Okay, so I’m going to be honest with you – I drafted this post a long time ago, way before quarantine times. Some of these tips may not apply directly to you or your current situation right now. But I also thought now may be the perfect time to chat about some money-saving tips for people who may be looking for ways to save money. So let’s get right into it – here are 7 easy ways to save money each month!
1. Cut cable.
Cutting cable is a quick way to save money – at least $50/month or more! In Oklahoma, I was paying well over $120 for cable + internet, with it increasing each year. When I moved to Oregon from Oklahoma, I told myself I was going to cut cable and try it out for a bit. Almost 3 years post cutting the cord, I don’t miss it.
We still stream so we aren’t completely without any shows, but it has been a huge savings not carrying a cable package. There are so many options out there now, it’s almost crazy to still have cable these days. Sling, Netflix, YouTube tv, hulu, Amazon Prime, PlayStation vue… Just to name a few. We personally have Sling, Netflix, and an Amazon Prime account.
Try it out. Break up with cable for a few months. You may be surprised how much you aren’t missing it.
2. BYOL (bring your own lunch)
Or in quarantine times, eat at home. Which some of you may be doing more of anyways in these crazy times. Before everything happened, I was taking my lunch to work the majority of the time. Bagged salads with cooked chicken or ground turkey were my go-to lunch meals. Taking leftovers from dinner or from the weekend are also great options!
Now, once a week or every 2 weeks, treat yourself. Maybe your co-workers are grabbing lunch for an office birthday or your friend texts you and wants to grab lunch. Go for it! Don’t completely deprive yourself from lunches out, but keep it in mind and plan your other lunches to accommodate for the treat out!
3. BYOC (bring your own coffee)
This is a BIG one, especially for me. We have a Starbucks (and several other local coffee shops downtown) right below our building, and it’s so easy to order an americano. I keep the same concept with coffee as I do with the lunches. Every once in awhile, I treat myself – once a week or so. And I order an americano and add a little creamer and cinnamon to dress it up a bit. It still tastes like a treat, but at a lower cost compared to a fancy latte drink.
*bonus tip below if you do purchase coffee drinks!*
4. Thrift!
I have always loved thrifting. And I know it’s not for everyone, but if you don’t mind buying secondhand, it’s a great way to save a lot of cash! Not only does it save you money, it’s also great for the environment and creates less waste.
Some of my favorite places to thrift are local thrift stores, Goodwill, and estate sales on the 2nd or last day! Another one of my favorite secondhand places to shop is Poshmark. I recently started browsing on the app for clothing items, and I’ve also sold a couple items from my own closet! Which brings me to the next practical tip…
5. Sell some of your things.
Use apps like Poshmark or sell on facebook marketplace or craigslist (safely!) I recently started selling on Poshmark, and although it takes a little bit of time and effort (and they also take a small fee), they handle all the transactions and shipping labels for you! Worth the small fee in my opinion. You may be surprised how much stuff you can actually sell and get cash for (and declutter your place and closet)!
6. Be a bargain shopper.
I know it’s not super sexy, but #honestyhour, neither is debt. Use coupons, sign up for rewards, use apps, go to bargain grocery stores, meal plan based on the sale ad that week. These are just a few ideas, but there is a variety of different ways to bargain shop. You don’t need to do all of these (if you can or want to, go for it!), but any little bit helps!
*My own bonus tips on this below!*
7. Stop following influencers and fashion bloggers.
I know, this one is strange and sounds a little funny coming from a blogger. But hear me out. At one point several years ago, I had to unfollow so many bloggers and influencers because I felt like I “needed” so many of the things they were promoting or showing in their feeds. All the try-on hauls, the awesome gadgets, their cute outfits, adorable home decor, etc. I felt like my life was inadequate without all these things.
Well, now speaking from the other side of it, some of those clothes are sponsored and given to them in exchange for a post. That try-on haul? They just tried everything on, and maybe took a couple things home. This is why I started showing the “truer side” of my own try-on hauls because I felt like a lot of these on insta were very misleading. When I try on a cartful of clothes, I may take home a couple pieces. I may not take home anything at all! When I do that, I try and show you guys by being transparent and real.
Okay, I’ll step off my soap box now ha! But I just wanted to add this last tip in case you may be feeling the same. It’s okay to unfollow someone if they are making you feel inadequate or like you “need” certain things in your life to feel a certain way or live a particular lifestyle.
Bonus tips:
- As mentioned above, when you do spend, spend smart and get rewards! Starbucks, Target RedCard, Nordstrom, Madewell, A&F – all of these have rewards. Starbucks and Target are two that I feel like are no-brainers. If you are already spending money at these places, you are leaving money on the table if you don’t take advantage of the rewards and the RedCard 5% off. Also, what I love about the Starbucks app is you can allot and add money each month according to your budget, and monitor your spending that way!
- Use coupons like Target Circle (formally known as Cartwheel) and get a RedCard! You can get a RedCard and link it to your bank account, so when you use it, it’s just like using a debit card. And you get the extra 5% off in store and perks when you order online! Target Circle is great because you can add “coupons” and discounts in the app. You can either add them before your shopping trip or add them in the store as you’re shopping by scanning the barcodes! When you do this, make sure and turn off your wi-fi and location – this is KEY. PRO-TIP: Target will honor the price online in their app if it’s lower than the in-store price. I’ve saved SO MUCH MONEY with this hack. It’s insane.
- Want vs need – this isn’t so much a tip, but just use it as a filter when buying things. Wanting something isn’t always bad, but if you’re shooting for a financial goal or needing to watch your spending, just think this one through and ask yourself some honest questions. If you aren’t sure, wait 24-48 hours, then revisit the question again.
I hope these tips gave you some ideas for ways you can save money right now, and even after all this quarantine stuff is over! If you have any specific questions about any of these that I shared, please don’t hesitate to reach out here or over on Instagram!
Have you tried any of these already? Which ones are you excited to try?
Hope you and yours are safe + healthy ❤️🙏
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