This list of ways to save money may be considered very basic, as you may save just a few cents here and there, but over time it can all add up to be quite a bit of savings.
Try be creative when going through this list of ways to save money, and think about working from home or making extra income, or selling something at a flea market, or making a product that you can sell that will help other people save money too. In other words try use some of these ways to save money to actually make you some extra income too.
Some ideas for making money instead of just saving money are mentioned below, in the list of ways to save money:
List of 30 Ways to Save Money
Share your flea market stand space with a friend, so that you pay only half of the costs for the stand.
Use a slightly smaller glass or cup than you usually do.
Sort your dirty laundry carefully, and then use slightly less washing powder on the items of clothing that are only a bit smelly and not actually grubby.
Bath by candlelight.
Don’t run your bathwater until everything you need for your bath and for after your bath is in place, so that you can finish bathing before having to add more hot water.
Turn and support your shampoo bottle upside down before it gets too empty.
Get a dvd contract instead of hiring out individual dvds.
Get your kids to make something for their friends’ birthday party gifts instead of giving money or buying a gift. What is it that your kids can make? Is it something you could make and sell at a flea market or from home too?
Let your kids swop their computer games with their friends instead of buying your kids new computer games.
Use the library.
Make homemade sweets.
Make homemade juices.
Have a glass of water and a sandwich before you go grocery shopping. Having something in your stomach may help you spend less at the grocery store – you may be less inclined to buy something to snack on in the car the moment you’re back in the car after your grocery shopping (or the moment you get home and it is not even lunchtime or suppertime yet).
Enter many free competitions where the prize or prizes are things you would usually buy quite often, or where the prize is something that you could easily sell.
Mend clothes.
Make your own clothes.
Walk or cycle short distances instead of driving. Charge the neighbours for walking their dog at the same time.
Make your young kids some simple wooden toys, or toys using recycled goods. Toys good enough to sell? Go for it, but let your kids choose their “best” toys for themselves first!
Walk barefoot when you can. Your shoes will last longer.
Find all those places you keep small change in (or usually forget about) and place small containers in those places instead – even in the car, a small empty pill bottle will do, and sort your small change from time to time, 5c, 10c, and 20c together, and 50c, R1, R2, and R5 together. From time to time put some small change into your purse and wallet, and get rid of this small change when you buy something: if something costs R7.25, don’t pay for it with a R10 or R20 note, but rather pay for it with a R5 coin, and then some smaller coins to make up the remaining R2.25.
Don’t start the car until everyone is in, their seatbelts are on, and they are all settled.
Put an extra jersey on or close the door or window instead of using the heater.
Eat breakfast.
While shopping, keep your eyes open for discount coupons or specials.
Grow some herbs in the garden or even in pots indoors that you can use for their medicinal properties like the sap from the leaves of Bulbinella plants for quickly relieving the itch of mosquito bites. Sell some Bulbinella plants too.
Learn how to cut hair.
Learn how to fix your own car.
Make popcorn instead of buying chips when you watch dvds.
Make your own Christmas tree ornaments (sell some too!)
Learn how to design your own website.
Book:
Get your creative thinking caps on, and start making your own list of ways to save money. Remember to also think of how you could possibly use your ways to save money to also make some money!
© copyright Teresa Schultz 2014
