100+ Practical Ways to Save Money

If you are like us, we are always looking for ways to save money around here. I have sat down and thought of all the things we do and some things friends to and thought I would share them with you.

Not everything on this list will apply to everyone, and none will be life changing on their own, but if you work hard at it you will eventually get somewhere. Some only take a few minutes and others take some regular effort. If I can help you find at least five things for you to do, then I have helped!

So here it goes! 100+ Ways to save money!

1. Save your loose change ~ We have 3 change jars in the house, one for each kid and one for us. I rotate who gets what, its never divided even, but I never spend my change either.

2. Keep track of your spending ~ For one month, save EVERY receipt. At the end of the month add it all up. You will get a better picture of what you are spending compared to what you are getting.

3. Never Impulse Buy!!! ~ If you find something you want that doesn't cost a lot, wait at least 24 hours. IF after that amount of time, you still want it, you know where to get it.

4. Don't use debit/credit cards ~ We don't have them, so we don't have to worry about how to pay the bill. If you can't pay for it with cash, you don't need it, CANCEL it!

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5. Practice preventative dental care ~ This could potentially save you hundreds even thousands of dollars in the long run.

6. Use the envelope method ~ Each month, put the amount you think or  you'll want spend in a marked envelope. Transportation, Food, Entertainment, etc.

7. Save what you spend on nonessential items ~ If you can't afford to save it, you can't afford to spend it.

8. Save $20 a month ~ By the end of they year, you will have saved $240

9. Buy items online in bulk ~ I know what you're thinking...you just said to get rid of your debit/credit card. I did. I have a pre paid card that I got from Dollar General that is liked to my PayPal account. All I have to do is add the money I need to there. Same as cash because that's what I'm using to buy what I need online.

10. Get rid of Cable/Dish ~ We don't have it at all. If we want to watch something we use Netflix, Hulu or one of the others out there. We mainly watch PBS here. If you like documentaries, there are a couple free websites for those too! If you dont already have Netflix, you can get a free trial month here!

11. Utilize your local Library ~ Ours has programs all the time from Mommy and Me to Computer lessons.

12. Don't Eat Out ~ It's OK every now and then, but cooking your own food at home tastes AMAZING!

13. Make a Weekly Menu ~ Get your sales papers or look up the stores ads online. Go through them and pick out things that are on sale for a good price. Make your menu around those.

14. Shop for items on sale ~ Same as above, but be careful, sometimes the items "on sale" are cheaper off sale

15. Take generic prescription drugs ~ If you take prescriptions, ask your Doctor if there is a generic to what you are taking. You can get most of them for $4 a month.

16. Purchase over-the-counter (OTC) medications ~ Generic OTC medications are just as effective as the name brand ones. Read the back and look for the Active Ingredients, 99% of the time, they will be the same.

17. Shop around for Home and Auto Insurance ~ If you have had the same policy for a long time, shop around. We had one insurance company for almost 15 years. We shopped around and found one cheaper and ended up saving us almost $1K a year!!

18. Make Gifts for Others ~ I personally feel that something homemade is better than something that comes from the store. Pinterest is one of the best places to find things to make.

19. Don't watch a lot of TV ~ Turing off your TV saves you money. We don't watch a lot of TV since we are almost always outside if the weather permits. In the winter, we make things.

20. Sell things  ~ Go through your house, garage, barn etc. Make a pile of everything that you haven't used in the last 6 months and last year. Also make a pile of things you just don't want. SELL IT! Facebook groups, garage sale, craigslist, ebay, etsy etc. You will make some extra cash and declutter!

21. Rewards Programs ~ If your store has them, sign up for them! They could get you special rewards and discounts only available to those that are registered.

22. Invite Friends Over ~ Instead of going out, invite your friends over, better yet, make it a pot luck!

23. Learn Basic Sewing ~ Learn how to make minor repairs this will save you money at they tailor. You don't have to throw it away because it has a hole in it, just fix it!

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24. Clean Your Closet ~ Admit it, every woman has things in their closet that they "just can't get rid of". YES YOU CAN! Go in there, take it out and sell or donate it!

25. Drink More Water ~ Don't buy a lot of soda, juice drinks, teas etc,

26. Leftovers ~ Make a meal that will allow you to have leftovers another night. There are a lot of recipes out there that you can double or even triple so you can get more that one meal out of cooking! (Don't let them just sit in the fridge, eat the leftovers!)

27. Turn Off the Lights ~ If you are not in the room, turn them off!

28. Garage Sales ~ You can find a lot of good things at garage sales. BUT, don't buy it just because it's cheap! Always carry a list of things you are looking for with you. IF you find something that is a good deal, ask yourself, will I use this, how can I use this, If you can't think of anything productive to use it for, put it down.

29. Install CFLs or LEDs ~ There are pros and cons to both, but both will be better that incandescent. They both last a long time. We have CFLs in every light in our house and garage.

30. Buy Quality Appliances ~ You may need to save for these, but it's well worth it. Always read customer reviews on anything you are wanting to buy. Just because it's on sale, doesn't mean it's good quality.

31. Maintain Your Vehicle ~ Doing scheduled maintenance could save you money in the long run. Your owner's manual should have a list, if not, you can search for a list online. I like to use Edmonds, you can check your vehicle here.

32. Always do a price Comparison ~ Shop around before you buy. I personally visit at least 10 websites before I make a purchase on some things. If you have a couple stores in town, visit them, take a walk down the isles and check the price of the things you buy most often.

33. Make What you Can ~ There are TONS of things you can make at home cheaper that purchasing them at the store. Laundry detergent, soap, deodorant, etc.

34. Cancel Unused Memberships ~ Do you have memberships to places that you never really go? Gym, Country Club, Book store? Cancel them, if you miss them that bad, you can always renew them.

35. Buy Used when you can ~ There are lots of things you can purchase from thrift sores, garage sales, flea markets, etc.!

36. Give the Gift of Labor ~ Giving someone your time is free for you and they get some help out of what you do. Helping someone clean, weed their garden, mowing etc. The possibilities are endless!

37. Do Holiday shopping AFTER the Holiday ~ We always shop the day after the holiday. Here, everything gets marked down to 50% at midnight, 3 days later it's 75% and a week later (if there is anything left) it's 90%. You can always save it for next year and you won't spend retail for it!

38. Try Buying Generic ~ There are somethings that are cheaper and they tend to be the same things! Be careful though, sometimes the name brand is cheaper than the generic, always check!

39. Cook at Home ~ Eating out can cost a lot of money, especially if you do it all the time. Sometimes it's unavoidable. We only eat out twice a month, unless we have to make a trip to town that will take most of the day.

40. Cancel Magazine Subscriptions ~ Don't renew them and don't get them. You can find them free or you can find the same information online.

41. Try to Fix things yourself ~ One thing that I have learned...If it's broke, I have to figure out how to fix it. There are literally thousands of YouTube videos that show you how to fix almost anything. How To Fix Your Stuf is a good one to use!

42. Keep a Notebook ~ I always carry one with me. If I need to remember to get something, I just write it down. Same as I have to do something. It's a never ending list!

43. Invest in a Deep Freeze ~ This will pay for it's self!!! If you have a garden, you will fill it up. (if you can keep from eating it all) We put it away for winter so we can enjoy our produce all year.

44. Do basic home maintenance ~ Chances are you don't live in a brand spanking new home, if you do YEAH! Skip this one. For the rest of us, if you do a weekly, monthly, bi-monthly, ever six months and annual maintenance, you will be better prepared. Chances are you wont have to fork out a lot of money to get something fixed. You can search for recommendations.

45. Buy Staples in Bulk ~ If you do a lot of canning or baking, this will help a lot, make sure you check the unit price though.

46. Don't overspend on hygiene products ~ Buying generic here is OK....it's pretty much the same as the name brand, big name mall items.

47. Eat Less Meat ~ Yes, I said it! Meat is expensive in the store. There are other things that are more nutritious for you, like beans. Some Asian cultures use meat as a side. Some recipes are very good!

48. Use Coupons ~ Clip coupons and pair them up with store sales and you get double savings!!

50. Use a Surge Protector ~ A surge protector will allow you to completely shut off the "phantom" power for your electronics.

51. Shop around for your medications ~ You have many options, big box stores, grocery stores, pharmacies, etc. Call around, you could save some money.

52. Keep your vehicles tires properly inflated ~ Having your tires low can cause you to loose gas mileage. There are usually free air places all over town.

52. Use Nitrogen in your tires ~ Better yet, invest in some Nitrogen! We have this in ours and we never loose pressure. You can read more about Nitrigen In Your Tires Here.

53. When driving, avoid fast start-ups and stops ~ Speeding up really fast causes you to loose gas mileage too. Easy and slow is the best way to go.

54. Get and Energy Audit ~ Most electric and gas companies will provide you with a free or low cost audit. This will help you determine where you are spending most of your energy.

55. Weatherproof your Home ~ Get some expandable foam and fill the cracks and holes. There are several things you can do a couple times a year to help you save heat or air.

56. Shop Secondhand ~ We are always finding ourselves at the secondhand stores. Most of the time, they are affiliated with a local charity too. Win Win.

57. Shop Sales ~ Always look for sales. Be careful though, stores will make a sale to get you into the store to buy other items as well. They also say they are having a sale and pretend to mark the sale item down. Always do your homework.

58. Use a Clothesline ~ When the weather is warm, we are always hanging our clothes on the line to dry. This saves a lot of energy from not running the dryer.

59. Go Free or Cheap ~ If you want to go somewhere, check out what you can do for free or cheap! We went to St. Louis last year for a week during July 4th. We went to a baseball game on the 4th and was there for a week and only spent about $600 for everything for all four of us! It's defiantly doable!

60. Wash your clothes in Cold water ~ I do this without even thinking about it. It saves money because you don't have to pay for the energy to heat the water heater all the time. The clothes still come out clean.

61. Always check your bills for mistakes ~ They do happen and a lot of people don't even realize it, they just pay it.

62. Keep your home organized ~ If your home is organized, you know what you have and you wont have to buy more. Plus you can always find what you are looking for.

63. Keep your food inventoried ~ If you keep a running inventory of your food, you wont have to spend the money on something only to get home and see it sitting on the shelf.

64. Stick to your shopping list ~ Make a list and stick to it! Buying things not on your list will throw you off budget.

65. Don't go to the store hungry ~ Always eat before you go to the store. You will be a lot less tempted to purchase things not on your list.

66. Grow your own food  ~ We have a garden and several other places on the property that we have growing. We can, freeze, and cook with it all year. You can check out my garden here. 

67. Don't buy bottled water ~ Just don't!! You get the same thing from the tap. You can always get a filter. This will save you a lot of money!!

68. Make the most of what groceries you have ~ Before you go out and buy a lot of groceries, use what you have already. We do a pantry purge every other month. This eliminates waste and you wont have anything expire.

69. Avoid Pre-Cut Items ~ Especially meats. If you buy a whole chicken, you will get several cuts of meat and have bones to make stock from. Why pay someone when you can do the work yourself?

70. Up-Cycle ~ Apparently this is a NEW fad going on, especially on Pinterest. You can make some awesome things!

71. Negotiate and Haggle ~ These are two things I'm still learning to do, but I'm getting better! Well worth learning if you ask me!

72. Unsubscribe to Daily Deals ~ If you have them, get rid of them! Those are so tempting and can throw your budget WAY off! Chances are, it's not really a deal if you do a little research.

73. Use Free WiFi ~ Us the free WiFi where you can to save the data on your phone.

74. Shop at the Dollar Store ~ There are TONS of things you can utilize at the dollar store. There are also some things that you should buy there. I know from experience.

75. Travel in the "Off Season" ~ If you plan to travel, do so when there isn't as many tourists. This will get you a cheaper rate and save you some money.

76. Create a $5 Savings Jar ~ Every time you get a $5 bill, put it in the jar. This will add up pretty quick.

77. Use a pre-paid phone ~ I use Virgin Mobile USA. I have great coverage and have unlimited Talk, Text and Data with 4G service. I also only pay $35 a month!!! If you want to give them a try here is a link: Free $25 Credit Bonus!

78. Can your food ~ Water bath or Pressure Caner (which I hope to get soon), you can save a lot of money by preserving your harvest.

79. Don't throw away your food ~ It's free food for your animals!! Since we have Chickens, Goat, Llama, Dogs and Cats, nothing goes to waste here.

80. Take a calculator to the store ~ Most people have one on their phones, but if not, take one with you. You can calculate the unit cost of items to see what is actually cheaper. Sometimes the Bulk price is not always cheapest. I always double check.

81. Don't buy disguised water ~ They have a lot of added sugar and other "stuff", not to mention they cost A LOT! You can get a $ .10 package of powder drink mix, add your own sugar and spend less than $ .25 for a gallon.

82. Take things back ~ If it's broke, rotten, expired, etc. take it back. The store will usually replace or refund your money.

83. Don't buy things that are individually wrapped ~ It's usually cheaper, by unit, to buy in bulk here.

84. Try to produce your own staples ~ This is one thing that I haven't done. I'm working on it though.

85. Use the produce scale ~ Know what you are putting in your cart. Always weigh it. Know how to use one too.

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86. Pre Sliced Meats and Cheese ~ Always check the Deli prices to the pre packaged ones. Sometimes the Deli is cheaper. I like getting from the Deli either way because it has less chemicals in it.

87. Watch the register and check your receipt ~ Almost $3 billion is lost at the register, not because of the cashier though. Somethings are marked down on a sign and the ring up wrong. I always watch as they scan and always check the receipt before I leave. If there is anything wrong, Customer Service will usually fix it.

88. Shop at your local Farmer's Market ~ Not only will you get fresh local produce, but you can also save some money too.

89. Stock up after Thanksgiving ~ Thanksgiving and Christmas are the best times to stock up on food. Things will go on sale all the time.

90. When buying Meat or Produce, step away from their light ~ Stores have special lights installed over their meat and produce to make them "look better". Step out from under it and you will be able to see what it really looks like.

91. Forage ~ ***Don't just go out and eat anything. Do your research, double even triple check what you have or what you are looking for. After you harvest it, bring it home and check again!! This can make people VERY sick*** I personally now of at least 150 wild edibles in Missouri. This skill could come in handy.

92. Barter ~ If you find something you want, ask if they would be willing to trade! I have gotten some pretty good deals doing this.

93. Stock up with a good sale ~ If there is a massive sale and you know its a good price, stock up, but only purchase what you can use before it expires or you will be wasting your money.

94. Check local building yards ~ If you are wanting to build something, check your local building yard for grey, weathered wood. Most people want shiny new yellow wood. Its the same thing and all the "yellow" wood will look like that too. Who knows, if you ask, you might be able to get a discount on it.

95. Shop at the local Habitat for Humanity Re-Store ~ If you have one, this is a great resource to utilize!! Great deals on hardly used items and building materials.

96. Grow your own Herbs ~ I have several herbs that I am growing now. Fresh herbs are great! It defiantly beats paying $2+ for them at the store!

97. Stop using paper towels ~ We use washcloths, throw them in the wash and keep going. You can get a cheap pack and they will last years.

98. Plant Perennials not annuals ~ Perennials you only plant once, Annuals you have to keep buying every year.

99. Hunt ~ Follow all the rules for your state and hunt for food.

100. Don't own a New vehicle ~ They cost a lot! If you can't pay cash, don't get it.

101. Don't worry about what other people think ~ Do what you want to do and don't worry about what others think. You don't have to keep up with the "Johnsons".

102. Don't beat yourself up if you make a mistake ~ Even if you make 100 good choices and one bad one it's easy to beat yourself up about it. DON'T! Learn from your mistakes. The memory of that mistake will end up being very valuable. We are only human after all.

103. Always keep looking ahead ~ Don't let the mistakes of your past drag you down. Learn from your mistakes and apply them to your future.

104. Never Give Up ~ When you feel like giving up, DON'T! There are tons of other people out there going through the same thing. Do some more reading and you may get inspired! Just keep going!!!!

How do YOU save money?