Get Premium
Dark mode theme is available exclusively for premium users. Learn more about the benefits of subscribing.
Dark Mode 
No fees, cancel anytime 
Share tips!
This post may include affiliate links.
#1
Don't have kids 😎💯💯💯
Final score:
33points
You May Also Like:
#2
I always ask myself: Do I WANT it or do I NEED it? If it's the former, I don't buy. Sounds silly, but I save a lot that way.
Final score:
26points
Saint Thomas 1 year ago
In French, there's the 'BISOU' method you can use if you intend/feel the desire to buy something. It's an acronym for "Besoin - Immediat - Semblable - Origine - Utile" (and it also means 'a small kiss'). So in English it can be translated as : - Need (besoin) : Is this purchase a whim, or does it really has a utility ? - Immediate (immédiat) : do I really need it know ? Or am I for example tempted by a limited promotion or any artificial sense of urgency ? - Similar (semblable) : don't I already own something that fills the same need ? Can't I repurpose something I already own ? - Origin (origine): what's the origine of the product? Is it made in good human right/environmental conditions ? - Useful (utile): what's the real use of this product for me? Will it really bring a change in my life (however small it is)? So if you screen each urge of buying something through those questions, you'll see that very often there's no real reason to answer to it, and that we're more than often "
#3
Buy store branded grocery items. They are made by the same manufacturers as name brands,.
Final score:
19points
Jaqi Hegland 1 year ago
Some of them are the same, some are not. You have to try them to find out if they're as good. But most of them are as good, and if they're not, trying it once and going back to the name brand if it's not good won't kill you. Garlic bread was the specific thing I remember trying that the store brand was just not nearly as good as the name brand. But we use store brands for a lot of our groceries.
#4
Don't buy it if you can't pay cash for it. (A house excluded, unless you're in the wealthiest 1%.)
When you do that math, your spending habits alter radically, and you also stop ending up in credit card debt. if you can't pay for it in cash (even if you are using a card for convenience)? Don't buy it.
Final score:
12points
#6
In a clothing store, head straight for the clearance rack at the back.
Final score:
9points
Rwby Couch 1 year ago
Yesss!! I have found some of my favorite clothes from thrift stores!! Such great deals
#7
1: Don't have kids. 2: Quit smoking. 3: Buy a house in the cheap part of the country. I realise not all or even one of those will be achievable for most people, but it's allowed me to live a life of oppulent luxury on a single, fairly modest income.
Final score:
7points
#8
Make a budget. Include an amount you can put in savings every paycheck. Do that first before you pay anything else. That way your savings is not an afterthought but a purposeful task. Pay yourself first.
Final score:
7points
Joanne Hudson 1 year ago (edited)
Save "found" money. I had a MIL who always tried to pay for gas ($100) when we traveled together in our RV and hubby always refused it. She always slipped it to me when no one was looking and I tucked it away. Win $25 on a scratcher ticket? Tuck it away. I got $450 one time. I get big bills as they are harder to spend. I didn't have a goal, just I'm old enough to know a girl needs some cash sometimes. Divorced. Little walking around money but left it there. I have a bestie who lives on the opposite coast. We game on computer twice a week and I invited her to vacation with me. I rented a car, we stayed in hotels and did everything all over my state for 10 days and neither one of us had to pay a dime out of pocket. It was super and there was some $$ left over which went back in the stash. Returned an item, stash the cash. I have to pay at time of service for dental but I get reimbursed. Stash the cash. Don't plan for it. Just when you see an opportunity, grab it.
#9
I walk away from it. If I liked it enough to come back at the end of shopping (or internet scrolling), then I'll consider buying it. This stops my impulse spending.
Final score:
6points
zak 1 year ago
Same concept, but I do this with online shopping. I'll often add things to my cart (or to a shopping list on Amazon) and leave them there for at least a day before actually buying it. Half the time the urge will go away and I'll delete the list or remove it from the cart a day or two later. A lot of sites will also start sending you coupons/deals if you leave stuff in your cart, so you often get a better deal (or free shipping, etc) on the things you actually do end up purchasing.
#11
I use a credit union credit card and buy everything on it to 1. purchases are protected. 2. I get redeemable points. 3. I have a record of all my purchases. I pay in full every billing cycle
Final score:
5points
Jane No Dough 1 year ago
Joining a credit union is one of the best ways to save! You can direct deposit a small amount of each pay. You can access your savings but it usually takes longer depending on location which discourages impulse spending. After a probationary period you can borrow for a car or other large purchases for much lower interest rates. This gives YOU the upper hand in negotiations with dealerships. You don't like the price, you take your money elsewhere.
#12
It blows my mind how a lot of people never consider this when decision-making:
A report came out that with recent inflation factored in, it will now cost approximately $300,000 to raise a child from birth to the age of 18.
Please people, if you're going down that avenue or are considering it, then don't do it for the wrong reasons like "But who's going to take care of me when I'm old ?" or as a "bandage" for a bad-relationship/marriage (spoiler: IT NEVER F*****G WORKS, IDIOTS !!), as a source of benefits/income, to "trap" somebody into relationship, or the classic "wElL tHaT'S jUsT yOu dO/ gOd sAiD i'M sUpPoSeD tO / mUh lEgAcY !!!!"......" b******t.
It's going to cost you plenty, put some thought into it.
Final score:
4points
Pickles, Pennies, & Ponies 1 year ago (edited)
All I can say is, stop spelling words and whole sentences with mixed caps and lower case letters. When did this start and why? Is there some significance to this? It's annoying, stupid and hard to read.
#13
A mechanic quoted me $950 + labor. I bought the item for $134 online and took it elsewhere.
Final score:
3points
Jane No Dough 1 year ago
Unless it's a part I can change myself, I won't buy it, because I don't know a mechanic who would do the labor only. They won't take responsibility for a job done with a part they didn't supply.
#14
Buy your produce at the Asian market & your spices at the Indian store.
Final score:
3points
Jane No Dough 1 year ago
Yes, yes, and yes! More variety, awesome aromas, an adventure in every trip.
#15
Share purchases with family and friends, when able to. That way, everyone benefits from a single large purchase. Example....I purchase a 20 lb bag of brown rice and share with 5 neighbors or family members that use the same rice. They reimburse me for their part of the cost and we all get what we need.
Final score:
3points
Jane No Dough 1 year ago
Starting your own family/neighborhood co-op sounds wonderful. I am the type that would spend the reimbursements rather than banking them, AND never collect half of them from the other members.
#16
I usually, when I go to the store for 1 thing, I only bring enough money for that thing, it's weird but it works
Final score:
3points
#17
1. Buy, if possible, from a Thrift Store. (I am required to wear a suit and tie at work. I once got an $800 Brooks Brothers men's suit for $18.00.)
2. Keep track for ALL of your spending and saving, perhaps on an Excel spreadsheet. Make a game of saving as much as possible.
3. Avoid all bank fees. See your banker (it's free!) to make sure you have the right kinds of accounts. (Many banks have several different types of checking and savings accounts; make sure you have the one that fits your needs.)
4. Get a credit credit card with a good rewards program. Charge EVERYTHING on it. You can easily rack up $20, $30, even $100 a month rewards - free money!
5. Never buy a new car. Buy a "lease return" (a can that someone leased on a 1 or 2 year contract.) You will get a virtually new car at half the cost new.
6. Pay extra on your mortgage. Equity racks up fast.
7. Put the maximum you can into your 401K. Your employer's match is free money.
Final score:
2points
Jaqi Hegland 1 year ago
Important note on the credit card - pay it in full each month. Rewards programs are designed to pay (the company) for themselves with the interest you pay on the card. If you pay it in full each month, it's free money. If you are paying interest, it's expensive money.
#19
Quit smoking. Burnt the money for a small appartment over twelve years.
Final score:
2points
#20
Spend like it's the end of the month and you're trying to make it to the next paycheck. Make yourself think that you barely have enough in your account to buy groceries for two days.
Also, I don't know whether this applies to other countries as well or not, but many stores - Clothing stores, groceries, etc - have apps now with coupons and sales and promotions. If you can, buy things when they're on sale.
Also, this might seem counterintuitive but sometimes you have to spend more to save money in the long run. There are things for which you absolutely shouldn't opt for the cheap alternative. The best example is shoes. You spend the majority of your day wearing them, they need to be both durable and comfortable. Spending more to buy good quality shoes will be worth every cent and they'll also last longer, saving you money. The same applies for other basic everyday items like your mattress, backpack, winter coat, etc.
Final score:
2points
#21
This might seem counterintuitive, but sometimes you have to spend more to save money in the long run. The best example is shoes. You absolutely should never try to save money on your shoes. You spend the majority of your day wearing them, walking in them, your feet will thank you and you will actually save money in the long run if you spend more on good quality shoes. The same applies to other staple everyday utility items, for exmple, your mattress, backpack, winter coat, etc.
Otherwise, try spending like it's the end of the month and you're trying to make it to the next paycheck. When you go to the store, make yourself think you only have enough money in your account to buy groceries for a couple of days.
Also, many stores have apps with sales, promotions, coupons, etc. Using those, try buying things when they're on sale.
Final score:
2points
#22
Buy secondhand for almost everything (except a few items). Saved us more than $10k +
Final score:
2points
#23
I try to stick to a 10-10-10-70 budgeting method. When I get my paycheck in, the first 10% gets tithed off the top. The next 10% goes into savings, and the last 10% is earmarked as fun money. The remaining 70% is for bills and regular expenses.
Final score:
2points
#24
If you dont really need something give it 3 days and often you realize you dont even really want it. Cook at home, plan lunches ahead of time
Final score:
1point
#25
When you recieve your income, take out how much you want to save and use the rest for your needs and wants. Experiment by increasing or decreasing your saving amount every month until you reach a stage where you no longer need to access your savings to meet your needs. That is your cutoff point showing your minimum expenses for the month. Store the extra.
Final score:
1point
Jessica SpeLangm 1 year ago
First I pay all bills, THEN I will decide if the non-necessities are a want or need. Bills ALWAYS get paid first.
#26
Don't have a girlfriend (significant other).
Don't have kids.
Basically don't marry/have kids.
Final score:
1point
#27
Eliminating the small, recurring expenses that you don't think about can save money quickly and easily. Some examples: Cigarettes--heath benefits aside, in some places cigarettes can run as much as $15 a pack. If you smoke a pack a day, that's $100 a week literally going up in smoke. Skip the fancy coffee at Starbucks or Dunkin or wherever--it's mostly just extra cream and sugar anyway. Get yourself a Mr. Coffee and a can of Folgers and you can save $40-$50 a week. Same with bottled water. If tap water is too pedestrian for you, invest in a Britta or a self-filtering water bottle, and stop spending $2 in the vending machine for about 3¢ worth of water (much better for the environment, too). Finally, take a good hard look at your streaming and video game services and cancel all but the one or two you use most. Nobody really needs 8 billion hours of content. Small lifestyle changes, but by making them you can save yourself hundreds of dollars a month, and with the exception of smoking, after a few you likely won't miss any of these things anyway.
Final score:
1point
#28
If you can't afford to pay off credit card debt every month, pay the minimum payment plus the interest charge. That way you're actually reducing the principle of the debt which will reduce the interest to be charged. Oh, and try not to use the card anymore.
Final score:
1point
#29
Costco!
Final score:
0points
Jane No Dough 1 year ago
How does subscribing to a company for the "privilege" of giving them more of your money to buy far more than you actually need of any item, save you anything? I think people just don't figure in the full annual expenditure when calculating savings. I don't blame them, it would be too complicated for me. I think I have common sense enough to see the problem though.
#30
Buy generic versions of your meds.
Don't be lulled into buy 3 get 1 of something you only need 1 of UNLESS it is something that you will eventually use and has a very very long life.
Don't buy things at Costco prices because you assume it's a good price, always compare the ratio price (per kg or per lb, etc). I have found like half the items that seem good would actually be cheaper from my closest grocery store.
Take photos of the bottom of your receipts when making a large purchase (the transaction, store, date and time info) IMNEDIATRLY after getting it.
Regardless of how you store it most are printed on biodegradable paper with thermal ink that fades within weeks. This way if the receipt fades/ you lose it before the warranty/return policy ends you have it on your phone and they can type it in manually.
Drink water when you can.
Make your own coffee or drink the coffee at work. If you know the code work is gross being your own instant coffee/tea and keep it in your locker/ at your desk.
Take care of your shoes and they will take care of you.
When meal planning make sure your meals overlap their ingredients and you make use of sales 1. You eat healthier when you cook 2. You can make very different items so it doesn't taste the same every day even when you're being careful about your ingredient list.
Don't forget to treat yourself, if you don't give yourself little treats occasionally you'll get frustrated and spend money on quite large things feeling you deserve it.
If your car insurance is high, look into alternate options for getting to work, lower your premium and possibly save money by ubering, carpooling or taking transit.
If you like pop/sparkling water try soda stream instead. Don't buy new canisters or refills at the store, instead take the cans to alternative refill locations (like paintball places) they usually refill for half the price and it's still just CO2.
Don't get sucked into every cooking fad-- yes you can airfry a bagel, but be reasonable... do you need to airfry a bagel? Same goes with recipes-- yes you can make alfredo using whipping cream but a quick search will also tell you that you can make it using half and half which you already have in your fridge.
Freeze things in the correct bags and freeze them before you lose them-- bread, meat, veggies.
Have tofu once a week. It's very reasonable and can be very flavourful if treated correctly. I make a tofu stirfry once a week, it literally costs around $7 total for the ingredients and serves 4 meals (2 meals each for my husband and I). I do press my tofu and freeze it so it isn't as dense and picks up more fravour but eating tofu once a week allows us to have money in our food budget for steak and roasts.
Find a hobby. This is a word one but when you have free time you tend to go out with friends to the movies, surf shopping sites etc. So instead, keep yourself entertained while honing a skill. Any hobby can be done cheaply, in fact doing a hobby cheaply helps you find new ways of approaching problems. -- paint using $2 canvases and honemade paint. Woodwork at community workshops. Learn a gaming engine or crocheting and sell your creations.
If you have a work phone 24/7 you don't need a personal cell phone usually. If you work from home, ensure you are utilising any bennies available to you.
Make a realistic budget based on prev spending habits. If you usually spend 60 a month on entertainment, don't act like you'll spend no more than 10... try to bring it down to 50.
And finally, money doesn't have to burn a hole in your pocket, just because you saved an extra $40 doesn't mean you need to go all crazy. Put it into an account and leave it as a rainy day fund or house fund or whatever.
Final score:
0points
#31
Stop buying all those avocados.
Final score:
0points
#32
Get paid more.
Final score:
0points
#33
I recently had a weird charge on my bank account. I reached out to my bank and the customer service rep. handled my issue quickly. She then talked to me about some other products and I did invest in one. then she asked me if I used my cc for my bills, etc. I no not. She then suggested that I charged everything I pay monthly and I would pay it anyway and get my reward points. Honestly, it never occurred to me that she was right. As a result I instituted that approach and I think it’s a great hack!
Final score:
0points
Jane No Dough 1 year ago
I think you might want to do some research into your bank, the investment you just made, and the credit card autopay they talked you into. Are these reward points worth the interest fees or annual fee you may be paying? How does the bank protect you if an unauthorized payment is withdrawn, etc... Many banks in the last few years have been sued over underhanded upselling tactics and I'm assuming from your post they didn't follow up your conversation with anything in writing.
#34
If you can avoid having a car, get rid of it, it saved tons and can also help with health. Sure it requires a different organisation but it makes a huge difference. I understand it may prove difficult in huge countries though. We got a tandem instead, it's fun and much less stressful too! Budjeting each week with cash in enveloppes helps visualize money spent and therefore helps being extra careful. All remaining cash can be saved for future hardship or projects, fun stuff etc. Always having a little "spending money" each week if having a tight budget helps not go overboard with frustration
Final score:
0points
#35
Spend like it's the end of the month and you're trying to make it to the next paycheck. Make yourself think that you barely have enough in your account to buy groceries for two days.
Also, I don't know whether this applies to other countries as well or not, but many stores - Clothing stores, groceries, etc - have apps now with coupons and sales and promotions. If you can, buy things when they're on sale.
Also, this might seem counterintuitive but sometimes you have to spend more to save money in the long run. There are things for which you absolutely shouldn't opt for the cheap alternative. The best example is shoes. You spend the majority of your day wearing them, they need to be both durable and comfortable. Spending more to buy good quality shoes will be worth every cent and they'll also last longer, saving you money. The same applies for other basic everyday items like your mattress, backpack, winter coat, etc.
Final score:
0points
#36
Live SLIGHTLY below your income. You will be able to save all bank fees, credit card interest, late-payment fees, and all that c**p. Interest charges and fees can really stack up! Charles Dickens, in 1849, on the relationship between money and happiness: "Annual income twenty pounds, annual expenditure nineteen six, result happiness. Annual income twenty pounds, annual expenditure twenty pound ought and six, result misery." Just as true today.
Final score:
0points
#38
2 ways:
First, do you really, really need this, or just want it.
And second, just don't spend it. Just don't. Only go into a store when you need something.
Final score:
0points
#39
Cash is king... ask for the cash price when paying for services. I saved $700 on a plumber!
Final score:
0points
#40
Just don’t think about it. The more you think about it, the more you want to use it.
Final score:
0points
#41
1. Before looking to buy anything, ask yourself what you are prepared to pay for it. More than that? Walk away.
2. Don’t grocery shop when hungry.
3. If you get a pay rise but, you can manage on your old money, put difference away every month, From month one!
4. Sometimes paying more equates to spending less. Invest wisely.
5. Turn heating down by just one degree.
6. Keep a jug in the bathrooom. If you have a bath, use the grey water to flush the loo with the jug.
7. Turn lights off!
8. If you now work from home since the pandemic, speak to your insurers car and contents, they may reduce your policies, less risk of accidents and thefts.
9. NHS staff discount, either Health Service Discounts site or, Blue Light Card.
10. Scout around for vouchers.
11. 0% credit cards on purchases and balance transfers with offers like cash back. But be sure to pay it off every month, religiously.
Final score:
0points
#42
Share a house/apartment with someone and split expenses. Also, wear clothes for more than a day and you end up doing less laundry.
Final score:
0points
#43
I've got a few tips.
Take advantage of deals as much as possible.
Buy store brand, or no name products, when doing groceries.
If you need new clothing, either go to a thrift store, or buy from the clearance rack.
Cancel any memberships, or subscriptions, you aren't using.
Final score:
0points
#45
Those cash-back-for-receipts apps really do help sometimes. I like Ibotta (referral code: VUOXTJB) because I can go in and flag the deals I like once a week, shop as normal, and I have it set up to redeem offers I fulfill automatically.
Final score:
0points
#46
I stopped eating avocado toasts and ordering Starbuck lattes and within 6 months was able to buy a 600k mansion in the Hamptons
Final score:
-3points
What do you think ?
TheElementalGod️️ 1 year ago
summon money out of thin air. buy a palace. create golem servants. or are you talking about how you MORTALS can save money?
TheElementalGod️️ 1 year ago
summon money out of thin air. buy a palace. create golem servants. or are you talking about how you MORTALS can save money?
Related on Bored Panda
