It can be incredibly stressful trying to save money on a tight budget that is already stretched thin. The good news is that you can save money even when it seems impossible. The realistic news is that you will need to start slowly.
And these 3 simple tips can help. The first savings tip on my list is actually a super easy way to save money every single day. It may not be much, but it is a way to start saving money today.
I promise it will get you excited to find other creative ways to find a little extra money to save as well!
1. Save One Dollar Every Single Morning
Yes, I know. You are probably shaking your head and thinking something like, "What?? Why bother?"
But listen, this is a simple way to start saving money. And that is important. I mean, what good are loftier goals that get abandoned because they were just too difficult to keep up with? Easier, short-term goals help people save more successfully because they can stick with it.
So I say always start the day by stashing away one dollar. Even if you use pennies, nickels, and dimes, put a dollar away every morning before you leave the house. Starting the day on a positive note will motivate you to find other ways to save even more.
2. Make Meal Planning a Part of Your Weekly Routine
When I meal prep for the week ahead and do one shopping trip for all the necessary ingredients, it makes a huge impact on our grocery budget.
In our house, food is the biggest part of our budget. So finding a way to control how much money from our tight budget is spent at the grocery store is really important.
Making a meal plan for each night of the week and buying the groceries for all the meals in one shopping trip is one of the best ways to make sure our weekly budget stays intact. Plus, knowing I have dinner covered each weeknight is a huge time-saver.
Can we talk about Left-Overs for a minute??
If you don't have a nice clean container with lid handy, chances are those wonderful money-saving left-overs will never see the inside of your refrigerator.
I have found that if I don't keep a decent supply of food storage containers around, I tend to toss left-overs out. Not good.
And while you are checking out your stash of Tupperware, don't forget to take inventory of your kitchen utensils. Make sure you have all the cool kitchen cooking utensils needed for cooking. Having some new kitchen gadgets at the ready will help make all that cooking you are going to do much more fun.
3. Save Extra Money Every Day Using Apps Like Ibotta and Ebates
If you have not tried these cash back apps yet, please make this one of your New Year's resolutions.
Earn cash back when you snap a picture of your receipt and send it to Ibotta. You can check their website for all the deals they offer, and I can pretty much guarantee you will find items you were planning on buying anyway.
Make money with Ebates every time you shop online. There are no fees for using their service, and it is like getting free money just for buying something you are going to buy anyway.
One of my financial goals this year is to use these apps every time I shop, no matter what. Because, honestly, I do forget, and that is like leaving money on the table.
These simple ways to save money may seem like small steps that may not make a difference. But they really do. And baby steps can lead to much bigger steps along the journey to improving your finances. We just need to find what works for us and start taking those first steps.