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“I’ve Saved Approximately $35k”: 30 People Share The Habits That Helped Them Save A Few Bucks
A 2023 report from Northwestern Mutual found that Americans are taking three major steps to address economic uncertainty: nearly 64% of respondents are cutting costs, 50% are building savings, and 41% are delaying large expenses. Since there's only so much that households can do, many often utilize multiple of these strategies simultaneously.
Exploring the topic further, a person who goes online by the nickname Severe-Unit911 made a post on the subreddit r/Frugal, asking its members to share the habit they've adopted that has significantly impacted their financial well-being. And their call was answered! Hundreds of people have shared their tips, so we decided to save you time and collected the most comprehensive ones.
This post may include affiliate links.
#1
This sounds counter-intuitive but giving myself permission to spend the extra money on semi-prepared fresh foods has actually saved me money. Examples include buying bagged coleslaw mix instead of having to grate cabbage and carrots, fresh pineapple chunks, marinated ready-to-cook chicken, etc. I am less inclined to stop and get food on the way home from work if I know I can just throw some tasty chicken in the airfryer and stir some dressing into the slaw mix. I actually eat more fruit and veg this way because most of the work is done.
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#2
Using the library. It is free and is one of the last sanctuaries we can go to without an expectation to pay for a service or our time there. It's been a boon both financially and mentally.
Sapna Sarfare 1 year ago
Dont have a local library (at least the good one) and the online libraries are not in my budget... but i buy second hand books these days mostly and also get book via freecycle groups. Also i review books and so get some latest books these days
#3
Buy the high-quality version of the thing (even if it’s more expensive) and take good care of it.
I’ve wasted so much money buying and replacing cheap c**p.
Guy-Incognito 1 year ago
Be very, very selective. These days a higher price tag doesn't mean better quality like it did a decade or more ago. My lacoste knock off's from Thailand where significantly better quality than the genuine ones.
#4
For online shopping, leave it in the cart. If you come back to it multiple times and think “yes I need/want that,” get it. Most of the time it’s not necessary and I’ll remove it or orphan the cart.
Eroe Infinito 1 year ago
9/10 times they'll also send you a discount code or price drop. I added 3 retro games to my Ebay cart a couple weeks ago and got individual offers from each seller taking $$$ off the overall price. One seller even dropped one of the games down 80$.
#5
Never, ever, ever carry a balance from month to month on a credit card.
Robert T 1 year ago
I've managed to never pay a penny of interest on my CC. I use it regularly as it means I don't have to pay for work expenses until I've already claimed the money back and I also get points/cashback for using it. Once you start carrying a balance it becomes very difficult to clear. Some cards offer a 0% rate on balance transfers, which can help to reduce the interest payments so that you can slowly pay it off.
#6
Buy a Toyota, pay it off quickly, keep up with maintenance, drive till the wheels fall off.
A. HAM 1 year ago
This. In 2010, I bought a new Nissan Rogue. I put as much as I could on my credit card, and paid the rest in cash. (The credit card was for the cash back, and I paid it off the same month, so no interest or fees.) Now its 2024, the Rogue has over 130,000 miles on it, and has required only scheduled maintenance.
#7
What I eat for the week depends on what is on sale at the grocery stores that week. Sure I might buy some things at regular price but a majority of my big ticket food like meat and produce are purchased on sale. I have tried so many different recipes and different kinds of produce that I would not have ever thought to try before simply because of this habit.
#8
Bringing my own lunch. I've saved approximately $35k over my 12 yr career by not going out to eat daily while at work.
#9
Cutting out soda from my diet. I love Sprite more than most people love their favorite food, which is why I can't have it around. Saves money on groceries, going out to eat, less dentist visits, and is probably the easiest way to prevent gaining weight.
Eroe Infinito 1 year ago
Stupid soda pop. I was cavity free for almost two years. I started drinking it again recently and already have 2 almost cavities. GRR. The sugar content is so detrimental to my teeth but so satisfying for my taste buds.....
#10
Frozen food. My husband and I both have very long days. We were stuck on the idea of making our own food for a long time but it never worked cause we had to make it from scratch. Once we changed to frozen food we started eating at home more. It’s not the cheapest option but it saves US money. So we’re happy about it :).
#11
Reduce, reuse, repair, recycle.
#12
I don’t allow myself to buy anything unless I am willing to let something go. Goes along with my anti-clutter and anti-consumerism.
#13
Being semi vegetarian. My parents were big meat eaters so eating for me was expensive, but I found if I bought more veggies and just bought smaller portions of better quality meat, I could not only eat better but also lose weight!
Lil Miss Hobbit 1 year ago
This. Better meat and more veggies is the way to go. I get my meat grass-fed from people who actually treat their animals with respect and it's more expensive but you can literally taste a difference.
#14
Clearing out my pantry every half/quarter year.
I love buying in bulk or when something is on clearance. I have the bad habit of forgetting what I own.
So I have fixed "clearance months" where I'm only allowed to buy fresh produce from the farmers market. Everything else needs to come from the pantry.
It's a great way to clear the freezers from vegetables and pre-cooked meals and actually using up all my dried beans, lentils and rice.
I have a special diary and track what I liked to eat or wich products where the most versatile (rolled oats= home made oatmilk, cookies and overnight oats for example).
#15
I didn’t have a kid. Or worse, kids. I bring my own lunch to work. I used to eat at one of the building cafes three or four times a week. Now I bring my own food. That’s probably saved me $1800 in two years. Which is A Lot when you’re low income. One is accidental - I moved somewhere there was no fast food within 20 minutes of my house, and none on my route home from work. Cut down on my impulse spending at fast food places a lot.
#16
Learning things.
Most people pay for things because they are not willing to learn how to do them themselves.
Specialy now that we have the internet, a compendium of all human knowledge accessible to our fingertip, learning as never been easier.
It can be any topic. Cooking, butchering, woodworking, 3d design and printing, programming, electronic board soldering, gardening. Learning is an investment in yourself that will always be a net benefit in the future. Even if it doesnt help you financialy, it make your more dependable and reliable which is an asset to your friend and family, but also to you. Even if you dont know enough to do something professionaly, in case of ermergency you can do enough to limit the damage. The difference between a pipe bursting that was capped within 15 minute and one that burst and you had to wait for a plumber to cap it is very substantial.
#17
Basic maintenance and repairs of your home, car, belongings.
Becoming a handyman takes only repetition of doing the basics around your home. You'll save a lot of money knowing how to do the quick and easy things rather than having to call someone.
Pieter LeGrande 1 year ago
Careful, this can become addictive and you end up with a shed full of tools, spend your days in Bunnings, and your evenings watching "how to" videos on YouTube.
#18
Empty room? Turn the lights off.
Ace 1 year ago
And get rid of all your old light bulbs to replace with LED ones. Even the 'low energy' ones from ten years back use several times more power than LEDs. Yes. it is cheaper in the long term if you throw away all the old ones even before they need it. A traditional 60W incandescent bulb will cost you something like 20 eurodollarpoundfrancs a year to run; a replacement LED will cost perhaps 5 to buy and save you c18 per year on your electric bill.
#19
I make sure I REALLY want something before I purchase it, especially if the purchase exceeds $100. I see something I like or want in a store (or even online), I have to leave it behind and think about it for a minimum of 24 hours, but usually a week, before I purchase it. It helps me from making impulse purchases, avoid targeted marketing / moments of weakness and it also helps me from consume consume consuming. Most of the time, I don't really want the thing I feel compelled to purchase in the moment.
#20
Pay in cash when I'm hanging with friends. Automatically limits my drinking and spending to what's in my pocket.
Eroe Infinito 1 year ago
As someone who went from never carrying cash to always carrying cash. This is very true and good for keeping you within your means and also teaching you to budget better. I have much better grasp of saving/ spending money.
#21
Cooking and baking from scratch.
#22
Buying good quality clothing and caring for it properly. Launder carefully. Check seams and such before you have to mend them.
Freya the Wanderer 1 year ago
I've saved a lot of money by sewing articles of clothing rather than tossing them out. Sewing a torn seam on a pair of pants is like getting a new pair of pants for practically free.
#23
Being very careful about what auto-renew or subscription services I have. Not to say I have no services, I’m just very careful to not put things on autopay. honestly a lot of folks have services they don’t use or only use a few of the features. i try to pay things in full so I can just not renew the next year if i decide im done with the service . I will also check my existing services and see if they offer what I want. Or I just do without. With everything becoming a subscription these days I try super hard to have as few as possible!
David 1 year ago
Related - Whether you autopay or pay manually - make it a PUSH not a PULL. As in make something you push out of your bank account rather than authorizing the company to pull it from your bank account. It is much easier to stop an automated payment you set up in your online banking than getting (some companies) to stop pulling it out. That said, I do have a couple of pulls with major companies. My T-mobile is auto pay pull for the discount and my mortgage is also autopay pull. But in general I avoid auto pull and the dreaded "auto renew". My Netflix is free with my Tmobile account so doesn't come into play.
#24
For me, deciding to go back to working from home has had the biggest impact on my finances. It cuts a lot of costs related to employment, such as:
* Clothing
* Transportation
* Food costs: Although I try to bring lunch, it's easier to incur some incidental takeout costs on the way home after a stressful day at work.
I quit my remote job a couple of years ago and went back to remote work after less than a year of trying the in-office environment again. I saved $10k less during the time I was going to the office.
I should also add that it's easier for me to do and get some overtime pay while working from home since I'm not too concerned about leaving for traffic or time spent in transit.
I am childless and live on my own, so I don't need to tend to anyone's needs other than my own, which gives me a lot of freedom and control with my spending.
#25
Using a budget app so that all my "meaningless" purchases that I have to enter a) make me feel like the a*****e I'm being towards myself and b) they literally add up.
#26
Taking the bus. I work on a university campus and parking passes are ~$200/semester. I also save on gas since I only drive on the weekends.
Legendbird 1 year ago
I'm lucky enough to live in a country where you don't even NEED a car. Saves so much on things like car insurance and mechanics, not to even mention the upfront cost of the car.
#27
Not sure if this fits. Every raise, half gets put into retirement.
#28
I've gotten in the habit of remembering prices. I can't say I have a super memory, but after buying the same thing at the same store 50 times, it seems to stick in my brain. This helps because if I'm at a different store, I can usually tell if their price is better than my regular grocery store.
Obviously I can't remember every price, jy I can on the items I buy frequently.
Robert T 1 year ago
We used to have a website that compared prices across the major UK supermarkets. You'd enter your shopping list and it would tot up how much your shopping would be in each supermarket. It was a very good way of finding out what was on offer that week without having to physically go and look. Sadly it fell by the wayside.
#29
Personally, I've found that meal planning and cooking at home has been a game-changer for saving money and eating healthier. It not only cuts down on food costs but also reduces the temptation to eat out, ultimately helping me stick to my budget more effectively.
#30
Small, but brush your teeth earlier. Helps curb appetite. Saves money and helps lose weight.
#31
Learning to cook and grocery shop. There is an art to both.
#32
We never (well, 99% of the time) never pay for coffee that we haven't brewed ourselves at home. We use a Chemex and some excellent Costco coffee beans that we grind ourselves.
David 1 year ago
Agree. For me - Kirkland French Roast. I grind my beans in a coffee grinder I bought at Costco 10+ years ago. I like strong so I make a cup in my Italian coffee maker. I also own a drip maker if I have company over that wants that. These days I drink no sugar with a bit of half and half. But if you like the flavor syrups - go to a local restaurant supply store. The large bottles of DaVinci or Torani cost waay less than in the supermarkets. And most flavors keep forever on the pantry shelf due to the high sugar content.
#34
Not drinking any alcohol has not only saved a s**tton of money but also saved me from all kinds of common health problems.
#36
When I was younger i read that the average woman spent 35% of their disposable income on beauty and clothes. What the earth?!? So over the years I’ve been mindful of how much my peers and now direct reports spend. For me it’s one haircut a year/year and half. Makeup during specific sales only. Second hand professional clothes (all designer like Elie Tahari, MM LaFleur, and Maggy London).
I get compliments frequently on timeless pieces and never feel underdressed from meetings to galas. Meanwhile coworkers who make 1/6 of what I make are spending hundreds (if not thousands )of dollars on athleisure wear let alone office wear every month.
edit- I should mention I spend $10-35 on clothes that retail for $250-$600. Women buy SO much clothes and either never wear them or barely touch them.
#37
Learnt to cut my own bangs
Color my hair
Visit salon every six months for trims
My husband paints my toe nails and we bought a pedicure set. I need my feet to look pretty
We eat a ton of soup
Go out to dinner maybe four times a year and to the same place where we know the quality and taste of food is good
I buy my clothes at thrift stores or eBay ( except for bras and panties).
Firstname Lastname 1 year ago
Learning to cut my own bangs saved me a lot of trips to the hairdresser. Instead of once a month, I'm growing my ponytail out for charity, so I've saved at least 100 dollars this year.
#38
I do not go out to eat at all. The three times I have been out this year were meeting my family. I also realized I haven't had fast food in almost 2 years. My health has improved tremendously. Saving money and feeling great!
Sue 1 year ago
Most of the time I prefer not eating out because I'd rather sit home in my housedress & watch a good movie or show & not deal with servers & other people, even though I'm not usually introverted. Plus I usually like my own version of dishes, so I usually go somewhere that makes things that are time intensive or that I don't know how to make. My boyfriend is the one who likes to go out.
#39
I price match and shop sales when I can. At some of the grocery stores we go to, at the bottom of the receipt it will tell you have much money you saved, or I try to calculate it myself if the store doesn't do that. Then I'll take the amount I saved, and I put it into another savings account.
I typically save about $100-$130/per month. It's not a ton of money, but we've been doing it for a few years. We've used the extra cash for flights to visit relatives, put it towards a new mattress, etc. It basically takes the edge of bigger expenses a couple times a year.
Oh and if you have the money upfront, buy reusable products instead of disposable products when you can, or get the reusable products second hand. I spent $80 on about thirty cloth diapers before my baby was born, and I used reusable wipes up until she started solids. Huge money saver .
Bored something 1 year ago
I got 25 odd double layered random shaped cloth wipes called wacky wipes which were made of offcuts from other stuff the lady made, I think they worked out about 50c a wipe. We still use them 15 years later for napkins, spills, anything. One of the best baby purchases I made.
#40
Use travel points credit card & cash back card for monthly essentials and pay off credit cards within grace period. Points pay for vacations and Cash back pays for Christmas gifts! I didn’t realize how much money I was wasting on interest by paying just outside the grace period (when the payment was “due”).
#41
My wife and I both work less than 2 miles from home. Wear and tear on cars and gas savings for the better part of 25 years add up.
Lara Verne 1 year ago
Well, that works only if there's jobs in this distance. I work 30 km from home.
#42
Rent/buy less house and car than you can afford.
This has saved my partner and I hundreds of thousands of dollars over the years (we live in a VHCOL area). Driving modest cars until the wheels fall off and living in smaller / less nice houses and apartments than we could technically "afford" has given us so much more financial stability than I could have imagined.
I realize that for many people, even the most basic housing and transportation costs are unaffordable. But if you have the ability to choose, choosing a good-enough place or vehicle and saving or investing the rest is really helpful in the long run.
#43
Paying myself first: by this I mean I first save a portion of my paycheck which goes into investing. After that, a portion to be put into savings (for large expenses). I live off the rest.
No/little food waste is next.
Buying an affordable car and driving it until it is dead (I'm up to 193,000 miles).
Got a job at the university and paid no tuition for a MA and a PhD.
David 1 year ago
Saving some each paycheck can be difficult if you are poor but if you can do it, it really adds up over time. And even if you have to use some of it for an emergency (dead fridge, car repair) it can still save you money by having the cash on hand an not being stuck with bad interest rates from whatever business will help you knowing you are desperate.
#44
Avoids the three big financial sinks, too much car, too much house, too much fun.
#45
Understanding how being frugal aligns with my values (living consciously and eco-friendly). It could be hard for me to motivate myself to save fifty cents but if it's better for the environment, it's an easy choice.
#47
Friends got me hooked on World of Warcraft oh 20 years ago or something and after a few months of playing, I noticed my bank balance was creeping up. I realized I was no longer using shopping as a form of entertainment. Friends, shopping is not for entertainment. So, stop it.
#48
I don't own a car, but both my sons do and my friend. So I just shop with them or they take me out if I need to go somewhere. I am very grateful to them all. No car insurance, maintenance, and I don't go out much anyway.
#49
I bought the cheapest 2013 Prius C when gas prices were skyrocketing. I get between 50 to 60 mpg on my daily 60 mile commute. Also, bringing my own coffee is big.
#50
Simple meals. It doesn't have to be expensive to eat well. Today is just roasted sweet potatoes for my meatless day. Saturday we made garlic butter steak bites and smashed potatoes. Half a pound of the skirt steak was 4.40. The bag of petite reds was 2.00 and we had all the ingredients stocked. Delicious. Salads, sandwiches, tacos and one-pan meals can keep it simple and still healthy. .
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What do you think ?
kelsischloe1986 1 year ago
Reminder, you can't save money when you don't make enough in the 1st place.
Guy-Incognito 1 year ago
Some of these are very situation/area specific or require you to have enough money to start with. They are certainly not going to help anyone but those already privileged.
C Cat 1 year ago
Unrelated to this post but I have to say - this site is becoming UNREADABLE with all the ads. I can barely scroll to keep reading, the site jumps around to automatically show the ads. This is very frustrating, as I read a lot of BP every day.
FABULOUS1 1 year ago (edited)
When I do my bills each month for the year I include the money that I put in my savings each pay check. This I consider a bill and it does not truly exist. If its not in my checking account to spend I dont spend. There are times I have had to dip in to my savings for emergencies, but thats a part of life. But if you ask me if I have money and its not in my checking account, I am broke.
Steve Hall 1 year ago
Most of these things don't really save you money, they just allow you to get by more comfortably.
Livingwithcfs 1 year ago
I'm on a very limited income. I cook in bulk where I can and freeze in single proportions, buy veg delivery boxes and cook from that. Use beans and pulses as main protein. Shop to a list. If I want a treat I have to make it from scratch (it's amazing how often I decide its more effort than it's worth and a glass of water is nicer) learn to mend clothes, sew, and iron fabrics. Using starch (easy to make) saves fabric and helps keep them look new. Its basically a lot of little things that add up
TheReader19 1 year ago
Sometimes post's like this make me feel so bad. I just can't motivate myself to fix anything in my house, nor paint, nor put stuff up like mirrors. I'd rather pay someone. I tried doing the garden on Friday, I let it get so bad that I've got no choice but to get a Gardner in. I make myself so sick sometimes 😪
jenjie.newt 1 year ago
The frustrating thing about these posts is that I naturally do all these things .. there is no more money to be saved lol
Teresa Yeates 1 year ago
One trick when shopping is to go with a list, put the things on your list in the main part of the cart, any extra items or impulse buys go ìn the front/top part, you can also place an handcart there for those things. Adding them to your main shopping they do not seem like much, when you see them alone, at the end, you see how much extra you have added. Often because you may be hungry. Then look through those items and decide what really needs to come home with you, the rest can go back. Saves loads of money.
Max Fox 1 year ago
In short: don't have kids, don't have an SO, don't have friends, don't have a pet, don't have fun, don't drink, don't have expensive food, don't buy new clothes, furniture, vehicle. In fact, don't do anything that you may enjoy. You'll be a lonely miserable f**k, but boy, will you EVER save money.
Fifou 1 year ago
Pets is not necessary. But I agree with the other thing.
Load More Replies...
William Teach 1 year ago
I've successfully resisted buying a new guitar, even though I have the money set aside. I've gone to the Guitar Center multiple times, thankfully not found something that "speaks" to me.
kelsischloe1986 1 year ago
Reminder, you can't save money when you don't make enough in the 1st place.
Guy-Incognito 1 year ago
Some of these are very situation/area specific or require you to have enough money to start with. They are certainly not going to help anyone but those already privileged.
C Cat 1 year ago
Unrelated to this post but I have to say - this site is becoming UNREADABLE with all the ads. I can barely scroll to keep reading, the site jumps around to automatically show the ads. This is very frustrating, as I read a lot of BP every day.
FABULOUS1 1 year ago (edited)
When I do my bills each month for the year I include the money that I put in my savings each pay check. This I consider a bill and it does not truly exist. If its not in my checking account to spend I dont spend. There are times I have had to dip in to my savings for emergencies, but thats a part of life. But if you ask me if I have money and its not in my checking account, I am broke.
Steve Hall 1 year ago
Most of these things don't really save you money, they just allow you to get by more comfortably.
Livingwithcfs 1 year ago
I'm on a very limited income. I cook in bulk where I can and freeze in single proportions, buy veg delivery boxes and cook from that. Use beans and pulses as main protein. Shop to a list. If I want a treat I have to make it from scratch (it's amazing how often I decide its more effort than it's worth and a glass of water is nicer) learn to mend clothes, sew, and iron fabrics. Using starch (easy to make) saves fabric and helps keep them look new. Its basically a lot of little things that add up
TheReader19 1 year ago
Sometimes post's like this make me feel so bad. I just can't motivate myself to fix anything in my house, nor paint, nor put stuff up like mirrors. I'd rather pay someone. I tried doing the garden on Friday, I let it get so bad that I've got no choice but to get a Gardner in. I make myself so sick sometimes 😪
jenjie.newt 1 year ago
The frustrating thing about these posts is that I naturally do all these things .. there is no more money to be saved lol
Teresa Yeates 1 year ago
One trick when shopping is to go with a list, put the things on your list in the main part of the cart, any extra items or impulse buys go ìn the front/top part, you can also place an handcart there for those things. Adding them to your main shopping they do not seem like much, when you see them alone, at the end, you see how much extra you have added. Often because you may be hungry. Then look through those items and decide what really needs to come home with you, the rest can go back. Saves loads of money.
Max Fox 1 year ago
In short: don't have kids, don't have an SO, don't have friends, don't have a pet, don't have fun, don't drink, don't have expensive food, don't buy new clothes, furniture, vehicle. In fact, don't do anything that you may enjoy. You'll be a lonely miserable f**k, but boy, will you EVER save money.
Fifou 1 year ago
Pets is not necessary. But I agree with the other thing.
Load More Replies... William Teach 1 year ago
I've successfully resisted buying a new guitar, even though I have the money set aside. I've gone to the Guitar Center multiple times, thankfully not found something that "speaks" to me.
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