in life."
- Skyrimlol
"It's sad to see people not being able to distinguish a want from a need. Otherwise, the eye roll of posts during the holidays where they show dilapidated underwear wouldn't exist."
- Naroyto
Weighing Which One GIF by AwesomenessTVGiphy
Basics
"Learning basic electronics repair. Been doing it since I was a kid when we'd just dumpster dive and find busted old TVs and VCRs and fix them up. Most of the time it's something really simple, and you can fix your expensive TV for a few cents rather than buying a brand-new one for the sake of a blown capacitor. Watch YouTube channels like Big Clive, most of it is just knowing how to solder and your way around a multimeter."
- zerbey
I've Got My Own
"Bringing snacks everywhere. Movie theater? Got my own popcorn. Road trip? Got my own snacks. I’m basically a walking concession stand at this point, but I’ve saved so much money."
- bustyvictoria19
Do the Math
"I kind of did the reverse of this. There's a local movie theater that is non-profit and they have a subscription model which is $175/year which sounds expensive but it allows you to bring a plus one and you get free popcorn. I did the math and figured that if you go to six movies it breaks even. I kept track and it turns out... 35 movies and only three were solo so definitely look into things like this."
- eddyathome
Challenges
"One of the best money-saving hacks I've found is using the 'no-spend' challenge. Designate a week or month where you only spend on essentials no dining out, no shopping for non-essentials. It really helps you see where your money goes and shifts your mindset about needs versus wants. Plus, it can be a fun challenge with friends! What about you? Any hacks that have worked wonders for you?"
- Legitimate_babe-plus
Delete
"I uninstalled every rideshare and food delivery app from my phone. I can't give into temptation if the temptation isn't there anymore!"
- HappyCrowBrain
Elon Musk Reaction GIF by Robert E BlackmonGiphy
These are ALL brilliant!
And things I already do.
I don't get people or toss out leftovers, but learning how to cook my favorite restaurant foods is a good idea.
I'm not the best cook, though.
There is nothing wrong with looking for that super sale.
Money is tight right now.
Honestly, money is always tight.
We gotta do what we gotta do.
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