Daily Dollars: Five Everyday Ways to Save Money

Everyone can stand to save a little more money. Whether you’re trying to pay your credit card debt, house payment, or just want to go on a nice vacation, there are a lot of different ideas that can help you curb your spending. Take a look at these five everyday ways to save money.

1. Go to Thrift Stores

When you need new clothes or something for your house, don’t automatically go to your nearest department store. Instead, look around a couple of thrift stores first. A lot of items there will look almost new anyway, and it’s very likely that you’ll find something at a quarter or even at a tenth of its retail value. This is a great option for furniture, electronics, cooking supplies, and even clothes. Many people turn up their noses at thrift stores, but you can find a lot of quality goods at extreme discounts if you look for them.

2. Cook Ahead

Everyone has had a day when they don’t feel like cooking a meal, and there’s nothing wrong with that, but the alternative to eating at home can be quite expensive. Try cooking a double batch whenever you make a meal at home and freezing the extras. Then you’ll be able to warm up a tasty meal at home instead of heading to the nearest restaurant. Not only is this a great way to save money, but you will improve the health and diets of your family by avoiding processed foods.

3. Think Like an Herbivore

Designate a day or two per week to be meat-free. Animals products cost more than plant-based products, so think like an herbivore to save money and stay healthy. Change your mindset about the necessity of meat, and see the savings roll in.

4. Fix-It, Don’t Nix It

Things break. Sometimes expensive things break. Instead of throwing away your deep fat fryer when it stops working, look for parts at a repair site like mendingshed.com or take it to a small appliance repair shop. The same goes for clothes, too. If you get a rip in your shirt, don’t throw it away–it’ll only take a minute to sew it up. Make it a priority to repair your broken things rather than simply throw them away.

5. Round-Up

If you want an effortless way to make sure you save some money each week, just round up all your purchases to the nearest dollar. Put all your change in a jar–you’ll be surprised how fast it adds up. This is easier to do if you usually buy everything with cash, but you can make it work for debit cards, too.

There are lots of ways to save money. Everybody will have different preferences and circumstances, so not all ideas will work for everyone, but if you think about it for a few minutes, you’ll probably realize that there are multiple everyday ways to save money that fit your lifestyle. Use these five everyday ways and save money.