188 Money Saving Tips to Save Money on Your Expenses (2024)

Money Basics

How to Save Money on Groceries and Food

Cook your food in bulk if it will all be consumed
Skip the drinks at the grocery store
Meal prep your food
Start a garden and grow your own food.
Cook at home as much as possible
Don’t be wasteful
Buy bulk quantities of food
Write a list before you go shopping
Plan out your meals
Drink more water
Avoid convenience store foods
Buy fruit and produce that is in season
Plan your meals around your grocery store’s flyer
Spice up your leftovers
Take your lunch to work
Get a crockpot
Eat less meat
Make your own beer and wine
Freeze meals
Use money saving apps like Ibotta
Don’t buy water bottles
Use potatoes, rice and beans to make meals more filling
Use frozen food
Buy unprocessed and raw foods
Cut out junk food
Make coffee drinks at home
Shop at discount grocery stores
Check the farmer’s market for good deals
Use a toaster oven
Eat leftovers

Ways to Save Money on Your Home and Utilities

Turn your thermostat down by 1 degree
Install and use smart home technology to reduce energy costs
Wash clothes and dishes on non-peak hours
Dry clothes at non-peak hours
Line dry clothing
Install energy efficient windows
Don’t run your dishwasher until is full
Turn off the water when you brush your teeth
Wear more clothes around the house when it’s cold
Use the oven to bake multiple meals at one time
Leave the door of the oven open after cooking to heat your home in the winter
Make sure your walls are properly insulated
Install solar panels
Switch off your monitor screen when you don’t use it
Reduce the water heater temperature
Clean your oven regularly
Shower at the gym
Seal the cold/hot air leaks
Unplug appliances that you don’t use regularly
Take advantage of your curtains or blinds by blocking the heat or cold outside and keeping the cool or warm air inside
Buy energy efficient appliances
Insulate the roof
Switch off your home heating if you’ll be away for a few days
Compare internet provider prices
Cancel your landline telephone
Turn off the television
Turn off the lights
Install energy efficient light bulbs
Install a programmable thermostat
Do home maintenance on a regular schedule
Make your own cleaning supplies
Buy or move to a smaller home
Put your electrical devices on a surge protector
Cancel cable or satellite channels you don’t watch
Borrow or rent tools
Do your own yard and landscaping work
Cut back on cleaning products
Cut back on paper products like paper towels and napkins
Wash only full loads of laundry
Use multipurpose cleaning products
Sell unused electronics before they get too old

How to Save Money While Shopping

Wait to buy something – the bigger the cost the more wait time
Look at your cart before checking out and leave items
Buy reusable objects
Evaluate every purchase in the amount of time needed to purchase it
Eat before shopping
Buy generic items (medicine, food, etc.)
Purchase quality items instead of cheap crap
Buy secondhand and used items
Get refunds on price drops
Get multiple quotes before you buy
Sign up for free customer rewards programs
Filter promotion emails to separate folder so you don’t see them every day
Compare prices at different stores/online
Avoid stress spending
Buy stuff out of season (holiday stuff right after the holidays)
Avoid the mall
Avoid your spending weaknesses
Use gift card exchanges
Look for coupon codes before buying
Check out consignment shops, facebook and craigslist
Don’t buy the latest technology
Avoid shopping for fun
Take advantage of sales
Take advantage of Amazon benefits
Negotiate the price
Take care of your stuff
Pick-up online orders at the store

General Tips for How to Spend Less Money to Save More

Learn to do-it-yourself instead of paying for it
Head to the library for free resources
Live minimally to decrease your wants
Cut your expenses with Artificial Intelligence – TRIM
Share memberships with family
Sell unwanted stuff
Make gifts instead of buying them
Try to repair stuff yourself – clothing, furniture
Quit smoking and other bad habits
Swap books, music, and DVDs
Cancel unused memberships and subscriptions
Rent out unused capacity (car, home, etc.)
Swap babysitting with friends and neighbors
Dress minimally and use capsule wardrobes
Move somewhere that reduces the cost of transportation and housing combined
Check out free events in your city or town
Get rid of services that you don’t use – cell phone insurance
Learn about the benefits that your company offers
Always ask for fees to be waived
Don’t beat yourself up if you make a mistake
Don’t buy extended warranties
Track your spending
Pay your bills on time
Stick to a budget
Identify your problem areas of spending
Take advantage of youtube to learn DIY
Trade services with other people
Make a list of free activities you enjoy
Take advantage of free and discounted days at places
Re-gift you unused quality gifts
Put a dollar limit on holiday gifts
Have a gift exchange for holiday gifts
Take advantage of birthday offers

How to Save Money Eating Out or Dining Out

Skip the drinks at the restaurant
Treat eating out as a privilege; not a convenience
Invite friends over to eat instead of going out
Avoid late night-drive throughs
Make restaurant favorites at home
Skip dessert at the restaurant
Use discounted gift cards
Buy an espresso machine and skip coffee shops

Ways of Saving Money on Debt and Loans

Refinance Loans
Pay off debt early
Make an extra mortgage payment
Take control of credit card debt with Tally
Negotiate interest rates
Use credit cards wisely
Take advantage of federal student loan automatic payment discount
Pay off credit card balances every month
Manage your credit score
Transfer credit card debt to a card with a 0% balance transfer and low or no transfer fee

Saving Money on Banking and Financial Services

Don’t pay fees on your bank account
Shop around for auto insurance
Shop around for home insurance
Consider if you really need life insurance
Get medical insurance that matches your medical needs
Sign up for credit cards that offer rewards
Avoid cards that have annual fees unless the rewards outweigh the fees
Switch cards with annual fees to no fees
Bundle insurance for discounts
Pay attention to investment management and brokerage fees
Take advantage of an HSA (if right for you) to save on taxes

How to Save Money on Transportation Costs

Inflate your tires for better gas mileage
Carpool with coworkers or through popular apps
Shop around for auto insurance
Take public transportation instead of driving
Do basic auto maintenance on a regular schedule
Buy used vehicles instead of new vehicles
Don’t speed for better gas mileage and so you don’t get a ticket
Clean or change out your car’s air filter for better gas mileage

Ways of Saving Money on Vacations and Travel

Pack food for trips
Create a travel budget
Use rewards points to book sleeping arrangements and transportation
Go to new places nearby first before traveling long distances
Use Air BnB or HomeAway instead of hotels
Don’t overpay for a rental car or rental car services
Travel in off-peak seasons
Chose vacations based on deals
Visit friends and family with extra room for you to stay
Travel with a large group to spread out the costs

How to Save Money on Health and Beauty

Work out using free videos
Don’t overspend on hygiene products
Strive to be healthy
Exercise and walk regularly
Do your nails at home
Cut your own hair
Create a beauty budget

Using No Spend Challenges for Saving Money

Don’t buy discretionary items for a month
Don’t buy anything one day of each week
Choose one item not to buy each month

Final Thoughts

We hope that some of these tips will help you to save more on your purchases and expenses.

It is so much easier to spend less money than to make more money.

So, anytime we can spend a little less, spend nothing at all, or invest in something to save money in the future, we are greatly improving our personal finances.