5 Powerful Ways to Save Money (2024)

by Laura | Intentional Finance, Saving Money | 9 comments

Who doesn’t want to save some money?

We’ve been working on tracking our spending better, setting up a budget, and finding new ways to save some money. Here are some simple but powerful ways to start saving more money and get your finances in better shape.

5 Powerful Ways to Save Money (1)

Track Your Spending

You may think you know exactly where your money goes, but trust me, you don’t really until you actually start tracking every dollar.

We do this through the free Mint app. It was a huge wake up call when we started but we were able to make some simple adjustments and now we’re able to put much more into savings!

Limit Eating Out

This is huge – eating out really adds up. It’s important to have stuff on hand for really simpledinners – even if it’s just a PB&J sandwich.

We have several favorite quick, easy dinners but keeping stuff on hand available for a fast dinner and for lunches out will end up saving you a ton of money. Even a frozen pizza is usually cheaper than a trip through the drive-thru.

Audit Your Bills

Take some time to call your service providers for insurance, utilities, phone, cable, internet, etc. Sometimes just simply asking if there’s a way to lower your bill will result in some new options.

Shop Smart

Don’t just buy the first thing you see. Compare prices and quality between stores, read reviews, and weigh some pros and cons so you can make an informed decision.

Also, if you’re shopping online, check for coupon codes! You can get cash back through Ebates and check for other discount codes through sites such as BluePromoCode.

Get Creative

Spend some time thinking of small, creative ways you can save money or make some extra side income. What are some unique things that apply to you and your life that you could use to save or make money?

These five things can add up to major savings. Whether you’re saving for a vacation, to pay off debt, a down payment on a house, or whatever else you need, with some small effort and discipline you can have a decent savings set aside for emergencies and future needs.

  1. 5 Powerful Ways to Save Money (3)

    Kristyon March 13, 2015 at 8:28 am

    Eating out can eat up our monthly budget in two days. We keep peanut butter on hand, but also some microwave freezer meals made from leftovers.

    Reply

  2. 5 Powerful Ways to Save Money (4)

    Victoriaon March 13, 2015 at 9:43 am

    I haven’t heard of blue promocode before. Thanks for the tip.

    Reply

  3. 5 Powerful Ways to Save Money (5)

    Clare Speeron March 13, 2015 at 9:57 am

    Thanks for the tips – really practical!

    Reply

  4. 5 Powerful Ways to Save Money (7)

    Annaon March 13, 2015 at 11:30 am

    Shop smart! When my husband’s employer told him that he would reimburse him for phone expenses (instead of having him on the company plan), he immediately started shopping for a contract with a cell service. I think he assumed that they would give him a deal for signing a 2 year contract. Umm…not so! We stand to save $500/year by keeping both of us on a Pay-as-you go or Prepaid plan through the same provider. Same provider, same service, less expensive phone…cell companies trap people in with the lure of a fancy phone and then the insurance they have to buy because they have such an expensive phone. Honestly, I just tried out an iPhone for 3 months and hated it!! I desperately wanted my $80 android phone back. While the fancy phones are nice and have great features….we really do need to realize that they are not “free”.

    Reply

  5. 5 Powerful Ways to Save Money (8)

    Robyn Petrikon March 13, 2015 at 12:27 pm

    Eating out is always the hardest spending habit to curb, especially whenever our friends want to socialize over a meal. If we ate out less, we’d probably save at least $200 a month, but it’s hard to say no to!

    Reply

  6. 5 Powerful Ways to Save Money (9)

    Reelika @Financially Wise On Heelson March 14, 2015 at 7:37 pm

    I audit my bills all the time! It is honestly the only way I can keep everything under control. I even audit all the small bills, cents etc 🙂 But it feels good to know what is going on with my finances and whether I am still on track with my budget and goals!

    Reply

  7. 5 Powerful Ways to Save Money (10)

    Jasmine Wattson June 25, 2015 at 4:25 pm

    Some great tips here. Eating out is a big one. Once I monitored how much I was eating out on a monthly basis, I was able to save an extra $100-$200 a month!

    Reply

  8. 5 Powerful Ways to Save Money (11)

    mustafiz@how to save moneyon May 20, 2017 at 3:14 am

    Awesome post! Definitely some great tips and advice on save money. I am totally agree with you, bcoz It’s also great to start a saving account for emergencies or long term goals! thanks for sharing this awesome article.I am so glad that reading your article.love it.
    markohenry@resently posted…what is the best way to save money

    Reply

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5 Powerful Ways to Save Money (2024)

FAQs

How to save $5000 in 3 months? ›

How to Save $5000 in 3 Months [2024]
  1. Create a Budget and Plan.
  2. Pick up a Side Hustle.
  3. Sell Things Around Your Home.
  4. Refinance Debts.
  5. Cut Unnecessary Expenses.
  6. Reduce Living Expenses.
  7. Try an Envelope Savings Challenge.
  8. Use Cash Back Apps.
Apr 3, 2024

What is the 30 day rule? ›

The premise of the 30-day savings rule is straightforward: When faced with the temptation of an impulse purchase, wait 30 days before committing to the buy. During this time, take the opportunity to evaluate the necessity and impact of the purchase on your overall financial goals.

How to save $10,000 in a year? ›

To reach $10,000 in one year, you'll need to save $833.33 each month. To break it down even further, you'll need to save $192.31 each week or $27.40 every day. These smaller chunks are much more realistic and simple to comprehend, making it easier to track your progress.

What is the trick to saving money? ›

Save money automatically.

Set up a direct deposit from each paycheck to your savings account. That way you don't even think about the money you're saving—you're just saving. Start budgeting with EveryDollar today! And if you really want to get serious, use a separate bank from your existing checking account.

What is the 50 30 20 rule? ›

The 50-30-20 rule recommends putting 50% of your money toward needs, 30% toward wants, and 20% toward savings. The savings category also includes money you will need to realize your future goals.

What's the 100 envelope challenge? ›

It works like this: Gather 100 envelopes and number them from 1 to 100. Each day, fill up one envelope with the amount of cash corresponding to the number on the envelope. You can fill up the envelopes in order or pick them at random. After you've filled up all the envelopes, you'll have a total savings of $5,050.

How to save 10K in 100 days? ›

The idea behind this challenge is to divide your savings goal into 100 parts and save a set amount each day for 100 days. To get started and do this the analog way, you will need 100 envelopes, a pen, and a container to store your envelopes.

How much to save 10K in 3 months? ›

Setting realistic savings goals is essential to ensure that you don't set yourself up for failure. One way to do this is by breaking down your target amount into smaller milestones. For example, if you aim to save $10,000 in three months, you can divide it into monthly targets of $3,333.

What are the 90 days rule? ›

What is the 90-day rule? The 90-day rule refers to a presumption that a nonimmigrant visa holder made a willful misrepresentation at admission or application for a nonimmigrant visa when that nonimmigrant enters the U.S. and within 90 days engages in conduct that is not allowed with their nonimmigrant status.

How should a beginner start saving money? ›

5 simple steps to start saving
  1. Set one specific goal. Rather than socking away money into a savings account, set specific goals for your savings. ...
  2. Budget for savings. Just because you decide to save doesn't mean it's going to happen. ...
  3. Make saving automatic. ...
  4. Keep separate accounts. ...
  5. Monitor & watch it grow.

What is the wash sale rule? ›

A wash sale occurs when an investor sells a security at a loss and then purchases the same or a substantially similar security within 30 days, before or after the transaction. This rule is designed to prevent investors from claiming capital losses as tax deductions if they re-enter a similar position too quickly.

How much money should a 24 year old have saved up? ›

Rule of thumb? Aim to have three to six months' worth of expenses set aside. To figure out how much you should have saved for emergencies, simply multiply the amount of money you spend each month on expenses by either three or six months to get your target goal amount.

What happens if you save $100 dollars a month for 10 years? ›

How $100 a month can help make you wealthy
If you invest $100 a month for this many years......this is how much you'll end up with.
10$21,037.40
15$41,939.68
20$75,603.00
25$129,818.12
2 more rows
Oct 1, 2023

How can I save $1 000 fast? ›

Dave Ramsey's 9 Ways To Save Your First $1,000 Fast
  1. Cancel Subscriptions. ...
  2. Bring Your Own Lunch. ...
  3. Avoid Coffee Out. ...
  4. Re-Sell Old Items. ...
  5. Shop at Cheaper Grocery Stores With Rewards Programs. ...
  6. Buy Generic. ...
  7. Join a Carpool. ...
  8. Pick Up a Side Hustle.
Dec 28, 2023

What are 6 ways to save? ›

Here are some tips for getting into the habit of saving.
  • Set goals. Set savings goals that motivate you, like saving up for a house or going on a dream vacation, and give yourself timelines for reaching them.
  • Budget. ...
  • Cut down on spending. ...
  • Automate your savings. ...
  • Pay off debt. ...
  • Earn more.
Feb 14, 2024

What is the 5 savings challenge? ›

The fiver challenge - save £7,000

This challenge works the same as the 52 week challenge, but you go up in multiples of £5 rather than £1. So week one = £5, week two = £10, all the way up to week 52 at £260. Alternatively, if you're not in the position to save these larger amounts, you could save £5 every week instead.

What are the 4 steps to saving money? ›

Let's start with your monthly budget.
  • Step 1: Make a budget. A written budget maps out your income and expenses by showing where your money goes, month-to-month. ...
  • Step 2: Plan your savings. That extra money can build for the future. ...
  • Step 3: Manage your debt. ...
  • Step 4: Invest.

What is the 10 rule for saving money? ›

The 10% rule of investing states that you must save 10% of your income in order to maintain a comfortable lifestyle during retirement. This strategy, of course, isn't meant for everyone as it doesn't account for age, needs, lifestyle, and location.

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