33 Small Ideas to Save Big Money

Dreaming of DIY-ing the perfect quiet space in your home? Great! Now you have to figure out how to pay for it. Everyone has something they’re saving for—even if it’s just to build their nest egg—but, so often, they don’t know where to start. Mountain America Credit Union to the rescue!

We’ve put together a list of 33 simple changes to save you a little cash. All you need to turn each one into BIG savings is … drumroll, please … to make it a habit! Realize your financial goals faster by making a few adjustments. You’ll be relaxing and recharging in the fruits of your labor in no time.
 

Ready? Here we go:
 

1. Meal plan—Whether you’re actually preparing several meals to keep in the fridge, or just scheduling what you’re going to cook ahead of time, meal planning equals savings. Bonus: Save an average of 300 calories a day by eating at home!
    

2. Cut the cable—With services like Netflix, Hulu and Amazon Prime, watch your favorite movies and TV shows for a fraction of the cost of cable. If you can’t quite cut the cord yet, make sure to bundle your cable services with your internet and landline phone for the best deal.
    

3. Filter your water—Instead of purchasing bottled water all the time, buy a filtered water pitcher and use tap water. This can save you hundreds of dollars per year.
    

4. Use lodging rental websites when you travel—Sites such as Airbnb, Housetrip or Travelmob are great for cutting costs. Find places with kitchens to save on meal costs. You can even rent out your own place on Airbnb while you’re traveling to cut expenses more.
    

5. Sell your unused stuff—Root around your space for things of value you don’t need. Old cell phones, unused gift cards, designer clothes, furniture, recyclables, books and neglected sporting equipment are all worth something to someone. Find the best places to sell them locally or online.
    

6. Plan your meals around weekly grocery store sales—Take meal planning a step further by choosing recipes based on sale items to help lower your food bill.
    

7. Make coffee at home—If you’re an everyday customer at the local coffee shop, fully committing to this one can be difficult. If you can’t go cold turkey, try going out two days a week and make coffee at home the rest of the week.
    

8. Institute a 24-hour waiting period—If you’re an online shopping junkie, make it a policy to wait 24 hours before purchasing items over a certain dollar amount. With the instant gratification of shopping by the click of a button, a buffering system can reduce impulse buying.
    

9. Become a DIYer—Blogs and social media pages have come a long way. Find cost-saving DIY videos, photos and articles explaining whatever you’re interested in—beauty treatments, basic handyman projects, closet organization tips, just to name a few—to save hundreds of dollars annually.
    

10. Take advantage of your company benefits—Find out what employee discounts your company offers. Discover deals on entertainment, travel and vehicle maintenance as well as other extras like a 401(k) match and discounted gym or daycare options.
     

11. Make a list—We all know not to go to the grocery store hungry, right? Well, you also shouldn’t go without a list. Following a list helps to curb impulse purchases and keeps you on track. It also saves you time!
     

12. Don’t forget the coupons—Start with your favorite grocery store—sign up for their rewards program and look for coupons on their app. Other easy sources are the Sunday newspaper and free online coupon websites. If you’re really into couponing, consider joining a coupon co-op, where you can trade coupons you don’t use for those you need.
     

13. Switch to store brand groceries where possible—These can be up to 25% cheaper than name brand products! Test them out. Make the items your family likes a staple on your grocery list.
     

14. Upgrade your appliances—Although there will be an initial up-front cost, you can save significantly down the road with a quality, energy-saving model.
     

15. Stop trying to keep up with the Joneses (or the Johnsons, Jensens or Jankowskis)—It’s difficult to achieve your financial goals when you’re constantly focused on what your friends and neighbors are doing. That doesn’t mean you can’t ever do something frivolous—just don’t make a habit of it.
     

16. Change your plan—Check your cell phone plan often to confirm you are getting the best deal. It may be possible to downgrade your data or text plans to a cheaper option.
     

17. Start a garden—Keep the space small and manageable by only planting your favorites. Maybe it’s just several pots of fresh herbs. Maybe it’s a salad garden with lettuce, tomatoes and cucumbers. Fresh food straight from the garden will inspire you to cook at home more, too!
     

18. Jazz up your leftovers—If you don’t typically care for leftovers, treat them as an ingredient instead of a finished dish. Transform your leftover pot roast into amazing carne asada tacos. Or, try putting your extra curry chicken on a pizza with red onions and a yogurt tomato sauce.
     

19. Use your debit card prudently—Only purchase items that you have money to cover. Don’t rely on the overdraft feature by spending money you don’t have.
     

20. Shop for groceries online—If you’re constantly adding impulse-buy items to your cart at the grocery store, this could help you save a ton of money.
     

21. Check your tires—Keep your tires inflated to the proper pounds per square inch (PSI). For every two PSI of air pressure below your tires’ recommended level, you lose 1% on your gas mileage. Most people drive on tires that are 5–10 PSI below normal. Consult your car manual for the proper PSI for your car.
     

22. Do a home energy audit—Contact your utility company or go to EnergyStar for tips and recommendations.
     

23. Weatherproof your home—Caulk all holes, cracks and gaps that let the air escape. Don’t forget to check the space between the bottom of your exterior doors and the threshold. If there’s a gap, adjust your threshold or add weather stripping.
     

24. Install a programmable thermostat—Set it to raise and lower the temperature automatically according to your family’s schedule. This way you don’t have to remember to do it each time you leave the house or turn in for the night.
     

25. Get some financial knowledge—Read a book, listen to a podcast, attend a seminar—just pick a topic and learn! Any insight into personal finances will help you design your own strategy to better reach your goals.
     

26. Cancel unused club memberships—Evaluate your workout and recreation memberships. Do you make good use of them all? If you find yourself using some rarely or not at all, get rid of them.
     

27. Shed some light on your entertainment—Try hitting that movie during matinee hours instead of in the evening. Or, wait until the show hits the dollar theaters. If you’ve been dying to try a new restaurant, check it out for lunch instead of dinner.
     

28. Use your Crock-Pot^® or Instant Pot^®—This saves so much time. All you have to do is dump the ingredients in, turn it on and dinner is ready when you get home. Or, in the case of the Instant Pot, just a matter of minutes.
     

29. Cancel magazine subscriptions—If you find you don’t have time to read them or you’re just not getting as much out of them as you used to, then they’re a waste of money. And, don’t get us started on purchasing magazines at the check stand! If you’re a habitual magazine reader, limit yourself to one or two subscriptions each month.
     

30. Shop around for auto and home insurance annually—You will often find a competing company with the same coverage for less—sometimes significantly less! Feel free to apply this to other monthly services as well: oil changes, TV and movie streaming services, pest control, cell phone plans, website hosting and housecleaning are good expenses to reevaluate each year.
     

31. Stop using “FOMO”/“YOLO” as an excuse to overspend—While it’s important to experience new things and live in the present, continually falling victim to the “fear of missing out”/”you only live once” cycle can quickly deplete your finances.
     

32. Share the ride—Research alternative ways to get around. Public transportation and ride sharing will save money, and you might even make a new friend or two!
     

33. Stay focused—After a while, it gets harder continue growing your savings account. Remember to check in with your goals often and remind yourself to stay motivated.
     

Mountain America Credit Union is committed to helping you improve your finances. All you have to do is ask! A great place to start is our debt rescue program. We’ll do a review on any loans from another institution (personal loan, credit card, auto loan, etc.) and let you know if we can save you money.
 

BOOM! Saving money—done!