Are you tired of wasting money on traditional savings methods? Here are seven more unique ways to increase your monthly savings.
1. Try Going Meatless More Often
You don’t have to go full vegetarian or vegan if you want to save money — even just a few days a week where you swap out meat for more vegetables will do wonders. You can even try meat substitutes like seitan or tofu, which can be cheaper than meat but still pack that protein punch you need.
2. Swap With Friends and Family
Instead of buying something new, see if someone you know would be interested in trading. Bartering is a lost art but has seen a resurgence in the past few years. Let’s say you’ve upgraded your coffee grinder recently, but you’ve been eyeing up a food processor your friend has. Maybe check and see if they’re in the market for a coffee grinder before you toss the old one away and buy a new food processor. It can’t hurt to ask!
3. Remember To Cancel Automatic Renewals
It’s not unorthodox to cancel your automatic subscription renewals, but it absolutely is unorthodox to remember! Set reminders when trying new services so you’ll cancel before your card gets charged. Companies rely on your forgetting to squeeze even the tiniest bit of money out of you before you go—don’t let them!
4. Use a Water Filter
Many people swear by bottled water and would rather stay thirsty than touch tap water. That’s a costly way of life, and it can be easily rectified by investing in a water filter. There are multiple options, too. You can find one that attaches directly to your tap so you can have fresh, filtered water whenever you want. Or you can try the filtering pitchers and keep your water frosty in the fridge if that’s what you prefer.
5. Have More Potlucks
You don’t have to sacrifice dinners with loved ones, even if you try your best to be frugal. Instead, see if your friends would be interested in having people over for a potluck dinner! It’s a fantastic way to entertain without overspending. And unlike throwing a dinner party yourself, the effort gets more evenly distributed, and you’ll have lots more unique dishes to try!
6. Freeze!
A spending freeze isn’t a bad idea, but that’s not what we’re referring to here. Cooking in bulk and freezing your meals saves you money and time! And one of the biggest hurdles people experience when cooking at home is when they just don’t feel like making anything. They lose to the delivery apps, spending a fortune on food that would have cost a fraction to make. But with the power of your freezer, you can keep tasty soups, sauces, and many other things on hand and ready when you are.
7. Unplug
Turning off your electronics is a good start, but unplugging your electronics is even better. Remember to unplug things when you aren’t using them to save on energy costs. You don’t necessarily have to be diligent about this for it to work; even just remembering when you’re out of the house for long periods or unplugging things that suck a lot of energy frequently is better than most people realize!
