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| 10 Simple Money Saving Hacks |
Looking for some simple ways to save money? Here are ten simple hacks you might try to cut back on personal living expenses:
- Learn To Cook
Eating at restaurants can be expensive! Learn to cook and prepare healthy meals for you and your family. If you feel as though you lack talent in this arena, start simple. You'll find the cost of raw, unprocessed meat from the grocery store is significantly lower than even some of the cheapest fast-food restaurants out there (not to mention, significantly healthier!) If you're concerned about burning or under-cooking your food, invest in a crockpot, as they are practically as foolproof as the microwave. If you don't consume everything you prepare that day, be sure to immediately freeze any leftovers.
- Buy 100's Cigarettes
If you are a smoker but don't want to roll your own or vape, switch to 100's. 100's cigarettes are the same price as kings but with more tobacco and a longer filter. With a pair of scissors, cut the tip of the filter (about a centimeter) to match the same richness and flavor you typically enjoy. Save the other half for later!
- Don't Buy A Gym Membership, Rent A Free Workout Buddy
Yes, there are gym memberships that are very affordable, but if you never use it, why waste the money? I feel like a lab rat when I'm on a treadmill or elliptical, so if I'm going to get a great cardio session in, I need to be able to enjoy the process. Try this: Invite a friend or family member to play catch or Frisbee at a nearby park. If it's cold out, wear thermal underwear.
- Cut the Cable
I don't view TV and Film as being completely counter-productive, it's just that so much of its main purpose is to try and sell us stuff we sure don't need. So my tip here is to just pay for the internet. There are many websites that offer free content (YouTube, SnagFilms, Vudu, etc ... ) and in many cases are far more educational and entertaining than programming available on cable. Consider this: Are you spending more time flipping through the channels than actually enjoying any one program? If so, consider eliminating this potentially very costly bill.
- Walk to the Grocery Store
If you live in proximity too a grocery store, consider walking instead of driving or taking the bus. It might be too much of a challenge to carry food home, so walk there and bus or Uber home.
- Pray and Meditate
Personally, if I couldn't do these two things regularly, I'd have major problems just dealing with reality. We don't always need to have the TV or Radio on when we work or sleep. Embrace those quiet moments when you're able to and give thanks for the gift of life. Both will help you think more clearly and help mitigate any anxiety you might be experiencing.
- Quit Drinking
Alcohol can be devastating on the mind and body. If you are able to enjoy alcohol in moderation, great! If not, it's probably time to put the plug in the jug. If you're looking for assistance in achieving and maintaining abstinence from alcohol and other mind-altering substances, Alcoholics Anonymous might be the best place to start.
- Stop Buying Juice and Soda
Fruit juice does contain some nutrients, but it also contains a lot of sugar. Fortunately, most grocery stores offer sugar-free juice mix that can fool almost any taste-bud. Obviously, drinking water is your best option, but the next best thing to save calories and money is to make juice at home from these sugar-free powdered concentrates.
- Stop Buying Candy!
It's pretty much a no-brainer that cutting out all sugar is going to greatly benefit one's health, but for a lot of folks, these aren't realistic expectations. It might seem cost-effective to buy candy in bulk, but try this instead: Brownie or Cake Mix, 1 egg, 1/4 cup vegetable oil, and two tablespoons of water. Baking a sheet of brownies or an entire cake will surprisingly run you around $2 - just don't eat the whole tray in one sitting!
- Dry Your Razor Blades
Here's a little something Dollar Shave Club and Gillette probably don't want you to know about: Did you know that you can extend the life of your safety razors by about 50% if you dry them on your towel after each use? Sound too simple to be true? It's not. Any moisture left on your blades in between uses will dull your blades very quickly. Shaving can be very costly, so try this bathroom hack to start lowering your toiletry expenses.
Have you tried any of these money saving techniques? We'd love to hear about it! Be sure to enter your email to subscribe for more great content like this and stay tuned!🍊
