Maybe you’re a broke college student (been there, done that!), saving for a house, trying to pay off debt, or simply just trying to build up your emergency fund. Whatever the reason you’re trying to cut costs in some areas of life, it can be difficult to think of ways to save your money. I’ve implemented strategies in my own life to make this happen, and I wanted to share some of these ideas so you can do it too!
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Do Your Own Nails
I was so sick of paying up to over $100 to get my nails done! Especially if you’re getting manicures and pedicures this cost can really add up over time. I started doing my own gel nails at home and they last just as long as my nails from the salon! Most of the products I use can even be purchased on Amazon. There are so many options for gel nail colors and nail stickers out there. It takes a little practice to really get it perfect, but I promise that with a little time and effort, your nails will be perfect! I get so many questions and comments from my coworkers about my nails and they’re always shocked to hear I do them myself! I personally like the ‘Beetles’ brand of gel nail polish so I’ve linked their kit below to get you started.
Getting gel nail polish off can be really tricky though. You can soak them off with nail polish, but I personally like to buff my nails with a nail file before trying to get the polish off. I’ve also found a product that you paint on your nails (like nail polish) but it pulls up your gel polish so it can just be scraped off! I’ve linked this life-changing product below. It’s something I will keep purchasing again and again!
Have “No Spend” Days or Months
If you’ve never done a ‘no spend’ challenge before you may want to start out with just a few days or a week at a time. This is a trend I’ve seen going around on social media a lot lately. It can be really useful when trying to pay off debt or increase your savings. By saving money throughout the month, you’ll have more money to put towards your debt or increase your savings!
What Are ‘No Spend’ Challenges?
A ‘no spend’ challenge is basically a stretch of time where you commit to not spending any money on things that aren’t essentials. It only lasts as long as you want it to! If a month seems too long of a commitment, try shorter periods of time until you get the results you want. You will obviously still spend money on food, rent/mortgage, gas, etc.
The Rules
The rules for this plan are pretty simple, and you can change up the rules to be more fitted to your life. Some common rules for ‘no spend’ challenges are:
- No getting coffee from Starbucks, Dunkin’, etc. (instead, make coffee at home!)
- No gas station snacks
- No eating out, including fast food
- No new clothing or shoes
- No new home decor or furniture
- No spa treatments/getting your nails done
- No new makeup or skincare items (can still buy items you run out of)
If you can’t completely cut something out, try to set a limited number of times you can have that thing, such as eating out or getting coffee once a week.
When I was doing a ‘no spend’ month I would write down everything I spent on that day and highlight that day in yellow if I didn’t make any purchases or only spent money on essential items. If I did make a non-essential purchase, I’d highlight that day in pink.
When It Won’t Work
This method might not work for you if you wait until the challenge is over and then go spend a lot of money on non-essential items.That would basically defeat the purpose of limiting yourself for a set period of time. Keep yourself motivated by remembering all the money you saved by doing the challenge!
Buy Items When They Are On Sale
Groceries
Watch for ads in the paper or on your grocery apps to see what’s on sale for the week. Then, structure your meals around these items while also using things you already have on hand! This is also a great place to look for coupons for things you’d be purchasing anyway.
Don’t forget to scan in your receipts to your favorite rewards app so you can get money back! (I personally use fetch).
Also, check out my post on Ways to Cut Your Grocery Bill
Gifts
This is another one of my favorite creative ways to save money. Shop sale isles or online sales to find items that your loved ones will enjoy, at a cheaper price! If you happen to find an item you can use for a gift, save it in your closet for when a birthday or Christmas comes around!
DIY As Much As You Can
Greeting Cards
Spending $8 on a greeting card seems a little silly, so make them yourself! I love to make homemade greeting cards using my Cricut! If you don’t have a Cricut you can still make a high quality greeting card using just paper and scissors. I buy scrapbook paper (holiday themes are my favorite) and use that paper to decorate my cards. I highly recommend buying just blank cards for a much cheaper price and decorating them for whatever holiday you are celebrating. Pinterest is a great place to look for card-making ideas. I have a board on my own Pinterest dedicated to this!
Gifts
From bath bombs and body scrubs to quilts and throw pillows, channel your creative side and make DIY gifts! I love to look for DIY gift ideas on Pinterest to make throughout the year so when Christmas rolls around, I already have some gifts made and can stretch my Christmas budget even further.
Recipes
This one does take a little time, but you can save a lot of money by making homemade versions of the things you already buy! Breads, tortillas, muffins, and cookies are just a few examples. I haven’t perfected the art of homemade bread quite yet but I know several people that no longer buy store bought at all!
Go to The Library
If you’re big into reading like me, you probably frequent book stores and websites that sell books to find your next read. I’m guilty of buying a brand new book and reading it, then letting it sit on my bookshelf for years. Going to the library more is something I plan to work on myself. By renting books, you not only save money but decrease the amount of clutter in your home.
Buy Items Second Hand
Clothing
Thrift stores, Facebook Marketplace, and resell apps like Poshmark sell like-new clothing all the time at a great price. These are also great places to look for work uniforms like scrubs. Check out the secondhand clothing before choosing to buy new. You may save yourself lots of money!
Furniture
Brand new furniture can be really expensive which is why buying secondhand is a great option. Be sure to make sure all parts are functioning properly before you buy. Don’t forget to check the piece over for any stains first. You can always refinish a piece of furniture to make it more like your style!
Tools
If you’re looking for basic tools to keep around your home, look for them at garage sales and thrift shops! Many of these tools are still in great condition and you will get years of use from them.
Vehicles
Every single vehicle I’ve had has been pre-owned, and they’ve been great vehicles! Bonus points if you can buy a vehicle that is certified pre-owned.
Find Free Things to Do In Your Area
If you’re bored and looking for something to do, don’t go spend money just to keep yourself busy! I would recommend searching for “Free things to do in (insert your city here).” You may find your new favorite hobby this way. For instance, in my city there are many free parks and hiking trails, along with a couple museums that don’t charge admission fees.
Don’t forget to pick up your free books at the library and spend an afternoon reading!
If you weren’t able to find anything free to do that interests you on a specific day, there’s no shame in staying home and watching Netflix or one of your favorite movies on DVD. (Yes I’m old-school like that haha).
Prep Your Meals Ahead of Time
This is something I’ve gotten really good at and I know it saves me hundreds, or maybe even thousands of dollars a year! Whenever I make a meal, I make a little extra to eat later. I use these leftovers for my lunches at work.
If you’re like me and tend to want to sleep in before work, pack your lunches the night before! This not only makes my morning less stressful but also keeps me from spending money in the work cafeteria.
Use Apps That Help You Save Money
If you really struggle with saving money by decreasing your spending because you can still see the money available to you in your checking account, use an app that will help you save money!
While I don’t personally use apps like this, I’ve heard of them and think they could be a great strategy in helping you to save money.
Since I don’t use these apps myself, I don’t really feel comfortable recommending one to you. However, the website girlboss has a post that discusses several options for you. I have linked the post HERE.
I hope these ideas are helpful while on your money-saving journey! Whatever the reason you’re motivated to save money I believe you can do it! There are many reasons why saving money isn’t fun in the moment but the benefits you will reap in the long run will make it so worth it. Try to remember that to stay motivated and find ways to make it fun along the way.
Want to learn more about me? Read my ‘About Me’ page HERE.
