Practical Ways to Save Money When Times Are Tough

_{Saving money does not have to be hard. Discover these practical ways to save money when times are tough. Lower}_{ing your spending.}

ways to save money when times are tough - pictured woman looking over bills on couch

Practical Ways to Save Money When Times Are Tough

It’s no secret that right now, many families are struggling with their finances and making ends meet each month.

The price of everything from food and gas to rent and clothing, and energy prices have skyrocketed while wages have largely remained stagnant. If you are efficient and wise with your money, you can probably save thousands each year.

Not to worry though, here you will find some practical ways to save money even when times are tough.

But first, you must create a budget. If you don’t have one, here is how to get started. Remember, having a budget is a great start, but if you’re not tracking your expenses, you won’t know if you’re actually sticking to the budget.

man with groceries in cart in front of car with trunk open

Reduce Trips – A Clever Way to Save

With the cost of gas and car maintenance being as high as it is right now, consolidating your trips whenever possible is a money-saving move.

Try not to run just one errand, instead, save them up and make one big trip instead of multiple smaller ones.

Carpool is also a practical way to save energy

If carpooling is an option either for yourself or your spouse for work or as a way to get your kids back and forth from school and activities, you should definitely look into it.

You are likely not the only family looking for ways to save money, so talk with your co-workers, neighbors, and parents at your children’s school and see if this is something that they would be interested in starting up.

Turn Off the Cable

If you haven’t cut the cable cord already, now might be a really good time to do so. If you have a large cable subscription that no one is watching, drop it down to a lower one.

You might also consider getting your TV service from a streaming service provider. Hulu, SlingTv, Amazon, and others offer plenty of channel selection for much less than what cable typically costs.

Worried you won’t be able to get your favorite premium channels like Showtime or HBO?

You can get all of those without a cable provider now. Simply add it to your TV streaming service plan, and you will still be paying less than what you were for cable.

Eat at Home

One way that we all spend money without thinking about it as much as we should is on food and drinks when we are away from home.

Maybe it’s a weekly (or daily) run to the coffee shop, maybe it’s a busy weeknight where all the kids have after-school activities and you just hit the drive-thru on the way home. Takeout is always going to cost you more than preparing a meal at home, even if it is convenient.

Meal planning, your slow cooker, and freezer meals are all ways that you can have a hot meal on the table for dinner without having to swing through the drive-thru. There are lots of resources for all of these things right here on this site to help you get started.

Reduce Subscription Packages/ Membership Programs

Have you ever signed up for a monthly membership to something, used it for a month or two, and then forgotten about it?

Most of us probably have, but that monthly cost may still be coming out of your checking account without you noticing.

Go through your bank statements and find any of these subscriptions or memberships that you aren’t using anymore and cancel them. It might not save you much, but every little bit counts.

Repurpose Items You Have

Before you head out to buy something that you think you need, consider whether something you already have can be repurposed to suit your needs.

Like reorganizing your jewelry with these clever hacks or finding creative ways to store your kids’ toys.

Not only will you save money by not buying a new item, but you are also reducing waste and clutter. Plus, it gives you the chance to be creative and think outside of the box.

auto insurance shopping around practical tips to save money

Shop Around for Home and Auto Insurance

If it has been a while since you have compared home and auto insurance prices with multiple companies, then now is a good time to do so.

You can often save hundreds of dollars every year simply by changing companies. Set aside an hour or so to compare prices and see if you can save.

Shop Second Hand

Unfortunately, sometimes we still have to make purchases even when funds are tight. If you find yourself in that situation, consider buying second-hand items instead of brand-new ones.

These days, there are plenty of second-hand shopping options from thrift stores to garage sales, to local social media buy, sell, and trade pages.

You can save a lot of money by purchasing clothes, shoes, electronics, and even appliances second-hand instead of buying brand-new items.