Being a stay at home mom has truly been a blessing for our family… but it has not come without sacrifice. I’m always on the lookout for new ways to save us money to supplement the income we could have if I worked. Through much trial and error, I’ve learned a lot of tricks… so let me save you the hassle. I’ve put together a list of 10 ways to save money now that has helped our family to save some extra cash (because who doesn’t like a little extra cash?) and I’m going to share them with you!

The list doesn’t stop here, either- I have even more money saving tricks up my sleeve but I chose to post these first because they produce immediate money-saving results. Some of the items on the list might take some getting used to, but they are definitely worth the consideration. So without further adieu…

10 Ways to Save Money NOW

This post contains affiliate links which means when you sign up for a service or make a purchase through them, you are supporting Wine and Lavender- at no cost to you- and I appreciate that so very much! My opinions are my own. 

1) Cut your cable. This is a costly monthly expense that isn’t necessary. There are so many more cost-effective streaming options out there now. You really won’t be missing anything if you cut the cord! See my posts 3 Reasons to Cut Cable and Goodbye Cable, Hello Fire! for more info.

2) Menu Plan. If you have a plan for the week and only buy what you need, you won’t succumb to eating out as a last minute solution and you’ll waste less food. That’s more money in your pocket! Just an hour of meal planning per week can save you hundreds per year! (Love the Menu Planner in the picture? You can get yours for FREE from Elephantshoe.com here.)

3) Meal Prep. Prepare your meals ahead of time. Not sure where to start? There are hundreds of freezer meal ideas on Pinterest for virtually every diet. You can buy food in bulk (that saves you money right there)and do all the prep work within a few hours on the weekend. Having a meal on hand makes it less likely that you will eat out. Also, preparing lunches and snacks to take to work helps you to save and eat healthier. A win/win!!

4) Re-Grow your produce. Did you know that it’s relatively easy to re-grow some of the produce items you buy? No dirt or green thumb necessary. Green onions, lettuce, cabbage, bok choy, and leeks (to name a few) will re-grow if you place them in water. Easy peasy. While buying a bunch of green onions probably won’t break the bank, every little bit counts- especially if you are buying organic. Again, there are hundreds of Pinterest posts on the types of produce you can regrow at home. It’s worth a search.

5) Trade your paper towels in for rags or dish towels. There is an initial investment here, but the dish towels are reusable and will last for years! A 12 pack of dish towels on Amazon costs $15.99 while a 12 pack of Bounty Basic Paper Towels goes for $18.99 on Amazon. Consider how many paper towels you go through weekly and the fact that they are ONE TIME USE. Dishtowels are reusable, will last for years and are better for the planet! If you want to be ultra  frugal, cut up an old towel and that will save you on the cost of having to buy new.

6) Stick to the list. We are all guilty of going to Target or Walmart and leaving with a lot more than we intended to buy. No more browsing! No more window shopping! If it’s not on the list, you don’t absolutely need it right now and shouldn’t buy it. Make your shopping trips short and sweet- go in, get what you need and get out. Try this for at least a month and I’m sure you’ll feel the difference financially.

7) Buy next year’s clothes during last season’s clearance. I’ve been doing this for the kids for years and intend to do so as long as I can. I shop the end of the season clearance for next year’s sizes. It’s great because we pay much less than we would if we bought in season and if they have a sudden growth spurt, we’re already prepared. Read my post How to Save Money on Kid’s Clothes to find out more.

8) Never buy anything without a coupon/discount. Years ago, I remember watching Jon & Kate Plus 8 and Kate was yelling “We never buy anything without a coupon!” Back then, my “single-self” thought that she was crazy. Nowadays, my “mom-self” still thinks she’s crazy but not because of her affection for coupon using. She is right! You should never buy anything without a coupon or discount. Don’t be afraid to ask for one, either. Who cares what the cashier or customer service person thinks. Every penny counts!

If you’re buying online, don’t forget to check sites like CouponCabin.com or RetailmeNot.com, you’ll find some coupon codes and discounts there, too. Sign up with Groupon for discounts and check out my post on Saving with Groupon Coupons to see how you can now get coupons on Groupon. Lastly, if you are shopping online, you can get CASH BACK on all of your purchases with Ebates!

There are a plethora of blogs, websites and Facebook Groups dedicated to finding good deals, discounts, and coupons. If you’re not sure where to start, I say visit The Krazy Coupon Lady and Money Saving Mom for deals and discount ideas. You can print coupons online through sites like: RedPlum, Smart Source and Coupons.com or if you don’t mind investing a little, pick up your Sunday newspaper for the coupon inserts. Explore all of these options and never pay full price again!!

Get the apps, too! Many stores also have their own apps where you can score additional savings and email or text lists to get discounts. I go into further detail about that here. Also, if you frequent Target, don’t forget to use Cartwheel!! If you don’t know what Cartwheel is, it is Target’s mobile app that gets you additional discounts! If you go to Target, you absolutely need this and it’s free. Another way to save at Target is to apply for their Red Card- it saves you 5% off your purchases and you can choose from a debit or credit card.

9) Price check It. Save money now by making sure the item you are buying can’t be found elsewhere at a lower price. Pull out your smart phone and check it! Most stores have a price match policy and some even have a price match plus discount policy if you find the item cheaper elsewhere (Lowe’s does this, for example). This will come in handy- especially around Christmas time! I’ll soon be publishing a post on that, too.

10) Get yourself a points-earning Credit Card. Some people prefer not to use credit, but if you have strong will power, using a credit card could be a great thing for both your credit score and your wallet! We buy everything (within budget) on credit, get the points and payoff the card at the end of the month. We then use the points we accumulate to buy merchandise, trips or to make purchases on Amazon (Ahem…Christmas Money!).

It’s a great way to get FREE STUFF for just using your credit card instead of cash. Again, so long as you don’t go overboard and stay within your budget, this is a smart option to save money. (If you decide to do this, please be sure to do your homework on the different types of point-earning credit cards. There are lots of options out there and some come with annual fees, so be careful when searching.)

Ok- So I’ve given you 10 ways to save money now- and I have more!! Keep a look out for future posts on this topic! In the meantime, what do you think?

Do you already use these methods? What do you do to save money?

Pam

Pamela is a Freelance Writer, Blogger, WAHM of 3, and Veteran Military Wife living in Southwest Texas. Raised in the Northeast and having lived a few years in the Pacific Northwest, she likes to write about mom life, parenting, frugal living, experiences, and WINE. (Lots of wine!) When she’s not busy chasing toddlers around, you can find her on the blog or on social media. Check her out on Instagram: instagram.com/wineandlavender