Thursday, November 3, 2016

10 Creative Ways to Save Money

Written By: Tami


As you probably know, money problems can be stressful. Some people do some pretty hard, time-consuming, or even completely crazy things to save money. Because sometimes, when money is really tight, every little bit we save can help relieve some of our stress and banish just a little bit of our money woes.

You've probably all heard of some of the common ways to save money - like using coupons and budgeting. But today I thought I'd share some more creative money-saving tips with you guys!


10 creative ways to save money:

1. Save a certain bill.
I've seen most people say that they save all of their 5 dollar bills; if they get a $5, they automatically put it away wherever they save their money. But you can really do this with any bill - $1's if you want.

2. Plant a garden.
Garden's do take some work, but gardening actually probably isn't as hard as you think. Just make a list of all of the staple veggies that you always have around your house, and do some research on how to grow them in a garden. This will save you a bunch of money, and gardening is fun!

3. Take one thing out of your cart.
This is an even better way to save if you're a shopaholic. Every time you shop, take one thing out of your cart and put it back before you check out. This can save you money and keep you from regretting purchases or adding clutter to your home.

4. Do a clothing swap.
I actually mentioned this in my post about saving money on clothes. Hosting clothing swaps is a great way to get free clothes and get rid of clothing that you don't want anymore. You can read about them in this post from The Chalkboard Mag.

5. Trick yourself.
This is one of my favorite ways to save money because it's literally so easy. When you're writing down your deposits and expenses in your check register, just around the expenses up and deposits down. Like, if you get a $1,453 paycheck, round it down to $1,400. And if you have a payment due that's $143, round it up to $150. This will ensure that you always have extra money leftover for savings.

6. Make your own cleaning products.
This isn't only the cheaper option, it's the healthier option too! There won't be any harmful chemicals. When you run out of a cleaning product, just do a quick search on Pinterest to figure out how to make your own before you go out and buy it. Most household cleaners are super easy and cheap to make!

7. Skip credit cards and use layaway. 
Most stores offer layaway, so use that instead of credit cards. There's no interest and you don't have to worry about putting yourself into debt to buy something that you can't afford. This is the smartest option for purchases that you don't need right away.

8. Find free entertainment.
Next time you want to go out and do something, check your local newspaper, website, or Facebook page. Most cities have loads of free entertainment like concerts, movie nights, or wine tastings. I live in a tiny town and we have a good amount of free stuff to do, so I'm sure your town does too! :) You could always search for things to do in the closest city to you as well. Also, next time you're about to buy a book, movie, or CD, check your library first! You can borrow them for free, instead of spending the money buying them all of the time.

9. Re-purpose things.
If you're crafty, learn to recycle things. This is fun and it can save you a ton of money! You won't have to spend money on things like pretty baskets, magazine organizers, or canisters. Just don't start holding onto every single piece of trash because you're going to make something out of it "someday." :)

10. Shop out of season.
Buying things when they're out of season can save you a lot of money. For example, buy swimsuits in the winter and winter coats in the summer. Also, buying Christmas presents when they're discounted can save you a lot of money too. Just shop the after-Christmas sales and save the gifts for the next year.

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