10 Painless Ways to Save Money

Everybody’s on board with the idea of saving a few dollars here and there, but very few people are prepared to make drastic lifestyle changes in order to do so. I understand who would want to?

Getting to that point is something of a journey, but fortunately there are steps to every journey.

Here are 10 painless ways to save money:

1. Round Up All your Transactions

Next time you use your debit card or write a cheque for something, round up to the next dollar when you’re recording your purchase. It will make it feel like you’re spending a little more, and at the end of the month you’ll have more left over than you expect. Do it for a few years and you’ll be surprised at the direction your savings account has taken.

2. Bank with Interest

Do you receive interest on the balance in your bank account? If not, look for another place to bank that offers it. Those dollars really add up so by doing this you will definitely save money!

3. Movie Lovers? Join a Movie Club

More things than ever are going digital, and if you haven’t joined the gravy train with online subscriptions such as Netflix, you could be getting a dud deal.  Of course shop around and see what each has to offer – but Netflix is as little as $10/month.

4. Use Alternate Transportation

Do you know how much it really costs you to drive your car? Petrol is obvious, but you also have to factor in oil changes, maintenance, insurance, and tyre changes. If you live in a large city, public transportation is quick, cheap, and easy. If not, you can always carpool or ride a bike to work.

5. Take Advantages of Money-saving Offers

Lots of stores (pharmacies, electronics stores, supermarkets, cinemas, etc) have programs that let you find coupons or specials just for being a member. It just takes a few minutes, and you can cash in on little things that may add up. Plus if you are sick of all those store cards in your purse taking up room, consider the Store Card App. You can scan them all into the app and throw all your cards away.

6. Buy Generic Brands

Most of the time not all, but most generic brands are the exact same thing as the name brands. What you pay for is the name, not the ingredients. One example is medications, but food works the same way, and clothes are often just as comfortable. Try a few new generics and see what they’re like. It can’t hurt, and you will actually save money!

7. Use Kitchen Efficiency

One place where a lot of waste happens is right at home in the kitchen.

How many times have you decided to use paper plates to save on washing the dishes? How many times have you thrown food away because nobody ate it? Start a compost heap. Reuse and recycle items. Make your kitchen the greenest place in the house.

8. Look for Cheap Community Programs

You never know where you might be able to save money on activities or programs. Lots of cinemas offer kids discounts/free days in the school holidays. Some local gyms have low cost programs for exercising, yoga, or pilates.

9. Pool your Resources

Sometimes you need to get some expensive item, but you know you’ll only ever use it once or twice. Go in on the purchase with a friend or family member so that you can both get some use out of it without paying so much.

10. Trade in your Media

Look for places to trade in DVDs, CDs, video games, or books so that they don’t go to waste. Some places will give you cash, while others will offer credit for other items in the store. Either way, you save money.

What ideas do you have to save money?