5 Sneaky Ways To Save More Money (2024)

5 Sneaky Ways To Save More Money (1)

Whether you're paying down debt or saving for a trip, here are groan-free ways to help you live on less.

By Joann Pan

1. Get Your Caffeine Buzz for Less (and No, You Don't Have to Brew at Home)

5 Sneaky Ways To Save More Money (2)

Save a few dollars on coffee-shop runs by using the free, subscription-based app called CUPS. The startup offers reduced plans for regular hot coffee, iced coffee and espresso drinks (lattes, cappuccinos and macchiatos). The all-inclusive monthly Cup-a-Day plan for $60 works out to $2 a drink—a discount of nearly 50 percent, based on the average coffee prices in the app's 100-plus network of coffee shops, according to CUPS co-founder Gilad Rotem. "Occasional drinkers are better off with the 5- or 10-Cups plans where they would save 20 to 30 percent," Rotem says. The company expects to expand to other cities on the East and West Coasts.

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2. Sit in a Tall Chair Before Banking

Try this research-backed way to sock away more money: Go on a 60-second power trip. A recent study from the Stanford Graduate School of Business linked feelings of power to the desire to save money -- and create actual savings. In a series of experiments, 140 Dutch students were split into three sets: a group made to feel powerful, a second group made to feel weaker and a control group.

In the first round, researchers asked one group to write about a time they felt powerful, while a second group was asked to write about a time they felt inferior. Afterward, researchers asked the students to imagine receiving 100 euros each, then asked how much they would deposit into a savings account. Students who wrote about feeling a sense of power saved an average of 71 euros -- compared to the second group's lower average of 48 euros. The control group saved 52 euros. Next time you have to draw up a budget or put money away, sit in a tall chair or picture yourself in the shoes of a boundary-pushing CEO or your favorite fierce (dragon-wielding) queen.

3. Scan the Best Deals on Craigslist in a Flash

5 Sneaky Ways To Save More Money (3)

Find second-hand steals more quickly by tweaking the way you search online, says Rachel Wilkerson Miller, The REWM blogger who furnished her living room for around $900 on Craigslist. Know what items you're shopping for, or the brands you prefer, if you're decorating an empty space. Weed out a ton of spam and unrelated listings by filtering your search results by owner, Miller says. Don't forget to view in the gallery option—instead of the default "list" mode so you can eyeball listings quickly. If you know exactly what you want -- a wrought-iron bench for example -- try search terms with alternative spellings and misspellings. Try "rot iron" or "wraught iron," Miller says. These additional searches should yield different results. A New York City-specific search turned up an authentic white Knoll Bertoia side chair for $250 and a solid mahogany desk for $285.

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4. Save on the Stuff You Always Buy (with One Extra Step)

Buy discounted gift cards online for places you frequently shop and easily save around $4 or $5 off every $100 you spend. Personal finance writer at ThreeThriftyGuys.com Aaron Shepherd recommends using Raise.com and GiftCardGranny.com, which will ship purchases for free, and send email alerts when gifts cards become available. Load them up to an app like Gyft so you can use, manage and track all of your plastic in one place.

5. Save on Last-Minute Hotel Reservations

5 Sneaky Ways To Save More Money (4)

Flexible travelers can get surprisingly affordable deals by waiting until the last week to book a hotel. "Currently 50 percent of all online travel bookings are made within a week," Sam Shank, the CEO of HotelTonight -- a mobile app available for iOS and Android -- that offers reduced rates on unfilled rooms in select hotels up to 7 days in advance. To help you stretch your vacation budget, he advises you use the app on Sundays when booking a stay. "Sundays are always the best days for deals, with rates often half of what you might see on peak days," Shank says. Thursdays then Fridays are the next-best days to find deals. And if you're contemplating going away for just one night over the weekend, know this: "Fridays are often much cheaper than Saturdays, so if one is wrestling with which day to get spontaneous, bet on Fridays."

Use code OPRAH for $25 off your first booking.

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Before You Go

5 Sneaky Ways To Save More Money (7)

Easy Ways To Save Your Money

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5 Sneaky Ways To Save More Money (2024)

FAQs

What is the 30 day rule? ›

The premise of the 30-day savings rule is straightforward: When faced with the temptation of an impulse purchase, wait 30 days before committing to the buy. During this time, take the opportunity to evaluate the necessity and impact of the purchase on your overall financial goals.

How to save money aggressively? ›

How to Save Money: 23 Tips
  1. Make a budget.
  2. Say goodbye to debt.
  3. Set a savings goal.
  4. Save money automatically.
  5. Buy generic.
  6. Meal plan.
  7. Cancel some subscriptions and memberships.
  8. Adjust your tax withholdings.
Apr 5, 2024

What is the 50 30 20 rule? ›

The 50-30-20 rule recommends putting 50% of your money toward needs, 30% toward wants, and 20% toward savings. The savings category also includes money you will need to realize your future goals.

How to save money without touching it? ›

1. Automate transfers. By setting up automatic transfers from your checking account to your savings account each month, the money will accumulate over time without any additional work on your part.

What is the 9o day rule? ›

What is the 90-Day Rule? According to the 90-day rule, a foreign national who engages in conduct inconsistent with their nonimmigrant status within a 90 day period of entering the U.S. may become inadmissible for the green card or even permanently barred from entering the US.

What is 30days rule? ›

Here's how it works: When you have the urge to make an impulse purchase, wait for 30 days and give yourself time to think about it. While considering the purchase, deposit the money you need for it into a savings account. If you still want to buy that item after the 30-day period is up, go for it.

How to stop wasting money? ›

Here are some ideas to help you stop spending money and build healthier financial habits:
  1. Create a Budget. ...
  2. Visualize What You're Saving For.
  3. Always Shop with a List. ...
  4. Nix the Brand Names. ...
  5. Master Meal Prep.
  6. Consider Cash for In-store Shopping. ...
  7. Remove Temptation.
  8. Hit “Pause"
Jan 19, 2023

How to go from living paycheck to paycheck? ›

10 Tips to Avoid Living Paycheck to Paycheck
  1. Focus Funds on Fundamentals.
  2. Get Better Deals.
  3. Refinance or Repackage Debt.
  4. Downsize Big Expenses.
  5. Boost Your Income.
  6. Pay Yourself From Your Paycheck.
  7. Manage Impulse Spending.
  8. Delay High-Ticket Purchases.
Jul 27, 2023

What should you not do to save money? ›

Here are seven money-saving barriers — plus advice on how to knock each of them down.
  • Spending too much on housing. ...
  • No defined budget. ...
  • The “I'll save when I make more money” mindset. ...
  • Lack of a measurable savings goal. ...
  • Student loan payments. ...
  • Your comfort zone. ...
  • Overusing credit cards.

How much should a 30 year old have saved? ›

Fidelity Investments recommends saving 1x your salary by 30. At the end of 2021, the average annual salary was $49,920 for 25 to 34-year-olds and $58,604 for 35 to 44-year-olds. So the average 30-year-old should have $50,000 to $60,000 saved by Fidelity's standards.

What is zero cost budgeting? ›

The zero-based budgeting process is a strategic budgeting approach that mandates a fresh evaluation of all expenses during each budgeting cycle. Unlike traditional budgeting, where previous spending levels are typically adjusted, ZBB requires individuals or organizations to justify every expense from the ground up.

What are the four walls? ›

In a series of tweets, Ramsey suggested budgeting for food, utilities, shelter and transportation — in that specific order. “I call these budget categories the 'Four Walls. ' Focus on taking care of these FIRST, and in this specific order… especially if you're going through a tough financial season,” the tweet read.

How can I secretly save money? ›

1. Separate savings account: Open a dedicated savings account not linked to your primary checking account. 2. Secret stash: Set aside a small amount in a hidden location, like a fireproof safe or a secure online storage service.

What is the secret to saving money? ›

Set savings goals

One of the best ways to save money is to set a goal. Start by thinking about what you might want to save for—both in the short term (one to three years) and the long term (four or more years). Then estimate how much money you'll need and how long it might take you to save it.

How can I force save money? ›

Canceling unnecessary subscriptions and automating your savings are a couple of simple ways to save money quickly. Switching banks, opening a short-term CD, and signing up for rewards programs can also help you save money. Making a budget and eliminating a spending habit each day can help lead to long-term savings.

How does the 30-day rule work? ›

For those uninitiated, the 30-day no contact rule is generally peddled as a technique involving ignoring your ex for about 30 days to get them to miss you more, and then reaching out with some canned line or message. It's a common hoax dumpees fall for. Same story with 45 or 60-day no contact periods.

How do you count 30 days for a wash sale? ›

A Wash Sale occurs if you sell securities at a loss and buy substantially identical replacement shares within 30 days before or after the sale. The Wash Sale Period is 30 days before and 30 days after the sale date, totaling 61 days (including the sale date).

What is the 30-day loss rule? ›

The IRS instituted the wash sale rule to prevent taxpayers from using the practice to reduce their tax liability. Investors who sell a security at a loss cannot claim it if they have purchased the same or a similar security within 30 days (before or after) the sale.

What is a 30-day holding period? ›

30-Day Holding Period Employees in Categories A and B, and their Family Members, who purchase a Reportable Security in a direct- control account, must hold that Security for at least 30 consecutive calendar days after the most recent purchase of the Security.

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