The discrepancies between your budget and finances often stem from seemingly insignificant everyday expenses rather than a singular major expenditure.
A user recently asked, what’s something very simple that people could be doing to save money but don’t? Read on to know the top responses.
1. Cook At Home 98% Of The Month
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“I bet it saves you a ton of cash too!
Even being too ambitious and ruining a meal or over portioning is still less expensive than dining out. After 15 years of cooking at home, my wife and I have gotten tired of eating out because we have realized the food we cook at home tastes better than anything we can buy at a restaurant.
I think people eat out less because they don’t have access to fresh food, and more because they feel it is more efficient… although they don’t take into account the amount of time they waste getting to the restaurant, waiting for the table, waiting for the food, and waiting for the check.”
2. Feel Comfortable Using Free Services
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“Make use of free services. Mostly, the local library. Sometimes there’s a feeling that just because it’s free it’s trashy or peasant-like. I don’t need to pay to see something in order to feel good about it. And libraries are amazing! Free books! Audio books! So many things.” said one.
“Tubi, Freevee, and PlutoTv are examples of free services that seem like they are subpar but aren’t. Found many good stuff on those streaming sites.” another added.
3. Say Goodbye To Your Storage Unit
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“More prevalent in the US, but get rid of your storage unit and most of the stuff in it. More often than not, you’re paying more to store things that it would cost to buy it all again.
If you can’t fit it in your home, re-evaluate if you really need it.” said one.
“So true. Having nice stuff is super dependent on just knowing what stuff to have and you save a ton of money in the process.” replied another.
4. Shut Your Doors For DoorDash
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“Your meal is easily 50% more expensive when you factor in delivery fees and a tip. And some restaurants charge more on door dash than they do in-person.” said one.
“I recently started driving for DoorDash and I am astounded at the insignificant items and short distances people are willing to pay fees for.” replied another.
5. Quit Smoking
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“Save money on the product and the aftermath! Cigarettes ruin everything they come in contact with- seep into the walls of your home, permanently leave a stench to your clothing, furniture, car, and it can live on your body for a good while. Not to mention the ridiculously expensive health consequences as you get older- dental, lung cancer, more expensive insurance because you use tobacco, the whole shebang.”
6. Try Shopping Second Hand Stuff
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“Shop second hand. You can buy most everything in pretty good condition” said one.
“I bought an iPhone 12 Pro secondhand when I decided I wanted to switch to iphone. Best phone I’ve ever had, it was and still is in great condition 2 years later.” added another.
“This is a big one. With a few exceptions, I’ve gotten most of my electronics used or refurbished over the last decade, and it’s saved me so much money.” said another.
7. Drive The Speed Limit
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“For those that don’t get this: driving the speed limit avoids citations but also saves you gas, extends oil life and tires some, extends brakes quite a bit, and just generally lowers the wear and tear on your vehicle.” said one.
“This is so underrated, I don’t think enough people realize the extra cost of driving fast” replied another.
8. Stop Changing Your Phone Every Year For The Sake Of It
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“Don’t buy a new phone every damn year. There’s no point.” said one.
“Especially these days. Back when smartphones were new, yeah, maybe because the tech was significantly better each generation. Now, not so much. I have a galaxy s20+ and my SO has an S21, there’s almost no noticeable difference in functionality aside from battery life just because mine has been used for 2 years longer (got mine when s20 was just released, got his just before s22 was released).” replied another.
9. Pay Off Your Credit Cards Sooner
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“Pay off your credit cards even if you have to take out a loan to do it. Afterwards, pay them off each month. Do NOT carry a balance on your credit cards.” said one.
“Or put another way: if you don’t have it, don’t spend it. Credit cards should be considered the same as cash spending.” replied another.
10. ASK Before You BUY
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“ALWAYS ask when buying ANYTHING: Are there any current promotions or coupons I can take advantage of? I do this all the time and I’d say 85% of the time, they give me SOMETHING (5% off, employee discount, special that is on their website but not published in store, etc.). I’ve done this at restaurants, retail stores, random places you would never expect (tourist spots, restaurants, etc.). Literally saved $25 off my screen print order yesterday because I chatted in and asked if there was a discount code I could apply.” said one.
“This also works when buying online. Searching up coupon codes/promotions for a specific website works a lot of the time.” another added.
11. Never Shop Without A List or When You’re Hungry
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“Never enter a shop when you are hungry.”
“And write a list! I buy a lot less when I have a list to stick to.”
12. Follow Preventive Care
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“Take care of your teeth: brush and floss everyday – preventative care now will save you THOUSANDS later if you need major dental work!”
13. Drink Water
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“Only drink water. Not only will you save money, but your body will love you for this as well. Win\win.”
14. Use Credit Card Rewards
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“Buy everything with a cashback/reward credit cards. Its free money, i make around 200$ per month with it. Its not much but its def better than nothing.”
15. Track Your Expenses
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“Budget and Track all transactions with financial software.
Someone created an app where you can find all the monthly/annual subscriptions you are paying for and cancel them, it’s sad that there is a market for that. I would know if there was even a penny missing from my bank and credit card accounts.”
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This article was originally published on Mrs. Daaku Studio.