The Massive Money Saving Checklist!
How would you like to save thousands of dollars over the course of a year… Without feeling like you’re living a life of constant denial?
You would? Well, read on!
This list includes 200 money saving hints and tips you can use to save thousands of dollars over the course of a year. You might not be able to (or want to) implement them all or all at once but, there’s bound to be at least a few money saving tips that are perfect for your situation.
If money is tight at the moment you might want to stretch your frugal muscles by implementing a lot of these tips.
Some of these tips are one-off changes and others are changes you can use consistently to help you on your journey toward a more frugal lifestyle. Test a tip out by setting up your own 30 day challenge.
Table of Contents
200 Money Saving Tips
This is an epic list, so for your convenience, you can browse by section – just click on a heading below.
- Groceries / Eating Out
- Insurance & Banking
- Transport
- Entertainment
- Health & Pharmacy
- General Household Costs
- Kids & Babies
- Clothing
- Making a Little Extra
- Holidays & Special Occasions
Groceries
1 | Pack lunches and snacks for work. |
2 | Start using a basic menu plan. |
3 | Freezer batch cooking. |
4 | Buy bulk fruit and vegetables (that are in season) for preserving at home. |
5 | Build a pantry stockpile. |
6 | Buy a reusable water bottle instead of buying bottled water. |
7 | Use coupons when it makes sense. |
8 | Switch to generic brands. |
9 | Time your grocery shopping to align with mark downs or before closing discounts. |
10 | Reduce meat consumption: introduce meatless Mondays. |
11 | Bake your own bread. |
12 | Stretch minced (ground) beef with red lentils or oatmeal |
13 | Try supplementing your groceries by growing your own veggies or herbs. |
14 | Prepared pastry is expensive try making your own pastry. A bit of practice definitely makes for the perfect pie crust. |
15 | If you have the freezer capacity, consider buy a side of beef. |
16 | Experiment with freezer cooking. Breakfasts, lunches and/or dinners. Anything that stops you ordering in or driving through saves money. |
17 | Make your own snacks: cookies, cupcakes, etc. It’s cheaper and better for you and your family. |
18 | Buy a good quality water bottle for each family member, keep it full and always take it with you. Buying bottled water is expensive in dollars and resources. |
19 | Research your nearest food stores for the best prices. Create a price book. |
20 | Watch store flyers for exceptional specials and stock up. |
21 | Remove unnecessary (and unhealthy) items from your grocery bill. Eg: Soda |
22 | Keep eating out for special occasions. Or, flex your culinary muscles and host a dinner party instead. |
23 | Buy in bulk when it makes sense to do so. Only buy ingredients you know you’ll use and only buy as much as you can safely store. HINT: Freeze flour for at least 24 hours before adding to your stockpile to ensure nothing nasty appears in it. |
24 | If you’re eating out, skip the drink menu and order water. |
25 | Time running errands for when you’re less likely to get an attack of the munchies. Or, if you can’t, make sure you take snacks, sandwiches or fruit (and your water bottle) with you. |
26 | Check for impulse purchases before heading to the check out. You’ll probably discover there are at least two or three items in your trolley you don’t really need. Put them back on the shelf. |
27 | Get takeout from your pantry. Keep some simple pantry “heat and eat” meals on hand for emergencies. The keyword here is ’emergencies. Use these meals instead of ordering takeout not in your usual daily menu. |
28 | Always. Always. Always go grocery shopping with a list. Only deviate from your list when you can substitute an item on it for an on the spot bargain. |
29 | Keep a supply of frozen vegetables on hand. Buy them when they’re on special. Fresh might be best but sometimes frozen means less waste and that means better value for money. |
30 | Explore the unbeatable combination of cheap cuts of meat and slow cooking. You’ll be amazed. |
31 | Popcorn makes a great snack that’s super cheap if you make it at home. But, don’t buy the little sachets of microwavable popcorn, buy the bags of loose kernels and use either brown paper bags or a pot on the stove. You could even invest in an air popper popcorn machine and still save heaps compared to the sachets. |
32 | Save on fresh fruit and vegetables by always buying in season. |
33 | Beans can add a heap of extra protein and fibre to your diet but make sure you buy dried beans and then prepare them properly. You can prep dried beans in bulk and then freeze in portion sizes for later use. |
34 | Prepared items like chopped vegetables and grated cheese are convenient but you’re paying for someone else’s labor. Use your own instead and save money. |
35 | Make your own coffee flavourings at home. There a lots of recipes available on Pinterest. |
36 | Normally grab a drive through coffee on the way to work? Invest in a travel cup and brew your own at home to take with you. |
37 | Reduce your meat consumption by adding “meatless Monday” to your meal planning. |
38 | Instead of meeting friends at a restaurant, host a pot luck dinner at home. |
39 | If your food budget is very tight, add an extra (cheap) filler to your meal: homemade garlic bread, homemade dinner rolls, potatoes, rice, pasta. |
40 | A couple of times a week, serve a simple homemade dessert to round out a smaller main meal. |
41 | Use smaller portions. Most of us eat more than we need so start serving smaller portions. Reducing meat servings by 20% will save you money and stretch each meal a little further, potentially providing an additional serving that can be frozen or taken to work for lunch. |
42 | If eating out is an important part of your social life, check sites like Groupon for deals to cut the cost. |
43 | Have regular pot luck dinners at home to use up leftovers or items about to hit their use-by date. |
44 | Make your own ricotta cheese. Little House Living Recipe. |
45 | Save leftovers for lunches. |
46 | Keep a couple of emergency pantry meals in your desk at work. If for some reason you didn’t have a chance to brown bag your lunch, you’ve got a meal available and won’t have to resort to expensive takeout for lunch. |
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Insurance / Banking
47 | Refinance your mortgage to a lower interest rate |
48 | Shop around for insurances |
49 | Once your emergency fund reaches at least $1000, increase the “excess” amounts for each of your insurance policies. This will reduce the cost of your policy considerably. |
50 | Never auto-renew your insurances. Take the time to see if you can get a better deal elsewhere or a better price with the same company. |
51 | How long have you been with your bank? Does it still serve your needs? Make time to check out other banks to see if they have lower fees and/or higher interest rates. |
52 | If you drive an older vehicle, consider reducing your insurance from replacement to fire and theft (or their equivalents in your area). Paying extra for full replacement on a car worth a couple of thousand dollars is a waste. Instead, put that extra money into your own “replacement fund”. |
53 | Health insurance is expensive! Do your research before committing to a fund. |
54 | Save money on life and income insurance by quitting smoking and making sure you’re within your healthy weight range. |
55 | If your credit card has a rewards program make the most of it by cashing your rewards in for something you’ll use, like a prepaid visa card. Use it yourself or save it as a gift for someone else. |
56 | Avoid ATM fees by using your bank’s own ATM. |
57 | Your credit report impacts everything… check it regularly to make sure there are no errors. |
58 | If your credit rating has increased over the last 12 months, call your creditors and ask for a reduction in the interest rate you’re being charged. |
Transport
59 | Sell your newer car and purchase a cheaper, older (reliable) vehicle. |
60 | Consider becoming a one car family. |
61 | Buy regular fuel not premium. Unless you drive a high-performance vehicle, there’s no benefit for the additional cost. |
62 | Perform simple car maintenance yourself (check out YouTube). |
63 | Consider using public transport for your daily commute. Do some research into how much it will cost verses how much you currently spend on fuel plus general wear and tear on your car. |
64 | Do you have a work colleague living nearby? Can you car pool to work? |
65 | Always keep a lookout for cheap fuel. Pull in and fill up when you see a really good discount. Fuel prices can fluctuate wildly for no good reason! |
66 | When buying a car, pay attention to fuel efficiency and maintenance costs. |
67 | Batch your errands together so you can limit the number of car trips you need to make each week. Save time and money. |
68 | Getting better fuel economy by making sure your car’s tires are inflated to the correct pressure. Check them often. |
69 | Fuel economy is also impacted by aerodynamics so make sure roof racks are only attached when you need them not all the time. |
70 | Swap the car for a bicycle. It’s not always practical to do this but worth it if you can. |
Entertainment
71 | Borrow books & DVD’s from the library. |
72 | Borrow music from the library. |
73 | Cancel expensive TV services and look at cheaper options like Netflix. |
74 | Magazines are expensive (and create clutter) so if you’re a big fan of magazines, start weaning yourself off them by borrowing them from the library. You still get to enjoy reading your favorite magazine without the expense or the clutter. |
75 | Look for free family entertainment in your local area. |
76 | If you love going to the movies, explore ways of getting your ticket cheaper. Can you buy in bulk at a discount? Do you have access to special tickets via work or school? Does your favorite cinema have a loyalty program? |
77 | Break the habit of buying snacks at the cinema; either go without or take (smuggle) your own. |
78 | Have a family movie night at home complete with homemade popcorn. There are a bazzillion different ways to flavour popcorn and it’s cheap to make. |
79 | Share the cost (and the value) of Netflix, Hulu, or Amazon Prime with a family member or friend. These services allow you have multiple devices on your account. |
80 | Check out Pinterest for cheap ‘Date Night’ ideas. |
Personal Care
81 | Use coconut oil as a cheap organic moisturiser. |
82 | Reduce your cosmetics to the basics. |
83 | Rethink your hairdressing needs. Try cutting your family’s hair yourself. Extend the time between your visits to the hairdresser. |
84 | Look for cheaper fitness options. |
85 | Be your own hairdresser and learn to color your own hair at home. Save being pampered at the salon for a special treat. |
86 | Go for a low maintenance hairstyle that doesn’t need to be trimmed as frequently or require a lot of product to look good. |
87 | Shampoo is essentially detergent. There’s little to no benefit in buying an expensive shampoo unless you’re buying one without the unpronounceable chemicals. Save your money and buy a basic “no name” shampoo. |
88 | If you use cosmetics, start experimenting with cheaper brands. There’s no need to spend $50 on an eyeliner pencil when a $5 one works just as well. |
89 | Looking for a cheap color and cut? Check out the local vocational training centres in your area. The hairdressing schools, beauty schools, etc. are always looking for clients for their apprentices and usually only charge nominal amounts for their services. |
90 | Make your own shaving products (shaving cream & aftershave) at home. Check out Pinterest for some great DIY products. |
91 | Use a shower poof with your body wash. You’ll use less. |
Health / Pharmacy
92 | Look at swapping to generic pharmaceuticals – ask your doctor. |
93 | Ditch paid diet plans for free options online. You can use sites like LoseIt.com to track your meals and your progress. |
94 | If you wear spectacles or contact lenses, research cheaper options than your optometrist; like purchasing online. |
General Household Costs
95 | Set your thermostat a little higher in summer and a little lower in winter. |
96 | Reduce your water usage: shorter showers, turn off the water while brushing your teeth, mulch your garden. |
97 | Turn off appliances when not in use – including standby mode. |
98 | Check for a better deal for your mobile phone. |
99 | Make sure your house is weather sealed. |
100 | Swap paper towels for cloth tea towels and cleaning rags. |
101 | Call all your utility providers to see if there’s a way to lower your bill. |
102 | Reduce energy usage. Switch to low energy light globes. |
103 | Reduce water usage. Fill a large bottle with water and place it in the toilet cistern. This reduces the amount of water available for each flush. |
104 | Install a low flow shower head to reduce your water bill. |
105 | Insulate your water heater so it retains the heat you’re paying to create. |
106 | Lower the temperature on your water heater’s thermostat. (110f / 45c) |
107 | Be your own handyman. Check out YouTube for tutorials on basic home maintenance. Remember to call a professional for plumbing and electrical work. |
108 | Start weaning yourself off fabric softener. Better still, go cold turkey. It’s an unnecessary addition of chemicals to your life. |
109 | Reuse any plastic grocery bags that find their way into your house as liners for smaller bins. |
110 | Research all available utility suppliers for their best supply and usage rates and then see if your current supplier will match it. If not, change over to the supplier with the best deal. |
111 | Let clothes air dry as often as you can. |
112 | Phone charger and laptop cables can be very expensive. Protecting them isn’t so invest in a product like the animal cable bites (shown below) to minimise the wear and tear on your cables. |
113 | Invest in reusable food containers rather than disposable plastic bags. |
114 | Look at swapping homemade laundry products (fabric softener / dryer sheets) for commercial products |
115 | Wash clothes that just need a freshen up in cold water. |
116 | Ensure your dishwasher is full and on the appropriate setting when you use it. |
117 | Make your own cleaning supplies – check out Pinterest for recipes. |
118 | Make wipes and cleaning rags from old t-shirts. |
119 | Use less of everything. Shampoo is a great example. Most of us don’t play in the mud very often so there’s no need to lather up twice. This can save you 50% on shampoo costs. Plus, conditioner need not be used all over, usually just the ends of your hair. |
120 | Buy neutral gift wrap supplies: plain paper wrap and plain tags. |
121 | Make your own greeting cards using plain white cards and envelopes. |
122 | Make use of the free trial period before committing to a purchase. Set a reminder on your phone or in your calendar so you know when you need to opt out. |
123 | Some loyalty cards are worth having. Do some research on the loyalty cards for your favorite places. For example, if you’re a regular at the cinema, see what their loyalty offers. It might be free popcorn, free tickets or special screenings. A word of caution: don’t use the loyalty benefits as an excuse to spend more. |
124 | If you choose not to purchase the item, transfer the money you would have spent to your savings account. |
125 | Pets are great company but they’re expensive to maintain. Consider the long term implications of adding a new pet to your family. Remember a dog could be with you for 12 years or more and a cat 20 years. During that time, you’ll need to neuter them, feed them, treat them for parasites, provide regular vet visits and board them while you’re on holiday. The benefits of ownership might be priceless but they definitely come at a cost. |
126 | Always be prepared for grabbing a bargain by keeping a “needs” list on your phone. Make sure it includes important information like size or dimensions, color, etc. |
127 | Shop for housing in the off-season. You can often find a rental or purchase discount if you’re looking when everyone else isn’t. |
128 | Use whitefence.com to get instant comparison pricing on utilities, and services in your area. |
129 | Avoid temptation and stay away from stores as much as possible. If you usually wander around the stores during your lunch break, find a park to walk around or a nice spot to catch up on your reading. |
130 | Look for free garden materials (soil, mulch, etc) on sites like Graigslist, Gumtree or your local area Facebook group. |
131 | When purchasing anything online, order your search results from lowest to highest. It’s better to find what you love in the lower price range than the higher price range because once you’ve found it, you can probably stop looking. |
132 | Try a “staycation” rather than a vacation. Take the time to see all the tourist sites and places of interest in your own town or city. |
133 | Have a plan. Check out the how/what/where/why of whatever purchase you need to make before you go ahead and finalise the purchase. This is especially true with clothing. How will it be worn? What do you need it for? Where will you wear it? Why do you think you need it? Maybe even consider the benefit of a capsule wardrobe. |
134 | Choose your vacation destination at the last minute and see what extra special deals you can find. |
135 | Keep your receipts. Don’t miss out on claiming a tax deduction because you no longer have the receipt. |
136 | Another reason to keep your receipts; you never know if a new purchase might need to be returned due to a fault. Don’t miss out on a refund because you don’t have the receipt. |
137 | If you use your printer a lot, consider buying refilled ink cartridges. |
138 | Use the moneysavingmom.com coupon database to find coupons on items you use regularly. |
139 | Learn about personal finance. There are lots of great websites and books available. Not sure where to start? Check out some suggestions here. |
140 | Need a hobby? Try something that adds value to your budget (vegetable gardening), is cheap (reading) or can bring in some money (flipping yard sale finds). |
141 | Explore options to reduce your debt faster. Debt consolidation might be an option but also check out the snowball and avalanche methods. |
142 | Always balance quality and price when making purchases. Sometimes it’s worth waiting and saving for a more expensive version that’s premium quality. |
143 | If retail therapy is an issue for you, start taking note of the emotional triggers for the behaviour. Are you depressed? Lonely? Angry? Address the cause; you’ll feel better and have money in the bank. |
144 | Buy melamine foam (check reviews first) instead of magic erasers. |
145 | Stick to one hobby at a time. It’ll save money on materials and equipment. Time is a precious resource, too. |
146 | Unplug or turn off at the power point, electrical items that are not in use. Standby mode still uses power. |
147 | Take shorter showers. Water is becoming more and more expensive, especially in drought zones. Use a kitchen timer. |
148 | Find your frugal tribe. It’s much easier to stay on track financially if the people you spend your time with don’t encourage you to spend your money with them, too. If you can’t find them locally, check out Facebook groups, website forums, etc. |
149 | Reduce cooling costs in summer by keeping curtains closed and the hot sun out, and reduce heating costs in winter by letting the sunshine in. |
150 | Stock up on table linens at the thrift store. |
151 | Close vents or use vent covers in unused rooms (close the door) and save on heating and cooling costs. |
152 | Plan a regular spending freeze and SAVE what you don’t spend. |
153 | Explore cash back sites like eBates. |
154 | Renters can reduce accommodation costs by moving to cheaper rental. |
155 | Save your pay increase. When you get a pay rise, send that money straight to your savings account not your every day spending account. You won’t miss what you’ve never had. |
156 | Regularly clean the filters on your air conditioner. Clean filters help your air conditioner run more efficiently therefore using less power. |
157 | Monitor your data usage on your mobile phone; do you need a plan with more or less? Exceeding your data allowance can be expensive so make sure you’re always under budget. Also, if you rarely use your data allowance, it might be worth renegotiating your plan to a cheaper one. |
158 | Make sure you get receipts for donations to charity, they might be tax deductible. |
159 | Is your high schooler considering attending college or university? Start looking at scholarships, now. It’s never too early to begin your research. |
160 | Consider option for bringing in extra money and make that your hobby. You could start a blog, an online store or sell plants you grow from cuttings. Lots of ideas for side hustles here. |
161 | DIY your pest control. Instead of calling in the exterminator, try bug bombing your house for a fraction of the cost. Make sure you follow the instructions carefully. Bug bombs (or similar) can be purchased at grocery and hardware stores. |
162 | Do you really need your landline? If not, get rid of it and save. |
163 | Save on clutter and cost by restricting the total number of toys per child. Most toys find their way to the back of the closet and sit there collecting dust so it’s better for everyone if they have a few toys they love than dozens they don’t care about. |
164 | Cancel your gym membership. Unless you go to the gym specifically to train with heavy weights, you can probably forego that drain on your budget. Train at home using videos on YouTube or DVDs from the library. Free hand weights and kettle bells can be purchased at reasonable prices from sports stores. |
165 | Challenge yourself to a no-spend month (or even just a week) to see how often you spend without thinking. Make sure you save (into a savings account) what you don’t spend. |
166 | Always check out second hand options before buying new. Especially furniture. |
167 | Enforce a “cooling off” period before you splash out on a big purchase. This will seriously reduce impulse purchases but it will also reduce ill-informed purchases. You might think that “whatever it is” is perfect but, will it fit, will it fulfill your needs, is there a better option, can you get it second hand, or borrow from a friend/family member/neighbor? You might find that by delaying the purchase, you decide you didn’t actually need the item anyway. If not, then you’ll be making a well thought out investment. |
168 | Plan ahead and buy items you need at the best time of the year. |
169 | Take care of what you already own. Regular maintenance is much cheaper than regular replacement. |
170 | Don’t over-schedule your weekends. Make sure you have sufficient time to rest, relax and get organized for the coming week. |
171 | Schedule your bill payments to avoid late fees. |
172 | Still sending bill payments by post? Try making your payments online instead and save on stamps. |
173 | Acknowledge your addictions and work at overcoming them. Cigarettes, alcohol, etc will cost you your health as well as your wealth. |
174 | Time your purchases with specific events, like “back to school” sales. Just make sure you know you’re actually getting a good deal before stocking up. |
175 | Take the time to create a workable budget. If you’re new to the concept, give yourself some margin for error. It’s better to have money left over and feel successful than it is to run out of money before the end of the month and feel like a failure. |
176 | Avoid storage costs by not having more stuff than space. If you have stuff in storage, sort it then sell it, donate it or dump it. |
Kids & Babies
177 | Having a baby? Breast feed if you can. There are lots of excellent reasons for breastfeeding your bub, the least of which is that good quality formula is very expensive. Not to mention all the work of sterilising bottles, etc. |
178 | Delay introducing solid food as long as possible. The older the infant is, the less processing their food will need saving time and money. |
179 | When it comes to disposable diapers/nappies, go big. The cost per unit goes down the higher the content count goes. You might wonder where you’ll store them or if you’ll possibly use them all but, trust me, better to have too many than not enough. |
180 | If you and your social circle have young children, organize a babysitting roster so you can all enjoy a low cost date night each month. |
181 | Kids activities can be expensive – even the free ones. Once you factor in time, travelling costs, equipment… Limit extracurricular activities; save money and save your sanity. |
182 | Dress-up and costumes can be fun (and cheap) to make at home with items you already own or consider purchasing costumes immediately after Halloween when they’re likely to be on sale. |
183 | Check out thrift stores for kids clothes and toys. |
Clothing
184 | Create a 10 item wardrobe. Spend less money on clothes and stress less about what to wear. If 10 items seems too big a sacrifice, start by tossing, donating or selling half the contents of your closet. Learn more in our popular article on the subject. |
185 | Apply the 10 item wardrobe rule to your family’s closets, too. |
186 | Buy clothes from thrift stores – jeans especially |
187 | Save your lingerie/underwear buying until the end of season sales. |
188 | As much as possible, buy low maintenance clothes: no dry clean only or hand wash. You’ll save both time and money. You can read more about saving money on clothing in this article we put together for you. |
189 | Buy next year’s winter gear at the end of the season. Ditto for summer. If you’re buying classic styles in solid colors, no-one will know it’s from last season. |
Making a Little Extra
190 | Use your skills to make some extra money. If you’re handy with a sewing machine you could offer an alteration or hemming service. Or tutor students in your area of expertise. |
191 | Make some extra cash by decluttering your house and selling your unwanted stuff on eBay, Craigslist, Gumtree, Facebook buy/sell groups or hold a yard sale. Cash in – clutter out! |
I highly recommend everyone has a side hustle. If you’d like to know why, I discuss the reasons here. Plus you’ll find more articles on making a little extra cash here. |
Holidays & Special Occasions
192 | Plan ahead for holiday gift giving and purchase (on sale) or make/grow gifts throughout the year. |
193 | Planning a wedding? Think beyond the commercial wedding scene and find simpler, cheaper solutions for photography, catering and venue. For more ideas for a budget wedding, check out the suggestions in this article I wrote. |
194 | Choose your wedding date carefully, get married a week or two before peak season begins and you’ll have great weather and more options and more than likely a discount, too. |
195 | Consider getting married on a day other than Saturday for a cheaper venue and catering. The evening before a long weekend would be perfect. |
196 | Wedding dresses can be crazy expensive, try looking online at sites aimed at teens for proms and debutante balls. You can always add extra embellishments (like a detachable lace train) yourself. |
197 | Rethink the way you give gifts at Christmas and instigate a Kris Kringle style gift exchange for the extended family. Put everyone’s name in a ‘hat’ and allocate a recipient for each gift-giver in the family. That means each person just buys one gift for one extended family member. |
198 | Consider giving experiences not gifts for birthdays and holidays. Carefully choose the experience to suit the recipient and they’ll have a present they’ll treasure for a lifetime. |
199 | Add gifts to your stockpile, especially if you have children. Gifts for children’s parties can add up over the year so buy multiples when you see a good deal. My favorite gift to stockpile when my daughter was young is art supplies. See what Amazon has to offer here. |
200 | Create a special budget for the holidays that includes estimates for everything from food to travel to hosting house guests and start putting money to the side in January. For more information on planning for a debt-free Christmas/Holiday Season take a look at this article. |
This is a long list but I’m sure you have money savings tips that I’ve never considered, so please share them in the comments.
If you’re looking for even more money saving tips check out the Smart Money, Simple Life Money Saving Tips on Pinterest!
Or, you might enjoy these posts, too:
- When Money Is Tight – Tips for Living on Next to Nothing
- The Top 5 Ways to Spend Less Money
- Your DIY Food Bank – Insurance you can eat!
Image: Tiago Faifa (unsplash.com)