Looking for something different to help you save?
This guide dives into six offbeat, slightly ridiculous ways to keep more cash in your wallet, showing that sometimes the weirdest ideas are the ones that stick (and work).
Cut Your Own Hair
This only sounds ridiculous. But once you’ve tried it, you’ll realize it’s not so scary! If you’re dropping $50 every six weeks to cut your hair and all you get is a small trim, you could save yourself hundreds of dollars a year by teaching yourself to do it yourself.
Worst-case scenario: you have an excuse to buy a new hat.
Have a “Blackout” Day
We all dream about the freedom of going “off the grid.” This tip makes you put your money where your mouth is. Pick a day this month and unplug everything in your home. Give your electrical grid (and yourself) a breather and spend the day without technology.
You’ll probably be bored for a bit, but that’ll eventually lead to you finding joy in things you probably used to love doing, give your eyes a break from screens, and save some money in the process.
Try Pantry Roulette
This is another thing you can do whenever you like: once a week, once every two weeks, or once a month.
The goal is to make it like a Food Network challenge and ask yourself what you can make for dinner only using what you have on hand. Sure, you might end up with something weird, but you might find you have a new rotating staple.
It’ll cut down on food waste and keep you thinking creatively in the kitchen.
Rewear Things or Wear Mismatched Clothes
How much money are you spending on washing and drying clothes that have only had a few light hours of wear?
Or how often do you find yourself buying new clothes because you don’t “have anything” that matches your existing wardrobe?
As long as you don’t smell like a damp hamper or bag of onions, there’s something freeing about wearing whatever you want, whenever you want. The less you worry about these things, the more money you’ll save.
Portion and Freeze Your Leftovers
Instead of letting leftovers slowly become science experiments in the back of your fridge, portion them out and freeze them.
This is a genius way to curb some of those take-out temptations when you’ve had a long day; you’ll remember you have something waiting for you that’s just a defrost button away. We recommend using freezer bags, labeling them, and stacking them for easy access.
Save Change in The Most Ridiculous Container You Have
The dumber the vessel, the better. For some reason, watching your “weird bank” fill up is way more fun than using a savings account.
This is especially useful for anyone who deals in cash frequently, and when the jar’s finally full, you can do whatever you like with it. We recommend dropping it in your savings account, but we won’t tell if you use it on a secret treat!
