I’ve picked up a lot of money-saving tips over the years, many during the time when all four of our kids were little and I was at home with them while Dave worked to support all six of us. From that experience, I realized that a lot of of money-saving tips cover the same things: cut back on monthly subscriptions, buy groceries when they’re on sale, buy things secondhand when possible, etc.
But when you really need to save money (or even if you just really want to in order to achieve a specific goal), those basic measures will only take you so far. But as I’ve found out, there are plenty of “out of the box” ways to spend less money and save even more, and it’s those sort of tips that we’ll be focusing on in today’s post!
Whether you’re struggling to keep up with monthly expenses, saving up for a major purchase, or hoping to take a dream vacation in the future, these simple tips will help you get creative with how you save and get you one step closer to achieving your financial goals.
13 Creative Ways to Spend Less and Save More
1. Get More Sleep
Having a regular, reasonable bed time will lower your monthly expenses. You’ll spend less on electricity, cut down on late-night snacking and drinking, and you’ll enjoy all the health benefits that come along with getting enough sleep. It’s a win-win-win!
2. Take “Navy Showers”
This technique was invented by the Navy to save precious water rations, and it uses just 11 gallons of water instead of the typical 60 gallons used during a typical shower. Turn the water on just long enough to get yourself wet, then turn it off, soap up, and only turn the water back on when you’re ready to rinse.
3. Potty Train Your Cat
It may sound ridiculous, but training your cat to use the toilet instead of a litter box can save you a lot of money. According to PetEducation.com, you can save up to $1,650 in litter costs over your cat’s lifetime. And apparently teaching your cat to use the toilet is a very doable process. Who knew?
4. Put Something Back Every Time You Shop
If you find yourself with a cart full of stuff at your favorite store (much like I do every time I shop at TJ Maxx), put one item back on the shelf before you head to the checkout stand. Every little bit adds up, and it may save you some buyer’s remorse too.
5. Paint Your Roof White
Did you know that around 16% of all electricity consumed in the U.S. is used for air conditioning? You can reduce your own A/C costs and save money by doing one simple project: painting your roof white.
Covering a black tar roof with solar-reflective white paint will immediately help reduce temperatures inside and out. On a 90°F day, a black roof can reach a sizzling 180°F, while a white roof will stay relatively cool at 100°F. This can reduce your cooling costs by 40%!
6. Unplug Everything
Many of our modern gizmos and gadgets are “energy vampires,” meaning they continue to consume energy even when they’re turned off or aren’t currently in use. So even when you’re not streaming your favorite shows on your TV or charging your cell phone, your electronics like your TV, streaming devices, and phone charger are still using energy and ultimately costing you money!
The easiest way to spend less on energy vampires is to unplug things whenever you’re not using them. (Surge protectors can make this easier because you can quickly cut power to several things at once.)
7. Cut Your Hair Short
Water, shampoo, conditioner, and even the energy needed to power your hair dryer all cost money. A simple way to spend less on these things is to just have less hair! Get your hair cut short and start saving on hair-related expenses instantly.
8. Use Professionals-in-Training
If you’re in need of a massage or a haircut, odds are good you can find a student or trainee who can provide the service for a fraction of the cost of a fully trained professional. Check out local cosmetology schools, dental schools, massage schools, and other schools and training programs to see if their students offer discounted services.
9. Get Rid of Grey Charges
If you don’t regularly check your credit card and bank account statements, you should really start. “Grey charges” consist of small fees, subscriptions, renewals, and other charges that many of us don’t notice, and they can cost you hundreds of dollars each year!
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Grey charges can become even more of a money drain if they happen across several of your accounts. The best way to address them is to inspect your statements carefully, and when you identify a grey charge you want to get rid of, call the customer service line of the company responsible.
10. Save It for Later
When you’re browsing online and come across something that you feel compelled to buy right that second, save the item by pinning it to one of your Pinterest boards, bookmarking the tab in your browser, or whatever method you use to keep track of things online.
After 30 days, or however long you deem suitable, revisit the item. If you still want it, go ahead and buy it, because you can feel fairly confident at that point that you won’t experience buyer’s remorse. But don’t be surprised if you end up deciding you don’t actually want the thing as much as you thought you did a month ago!
11. Get Inspired to Save
Delaying instant gratification can be difficult, but it’s a lot easier when you’re properly motivated! To keep yourself inspired to spend less and save more, make an inspiration board that captures the motivation behind your decision to save money (a vacation, your kid’s college fund, retirement, etc.), then hang it up in a place you’ll see it often to keep yourself inspired and motivated.
12. Drink More Water
The simple act of drinking more tap water throughout the day instead of sodas, energy drinks, or coffee drinks can save you a surprising amount of money. Plus, drinking more water will also improve your health, which can help keep your health care costs down too!
13. Slow Down While Driving
According to the Department of Energy, the fuel economy of the average vehicle starts dropping rapidly above 50 mph. In fact, for each 5 mph you go over that speed, that’s like paying an extra 20 cents per gallon for gas!
That additional cost can add up over time, so stick to the speed limit to keep that cash in your pocket. And avoid excessive accelerating and heavy breaking too, which can both make your car less fuel efficient.
What are your favorite creative ways to save money?
NEW! Can you guess the 5-letter word related to today’s post?
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Toilet training your cat SOUNDS ridiculous because it IS ridiculous!! Cats are NOT MEANT to use a toilet!! If you don’t want to spend money on kitty litter, DON’T get a cat!! Anyway, with all you’re saving with the other tips, you’ll have plenty of money for litter!
Getting more sleep will NOT save you money on electricity, but using LED bulbs and Energy Star appliances and electronics will. Also, unplugging everything just isn’t practical. (Really, who’s going to reset all those digital clocks, and you’re not saving all that much anyway.) Besides, most of the charges on your electric bill are the fees, NOT the electricity, and you have no control over those.
Putting something back every time you shop is a good idea, but even BETTER is to always go shopping WITH A LIST and resist any urge to deviate from it, at least MOST of the time.
Save it for later is another good tip. I do that every time I shop on Amazon, which is often! I usually prioritize my purchases as to what I need right away, and what can wait, and I try to buy no more than half a dozen items at a time.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Regarding the “unplugging everything” idea, you might want to check to see how many of the things you unplug will lose everything you have programmed in to their memory. Not going to be a whole lot of fun having to reprogram all kinds of equipment just to save a few cents. And as for the driving slower? Well, hope you don’t do that on busy highways or you risk triggering someones road rage, and don’t even think about doing it on an interstate highway, or you may get run over from behind. Also, it really depends upon the vehicle you drive as to whether you save gas or not. My German vehicle, which is engineered to handle autobahn speeds, actually gets better mileage at 70-75mph than it does at 55-60 mph. Better to just regulate you right foot when leaving stop lights or signs, instead of flooring it. And the same with your regular driving. Push that go pedal gently to accelerate and you’ll save gas. As a general rule, if your car has an “eco” setting, that’s usually what it is programmed to do, keeping you from stabbing the gas unnecessarily hard.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I use an app called receipt hog to scan all my receipts and online purchases….you can save up your points for gift cards or cash out to PayPal, it really has helped over the years. Great tips, especially the shower tip and cutting your own hair, been doing both for quite a while now! Things I want off of Amazon go into “the save for later” cart…from time to time I go back and look at them but usually end up deleting them…..good for the credit cards.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Christina, thanks for the kind words and great tip about the Receipt Hog app. Great minds think alike! :-)
Please log in or create a free account to comment.All OK suggestions, but evidently you don’t follow #7!!!!!!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.My husband and I have not had haircuts for over a year due to the pandemic and now that we have had our second dose of vaccine can hardly wait for haircuts.
Very good tips & tricks! I practiced some of those for a while already, but love especially the numbers 4, 9 and 10.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I used to spend a lot of money on greens. I’d buy a bag, use some of it and had to throw the rest if I didn’the use it right away. So i bought two planters, and started growing my own greens. Now I pick only what I need. The chards come in many colors so they are very decorative. I save a lot of money this way!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Even being on a fixed income, I’ve found a way to save. If you shop at any stores that give rewards, (such as Target gives 5% cash back when you use your red card), look at your receipt to see how much you saved. Then take that amount and squirrel it away. It may only be $2-3, but over time it adds up. I then use this money as my “mad money”. To spend on non-necessities ie. going to estate sales, antique shops, any guilty pleasures. This way, I’m not using monthly expense money and still able to give myself a treat. You’d be surprised at how fast the small savings add up.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.What a clever idea, Nancy!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.These are absolutely great ideas and suggestions. I will have to re-train myself to look at my budget a little different due to the fact that I’m on a fixed income (and I mean squeaky tight “fixed” income). I have trouble making some of my payments without sometimes rolling something non-urgent to the next month. But, I think I see ways that some of the ideas you’ve taught today can be implemented into my finances and possibly help me to no longer have to do that. Thank you so much for sharing your wisdom and brilliance with all of us. It’s greatly appreciated. God bless darlin.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Best of luck Jeannie! :-)
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Can we talk vacations? We live frugally. When your husband is an accountant it comes naturally. Another way we save that isn’t on the list is by using our reward credit card for all purchases. Obviously, the trick to having any credit card is to not spend more than you can afford to pay off when the bill is due. We never, ever, carry a balance. It is paid in full each month. No exceptions.
We use a Best Western Rewards MasterCard. All of our spending earns rewards for free nights at any Best Western. The points do not expire & can be rolled over from year to year. When we go on vacation we can choose any Best Western & never pay an extra penny for a hotel room. This makes saving for vacations super easy since we know the room will be covered by the points our spending has earned & it didn’t cost us anything extra to get free rooms.
Another great way to save on vacations is to get a room with a kitchenette & hit the grocery store. Best Western offers free breakfast. We don’t like how we feel if we eat out daily, so we fix some simple meals in the room & plan one or two nice meals out. We plan our meals before we leave home & take any staples we have already at home so we only have to buy the fresh stuff when we get to our destination.
If amusement parks are your thing check out the ticket prices for multiple days & see if they have an expiration date. Disney parks no longer offer the No Expiration Option, but some other parks might have a similar option available. Disney does still honor those tickets that were purchased with the No Expiration Option attached though. We bought 10 days for four when the kids were small. The per day price drops substantially the more days that are bought. Using the No Expiration Option we used half the days on that first trip, put the tickets in a safe place when we got home & took them back years later using the other half of the days. The second trip only cost us gas & food since our rewards paid for our hotel stay.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Such great tips!! Thank you Landon!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.C’est l’Amérique
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Receive your chronicle in french please
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Sorry Georgette – I don’t know French!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I get cash every week from the teller, and put $20 aside as in-home savings. This isn’t a replacement for a real savings account, but it’s handy to have some cash at home. I also save every $5 bill I get, and bundle them once I’ve got $100.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.When shopping for groceries etc. I prefer generics. Quality is important, not the brand name. When an item is faulty/rotten/damaged I will take it back to the store. Walmart has a 100% guarantee on their fresh food, and even though some associates aren’t happy to refund, I will argue if necessary. On more than one occasion have I brought back fruit/vegetables that looked perfect on the outside, but were spoiled when cut.
The Walmart in my area limits how often you can return items (without a receipt) besides they decide what item they will refund.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Peggy, thanks for replying. My local Walmart isn’t happy about returns, either, but the return rules are clearly stated in the customer service area. I’d check the official rules, and if necessary, argue w. the store manager/regional manager. A customer shouldn’t have to carry the loss of defective merchandise, and Walmart is absolutely notorious for selling bad stuff!
I’ve heard that when we donate our hair to Wigs For Kids as an example, they SELL the hair to cancer patients! Be sure to check the organization before donating. And let me add, I havent donated to Goodwill for decades—just google to see how they use free donations!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.My SIL is a cosmetologist & she told me after my daughter donated her hair to Locks of Love at another salon that she stopped collecting at her salon because she found out the children had to write essays describing why they thought they deserved a wig from Locks of Love. I’d think facing the devastation of their disease & all of it’s side effects would be more than enough reason to lovingly give a wig, made from hair the organization received for free, to those children.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Have her look into donating hair to Wigs for Kids. I have been donating to them for a few years from my salon because I have issues with Locks of Love also.
I’m really enjoying all these wonderful ideas. However, I have a different issue with the programs that take donated hair to make wigs for cancer patients. I friend of mine , who was a hair stylist, told me that up to 80% of all hair that’s donated to any of these places is actually discarded as unusable. Its either too damaged due to being over processed, or it’s too grey, or it’s simply too damaged for other reasons. Now, this may be untrue, but it sounds logical.
It is not a good idea to toilet train a cat!! Because you cannot see changes in their waste, you may not be aware of any health concerns, internal or external along with many other reasons(stress, fear, confusion, etc). Please do not post something like this without first educating yourself. I have located a website to include but you can also question any veterinary.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Is Toilet Training Your Cat a Good Idea?
https://www.catbehaviorassociates.com/toilet-training/
This is true. There is a lot of good verifiable information out there substantiating this. Ask your veterinarian about toilet training your cat. It’s not healthy for them.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.There are some good ideas here, but I’m surprised by the manicure suggestion. I guess I grew up in a time when manicures and pedicures at a shop were only for the rich and famous. I’ve never had either. I wonder how much money I’ve saved over the years? I can take care of my hands at home myself. I also haven’t been to a hair salon in over 40 years- I cut my own hair, and used to cut my children’s hair, plus I buzz my DH’s hair, too. Hmmmmm, more savings. I’ve been asked who my hairdresser is, so I guess it doesn’t look like I cut my own.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Frugality means living with 1 purse and 3 or 4 pairs of shoes. (GASP!) I know. I don’t have to empty my purse contents to switch purses- my black one does me fine all year round. I don’t have to spend time trying on shoes to see which goes best with my outfit– my black shoes go with everything.
I applaud your sharing ideas for saving money and energy. If we all did our best to cut down and conserve, re-cycle, and reduce waste as much as possible, we would all save time, money, and energy. Yay!
Being frugal doesn’t mean 1 purse and 4 pairs of shoes. Nor does it mean no manicures. Being frugal means different things to different people.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Frugal means, in the literal sense, sparing with regard to food/money or simple, plain and costing little.
You can have 2 purses and 5 pairs of shoes and still be frugal. Those in the public eye (office workers for instance) may need several pairs of shoes to wear to work. You can get inexpensive manicures.
On the flip side, 4 pairs of shoes is, to me, extreme. I own two pais of shoes and, until about 2 weeks ago, no purse. Why have a purse when you have pockets?
Kudos for cutting everyones hair, but not everyone can do so or feel comfortable doing so. Some also like a particular cut and can’t achieve it alone. This doesn’t make them less frugal, just more practical for their situation.
Let’s be honest, if we were all “frugal” we wouldn’t have computers, cell phones, new cars, name brands or shopping malls.
We would all live in tiny self-contained homes with solar power, rain catchers and our own garden.
So instead of saying what everyone should do according to your particular set of standards, how about we let people decide for themselves what frgality means to them.
I didn’t write that anyone should do any of the things I do—I only wrote about what I did. Please read the post before accusing me of saying something I didn’t.
Maybe they ask you who your hair dresser is because they think you should change to someone else. I think it is great that you are happy about all the saving that you do but we all have different talents and we each know what is important for our own self esteem.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Hahahahahah!
The idea of donating your hair is good but remember “Locks of Love” charges for the wigs they make, “Wigs for Kids” doesn’t. If you/your family age going through cancer treatment, the last thing you need is another expense.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.My sister-in-law is a cosmetologist. She said the children that try to get wigs from Locks of Love have to write an essay basically about why they think they’re deserving of receiving the wig, as if being a cancer victim, or whatever other conditions that cause hair loss, isn’t enough.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Another way to save is to use less of everything—for toothpaste all you need is a pea-sized amount. We watch commercials and think we need a brushful and we don’t. Same thing with shampoo, conditioner, dish soap, cleaning products and so on. We squirt it on and the excess is going down the drain along with our money. Also knock the thermostat back a few degrees in winter and hand out sweaters. Save hundreds if you live in a cold climate.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Great tips Joan – laundry detergent is another item that people tend to use way too much of! :-)
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Even watering down your shampoo will help save you some money. And putting your dishwashing liquid into a soap pump decanter. So when you go to wash dishes by hand you are using about 2 to 3 pumps as opposed to just squirting it out of a bottle, not knowing how much you are using and wasting.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Wash your clothes in cold water. Todays detergents are formulated to work in cold water..
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I order so many necessities through Amazon Prime, but it’s soooo easy to fill my cart with impulse products. So, like the Pin-It idea, I save these to a wishlist and go back a few days or a week later. The majority of the time I no longer want them which saves me money and doesn’t add to the “stuff” I already have.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I do the same, except I go through my Amazon cart & click the Save for Later link on the items I don’t plan to purchase immediately. It is so easy to overspend on Prime that we need to think before checking out there. lol
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Love these ideas. I, also, am trying to help people think about savings on my blog http://moneymattermeasurers.com. I love the one on impulse buying – I know quite a few people who would benefit from this (me included when it comes to fabric). Would you mind if I quote you on my blog?
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Many stores have rewards for downloading and using their apps ie Target 5% cash back when using their credit card. Just check your receipt to see how much you’ve saved on a shopping trip. I then take that amount and squirrel it away. Sometimes irs only $2-3 but it adds up. This is my mad money. I use to go to estate sales or antique stores. Or use it save up for Christmas gifts.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.This is a great idea – may I use this on my blog http://moneymattermeasurers.com, of course I will give you credit.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Yes, you may use it on your blog. Thanks
If I avoid the temptation to eat out during the work week, I transfer the money I would’ve spent at a restaurant from checking to savings. If the money is available in checking to spend on a restaurant meal, then it’s available to move to savings, and it adds up FAST. I’ve been doing this for about 10 years now and when I first started doing it, I was awful about hitting a drive thru for lunch and dinner almost every day. I was spending $8 on average for each meal, round that up to $10 and it becomes $20 a day, $100 for meals Mon-Fri. It became a “game” to see how much I can transfer to savings at the end of the week. Groceries are included in my budget so eating out isn’t taking grocery money away. For me, this is a quick, easy way to save money fast.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I love this idea – I can see it becoming a “game” would you mind if I quoted you in my blog http://moneymattermeasurers.com? I would love to share this idea with others. Thanks,
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Wouldn’t mind at all! Happy to share my little idea with anyone who can use it!
Thank you
So clever!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.If you save coins, you can use them when you check out of self-serve line at WalMart…no fee to use coins…I’ve gotten rid of BAGS of pennies this way
Please log in or create a free account to comment.After saving coins for a few years we took them to the bank to convert into paper money. Bank wanted 5% to count the change. Hubby took coins to a bank where we did not have an account and they converted it for free. We now save only paper money.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Wow, that bank has some nerve to charge their customers money to count change!? You were right to go to another bank! It’s totally unacceptable for a bank to treat their customers so shabbily.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.My husband finds money all over, in the streets, he picks up small coins, they all add up, over a year he has found up to 35 pounds
Please log in or create a free account to comment.The cost of keeping my hair short is over $20/month because I need a monthly haircut. Not saving me money
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I agree. Keeping my hair short wouldn’t save money. I’d be in the shop every/month. With my hair medium long I go every 2 months.Its still expensive to get it cut. It’s $25-30 for a ladies cut where I live. I’ve also been doing the shower trick for years.
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