While I like to talk about saving money, I don’t often write a whole lot about ways cut back on expenses or small ways to save cash. Mostly because I think a lot of information is already out there.
However, I’ve realized that many people who do read this blog, may not be fully aware of certain saving money tips, even if they do seem rather simple.
And it’s also okay to not know these things or even not realize!
For this post, my focus is on ways you can start saving money in small increments. And also ones you may be overlooking without realizing.
This does not mean you’ll get rich in a year or two by doing this. That’s one of my annoyances with some finance articles that make it sound like you’ll get rich saving a few bucks a day.
You will not become a millionaire from these below tips.
But, these small increments of saving money can contribute to your financial progress and goals. So while some things in this list below may seem insignificant, they can help you keep some extra cash in your pockets.
Speak Up – Always Ask For Fees To Be Waived
It’s funny how many times there may be certain fees with signing-up for something or whatever it may be, but we still pay it. Even if we complain internally about it.
You’d be surprised by just asking to waive the fees how accommodating many companies will be for you.
Again, not something that will make you rich, but having some extra cash from waived fees is nice. Also, not all companies will be super accommodating, but it never hurts to ask.
Do A “Maintenance Run” On Household Items, Your Car, etc.
Appliances, household items, and your car are all pretty essential items to your daily life. And many of these things can have expensive repairs or for replacements.
But, by doing some monthly routine
Regularly get your car checked, cleaned, and fill
Sometimes a simple screw, washer, bolt replacement, or a simple cleaning can keep something running more efficient and not cause a larger problem in the near future.
Stop Overpaying for Contact Lenses
I know not all of you reading this have contact lenses, but more than likely some of you do like me.
And the numbers don’t lie, an estimated 45 million people in the U.S. wear contact lenses. Plus, not everyone opts to get
But a way to save some
Pending what you choose to wear, every three or six months you may need to order more. That money adds up, just so you can see clearly.
A great way to save some cash is to know and compare your options. You can compare prices and find ones that will save you some money on ContactsCompare.
Cancel Unused Club or Gym Memberships
When it comes to saving money and this list, this one can actually put a decent amount back in your pocket. It’s also totally common that people forget to check in and see if that club or gym membership is even worth it.
For me, it’s a gym membership and something I just recently canceled. Yup, I’ve wasted money and realized it pretty recently.
I used to go to this gym franchise all the time, but now my apartment complex has one and I no longer drive to the gym.
But it’s $20/month, that’s $240 a year I’m wasting. I looked at it as, well it’s only $20 and I’ll probably go back. I said that two years ago! Oops.
Look at any memberships you belong too and if you don’t see the value, free up the money. You can always renew it later again.
Drink More Water
I adopted this more recently in the last two years, but start drinking more water. So besides the obvious health benefits by drinking water, it helps your pockets too.
How?
For one, when you do go out to eat, stick to water as it saves you some money. Soda, teas, and alcoholic beverages can add up quickly.
Also for your home, invest in a filter water container to fill up and keep in your fridge, which will save you from buying water bottles.
Look, I’m not saying you never should treat yourself to some juice or a good beer, but it helps.
I find myself never buying soda, iced tea, or even craving it much anymore. Occasionally, I will get one though.
Cancel Cable or Satellite
A few years back, I found myself rarely watching television or what it had to offer. I also was not excited about the $100+/month bill for it either.
At the time, my
However, after that I vowed to never have it again.
You can get everything you want with either Netflix or even Hulu Live which is half the price. Some personal finance people recommend removing it all. But I’m just not that extreme.
Instead find ways to put that extra cash back in your pocket, yet still, have some things you enjoy.
Invest In a Crock Pot
Crock pots or “slow cookers” are awesome investments for making food. You can make a bulk amounts of food while you are at work.
Simply throw all your ingredients that a recipe calls for and set to low while you are gone and when you come home dinner is ready! And there are tons of delicious recipes to mix up your meals.
This will save you money in the long run and stop you from hitting up fast food or delivery services constantly after work.
I love food made in the crock pot, plus you’ll generally have tons of leftovers you can use for lunch or dinners later in the week. Score.
Pack Food for Road Trips Or Cook On Vacations
Sticking with the food costs here, if you go on roadtrips try to pack food for the majority of the trip. And with vacations, try to cook and make food most days.
I know, vacations means relaxing and exploring wherever you are. I’m all about it too! But instead of spending money out everyday, only pick a day or two instead and use the other days to make food.
My girlfriend and I went on a two week road trip/camping last summer with her family and we packed lunches everywhere we went. We cooked at the campsite each morning and evening as well. Saved us a ton of money and had an amazing time.
Negotiate Rates With Your Credit Card Company
If you’re paying a lot of interest on your credit cards, it’s important to know that you do have some power as long as you’ve been making your payments.
Not only do you have the right to negotiate your current interest rate with your credit card company, but you also can transfer your balance to a different card as well.
Start by calling your card issuer and explaining your request. If you don’t make any progress with them, check out some balance transfer credit cards to find one with a 0% APR. That could help you save money on interest.
Know About the Benefits Your Company Offers
I think this is actually a big one we sometimes neglect or don’t always think about. The first big one should be understanding their retirement package (if your company has a 401k) to take advantage of any company match.
That’s free money to help you reach your retirement goals fast and with less of your own.
But your company may offer a lot more. There may be free training sessions, offers to pay you to go back to school, tickets to free events, etc.
It’s worth talking to the HR leader at your company to get all the info you need. Or if anything, look back at your employment manual as the info might be right there for you.
Bonus: Pay Attention to Your 401k
If you have a 401k through your employer and are taking advantage of it (you should be), you’ll want to do some routine maintenance. You don’t need to be an investing expert, but you should have a basic understanding of your plan.
See previous step, talk to your HR rep to learn more about your plan. But the reason this matters is you could be invested in funds that are costing you money and taking years off your retirement goals.
Plus, many company 401k plans might have some weird hidden fees too. But, by doing a simple routine check-in, you can save yourself thousands of dollars.
A easy way to ensure you are on the right track and catching any hidden fees is with Blooom. I recommend their free 401k analyzer to uncover insights, get recommendations, and more.
Final Thoughts
There you have it, ten ways you can start saving some money that you might be overlooking. Many of these are things I never thought much about in the past, but realized they can put some decent money back in my pockets.
Like I said in the intro, you are not going to get wealthy or retire early off these tips. But, if you can pocket a few hundred bucks every year, that’s a good win in my book.
What other ways can others save small increments of cash that might be overlooked? Let me know in the comments below.