How To Save Money-150 Great Ways to Save Money On a Tight Budget

Money saving tips for all budgets

Are you looking for easy ways on how to save money on a tight budget? Then you are in the right place.

Anyone can learn how to manage their finances, save money and reduce expenses.

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No matter where you are in your financial journey you can find more ways to save money and take control of your financial life.

There are a lot of obvious ways to save money but there are a lot that are overlooked.

Even the small ways to save can add up over time, especially if you are able to implement more than one.

Saving a couple of dimes a day can add up to hundreds, even thousands a year.

You might find ideas that you already implemented or some that don’t apply to you.

Even so, you’ll still be able to find a few new ways to be thrifty every day that will take you one step closer to your savings goal.

Think before you purchase

Have you ever regretted making a purchase? Me too.  Are you ever looking around your home thinking “I could have lived without that thing”? Me too.

Best way to save more is to go without. If you are thinking to buy something, that is not an urgent need then you can definitely live without it.

Spending less money on the things we want is the best and easiest way to save our hard earned money.

Going further, every time you make a purchase, especially if it’s a big expense, ask yourself some questions:

• Is it worth the money?
• Can I afford to buy it?
• Am I going to use it and how often?
• Is it a necessity or just another want?
• Do I really need is or I can live without it?
• What else can I do with this money?

For me, asking if I will actually use it and come up with a better more wise way to use the money always works.

Never pay full price

Learn how to negotiate or marry someone who knows how to do it as I did. 🙂

No matter what you plan to buy never pay the full price, you can negotiate it.

You can negotiate for your phone bill, insurance, even if you are buying a fridge or a car. You’ll definitely get a price reduction.

If there is no way they can give you a price reduction they will be willing to give you an extra product or service for free.

For example, my husband negotiated for our cell phone when we upgraded our phone. He got the lowest price they could give us for that specific plan.

A couple of months after the 2-year contract was done he called our provider and complained that they didn’t automatically reduce our bill for paying off the phone.

They reduced the bill, received the extra charges for the past months back and to make sure they don’t lose him as a customer they gave us an extra 1 GB of data for free.

If you are willing to pick up the phone and give some calls you will be able to save hundreds of dollars a year.

Make more money

I realize that this is not a way to cut expenses, but the more money you make the more you are going to save.

There are a lot of different things you can do to make extra money from home, without having to leave the comfort of your home.

Start a blog – This is what helps me at the moment make extra money. It’s not a lot at this moment but every cent matter.

There are people who have started a blog and now they are making thousands of dollars a month.

Some of them quit their jobs to blog full time. It takes some time, hard work and determination but it’s all worth it.

If you are interested in starting your own blog, I have a tutorial to help you start a successful blog.

If you purchase at least 12 months of blog hosting through my Bluehost link you’ll get a FREE domain name.

If blogging is not something you can see yourself doing then you can look into becoming a virtual assistant.

 You can work part-time to supplement your income or you can work full time and have a successful business.

Whatever you choose you don’t need any specific skills to start and you can become a virtual assistant with no experience.

HOW TO SAVE MONEY ON YOUR REGULAR MONTHLY BILLS

Reduce your cable bill or cut the cord completely

We cut the cable a few years ago and never regretted it, we didn’t watch lots of TV anyways and we saved quite a little bit of money.

The average cable bill is around $100 and research companies are saying that the prices are going to get higher.

If it’s hard to just cut the cable buy a digital antenna, that’s what we did.

We opted for the antenna to make sure we still have a way to watch TV if we want to and now my kids watch it from time to time.

Use a Programmable Thermostat

A programmable thermostat will allow you to set the temperature however you wanted throughout the day.

This is something that you might want to consider investing in.

You can easily find affordable programmable thermostats and you will recover your money in no time.

You can set it to automatically turn off the AC while your not home and started just before you arrive.

You can also set a lower temperature during the night or certain hours of the day.

You only have to set it up once and don’t have to worry about it, because it automatically changes according to the schedule.

Insulate your home properly

While properly insulating your home is an expense, it’s actually an expense that will help you save tons of money over time.

Proper insulation will help you save on heating or cooling your home, not allowing an easy heat transfer to the outside.

Not too long after we bought our home we found out that our gas and electric bills were half of what my coworkers with similar homes were paying.

The previous owners build the house and they made it for them so the insulation is very good.

We’ve had some contractors come over to do some work for us and they all pointed out that whoever built our home took some extra steps when it comes to the insulation.

Your home should be insulated from the roof down to the foundation:

• Insulate all exterior walls of your home
• Add insulation to your attic
• Floors above cold spaces, such as vented crawl spaces and unheated garages
• Find out if you have any air leakage in your home and fix it.
• Caulk and seal around all windows and doors
• You can even winterize your windows  Winterize Your Windows

Reduce your energy bill

With all the appliances and gadgets that we have plugged in is no wonder that the average American spends $2060 on energy bill.

There are a lot of ways you can still cut the energy bill no matter how indispensable your gadgets are:

• Install CFL or LED light bulbs. These bulbs are about four times more energy efficient than incandescent bulbs and last more. 
• Use less water- Take shorter showers and install a low-flow shower head
• Lower the temperature of your water heater- your hot doesn’t have to burn you when you use it.
• Use smart power strips – your appliances use electricity even when they are not in use. Unplug everything that is not in use. A smart power strip will help you easily do just that.
• Use timers- A timer can automatically turn off the charge to anything plugged in.
• Use dimmer switches 
• Use motion sensor light switch-  We were always living our light on in the walk-in closet so we installed a motion sensor light switch.
• Hang your clothes to dry instead of using the dryer
• Use your appliances on off-peak energy consumption hours. Energy rates rise when usages are at their highest.
• Upgrade To Energy-Efficient Appliances

Cancel your home phone and switch to a more affordable cell phone plan

Most people waste a lot of money on their phones.

• Cancel your home phone- A phone line costs $10 a month, it might not seem a lot but they add up in time. If you don’t own a company that needs to rely on land phone you can cut it off if you have a cell phone. Keeping both a home phone and a cell phone doesn’t make any sense.
• Switch to a more affordable cell phone plan- Most people overpay for their cell phone plan, so ask yourself if you really use your phone. If you don’t use it that much switch to a more affordable cell phone plan.
• Don’t switch your cell phone every 2 years-  Keep your phone for as long as possible, don’t change it as soon as your contract is done. Your bill should be going down as soon as you pass the 2-year contract term. Don’t forget to call your provider and remind them of that.
• Give up your cell phone- We had just one cell phone for years now and we did just fine. It’s true that my husband has a work cell phone now, but we did just fine with one.

HOW TO SAVE MONEY ON FOOD

According to statistics in 2017, the average U.S. household spent approximately $7,729 on food. 

That’s a lot of money, and 30% to 40% of that money is spent on food that ends up in the garbage.

Taking that in consideration you might save a couple of thousand dollars instead of throwing it in the dumpster.

Make a grocery budget

If you are committed to a budget you will have greater chances to reach your saving goals.

You will be constantly reminded how much you have to work with and what areas of your budget can be improved.

Meal plan

Without a meal plan, you will not be able to stay within the limits of your grocery budget.

Sit down with your family and decide what you want to eat the upcoming week.

When you plan your meals make sure to take a look at what is on sale at the store you do your grocery. Decide your meals according to what sales here are.

If chicken breast is on sale then make sure you have a meal or two next week that uses chicken breast as the main ingredient.

Make a grocery list and stick to it

Don’t go grocery shopping without a list. After you finish with your meal plan, figure out what ingredients you need for each meal.

With the ingredients list in hand check what you already have and see what you need to buy.

In order to be successful in cutting your food expenses, you need to stick to your grocery list.

Buy generic when you can

Most grocery stores have brand name items and right next to them are the no brand names which are way less expensive.

In most cases, both brand name and generic brands have identical ingredients so there is no need to pay for a name brand.

Eat out less

Do you often take dinner at the restaurant? How much do you spend a month visiting your favorite restaurant?

Most people don’t even realize how much they spend until they actually start tracking their expenses.

Cook your dinner at home instead of eating out, it’s not only going to save you money but it’s also healthier.

Bottled water

Some might say I need to buy bottled water, I live in an area that doesn’t provide good tasting water or that you need it for when you are on the go.

If you don’t have access to clean, good tasting water buy refillable water containers or a water pitcher with filter and if you are looking for new appliances take into consideration buying a fridge that has a water filter.  

When you are on the go opt for a refillable water bottle.

• Stock up non-perishable when on sale
• Compare the prices for your staple items at different stores in your area- but please don’t drive an extra half an hour just to save a buck on a product
• Buy in bulk.
• Shop at farmers markets
• Grow your own food
• Buy produce in season
• Make your own bread
• Find recipes that are cheap to make
• Freeze leftovers
• Learn the lost habit of canning
• Cut down on takeout coffee

HOW TO SAVE MONEY ON FINANCIAL SERVICES

Banks make a lot of money from ATM, overdraft and investment fees.

Account fees are a huge waste of money, and there are lots of people that pay them. You can easily find free banking accounts.

I, for example, have an account that has a fee but because I opened a savings account with them the fee was waved.

Here are my most important tips on how to save on banking fees:

• Pay off debt as soon as possible to save on interest
• Don’t pay ATM fees, use your bank’s ATM
• Don’t pay to see your credit score
• Get a high-interest savings account
• Don’t carry a credit card balance. Pay them in full each month.
• Shop with cash, not plastic
• Refinance your loans.
• Use rewards credit cards

HOW TO SAVE MONEY ON ENTERTAINMENT

When you’re in a need to trim your budget one of the first places to look is your entertainment expenses.

There are numerous ways to enjoy yourself and have fun while sticking to a realistic budget.

You just need to be a little creative and for sure you’ll find free or affordable ways to have fun.

Check out  Ways To Save On Entertainment for some more ideas.

When you save money on entertainment while crawling out of debt, remember that’s important to maintain a certain quality of life. 

If you take away everything that brings you pleasure it’s going to be hard to stick with your saving plan.

HOW TO SAVE MONEY ON KIDS

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, it will cost the average family about $222,360 to raise a single child from birth to age 18.

That’s a lot of money considering that this amount does not include college.

Fortunately, there are a lot of ways to cut back on child-related expenses:

• Don’t buy a lot of stuff for babies. They don’t need much and they grow out of their clothing very fast.
• Breastfeed – Not only will you save a lot of money by not buying formula, but babies that are breastfed are also less likely to need medical care.
• Don’t buy new – Shop at second-hand or consignment stores where you will find that most of the clothes are new or barely worn, especially for babies. You can also buy a lot of toys. If they can go in the dishwasher or washing machine there is nothing to be worried about.
• Buy gender neutral baby clothing and gear and keep it if you plan on having more than one baby
• Trade babysitting nights with friends
• Buy cloth diapers and pull-ups
• Take advantage of hand me downs from friends or family
• Use the library for books, games, movies, and puzzles
• Take advantage of sibling discounts
• Limit the extra-curriculum activities

HOW TO SAVE MONEY ON PERSONAL CARE

Personal care and beauty products can add up very fast, the larger the family is the larger the bill will be.

But as with anything that we spend money on there are always a lot of ways to save money. Here are a few tips for you:

•  Register for your store’s rewards program.
• Learn to make your own products.- Check out my homemade personal care and beauty products post 
• Do your own mani and pedi

We all love to have nice looking nails but for that, you don’t need to spend $50 every 3 weeks. Do your own mani and pedi at home!

If you like the gel nails, no problem, invest in a kit and go on YouTube and learn how to make your nails look like a professional did it.

• Ditch the pads and tampons

You can opt for the cloth pads or invest in a Diva Cup. I personally switched to The Diva Cup and I love it.

I was not the person to use tampons and that’s mainly due to discomfort and pain.

You might think that is the same with the cup but it’s actually not; the cup does not expand as the tampons do.

Another option would be period panties. These panties are very absorbent and leak proofed.

If you don’t have a very heavy period these can be great for you.

Initially, you need to invest in at least a couple of pairs but with the proper care, they can last you even 2 years.

• Cut your own hair

A simple trim would cost me $40 without the tip. I find it hard to pay so much money for trimming my hair.

Trimming my hair every 3 months or so would cost me $160.

If you never cut your own hair before I do recommend you do some research before you do it.

I don’t sport a very complicated hairstyle, mine is just layered and the fact that is curly also helps.

My hubby also started having his hair cut at home around 8 or 9 years ago. We also have 2 little munchkins and they love when I cut their hair.

A man cut costs around $15 and my husband is cutting his hair once a month.

That is $180 saving just for him and if I consider that my sons have to cut their hair only every 2 months is another $180.

• Dye your hair at home

If you are just covering your grey hair you can easily do it at home. Dyeing my hair or having highlights at the salon would cost me at least $150.

Touching up my roots would be around $70 every 6 weeks (time frame recommended by hair stylists for root touch ups).

Dye your hair one color and you can easily maintain it at home.

I dye my hair a color that is close to my natural one so I can go longer without having to touch it up. Usually, I do it every 3 months or so.

I buy my dye from Sally Beauty Supplies and it cost me around $8 per dye. You also need a developer that is around the same price.

I usually use half of the dye at once so it’s costing me $4 per touch up and the developer is going to last way more.

I have mine for more than a year and I still have a lot.

Even if it would cost me another $4 it would be $8 per touch up compared to $70 (before tip) at the salon.

You can save $62 per touch up and if you do it like me 4 or 5 times per year you can save $248 to $310.

HOW TO SAVE MONEY ON HOUSEHOLD

Running a household is not always easy and can get expensive quite fast if you don’t pay close attention to your budget. I have a few saving money tips for you:

• Stop buying things you don’t have to
•  Learn to make your own cleaning products at home. Most of us clean our homes with store-bought cleaners, and not only that but we pay a lot of money on all these cleaners. Cleaning supplies can be pretty expensive and can add up very fast.
• Do your own yard work
• Shop for better insurance and bundle it up
• Learn how to DIY – from home and car maintenance to up-cycle furniture or making your home decor anything can be DIY -ed.

I made a tufted ottoman out of an old coffee table we got for free and saved around $200.

I make my own paintings and save hundreds depending on the size. We saved thousands of dollars by building our own fence. 

You can DIY your headboards and anything else you can think of.

• Move into a smaller more affordable house
• Rent your extra room if you have one.

HOW TO SAVE MONEY AT WORK

1. Bring your own lunch to work – Instead of spending $10 or even more on lunch, bring something healthier and cheaper from home. This way you’ll be able to save a couple of hundred dollars a month.
2. Have a simple wardrobe and learn how to expand your wardrobe affordably
3. Carpool to work or commute during off-peak hours
4. Negotiate with your boss a day per week when you can work from home. It will save you time and gas.
5. Review your employee benefits package to understand all benefits available

HOW TO SAVE MONEY ON TRAVEL

• Travel when other people aren’t- Usually when children save school people don’t travel that much. So if you don’t have children or you are homeschooling than traveling during school time is the best.
• Be flexible with your date flights
• Fly on a midweek day, that’s when you can score a cheaper flight
• Purchase travel through cashback sites
• Join a frequent flyer program
• Couchsurf- Couchsurfing connects travelers with locals that offer members a place to sleep.
• Self-cater whenever possible.
• Walk as much as you can it’s free.
• Use public transportation as the locals do, it’s cheaper.
• Find out where the locals eat and avoid the tourist street.
• Use credit card reward points. Earn reward points and cash back by using your credit card. Use it like you usually do and pay it in full at each month.

HOW TO SAVE MONEY ON TRANSPORTATION

• Walk as much as possible,  take the bus, or bike,  instead of driving
• Drive a more affordable car- don’t stretch yourself too much. You don’t need the latest car model with all the extra options available for it. Drive a more affordable car that doesn’t have high car payments or even better, one you can pay it in full. This will free you a lot of money you can use to pay off your mortgage or build your retirement fund.
• Be a one car family. If you can get along with one car then do it. It’s going to save you tons of money, not only on car payments but also on gas, maintenance, insurance, taxes and much more.
• Carpool
• Combine your errands so you make fewer trips.
• Do your own car maintenance. I do advise you to make sure is something you can handle or easily learn how to do it without damaging the car.
• Shop around for cheaper car insurance

HOW TO SAVE MONEY ON GIFTS, HOLIDAYS AND HOSPITALITY

Holiday season can get pretty expensive.

Between food, decorations, greeting cards, flowers and of course gifts the cost of Holidays can rise really fast.

And gifts are what people spend most of the money on.

Here are some tips for you to save on the upcoming Holiday season:

• Set a price limit for your gifts and stick to it.
• Buy fewer gifts. Instead of buying a gift for each person buy a gift for the family.
• Do a gift exchange. Have a gathering with all the family, put your names in a hat and have turns at drawing names out of the hat. The name you pulled out is the only person you need to buy a gift for. It saves a lot of time and money.
• Learn how to DIY expensive looking gifts on a dime.
• Buy your gift wrap at the dollar store
• Make it a potluck instead of you offering all the foods and drinks
• Keep it simple, decorate with what you have or find party decorations like printables for free online.

HOW TO SAVE MONEY ON SHOPPING

No matter what your planning to shop for next there are always ways to spend less.

1. Learn about my 18 BEST CLOTHES SHOPPING TIPS. A lot of these tips can be applied to anything you have to buy.
2. Make it before you buy it. You don’t have to head to the store to have a cool pair of denim cut-offs. You can do it from an old pair of jeans. There are a lot of creative and easy ways to restyle your old jeans.
3. Buy used – you can buy used almost anything, furniture, clothing, appliances you name it. Does your child want a bike? There’s no need to pay $100 for it. You can find it on Craigslist or Facebook market at the fraction of the cost.
4. Get it for free. Ask family and friends if they have the item you need and donate it to you. For example, we have a lot of baby stuff and we are looking for people to give it for free.  Craigslist also has a free stuff section so go have a look.
5.   Treat yourself without spending money – you don’t have to spend money in order to treat yourself, you can pamper yourself without breaking the bank.

Educate yourself

No matter how determined you are to change your financial situation you need to work on your money mindset.

You need to change your beliefs and ideas about money in order to be successful.

No matter how much you read about how to save money it won’t work unless you change your way of thinking about money.

Personal finance books I like and recommend include:

• The Total Money Makeover: Classic Edition: A Proven Plan for Financial Fitness
• The Compound Effect
• The Millionaire Next Door
• Rich Dad Poor Dad
• Grow Rich!: With Peace of Mind
• The Richest Man in Babylon
• You Are A Bad Ass at Making Money
• The Automatic Millionaire

What other easy ways to save money are you using? How much money do you save each month?

Related articles:

• Expand your wardrobe affordably
• How to save money on entertainment
• Things to stop buying to help you save money
• Inexpensive self-care
• Clothing shopping tips

150 ways to save money on a small income