13 Ways to Save Money

We all want more money without having to work too hard for it! From energy saving tips to easy cheats on your grocery bills and even some grooming advice. Here are 13 ways to save money without having to break a sweat.

1. Unplug stuff. Your beloved tv in off mode is draining power and so is that phone charger plugged into the wall. To save yourself energy, buy a power strip so you can turn everything off with a flick of one strip!
2. Meatless Mondays. If 2 chicken breasts cost on average $10 or more, one day less of meat could save you $10 or more. Go one day without meat and save yourself money and your waistline from gaining potential centimeters.
3. Reusable water bottles: Bringing or using a reusable water bottle could save you the cost of up to $2 or more per bottle of water. Think how much you could save by just refilling your own water bottle from the tap.
4. Eat at home. If you are eating out 5 days a week, consider making a meal or two at home. Eating out can cost up to 4 times the amount of a homemade meal! That means that $30 dinner you had could actually be $7.50 if you made it at home! Bonus, you can use the leftovers for lunch or dinner the next day getting you 2 meals for $7.50 versus $30!
5. Cut down the coffee. You don’t have to cut the coffee out of your life, but if you’re shelling out $4 a day for coffee ($1,460 a year), maybe it’s time to invest in your own coffee machine. For example, a Nespresso Vertuo machine is $299.00 and 365 coffee pods are $333.00 before shipping and handling. That still leaves you $828 a year to save!
6. Cut cable TV. If you’re only paying for cable to watch one or two shows, check to see if they are available on iTunes. iTunes often will allow you to purchase an entire season for a fraction of the cost you would pay for cable a month.
7. Ditch the landline. Are you paying for a landline phone that hasn’t rang once in the last 30 days? It’s time to cut the cord and get it rid of that expense.
8. Skip washing your hair. You’ll not only save time, but you’ll save on the cost of hair products AND bonus, you’ll save on water!
9. Sell your “junk”. If you have a storage unit full of “junk”, don’t be hoarder anymore. Start selling the things you no longer want or need. You’ll not only save money by no longer paying for a storage unit, you’ll make money by selling things that were collecting dust.
10. Write a list before you go shopping. The trick here is to stick to the list. It will save you money but also have you time. Bonus, it may keep you from buying that extra box of chocolate your waistline doesn’t need.
11. Repair clothes. Before you toss out your favourite pair of pants or shirt because they have a hole in them, make sure it can’t be repaired. A lost button on a shirt can easily be replaced and a patch can repair a hole in your favourite pants.
12. Quit smoking. By now, you should know how unhealthy smoking is. If the thought of cancer doesn’t scare you, just think of this: if you smoke the average $30 pack of cigarettes a week, that’s $1,560 a year. If you smoke 2 packs a week, that’s $3,120 a year. Think what else you could do with that money!
13. Compare all of your household bills. Did you think we weren’t going to mention this? The best way to save yourself money is to compare your energy, health insurance, life insurance, home and car insurance and every bill you have to the market and make sure you are getting the best deal out there. If not, switch or negotiate a better deal for yourself.

Do you have money savings tips? Share with other FiftyUp Members in the comments below!