Money Saving Tips

It’s the end of January and even though I budgeted for the Holidays, this month has been tight. There’s always unexpected expenses or extra gifts to purchase. If you haven’t already, evaluate what was spent and plan for next year. To help with our finances, I came up with a list of money saving tips.

We had a no spend weekend, where we didn’t spend any additional money except on necessities, and even that was minimal. I shopped my pantry prior to going to the store to see what kind of meals I could put together before purchasing anything else. Since we have eggs from our chickens, breakfast was free!

Some people will plan a no spend month, sometimes in November to ramp up for the holidays and sometimes January when recovering. I’m not sure I’m quite ready for that. One of my goals this year is to live simpler and I hope to do a “no spend” at least once a month.

I love No Spend weekends. It’s a great time to reconnect with my family and even our daughter is on board. The kids love game night so that’s always part of the agenda.

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Here’s some ideas for a No Spend Weekend:

Visit a free museum

Have a spa day – take a bath & DIY pedicure. With a little initial cost up front, you can save a lot of money doing it yourself. I purchased a PedEgg and a foot file and do this once a month.

De clutter – Organize a room / cabinet / closet

Go to the library. There are many great resources in addition to books. Check the schedule. Our library has story times or crafts for the kids.

Build a fire and read a book. Now that you’ve gone to the library, curl up on your couch or next to the fire.

Roast marshmallows and have smores. Another kid favorite and you already have the fire going.

DIY something – refinish furniture or complete a project

Do a puzzle

Have a Dance party. My daughter loves to do this with her friends then they show off what they’ve come up with.

Plan a potluck and have friends over. Although this requires a little money, it’s much less than having dinner out with your friends. One month we did a Pinterest recipe potluck where we tried things found on Pinterest. One did an appetizer, I did the main meal, and another did dessert. It was a great time.

Make a budget. I really believe in budgeting and it takes some time to set up. Check out my previous blog post on setting up a budget.

What else can you cut out or change?

I’ve worked on our taxes some, gathering receipts, which always leads to working on our budget. On my quest to live simpler, I want to work on relationships and spend less on “stuff.”

So, this got me thinking on what else I could cut out or change.

The obvious:

Cable / Netflix / Hulu / Kindle Unlimited – Are you using all these services? Also re-evaluate your bill and make sure there are not erroneous charges or services that you aren’t using.

Starbucks – I cut back on this last year. I’ve lost my Gold status. I do love a vanilla latte but now only occasionally do I treat myself to one.

Dining out and fast food – this may be hard depending on your lifestyle. Our daughter plays volleyball and sometimes our only option is fast food. Although on tournament days, I’m trying to plan ahead to take some healthy snacks and wraps.

Movies – We were going several times a month and that really adds up. I love the movies and the escape it provides but now I’m spending more time watching “chicken tv.”

But what else?

Fitness membership – there are so many options for exercise, from walking, youtube, etc. However, if you are the type of person that needs to go somewhere for accountability, this may not be something to cut out.

Massages – I love a good massage. But now instead of paying for it, I request a gift certificate for any holiday, Valentines day, Mother’s Day, my Birthday, etc. If this is something you can’t give up, be sure and check Groupon.

Dry cleaning – I’ve gotten to where I just don’t buy clothes that require dry cleaning only. Of course, you always need a special occasion outfit. Many things can be hand washed and hung up to dry. I also purchased a steamer which has been a life saver. After hanging my clothes up to dry, this really gives them a fresh look.

Donations – only donate to causes that are near and dear to your heart. It’s so easy to get caught up in all the Facebook charity request. You are not a bad person if you don’t give to everything.

Manicure/Pedicures – I cut back to once a quarter instead of every three weeks. Although I love someone massaging my feet, saving money is more important.

Add meatless meals to your weekly menu – once a month, we do a baked potato night. Occasionally I’ll add a can of chili for the members of the family that want something extra (which is pretty cheap), however usually everyone is happy with cheese. I also do a meatless baked ziti, corn quesadillas and stuffed peppers which are delicious.

Store brand products – I’m a big believer in store brand products. Most are name brands repackaged with the store brand label. There are only a few items I purchase name brand.

Sodas – not healthy! Flavored water is a great option. But if you need one on occasion, I buy when on sale or pick up the store brand.

Pre-cut produce – you are paying for convenience. You can save quite a bit of money cutting yourself.

K-cups – also convenience, we purchased a reusable K cup and buy store brand coffee. The only thing I don’t like is occasionally there is coffee grounds at the bottom of my cup.

Seafood – you can probably substitute chicken in most recipes.

Haircuts – I purchased a pair of trimmers and cut my son’s hair. My husband does his own. Luckily my daughter let me start doing hers. This has saved us hundreds of dollars a year. If there is a special occasion, we will go to the salon or barber shop or if we just need to get it reshaped.

Hair color – If you are brave, do it yourself. Around 10 years ago, with my husband’s help, I started doing mine. Now I’ve gotten pretty good at it. My daughter occasionally wants her tips done or highlights, and I’ve been brave enough to do hers also! And it’s turned out well.

Some additional ideas for No spend weekends this Spring:

Go to the park. Have a picnic plus play volleyball, soccer, or kickball with the kids. Great way to get some fun exercise in.

Ride a bike

Go fishing

Work in the yard

Have some slow quiet time. Relax. Spend time sitting outside enjoying your surroundings and decompress. I get grumpy if I don’t get to do this weekly. Even 15 minutes can be refreshing.

Build a pine cone bird feeder. This is a great craft for the kids.

Our local Home Depot does a monthly free home improvement clinic. Sometimes these are focused on kid DIY, but occasionally you can learn a new skill. Just don’t shop afterwards!

Write or journal.

Play in the sprinklers. When my boys were younger, they loved when I turned on the sprinklers and let them run loose. If I did in the front yard, many of the neighborhood kids would join in.

Go to the dog park

Give some of these a try and let me know how it goes.

I’d love to hear any other ideas you have for No Spend weekends or even some budget saving tips.