Saving money can be difficult, especially during these times of high inflation. Many people are struggling to stick to their budget. Others want to save but don’t know where to start. Users of a popular online forum offered their best advice on staying on budget. Here are the top suggestions to save money.
1. Stop Drinking
“I quit drinking for health reasons (mental and physical) and quickly noticed how much money I was saving,” someone said.
2. Get a Remote Job
One user said, “I save on gas, clothes, coffee, and food. I sold my car, so we now pay less for insurance and maintenance. I also have the energy to work on my garden and business.”
3. Rotate Streaming Services
“We’ve started rotating our streaming services. One month we’ll do Netflix, then the next Disney or whatever, so we’re only paying for one service per month instead of 4-5,” someone said.
4. Cut Back on Fast Food
“I’ve cut back and plan to cut it out altogether, that and the gas station. I work long hours, so it’s hard to pack food and eat healthily when every waking moment is driving to work or working,” a person said.
5. Stop Ordering Unnecessary Stuff
“I canceled Prime. I still order from Amazon but typically wait until I reach the $25 threshold for free Prime shipping. I order way less, and it’s typically only the stuff I need,” someone shared.
6. Stop Buying From Ads
A user said, “I stopped buying things that were advertised to me. Workout clothes and protein powders/bars, mostly. Now I research when I want a new product and don’t switch from something I know I like.”
7. Switch to Powder Detergents
One person mentioned, “Powder detergents only when the world shifted toward liquid detergents. Why would I pay for the water-based product? I have water at home, and my appliances(washing machine and dishwasher) work with powder.”
8. Make Coffee at Home
“Buying coffee from coffee shops (except on special occasions). When I first paid attention to my budget, I was shocked at how much money I wasted on convenience food and “treating myself” to too many iced coffees,” someone shared.
9. Stop Smoking
“I quit when my daughter was born. I’m just doing the math now. I avoided buying over 2,500 packs or about 20 thousand USA wing wangs,” someone said.
10. Use Reusable Razors
“Partner and I changed to refillable and just replaced individual blades from time to time, which are cheap as hell. It’s a more challenging shave, but it works,” a user said.
11. Try Thrifting
Someone said, “Thrift stores are awesome to fill the void of clothes shopping. You can buy pretty cheap things, wear them until you don’t like them, and donate without feeling guilty.”
12. Shop Once a Week
“Stopped buying groceries whenever we ran out of something, which led to us shopping three to five times a week. We now shop once,” someone said.
13. Skip the Salon
“I have not gone back; honestly, I don’t notice or care. I just keep my nails short and clean, well-trimmed and groomed. I am sure, at this point, I’ve saved thousands,” someone shared.
14. Use Cloth Instead
Someone said, “I use paper towels for greasy messes and cloth towels for everything else. Saves so much money.”
15. Only Collect What You Love
“I still collect the ones I love, but I don’t need to own every video game ever. I’m not holding a museum after all; that was delusional,” someone said.
16. Switch to Rechargable
“Rechargeable batteries are about the same price as single-use, and I haven’t had to buy any since before Covid. We use the EBL brand, and they’re great,” a user shared.
17. Eat Less Red Meat
Someone said, “Most decent steaks in my area are in the double-digit range compared to chicken drumsticks, which were 59 cents a pound last week.”
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Inspired by this thread – photos for illustrative purposes only.
