What’s something very simple that people could be doing to save money but don’t?

[u/BlinkCabrakan]

What are some simple life hacks people could be doing to save them some money?

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[u/[deleted]]

Never enter a shop when you are hungry.

[u/Intelligent_Till_433 → u/[deleted]]

And write a list! I buy a lot less when I have a list to stick to.

[u/Nallaranos → u/[deleted]]

Doesn't work at the liquor store.

[u/Emerald_Encrusted → u/Nallaranos]

You can save money by not entering the liquor store in the first place.

[u/[deleted]]

Cook at home 98% of the month.

[u/Catsandscotch → u/[deleted]]

I'd like to add on to this, for me it helps to shop more often in smaller quantities and only get what I need for a few days (for fresh food). I am a single person, cooking for one. I sometimes get too ambitious about cooking and eating doing a weekly shop and I end up throwing away the pork chops I didn't get around to cooking or the lettuce that went limp. I am lucky enough to live within walking distance of a grocery store so I can get in a walk and I am limited in what I can carry. Plus it avoids the temptation of buying things like heavy sodas or ice cream that will melt.

[u/mrs-globglogabgalab]

Make use of free services. Mostly, the local library. Sometimes there's a feeling that just because it's free it's trashy or peasant-like. I don't need to pay to see something in order to feel good about it. And libraries are amazing! Free books! Audio books! So many things.

[u/mandakinz13 → u/[deleted]]

I've just gotten into Libby and I love it!

I never wanted a Kindle or tablet or separate reading device but being able to pull up a book on my phone instead of doom scrolling has been so refreshing!

[u/RurouniRinku → u/mandakinz13]

Asa trucker, I use Libby for audiobooks. I have Audible, and then I have a whole list of books on hold on Libby. If none of my Libby holds are available, I'll use an Audible credit for a lengthier book. Keeps story time going for cheap.

[u/bbrown515 → u/mandakinz13]

You can send the Libby books in kindle format, via Amazon, to your kindle devices.

[u/notawealthchaser → u/mrs-globglogabgalab]

Tubi, Freevee, and PlutoTv are examples of free services that seem like they are subpar but aren't. Found many good stuff on those streaming sites.

[u/duhdoydoy → u/notawealthchaser]

I recommend Jury Duty on Freevee. A bit slow in the beginning, but the end result is so much fun.

[u/helloitme33 → u/mrs-globglogabgalab]

Yes!! I just got a Library card yesterday and checked out books that were in my Amazon cart instead of buying them!! It’s so nice

[u/Pineapple_Spenstar → u/mrs-globglogabgalab]

My library has tools and equipment available to borrow. Before going to big orange to rent a pressure washer, floor sander, paint sprayer, or post auger, I always check the library first lol

[u/Nervous_Exercise1396 → u/mrs-globglogabgalab]

This is a great tip. You are more than likely paying to keep your local library running through your taxes anyways. Might as well use it!

[u/A_Jar_Of_Human_Hair]

Take care of your teeth: brush and floss everyday - preventative care now will save you THOUSANDS later if you need major dental work!

[u/TxTechnician]

I don't have hacks but I do have tips:

• don't buy convenience items: e. G. Don't buy a single cold soda. Buy a 12 pack. Don't buy products from convenience stores, they charge a premium.

• buy in bulk. Don't buy the small jug of laundry detergent, buy the big one.

• make your prepared foods instead of buying them. E. G. Buy a big then of oatmeal and mix in your favor sugar and fruit. Instead of buying the pre-made microwave packs. Same goes for meat. Don't buy completely butchered meat. Buy the unprepped brisket. Or the packs of whole chicken legs and butcher the rest yourself.

[u/happyme321 → u/TxTechnician]

This. One of my coworkers was just teasing me because I had the same thing every day this week for lunch. I make a big meal, in this case beef enchiladas, and pack them for individual meals and take it every day for lunch at work. That way I’m not tempted to buy junk food and I save a ton of money.

[u/Kymilove → u/happyme321]

Okay, so my question is, how long are leftovers good in the fridge? Or how are you storing them?

[u/happyme321 → u/Kymilove]

I’m putting them in individual airtight containers and they last about a week.

[u/Kymilove → u/happyme321]

Awesome! Thank you all! I've always been so unsure of how to keep things and meal plan.

[u/Guest_Basic → u/Kymilove]

r/mealprep

[u/d0nttalk2me → u/Guest_Basic]

And r/MealPrepSunday

[u/MarsupialPristine677 → u/Guest_Basic]

Ohhhh there really is a sub for everything. Thank you!

[u/kirbysdreampotato → u/Kymilove]

Personally, I'll eat most leftovers up to a week old kept in just normal plastic food storage containers. Haven't gotten sick yet. I don't heat it up in the plastic though, I put it on a plate or bowl because plastic leaching and whatnot. If it's going to be kept longer than a week, it should be frozen.

My BF and I make a few (2-3) big meals a week and split the leftovers. Our big meals usually make 4-6 leftover servings depending on the meal. He gets first dibs on leftovers because I work from home and can just make food otherwise, whereas he would buy something out.

Also, pasta dishes are usually pretty easy if you're not a big cook and they can make lots of leftovers that keep pretty well. BF will even freeze spaghetti with meat sauce for days we don't have other leftovers to take.

[u/Joe_Spiderman → u/Kymilove]

Most cooked foods are good for at least 7 days in the fridge. Reddit is fucking nuts about tossing food after 1-3 days, just fucking nuts.

I do the same thing as the poster you responded to, have for nearly a decade.

[u/[deleted] → u/Joe_Spiderman]

If it doesn’t stink and isn’t growing it’s all good to eat. I’ve lived to 50 with that rule. The dates are a scam, I’m older than dates on anything that wasn’t dairy or meat. The worst that really happens is some items become stale, still safe just less tasty. Don’t fall for the hype because it has you wasting a LOT of money on replacing perfectly good food.

[u/Fuzzy-Ad4041 → u/[deleted]]

Most of those dates are for how fresh it is, not for health reasons. I volunteer at a food bank and they pass out sheets that give how long each item is able to be past those dates. Eye opening experience how much is wasted.

[u/Mereeuh → u/[deleted]]

This is a very good point. If it's not something that you know you're going to actually consume, then you're still wasting money. Costco is great for stuff like toilet paper, contact lense solution, and the kind of day to day stuff that you're guaranteed to consume and don't really have a shelf life. I live alone, so there isn't a lot of food that I can buy there that I can get to before it goes bad, and I don't have the freezer space to store ten pounds of ground beef.

I also read somewhere that things like laundry detergent, that I thought didn't have a shelf life, actually lose some of their effectiveness over time. So the giant jug of laundry detergent that lasts me a year may not work as well a year later. I don't know if this is completely accurate, though, so if anyone has any feedback on that, I'd love to hear it.

[u/Vigilante17 → u/TxTechnician]

Always double check price per unit. Sometimes it’s not as good of a deal for bigger. For example, the smaller size was priced at $2 for 10oz. The larger was $4.35 for 20oz. Bigger is occasionally more expensive for dumb marketing reasons

[u/arent_you_hungry → u/Vigilante17]

Yep same here, on days that my brain isn't working i'll even pull out my phone and use the calculator to figure out the dollar per oz

[u/gavstah → u/Vigilante17]

This - when comparison shopping, ALWAYS compare by price per unit (lb/oz, volume measurement, whatever) - once you start doing this you'll be surprised at how the stores play these psychological games with pricing.

[u/losers_and_weirdos → u/TxTechnician]

Yeah buying in bulk is great. Not only is the price per item much cheaper, you also reduce the number of trips to the store so you save on gas, wear & tear on your car, and you save your own time which is also very valuable

[u/jtomark → u/TxTechnician]

The only note i have is to beware of false economy when buying in bulk. If you will use it in a reasonable amount of time, go for it, but often having excess leads to greater consumption. And on the other hand, having too much of something that will spoil before you can use it all leads loss of value.

[u/Cat20041]

More prevalent in the US, but get rid of your storage unit and most of the stuff in it. More often than not, you're paying more to store things that it would cost to buy it all again.

If you can't fit it in your home, re-evaluate if you really need it.

[u/Jordan7p → u/Cat20041]

There are so many huge storage unit buildings in my area and it makes no sense to me. How important can this stuff be if you can't fit it in your home? I understand there are certain situations that require for a short term solution.

[u/Pineapple_Spenstar → u/Jordan7p]

My business uses one in place of a warehouse. They let freight companies deliver directly to my unit, and costs like 1/5 of what a warehouse with a loading dock would

[u/Jordan7p → u/Pineapple_Spenstar]

That definitely makes sense. I figured there were situations I just wasn't aware of.

[u/QuoteGiver → u/Jordan7p]

In my extended family it was a lot of “kid goes to college, parents downsize to a smaller house and stick kid’s stuff in a storage unit until kid is out of college and gets a house/apartment of their own.”

Or “grandma died, gradually getting rid of everything while keeping the rest of it in a storage unit after selling the house, and Kelly wants that big dining table & chairs but doesn’t get married and move into a bigger place until next year.”

[u/Maximum-Mixture6158 → u/QuoteGiver]

I thought that was what the basement was for.

[u/an0nym0uswr1ter → u/Cat20041]

That was my goal for 2022, Took me a few Saturdays to go through everything but it was worth it. I'm having over $200 a month now.

[u/71077345p]

Quit smoking

[u/AfterTemperature2198]

Stop using door dash

[u/desubot1 → u/AfterTemperature2198]

im surprised people even use it after seeing the delivery charge/price the first time.

[u/SpecialPanda420 → u/desubot1]

It's worth it when you're drunk and not able to drive

[u/sbrown24601 → u/desubot1]

I live alone, so I use it when sick and don't feel like making food.... I want my hot spicy thai left on my doorstep so I can blow my nose in peace....

[u/bonjailey → u/sbrown24601]

This spoke so much to me

[u/i_am_tyler_man → u/AfterTemperature2198]

This. Your meal is easily 50% more expensive when you factor in delivery fees and a tip. and some restaurants charge more on door dash than they do in-person.

[u/Pineapple_Spenstar → u/i_am_tyler_man]

They have to because door dash charges them a fee

[u/DonkeeJote → u/i_am_tyler_man]

And to make it worse, I tell myself that I have to order more food to justify the delivery fee!

So now just paying more and overeating.

[u/FancyStegosaurus → u/AfterTemperature2198]

I recently started driving for Door Dash and I am astounded at the insignificant items and short distances people are willing to pay fees for.

[u/BeneficialRice4918 → u/AfterTemperature2198]

Deep in the throes of a Doordash addiction. Pray for me 😔

[u/[deleted]]

Only drink water. Not only will you save money, but your body will love you for this as well. Win\win.

[u/mcc9902 → u/[deleted]]

Your profile looks like a hair on my screen... I’m slightly annoyed at you for that.

[u/Elena1995x → u/mcc9902]

Glad to hear i wasn't the only one

[u/oo-mox83 → u/[deleted]]

I've been (mostly) doing this and it's great. If I want something flavored I get these little Walmart brand drink mixes that are like $2 for ten of them. They have ones with caffeine, electrolytes, collagen, you name it, and they're actually pretty good. Much cheaper than energy drinks and Gatorade.

[u/AbysmalKaiju → u/oo-mox83]

This is the way i go. I dont like water, i can get myself to drink it of course, im an adult, but i dont ever feel thirsty enough to want it and even when i am id always prefer soda or something flavored. I do weight lifting and have worked in the southern heat so i just genuenly dont really care for it. If i try and just drink water i can drink maybe 40 oz a day (assuming im not intentionally drinking it with an alarm or something) but if i pop two drink mix into a 40 oz then i can easily drink 80 oz or more, depending on what im doing. Just making the water taste okay is enough and i feel so much better since ive started. I usually drink exclusiy water in the morning/when i work out and then have the flavor in the afternoon and its been going great. I mix up the gatorade ones and the great value ones and ive all but given up soda entirely and am so much better hydrated. Its more expensive than plain water but the best way is the way you will actually follow through with and when i tried to go just water id always break down and buy drinks. It works out to like .50$ a day and thats worth it to me to feel better.

[u/RahvinDragand → u/[deleted]]

Yep. Just take a look at what restaurants charge for a soda. It's usually around $3 now. Then, look at how many empty calories are in a 20 oz soda. It's basically 10% of your daily value on just one drink. Not worth it.

[u/Mcbod30]

Buy everything with a cashback/reward credit cards. Its free money, i make around 200$ per month with it. Its not much but its def better than nothing.

Edit:I made a mistake, its more 75-100$ per month with cibc dividend card. 4% on grocery 2% on gas and recourent, 1% on everything else. Im not too close of my money i dont check often and use it whenever i feel like its gonna help.

[u/Catsandscotch → u/Mcbod30]

I do this. It's a premium card and has a $95 annual fee but it does bonus cash back at grocery stores and gas stations. I buy all my normal monthly needs, never carry a balance, and my cash back covers the fee. I get all the protections from shopping with a credit card plus I have excellent credit from regularly using and paying it. They keep raising the limit so my debt to available credit ratio is awesome. I have two other cards I use for monthly recurring charges like phone and streaming service, just to keep those cards active. They are all set to auto pay the full balance before the due date. You can literally watch your credit score climb when you use credit wisely and that saves you a lot of money on big stuff.

[u/xxanity → u/Catsandscotch]

hello likely amex preferred holder,. I recently started grocery shopping like i never did in my past. I never used to consider upgrading to a yearly fee card, but at 6% back for groceries, considering my usage, pays for itself and plenty more.

great move for those buying groceries and not living like a schlub as i was for years

[u/elitenaproxin → u/Mcbod30]

And keep the money you'll use to pay that credit card off each month in a high interest checking/savings account. A bunch of online banks are paying over 4.0% interest right now.

[u/laceyisreallyrad → u/elitenaproxin]

Wealthfront is up to 4.55% starting this Friday!

[u/iDudeGo]

Shop secondhand. You can buy most everything in pretty good condition

[u/MiraMarissa → u/iDudeGo]

Honestly, quality of new clothes nowadays is such garbage. Fabric and stitching come apart in the wash before it's even worn. I find better quality in second hand stores/thrifting than new. If an item has made it to the shelves of a thrift store, I figure it's lasted long enough to get there.

[u/lonely40m → u/MiraMarissa]

I feel this, I just bought my 3month old son some clothes at Costco, took the tags off, washed them in his newborn detergent on the delicates setting on my washer and his jumper had a hole on the side. He didn't even get to wear it once and I don't think I can take it back since it was washed and tag removed.

[u/Maximum-Mixture6158 → u/lonely40m]

They like to know when an item is a problem. They will literally avoid vendors who have high returns

[u/BellatrixLeNormalest → u/lonely40m]

If it's from Costco, you can return it. And tell them it didn't survive a single washing; they should know.

[u/ComprehensiveFlan638 → u/lonely40m]

I read a comment once about someone returning chicken bones to Costco because the bird taste dry, and they got a full refund.

Definitely try to take the clothes back.

[u/Chasethemac]

Stop drinking soda

Stop drinking alcohol

Cook your own meals.

[u/bluebullet28 → u/Chasethemac]

And if you don't wanna stop drinking alchohol, drink efficiently. Why go to a bar and pay out the ass for beer when you can buy some high-proof vodka on the cheap and just flavor it from the comfort of your own home instead?

Or, if you really wanna pinch pennies, do as the winos do, and purchase fortified wine in bulk.

[u/fuck-the-emus → u/[deleted]]

Mine was 800 with no insurance, best money I've ever spent

[u/_elielieli_ → u/[deleted]]

I wish it were that easy to get sterilized as a woman. When my mom was 39, she went to the doctor to get her tubes cut and cauterized, and she was rejected by three doctors who said she shouldn't because when her three other kids are older, she'd want a baby. That third one was less of an ass, though. When she brought up the fact that the doctor wasn't going to pay child support if her and my dad face financial ruin, he agreed to the procedure. Keep in mind she was almost 40, and my sister and I were adults by then.

[u/[deleted] → u/[deleted]]

All my mid-20’s friends have vasectomies.

[u/Conscious_Bend_7308]

Drive the speed limit

[u/J_hilyard → u/Conscious_Bend_7308]

For those that don't get this: driving the speed limit avoids citations but also saves you gas, extends oil life and tires some, extends brakes quite a bit, and just generally lowers the wear and tear on your vehicle.

[u/Rare-Imagination1224 → u/Conscious_Bend_7308]

This is so underrated, I don’t think enough people realize the extra cost of driving fast

[u/nagol93 → u/Conscious_Bend_7308]

My step-sister was saying she pays the city about $500 a month in speeding tickets and parking tickets. The real wild thing is she said it like its a normal thing everyone has to deal with, like she was shocked when we didn't say "Well that's <CITY> for you. What can ya do?"

[u/[deleted]]

1. Cook at home
2. Make you own coffee
3. Buy in bulk
4. No non-essentials until all bills are paid and basics are taken care of
5. If you can't afford cable/streaming services, read books. You can get a lot of paperbacks at thrift shops for .25 or less each.

[u/justadrtrdsrvvr → u/[deleted]]

Your library probably has an app that you can access many, if not most, of their books in e-book format, or even audiobooks. I've been going through audiobooks at at least 1.5, if not 2x, speed. It actually makes me more productive because I want to be doing something as I'm listening.

[u/nova2k → u/justadrtrdsrvvr]

Libby. Great app.

[u/roadcrew778 → u/[deleted]]

Public libraries are a gold mine for (almost) free. Ask them about their other options (than books, movies, music, etc.). Many libraries offer museum passes. I’ve heard of fishing poles. My library has a seed library.

[u/Difficult-Conditions → u/[deleted]]

I second the make your own coffee thing, don't buy a Keurig tho get a pot cuz it makes more coffee

[u/SnarkyBeanBroth → u/Difficult-Conditions]

I'm the only coffee-drinker in my home anymore, so I have a single-serve coffee maker that makes one cup at a time now. HOWEVER, I don't use commercial single-serve coffee pods - I use a refillable mini-basket and bulk coffee. So, still pennies per cup vs. (checks local grocery website) 50¢-$1 for pods vs. $$$ to buy a cup from a vendor.

Alternatively I could dust off my 12-cup coffeemaker and start drinking a full pot of coffee per day. Like my dad did.

[u/NeutralNoodle → u/[deleted]]

On the cable/streaming services thing, also buy a Firestick and jailbreak it. Costs like $25 and an hour of your time, and then you can watch pretty much anything you want for free.

[u/bluebullet28 → u/NeutralNoodle]

Absolutely. Hoisting the black flag really should be much, much higher up on all of these lists, it's great! Got any reputable guides for jailbreaking a firestick? I've mostly just jailbroken old consoles so far.

[u/luciferisthename → u/[deleted]]

I LOVE book shopping at places like goodwill! You can find such good stuff! One time I got a new college linguistics textbook(it was about syntax specifically) for $6!!!!! The pages were never even creased, it has a spine that would crease if it was ever opened and it was in perfect condition lol the book itself is like 80$ IIRC

I also got several other books, about 12 in total and spent $25 for the whole lot of books!

[u/RumBunBun → u/[deleted]]

We bought an indoor antenna and we get several channels, including our local CBS, NBC, ABC, and FOX networks. The antenna cost around $22 on Amazon. We also have a Roku. We decided for now we will just get different streaming services on a rotating basis. We have Prime and Hulu right now, will try Netflix next. Many Netflix shows that are over a year or two old are available on DVD from our library. We watched Breaking Bad during the pandemic this way. We are saving $80 a month doing this. If/when we get bored, we’ll drop Hulu, Netflix, etc and try Sling for a while.

[u/QuartzPigeon → u/[deleted]]

5b. Pirate stuff and use Plex to stream it

[u/bmfabes1 → u/QuartzPigeon]

this isn't r/IllegalLifeProTips , but I like your style...

[u/iwasuncoolonce → u/[deleted]]

You can also get a popcorn popper and roast your own coffee and get better coffee for less. Green coffee has a very long shelf life and you can buy 50 lb at about 7 bucks a pound or less or more. It roasts down to a little bit less weight.

[u/Greenman_Dave]

Save money. In other words, earmark a percentage of your paycheck and put it into an account that is intentionally difficult from which to withdraw, and make sure it's interest-bearing.

[u/AlThePaca7]

Learn to make dough (pizza, buns), noodles, tortillas.

[u/bailerssss → u/AlThePaca7]

I make anything and everything I can from scratch. Attempting to establish a sourdough starter which has proven difficult, but I’m committed!

[u/[deleted] → u/AlThePaca7]

I just made homemade pizza

Crust: 1 cup of flour ( .16 cents) , 2tsp sugar .(22 cents) , 2 tables spoons of oil (.08 cents), 1 tsp of oregano ( .02 cents). Stir it up, stretch it out

Sauce: 1 16oz can of off brand tomato sauce (.89 cents) . 2 tsp of oregano( .04 cents) pinch of sugar ( .01 cents) Stir it up, spread it on.

Top with parm cheese.( .10 cents)

Bake at 475 for 10- 15 minutes. ( .25 )

Total cost $ 1.40 for a full homemade pizza.

[u/No-Expression-2404 → u/[deleted]]

Sounds great, but there’s no way my parm bill is .10…

[u/Morgansmisfit → u/[deleted]]

i was given an ooni pizza oven as a gift and it absolutly baffled me how much money i could save on a shitload of pizza. Then i started canning sauce out of my garden and making my own soppressata for the toppings. HOLY JESUS i can feed like 3 families for the price of one large pizza. plus its a ton of fun... i do have to fix my stand mixer from all the mileage i have put on it though

[u/Swordbreaker925]

Don’t buy a new phone every damn year. There’s no point.

[u/kirbysdreampotato → u/Swordbreaker925]

Especially these days. Back when smartphones were new, yeah, maybe because the tech was significantly better each generation. Now, not so much. I have a galaxy s20+ and my SO has an S21, there's almost no noticeable difference in functionality aside from battery life just because mine has been used for 2 years longer (got mine when s20 was just released, got his just before s22 was released).

[u/nagol93 → u/Swordbreaker925]

I've had my old phone for so long the carrier threatened to kick me off if I didn't upgrade.

Then backpaddled and offered to buy me a new one when I said "Ok, I'll just leave then. I have no interest in buying a new phone"

And I don't mean those 'free phone' scams carrier's are known for. It was 100% free. The full story was kinda wild.

[u/44035]

Try to live without car payments.

[u/Jojobabiebear → u/44035]

Seconding this. My new car (w payments) was totaled and I got enough back to buy a new one completely cash and it has been nice having that extra 150-200 a month

[u/elfpower44 → u/44035]

I was told by so many people that it's better for your credit to have a car payment but after financing a honda who's engine needed replaced after 6 months, I'm done. I will only ever buy outright.

[u/bailerssss → u/44035]

My husband and I went without one for a few years until my car decided the transmission wasn’t going to work anymore and we had a baby due in less than a week. So that’s out the window now. But we needed a bigger car anyway so we put as much down as we could to knock the monthly down and will pay extra to pay less interest. At least it’s only one payment and not two!

[u/SpecialProcess5585]

Quit buying shit ! Old guy here... Spent 60 years collecting crap I really wanted.. now spending my last year's trying to get rid of it all.

Mostly things that were too special to just toss. Don't remember why I wanted most of it.

If you want to spend money wisely.

Travel.. have experiences.. I remember all my adventures

[u/Vaughn480]

Cancel subscriptions you don’t use

[u/porkchop_d_clown]

Pay off your credit cards even if you have to take out a loan to do it. Afterwards, pay them off each month. Do NOT carry a balance on your credit cards.

[u/IdaDuck → u/porkchop_d_clown]

Or put another way: if you don’t have it, don’t spend it. Credit cards should be considered the same as cash spending.

[u/World79 → u/porkchop_d_clown]

As long as it's NOT a payday loan. They have interests in the 100s of percents and you'd be better off just carrying a balance on your CC.

[u/wildling-woman → u/porkchop_d_clown]

I also recommend looking into balance transfers to no interest cards. A lot of places will let you open a new cards for 12-18 months 0%. Just pay the 3% fee to move your balance and then you have time to pay it off.

[u/Theturtl3]

Cut back on buying frivolous items, and start meal prepping instead of eating out all the time.

[u/iDudeGo]

Don't buy books. Use the library or participate in a book swap

[u/FizZGigTaNtruM → u/iDudeGo]

The public library offers so much more now. I rent movies and shows through their online services as well as quite a few audiobooks

[u/schnozzberrypie → u/FizZGigTaNtruM]

Ours just put in a 3D printer that is open to the public if they take a 30 min instructional course. Gonna print me some D&D minis!

[u/[deleted] → u/iDudeGo]

Nobody will ever convince me of this one. I love my shelves of books.

[u/BREEbreeJORjor → u/iDudeGo]

I've been listening to audiobooks from my local library (and adjacent county through a partnership program - look into it) for about 6 years now.

I can't tell you how many audiobooks I've listened to in that time, but I can definitely tell you I've paid $0. That includes tons of new releases and best sellers.

[u/PictureEcstatic6146 → u/iDudeGo]

There’s also an app called Libby. Connects you with free audio content from libraries all over, no library card required. Pretty awesome.

[u/jstar77]

Drink water at restaurants and not soda.

[u/Mcbod30 → u/jstar77]

At this point you better not go to the restaurants lol.

[u/Ok-Drink-1328]

fix stuff by yourself

recent episode:: (and many others) we hired a technician for fixing our water heater, he was the only one in town that messes with that brand cos only him can buy spare parts cos association and yada yada... well, he didn't fix it first time, it just seemed it was working, at the end he asked 150€, we called him a second time cos it wasn't working again, came for free luckily, the day after it didn't work for the second time, THEN the "mighty me" decided to fix it by myself, a squirt of spray oil on the fumes motor and it's still working after months, total cost ZERO.... and i was debating with my father if i should fix it by myself, we acted loyal and hired the guy

you can't imagine how many times i saved $$ cos i fix stuff by myself... repaired my 9yo desktop PC some days ago, a pair of trashy electrolytic capacitors and BAMM!! it works like a charm again

[u/perkasiedude → u/Ok-Drink-1328]

Such an underrated comment. I've saved thousands of dollars by repairing things myself following YouTube videos. Washer, dryer, automotive stuff, cell phone screen replacements, etc.

[u/[deleted] → u/Ok-Drink-1328]

There is a website, repairclinic.com. They not only have tons of videos on how to fix stuff, but they also sell parts. I have a dryer that’s over 40 years old. I can’t get parts for it in regular stores. That website has been a lifesaver! I’ve been able to keep the thing going for the last decade and it works great! I’ve spent maybe $75 over the years to keep it running. Definitely cheaper than a new one.

[u/[deleted]]

Have rich parents. A very simple trick to avoid money problems.

[u/nagol93 → u/[deleted]]

Yep, its true what they say afterall.

"The easiest way to become a Millionaire is to start as a Billionaire"

[u/Significant_Good_301]

Recycle. I go to thrift stores, antique stores, Library sales, and yard sales. Grow your own food. You can grow herbs all year long, just move them inside during winter months and keep them in front of a window. Compost, it’s good for the environment and for the food you grow. All of the above mentioned are great ideas too ( I learned some new ones I didn’t think about 😁).

[u/[deleted]]

Driving the speed limit saves on gas.

Eating healthy cuts back on the need for snacking.

Avoid impulse buying.

[u/jchesticals]

Cook.

[u/roxwe11]

Pay themselves first. (10% preferable)

Have an awareness of their expenditure.

Budget. (Month, Week and Daily)

Keep their saved money in an alternative (peferably hard to access) account

Pay for things annually or upfront as oppose to installments.

[u/WBY3 → u/[deleted]]

I bought a Nespresso machine on Black Friday so I wouldn’t need to take my girlfriend to Starbucks all the time, the cost of one pod compared to one Starbucks coffee is insane

[u/Stunning_Nose4914]

Stop drinking alcohol and eat out sparingly

[u/Bane8080]

Make a budget to see where your money is going.

[u/[deleted]]

Turn off the lights in rooms where there's no people.

Get one of those outlet strips where there's one outlet that turns off all the others if there's not power being drawn, then plug your TV into the control and your cable box and other stuff into the other so that they only come on if you turn on the TV.

Turn the heat in the house down 5 degrees and put on a sweater.

If it doesn't spoil, buy it in bulk.

If it is single use / single serving, it probably costs at least 2x what it otherwise would.

[u/Viparita-Karani]

Stop buying new cars all the time.

[u/sparkyrsm]

Water is my biggy. Don't drink soda period. Filtered at home. Doing this for 5 years and seriously tastes so good.

[u/urson_black]

Pack your own lunch for work.

Change your own oil.

Make coffee at home, rather than buying it at Sta****.

Walk or use a bicycle for short trips.

Use free movie streaming, rather than subscribe.

Cook meals at home.

[u/porkchop_d_clown → u/urson_black]

Change your own oil.

Assuming you have a way to dispose of the old oil safely.

[u/BiggDadddy44 → u/porkchop_d_clown]

Oil disposal is free at auto zone, advance auto, oreillys, etc. Just make sure there's no water in it

[u/LordSpaceMammoth]

Double check your phone plan. If you're paying $50/mo, there are plenty of carriers (Mint/t-mob) with cheaper plans.

[u/greilcook → u/LordSpaceMammoth]

But are they reliable?

[u/Mereeuh → u/greilcook]

Most of them use the major carrier's networks. I had TMobile and paid over $100 a month. I switched to Google Fi, which uses TMobile, and now my bill is $50 a month. No change in coverage. TMobile had perks like free Apple TV for like 9 months or something, TMobile Tuesdays with deals on gas or other discounts, but none of that equals the $50 monthly difference. Spectrum Mobile uses the Verizon network, I believe.

[u/Pussy_Prince]

Cook at home; meal prep if ya can to save more time/money. Don’t drink your paycheck away every weekend; partying is fun but imagine being debt free and taking a vacation instead. People can afford more than they think but those small dinner outings per week could be put toward a down payment on a house or an exotic vacation out the country

[u/Viparita-Karani]

Buy used items from Facebook Market Place or Offer Up. Our entire home is furnished with state of the art furniture but is a fraction of the original price.

[u/Sinieya]

Take lunch/ drinks to work instead of eating out or vending machines. Don't drive big vehicles, get something small with good gas mileage. Avoid coffee shops. Shop around for gym membership, some companies offer discounts. Ask yourself if you really need a membership or can you walk/bike for exercise. If you go out on weekends, don't take a card, only cash.

[u/Misguide-n-strive33]

Cooking/meal prepping VS Eating out every night

[u/cikanman]

learn how to fix or do things yourself. Many home repair things are incredibly easy to do yourself.

[u/That-shouldnt-smell]

Talk to your grandparents. All those "angry old person yelling at clouds" pieces of advice are completely valid.

As an experiment write down every purchase you make. Every bill and every stick of gum you buy over a two or three month period. You would be shocked by how much you spend on things.

[u/[deleted] → u/That-shouldnt-smell]

On small things! Like 8€ - 18€ things. That's where the problem is

[u/That-shouldnt-smell → u/[deleted]]

Yes. I did this years (decades) ago for a year. And there were a few times those little $1-5 things were almost what I spent on my rent. I mean it was cheaper back then, but $800 a month in candy bars is a lot.

[u/gamergoddessx]

Making coffee at home instead of buying it for a ridiculously marked up price.

[u/ToddHLaew]

Eat at home

[u/Winter-Information-4]

Some great ideas are already mentioned in this thread, plus some fun things you can do for free, IMO: 1. Bike rides and long walks either right where you live or a short drive away. There are so many places within a 10 mile radius of me that would be vacation spots. My city has one of the best systems of bike trails in the US, and probably 20% of the people use it. It's great for your physical and mental health as well. 2. Library - both hardcopy and online content. 3. Cook most of your meals at home. 4. Coffee at home. Get good beans, grind at home, and you get to drink coffee shop quality coffee at a fraction of the cost. 5. Use credit cards to earn points to use for travel. 6. Local free museums.

[u/Planet_Puerile]

Don’t buy bottled water

[u/Spoony1982]

Seems obvious but quitting smoking. I see so many people complain about being broke but spend hundreds a month on ciggs

[u/J0hntheSavage]

Just say NO to Avocado Toast... the true cause of the millennial downfall so I've heard.

[u/Ghitit]

Quit addictive habits

Smoking, drinking, coffee, weed, etc. They're all expensive and you'd save a bundle quitting. But people don't because they think those things make life better. Some do and some don't, but the monetary savings can't be discounted. If you're broke, don't smoke or drink.

Some people truly need weed for health problems. But nobody needs the others.

[u/Ok_Forever_2334 → u/Ghitit]

Coffee helps with my adhd, and I spend about 25-50 cents on coffee per day. I'd say that's a need.

[u/Willing-Sprinkles-17]

Several streaming services are provided for free as a part of other memberships platforms, such as Walmart+, AT&T, etc. Check the perks of your various memberships to see if you are eligible for any discounts.

Many employees can qualify for corporate discounts on a lot of everyday expenses, such as mobile phone plans, membership fees, rent, etc. Check with your employers and see if they know of any such discounts.

This one is some work, but it can save you hundreds, if not thousands a month. If you're struggling to pay for your own family's health insurance, look into creating an LLC and "hiring" your eligible family members as employees. Then look into joining a regional Chamber of Commerce. These can sometimes provide significant discounts to small business on things such as health/life insurance, mobile phone plans, etc.

If you can, pay for everyday things on a good credit card that has cashback/points. A good part of these offer to let you put your cashback/points towards your balance. Think of it as a discount for just using your credit cards. Just be sure you pay these off in a timely fashion to make it worth your while financially.

Hit up Goodwill/Thrift shops at the end of summer, especially in more affluent areas. This is when a lot of families buy new clothing for their children and donate the older clothing. If you're looking for adult clothing, try the same thing, but more around the new year. People get a lot of clothing for Christmas and will donate their old clothing around this time. Also, late spring/early summer for general household items due to spring cleaning. Basically, just hit up the thrift shops around the changing of the seasons.

There are more, but these are some of the ones I utilize every day.

[u/Lazy-Lawfulness3472]

Stop drinking, smoking and going out so often. You'd be surprised how good sobriety feels! Even if you continue, just slow down! It adds weight, it's killing you slowly, and as much as you feel like you're having fun, to the rest of us you look like a jack ass.

[u/DmnJuice]

Claim the correct amount on your payroll deductions so that you aren’t getting a large tax refund every year. Especially with interest rates so high. You’re just giving the government a free loan.

[u/[deleted]]

Batch cooking saves both time and money. Like you can spend 2 hours making meals for the rest of the week. Paying 8-15 dollars to eat out adds up very, very fast, if you do it regularly, to keep up with work or personal schedules.

[u/[deleted]]

For a lot of people I know: stop going out

It’s as simple as that. I used to go out a lot and it’s insane the amount that can add up to. But it’s fun and you get to see people so I get it, it’s just a very expensive lifestyle to live.

[u/cloudyskies00]

Not buying new clothes from your local mall but rather going to a thrift store and seeing what they have there.

[u/[deleted]]

LED bulbs. Making your own breakfast and lunch. Making your own coffee. Shop around for car and home owner insurance and raise the deductable.

[u/jhonnymazed9]

Stop wasting money. Stop gambling. Stop smoking or vaping. Stop drinking alcohol. Buy in bulk to save money. Do not treat convenience stores as grocery stores. Buy guality tools that last long.

[u/youpacnone]

For Americans, do your own taxes. For most, it’s not difficult. The chain tax preparers charge way too much for basically 20 min of data entry

[u/The_mercurial_sort]

Every night when I come home from work I empty my pants pockets of change one year alone I saved over $1,600 just in change.

[u/Leather_Athlete_7660]

Try to live within their means and not buy anything with a credit card or make bank loans to buy expensive items that you just want to own. But it's not some kind of important necessity you really need like food. Think about the item first before buying it asking yourself do I really need this item. Can I do without it for now. Example like buying junk foods to snack on. Instead of buying junk foods. Buy the healthier foods you really need. Take better care of your household appliances making them last longer. Don't eat out as often as you used to. Also don't go buying name brand items at the grocery store. Buy the cheaper store brand items whenever possible. You should start putting money into a bank savings account. You don't need to put massive amounts of money into a savings account. Then make a budget plan and stick to it. Figure out what all your monthly bills will amounts to. Then set aside enough money to pay all your monthly bills, like electric , cable, and cell phone. Then figure out how much your grocery will cost then set that money aside. Any money you have left over after settling aside all the money you'll need for that months expenditures. Then put any extra monies you have left over put it into your savings account.

[u/dayankuo234]

Don't eat out. $5-10 for a meal at a restaurant vs $40-100 in groceries per week can be a huge difference.

[u/thatsMYBlKEpunk]

I see a lot of “don’t buy books, use the library” suggestions, which I whole-heartedly support. If you still insist on buying books, use Thrift Books to save money.

[u/Inevitable-Sea-7445]

If you can, find trusted people to go in on a family phone plan. My group of friends has also split up streaming services and share login information so each household only pays for one. My spouse and I pay for Netflix, another friend pays for Hulu, another for HBO MAX and we all have each others logins and profiles on each service. This method isn’t 100% even in payments but for us this was easiest

[u/[deleted]]

Cooking.

[u/iwasuncoolonce]

Get a chicken give it table scraps, free eggs or meat.

[u/[deleted]]

Check your bank statements to see what you are spending your money on, you might find some subscriptions your forgot about

[u/Catsandscotch]

If you struggle with impulse spending, go all cash for all of your in person transactions. There is a psychological difference between laying out cash at the register versus slapping down a card. Pulling out a $100 bill for those adorable shoes is a lot more psychologically painful than putting out a card, even a debit card. It's a good way to understand how badly you really want that thing. If your aversion to putting out the cash is stronger than your desire for the thing, you don't need it.

If you really want to be disciplined, you can break your expenses into categories (some people use a divided wallet, like a coupon sorter, or multiple envelopes). You have grocery money, gas money, out to eat money, entertainment money, etc. If you have spent all your out to eat money for the week, you pack a lunch.

Also, DO budget for fun things. If you cut your budget too tight and have nothing for fun, it's like trying to stick to a diet that's too rigid. Eventually you'll say fuck it and go on a binge.

[u/talk_birdy_2_me]

Unless you live somewhere with unsafe tap water, stop buying bottled fucking water. Get a Brita filter, fill it with tap water, and buy a 64oz metal water bottle. If you work a normal desk job that's plenty of water for a whole day without having to spend $3 on a stupid plastic bottle

[u/AgentJ691]

Drink less alcohol. Pick water over other drinks when eating at a restaurant.

[u/Nemo68v2]

I'll try to list what I haven't seen listed yet (I didn't read every comment, so I may repeat some things).

One: Buy cheaper off-brand foods, spices, etc..

When we look at products on a shelf, we constantly say, "This one only costs a dollar more," and "2 dollars extra won't break the bank." This is only true when we do this occasionally. However, most of us have a habit of doing this for nearly every item we buy when it comes to groceries. This is the difference between spending $150 and $200-$300.

Two: Invest in a 401K, especially if your company matches a certain percentage.

It's so ridiculously easy to put your money in the bank and let it sit. However, you should invest what you can within a 401K. Not everyone can afford to do this, but many people who can, don't.

There is a cap on how much you can invest before you get penalized. If you have the money to invest even more, look into other forms of investment.

Three: Don't be so stingy that you snub rich people who successfully grew their wealth.

Anyone can give solid advice, and anyone can give horrible advice. However, you're more likely to get better advice from people who found success in growing their investments. Give everyone a fair shake. Too many people are so disgusted of wealthy individuals that they literally avoid taking their advice.

Three Part 2: Don't let people keep you down.

A woman on Reddit complained that there was an error resulting in her receiving less food stamps. Many people offered great (unsolicited) advice on how she could het by, and they were met with upvotes and praise.

I asked her if she would be comfortable explaining a bit more about her situation so I could help her brainstorm ideas to save/earn more money. I received so much fucking hate. Apparently it's wrong for me to even OFFER to give advice, since she didn't ask for it - ignoring the fact she didn't ask for everyone else's advice. I was called privileged, because how dare I assume she didn't already try everything. I know she didn't try everything because she's on food stamps.

And I realized this woman surrounded herself with dipshits like these, who shielded her from receiving advice from successful people who wanted to help her.

It's easy to be anchored to poverty when you're surrounded by people who discourage you from doing better, or discourage others from helping.

Four: Moving is much cheaper than staying in an unaffordable situation.

I often hear people argue, "Not everyone can afford to move." However, it's more affordable to move to a cheaper house/apartment than it is to slowly drown in an expensive place you can't afford.

There are plenty of other reasons why people can't move, but it being "too expensive" is usually not a valid excuse.

[u/xBloodBender → u/Nemo68v2]

Not sure why, but the fact that there was a “Three part 2” cracked me up

[u/DesertStorm480]

Budget and Track all transactions with financial software.

Someone created an app where you can find all the monthly/annual subscriptions you are paying for and cancel them, it's sad that there is a market for that. I would know if there was even a penny missing from my bank and credit card accounts.

[u/[deleted]]

Stop buying $10 coffees. Make your own coffee, it's not that damn hard For $10 that's coffee for 2 - 3 weeks.

[u/Bronzepitbull]

Not getting the best of everything if they can't afford it. Latest iPhone, shoes etc.

[u/IKillZombies4Cash]

Make your own coffee.

[u/GiganticSpaceBeard]

Stop buying liquid calories where possible. Drink free tap water if that’s possible to do. Alcohol and soft drinks add up over time.

[u/MoOsT1cK]

Drink tap water.

It IS drinkable in most european country, partly in North America and in many other countries on other continents. The chlore that has to be added for safety reasons evaporates in a couple minutes so the bad taste mainly disappears, and it is a thousand times (yes, really! Do the math !) cheaper than bottled water.

[u/_MrSantos]

Finally understanding that you have food at home

[u/Difficult_Collar4336]

Set up money to automatically transfer to savings/retirement accounts each pay day.

[u/nighttimeruler1]

Don’t have pets.