by Ben Sweiry ·
Modified on 7 March, 2022
Ultimately, we all want to save money! Whether it’s to save for a rainy day, save to increase the size of your retirement fund, to save so your kids have more money growing up or to save for the big purchase such as a new car or even a house, everyone needs to save!
You may be surprised to discover that there are simple ways for you to save money around the home without having to think too much about it or really go out of your way at all.
In this guide, you can find our top 10 tips for you to easily save money around your home.
Key Points
- Saving money around the house is one of the easiest ways to save!
- Recording your expenses using a budgeting app is a great way to start monitoring how much you’re spending daily.
- Bills such as internet, heating and telephone can all be cut-down if you shop around using comparison sites.
- Quitting cigarettes and cutting down on alcoholic drinks are another 2 ways that you can cut spending and also live more healthily!
1. Record your expenses
The first step to start saving money is to figure out how much you spend. Keep track of all your expenses—that means every coffee, household item and cash tip.
Once you have your data, organize the numbers by categories, such as gas, groceries and mortgage, and total each amount. Use your credit card and bank statements to make sure you’re accurate—and don’t forget any.
An additional way you can keep track of how much you spend is by using a budgeting app! Read more about how to use budgeting apps here.
2. Check your internet and phone bills
Do you pay for a data allowance on your mobile phone but use the Wi-Fi in your house instead?
You might be able to move to a cheaper tariff with less data. Or if you don’t have Wi-Fi at home, consider looking for a new mobile phone tariff. This will help you to avoid needing to purchase additional data on your smart phone which can be very costly to buy as and when you need it. Avoid busy call centres by making changes like these through the app or website for your mobile network provider.
3. Save money on your energy and utility bills
Keep an eye on energy use through the house, especially in the kitchen, as it is extremely easy to spend on appliances when you’re not even using them!
- Always make sure the washing machine and dish washer are full before using them.
- Use lower heat settings on your appliances and on your heating thermostat.
- Only boil as much water in the kettle as you need each time and don’t use larger pots on the hob than required.
- Cover pans with a lid to keep the heat in.
4. Challenge Yourself to Reuse Stuff
If you pause before you throw out trash, you might find that you can actually reuse some of your garbage. Think about the plastic sandwich bag you used for one sandwich and are about to throw away. Sure, there are some crumbs, but otherwise you can wash it out and use it again and again.
It may sound incredibly cheap, but if you save money on things like plastic bags and aluminum foil and do your part to help the environment, you may save money and feel better at the same time.
5. Do It Yourself (within reason)
If you already have all the tools available at home without needing to shop, why not roll up your sleeves and try some DIY?
From putting up shelves to painting your bathroom, there’s no shortage of helpful and creative things to do at home. And as the weather improves, there’s nothing to stop you from growing your own food by starting a vegetable garden. This will help you sustain your own needs in future.
6. Stop smoking and drink less!
No, it’s certainly not easy to quit, but if you smoke a pack and a half every day, that amounts to nearly $3,000 a year you can realize in savings if you quit. According to the Centers for Disease Control, the percentage of Americans who smoke cigarettes is now below 20 percent for the first time since at least the mid-1960s — join the club!
Additionally, if you’re finding yourself drinking every night, try limiting yourself to every other night, and then slowly but surely you’ll end up finding yourself drinking as a once-a-week treat and on special occasions. Trust us, you’ll find yourself saving money before you even realize!
7. Look for free entertainment options
Does it cost money to have fun? Sometimes it does! You have to pay to get into a concert, and nobody is letting you dine for free. Then again, there are plenty of ways to have fun without spending money.
If you’re trying to save more money this year, consider experimenting with a $0 entertainment budget for one month. Challenge yourself to see how much fun you can have without spending any money.
There are plenty of ways to save money and still have fun, so don’t let anyone convince you otherwise.
8. Take up a side hustle
If you want to seriously boost your monthly savings, it’s worth considering taking up a side hustle. This could mean anything from working a few evening shifts at a bar or restaurant after your office job, securing a few freelance gigs, becoming a virtual assistant or perhaps even pet sitting.
If you can afford to do so, it can be particularly motivating to put all the money generated from your side hustles straight into your savings account. However, be wary of burning out. Your mental health is more important than trying to achieve any savings goal!
9. Cut down on your grocery spending
If you can cut back on your grocery spend each week, you’ll be amazed by how much you can save over the course of a few months. One of the best ways to do this is to plan all of your meals in advance. This means that you can calculate precisely how much you’re going to spend before you go shopping and reduce your chances of going over budget.
On top of that, make sure you look at the products being sold on the lower-level shelves. Supermarkets often put their most expensive produce at eye-level, encouraging you to spend more, while their cheaper products are closer to the ground, making them harder to spot.
10. Put a spending limit on your cards
Our last great tip for saving money fast is to set a limit to how much you can spend on your credit or debit cards. This stops you from overspending and encourages you to reassess your daily expenditures in advance. Many banks offer this useful service.
And there you have it! Our top 10 tips for saving money around the house. Not only are they simple to do, but you’ll see changes in your savings before you even realise. So what are you waiting for?