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Top 50 Small Things You Can Do to Save Money

People are always looking for great ideas to save a ton of money, but sometimes it is best to focus on the little things to see the savings add up. Over time, it can add up to a lot!

50 tips to save money- PersonalProfitability.com

Save Money On Food

1. Make your own coffee
2. Take your lunch
3. Buy generic brands
4. Skip the candy
5. Use coupons
6. Buy in bulk
7. Bake from scratch
8. Cook for yourself
9. Take back your bags or bring your own (many stores give a discount)
10. Look at the per ounce/pound price. Bigger does not always mean cheaper.

Save Money On Your Vehicle

1. Keep your tires inflated (saves gas)
2. Go to GasBuddy.com to find cheaper gas
3. Do not change your oil every 2,000 miles (check your manual. Mine says 5,000)
4. Get cheaper insurance if you qualify
5. Keep to your maintenance schedule to avoid big costs later
6. Don’t carry extra weight in the trunk
7. Accelerate slower out of lights and stop signs
8. Do not drive over 55 miles per hour
9. Take public transportation if it is cheaper than gas/parking
10. Find cheaper parking lots when in urban areas

Save Money On Your House

  1. Lower your thermostat
  2. Lower your hot water temperature
  3. Switch to compact fluorescent light bulbs
  4. Wait until the dishwasher is full to run it
  5. Water your lawn less
  6. Take shorter showers
  7. Let your grass grow a little more before cutting it (unless you use a hand power mower)
  8. Get winter window insulation kits (I use Frost King. It really works!)
  9. Skip dryer softener sheets. They don’t really do anything anyway.
  10. Turn off the lights when you leave the room
  11. Use a free service like OhmConnect to save energy and get paid while doing it! OhmConnect rewards you for using less energy when the energy grid is stressed. Another free service is Arcadia Power which helps you lower your utility bill while helping to generate more clean energy!

Save Money On Bills

1. Downgrade to a lower cable/satellite plan if you don’t use all of the channels
2. Pay your credit cards in full every month to avoid interest charges
3. Stop newspaper or magazine subscriptions unless you really read them. Online is free!
4. Re-evaluate that cell phone plan. Do you really use those minutes/texts? (Beware of ETF)
5. Prepay your car/mortgage loan to save interest in the long run. Every bit counts.
6. Refinance the mortgage if you have a high rate
7. Pay on time. Late fees suck!
8. Pay online. Some companies give a paperless discount.
9. Save the stamp. Another saving for paying online.
10. Consolidate your student loans to a lower interest equity loan

Spending while saving money

  1. Don’t buy that impulse DVD at Target/Walmart
  2. Distinguish between wants and needs
  3. Distinguish between wants and needs (I really need to emphasize that one)
  4. Do not buy drinks at restaurants. Water is free (and healthier)
  5. Avoid the bars. Drinks at home with friends is much cheaper
  6. Find a hobby that costs less than your current hobby
  7. Get books from the library rather than the book store
  8. Get movies at the library instead of paying
  9. Enjoy going outside. There is no admission fee for most parks and trails
  10. Use a service like Trim to analyze your accounts and see where you can save more money. Trim can help you negotiate lower bill payments, cancel recurring subscriptions you don’t need, and find better car insurance.

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Top 50 Small Ways to Save Money- PersonalProfitability.com

Originally posted January 22, 2009. Updated October 28, 2021.

Top 50 Small Things You Can Do to Save Money

6 thoughts on “Top 50 Small Things You Can Do to Save Money”

  1. Save money on breakfast cereal by making a pot of oatmeal once a week. I do this on Sunday afternoons (takes 10 mins), and then store it in the fridge in a lasagna pan. I cut a square out each morning, pop it in the microwave for 45 seconds, and top it with dried blueberries, or fresh fruit. It’s a lot healthier than breakfast cereal and much cheaper.

  2. Great tips! Thanks for emphasizing this one ” Distinguish between wants and needs”…That simplest thing when done properly could save you a lot of money. My wallet usually get bankrupt from purchasing the things that i really want irregardless if i’m going to use it often or not. Those things that i want usually end up being stored in a box and left untouched for months. I guess i should print this phrase and place it in my wallet so every time i like to purchase a thing, i will have to think twice if i really need or or just want it. Thanks for sharing…

    1. That gives me an idea for an app! Whenever you are going to buy something, you can open it and it will ask you if it is a want or a need! ha ha. Thanks for stopping in to comment. I like the wallet reminder idea.

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