how to save money

19 Best Ways to Save money live better and be happier

Last Updated on April 21, 2022

Do you feel like there is never enough money in your bank account? Do you want to save more but don’t know how? Do you want to save money, live better, be happier, and have a life that is free from the mundane tasks of everyday living?

The best ways to save money, live better, and be happier are all different for everyone.   What works for you might not work for someone else! This blog post will give you 19 ways to do just that.

We’ll discuss various tips for saving money, as well as other strategies for living better and being happier.

That being said, after reading this blog post you will have a few more ideas of how to manage your finances and make life better in general. You deserve it!

1. Don’t buy things you don’t need

Money saving tips

This is the first step to saving money. If you don’t need it, then why would you buy it? It’s much better to save your hard-earned cash for things that are important and meaningful than on a bunch of nonsense that doesn’t really matter.

For example, you may have noticed that your bank savings account is running low, but you still went out and bought a new purse. Chances are this purchase didn’t help the situation at all.

You should ask yourself before every purchase: do I really need it? And if the answer is no, then don’t spend money on it! It’s as simple as that.

2. Get cashback for your purchases with a credit card

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Credit card companies are always coming up with new ways to get consumers involved, and one of the newer programs is cashback.

These cards offer you a percentage of money back for your purchases on everything from groceries to gas station stops. And it could be as high as five percent! This can help you to save money and live better.

For example, if your purchases total $20 and you have an offer for three percent cashback using the card on those transactions, then you’ll receive sixty cents in cashback from that one transaction!

The Amex blue cash card offers six percent cash back at grocery stores and supermarkets, three percent at gas stations and select department stores, and one percent everywhere else.

3. Use apps like Groupon to experience the “save money live better” life

money saving hacks

If you can’t find the best deals on groceries and other items, then download an app like Groupon to make it easier. These apps will email you when there are discounts or coupons available so that you don’t miss out.

Some of the best apps for saving money on grocery items and other needs are Groupon, Living Social, Google Offers, and Amazon Local. These deals can be found in your local area or nationwide. So to save money and live better, check out these great apps.

Groupon offers coupons for local businesses and has a wide range of goods to choose from, including food, electronics, clothes, and more.

Living Social App sends discounts ranging from 50% off restaurant dinners to 25% off spa treatments in your city or anywhere else nationwide.

4. Buy clothing from consignment stores to save money and reduce waste

strategies for saving money

Consignment stores are a great place to find quality clothing for low prices. You’ll save money, reduce the waste of clothes in your household, and avoid trendy items that you might never wear again.

Consignment stores often have plenty of options and the clothes tend to be in good condition. Consignment stores also offer more budget-friendly prices, so you’ll save money when shopping there.

You can limit spending money on clothing by checking out consignment stores. You’ll find a big selection of clothes, and you can score some great deals. Consignment shops are also eco-friendly because they don’t create any new materials or products for sale.

5. Set up automatic payments for bills so they’re paid automatically each month

money saving strategies

Setting up automatic payments for all of your bills every month is a simple way to save money and live better. You’ll never have overdraft fees from forgetting to pay one bill, and you won’t be charged late payment fees when the monthly due date passes without being paid.

Plus, automatic payments eliminate the monthly task that is so often people tend to forget or delay. So your bills will be paid on time and you’ll never have to worry about paying a late fee again.

Examples of known expenses that you can consider putting on automatic payments are student loan payments and mortgage payments. You’ll be surprised by the savings you can achieve with this!

6. Make your own coffee instead of buying it to cut on some of your spending habits

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If you’re going to make one cup of coffee, just make it at home with a french press or pour-over. You’ll save money on the cost per cup and time since making your own usually takes less than five minutes as opposed to waiting in line for someone else’s slow drip pot that will take about ten minutes anyway.

People struggle to resist the temptation of buying a coffee on the go, but you don’t have a clue how much money you would be saving by just making it at home.

When you’re not paying for somebody else’s time and labor, your coffee will cost less than half of what a barista would charge you. So why are we still spending money on something so simple?

7. Pack your lunch for work or school when you can to save money and live better

methods to save money

Buying lunch every day gets expensive, and the quality of most food is questionable. It’s best to keep your fridge stocked with staples like eggs or canned tuna that can be used for a quick sandwich instead. If you’re ballsy enough, it might even save time since there will be no waiting in line!

You can start saving money today by packing your lunch. If you have a focus on savings, packing your lunch can make a huge impact on your budget.

If not, it’s still worth the time to pack lunch for work or school instead of buying expensive take-out every day. On the other hand, you’ll be on the right track to ease the pressure on your income as you prepare your own healthy food.

8. Use a clothesline to dry your clothes and save on energy costs

saving methods for money

It’s easy to forget that the sun is an abundant source of energy, and it doesn’t cost a dime. So to save money, live better, and be happier, why not hang your clothes out on a line outside where they can be dried by the warm rays without using any electricity or gas.

You’ll make big savings on your monthly bills, and you’ll be supporting a more sustainable lifestyle. Clothes dryers use a lot of energy and can be expensive to run, and clotheslines use no energy at all.

You can also save money and live better by drying your clothes for a shorter time in the dryer, or turning off your drier completely when they’re about halfway done.

9. Bring reusable bags with you to the grocery store, to reduce waste and save money in the long run

how do i save money

The average American throws away about 400 pounds of plastic each year, which translates to around 100 billion bags. So if you’re a grocery shopping regular, it’s best to use reusable totes that will help save money and the environment!

You can either purchase them for $0.99 at your local store or find some free ones online.

If you’re on a budget, look for deals at stores like Target where they typically have bags in the $0 to $25 range–and don’t forget to use coupons!

Also, if your grocery store has an aisle displaying reusable bag options (or even sells them), check that out too. You can find everything from $0.99 totes to a variety of prices depending on the material and style!

10. Wash your dishes by hand instead of using the dishwasher (but don’t forget to turn off the water!) 

the best way to save money

Depending on the models available in your household, an electric dishwasher can cost anywhere from $.50 to about $30 per month to run– that’s a lot of cash!

If you’re doing dishes by hand, it’ll save energy and money while giving you more time with the family or friends at dinner parties!

When you wash dishes by hand, energy expenses can easily be cut by one-third, and water bills can be reduced up to 90%. This is one of a few suggestions to help you save money on energy expenses.

There are obviously many other ways to save money, live better and improve your financial health.

11. Turn lights off that are not being used

The light switch on the wall is your best friend to saving money. Turn lights off that are not being used – even if you only use a room for five minutes, it’s still worth turning off the lights!

This saves electricity and also helps make rooms seem less cluttered and more spacious – plus, you won’t have to worry about forgetting any lights on!

You can save money and live better by reducing your energy consumption in whatever way possible. Whether it’s turning off lights that are not being used or turning down your thermostat a couple of degrees in winter – every little action counts!

12. Stop buying bottled water

the best way to save money

Bottled water seems like such a convenience, but it’s actually costing you more! Tap water is about $.004 per gallon while bottled water can range from $.80 for just one bottle.

And the average person drinks 34 gallons of tap water each year which makes that an investment worth making!

I’m not going to tell you what to do, but I will say that the average person could save $400 a year by switching from bottled water to tap.

Your personal savings might vary due to where you live and how much bottled water you drink each week.

13. Buy in bulk to save money on groceries

This is a great way to save money and also make life easier. A lot of grocery stores now have bulk sections in the store where you can buy things like cereal, rice, beans, spices, etc by the pound so it’s much cheaper than buying them individually.

The saving you can make on bulk groceries can really add up. For example, you could save $22 on a 25-pound bag of rice and by buying in bulk, you’ll have enough to last for months.

By now you should be realizing that there are so many ways you can use to start saving money.

14. You can stop paying for cable tv

Don’t watch TV on cable. There are other ways to watch your favorite shows with different devices. The average monthly price for cable TV is $130, and with cable, you still need to pay for internet.

If your monthly bill is $180 per month, that’s more than a thousand dollars a year of wasted money on things you don’t watch or use.

A cheaper way to access your favorite shows would be through watching streaming services like Netflix, Hulu or Amazon Prime.

You can also stream shows on a site called “Plex” and watch them on your TV with an external hard drive. So you can save money, live better and still have fun.

15. Boost your regular savings account with automated savings

There are money apps that will help you save by rounding off your purchases to the nearest dollar.

When you make a purchase that is $20.60, for example, it will be rounded up to $21 and automatically deposit $0.40 into your savings account so you can build wealth over time.

These apps provide some of the best ways to save money. Examples of these apps are Acorns, Digit and Qapital.

The savings you make may seem insignificant immediately but over time and combined with other money saving ways, they are a stepping stone towards your financial freedom.

16. Terminate your gym membership

Canceling your gym membership doesn’t have to mean giving up on fitness. There are plenty of other ways to exercise for free to save money, live better, and improve your personal finance.

Some people prefer activities such as running, hiking, or even walking and biking. You can also try out different free workout programs from YouTube such as ‘POPSUGAR Fitness’ by Karina Garcia AKA KG Fit Mama.

You can also use free fitness apps such as MapMyRun, MyFitnessPal, and Couch to Five K. So you can cancel your gym membership to achieve your saving goals.

17. Increase income

One way to improve your personal finance is not only to lower your spending habits but also to increase your income. You can find ways to earn more money in order to achieve financial freedom.

In today’s world, you can pick up a side hustle that you can do in your free time and earn enough money to cover some of your day-to-day expenses.

There are many people who are doing odd jobs that bring in more money to their benefit. In a post that talks about online jobs, you’ll find jobs that you can do that will bring you more money and open a door to your financial independence.

18. Achieve your savings goals by lowering your bank fees

You can save money by lowering your bank fees. One way is to maintain one checking account or and a savings account. The more accounts you open, the more fees you can incur.

Take advantage of free checking accounts as opposed to charging checking accounts, which will save you money on monthly service bank fees.

Find a bank offering service of an online bank with no minimum balance requirements. For example, USAA bank does not charge monthly service fees on several services they offer.

Make sure to check the fine print for each account before opening it so you know what you are getting into and how much money will be deducted from your account per month.

19. Switch banks to eliminate costly bank fees

It is important to have a financial plan if you are to achieve financial independence and every way of making a saving matters in the long run.

You can save a significant amount of money by switching banks to reduce or eliminate monthly account fees.

If you switch to a credit union or an online bank you’re like to eliminate expensive fees and be on your way to achieving your savings goal.

Credit union banks are not-for-profit organizations and they typically charge low fees for their services, if at all.

Money saving tips questions

What is a good percentage to save from paycheck?

It is best to save as much as possible because it creates a higher future earning potential and helps with financial freedom. Assuming all else equal, the higher savings rate leads to a higher net worth than lower ones.

The right savings rate for you depends on your circumstances and goals. The general rule of thumb is that you should be saving 10-15% of your income for retirement.

When it comes to personal finance there’s no easy answer or a one size fits all approach to find the right savings rate because everybody has different needs include age range (retirement), number of dependents, and lifestyle.

How much money should you have saved by 25?

It depends on how much you have and what interest rates work. If you have an initial deposit of $2,000, earn interest of 10%, and save $300 a month, it will take 2 years to amass $10,000.

How much savings you should have by 25 depends on your financial goals. If you’re saving for retirement, the sooner the better.

A person who starts at 18 would need to save closer to $600-$1000 a month or more in order to attain the average desired savings level for a good life of around $100,000 by retirement age.

However, if you’re saving for something different like buying a home then there may be less urgency. Either way, figure out what is most important and start saving even if just for that biggest expense goal with one step at a time.

Why is it not recommended to pay off debt with savings?

Focusing on improving your budget and spending in general, you will find that the money not used for paying debt or saving should be put towards an emergency fund.

Issues like leaky roofs, car breaking down, sudden job loss are not limited to people with high incomes. Expensive cars don’t have a higher guarantee rate than cheaper ones because they’re more expensive; but because they have a higher repair risk.

It’s also worth noting that if you need to pay off debt using savings, as your income rises/or expenses go down over time owing to good budgeting skills and re-assessment of lifestyle needs then that decision can be revisited. You’ll still want to avoid credit cards though!

Conclusion

Saving money is essential to live a better life and be happier. There are many ways you can do this, some of which may seem insignificant at first glance but will add up over time.

We hope these 19 methods have given you the inspiration for your own savings plan or that they’ve helped answer any questions you might have about how people save money in their everyday lives.

You should pick what makes the most sense for you and start saving today. It’s never too late to stop wasting money on things that don’t matter or even worse, debt because the consequences of living paycheck-to-paycheck are not worth it at all!

So, choose your best way to save money, and…

Start saving now so you can live better tomorrow.

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