Saving money – Check out the best tips 

The first step to saving money would be to set your goals.

By understanding all your financial priorities, you are able to stop wasting your money on unnecessary items.

Basically, you understand that this allows you to save the money you need to make your dreams come true.

A fundamental point about goals would be to set a deadline and once you’ve done all this, you need to make a budget.

This means that you will start to analyze all your monthly expenses.

And also reduce this expenses as much as possible, so that the money is directed towards achieving your goals.

So, once you’ve made your budget, you need to move on to the action that will ensure you save money:

Cutting costs.

Once you’ve noticed some unnecessary items, you should remove them from your monthly expenses.

Another interesting step towards saving money would be to automate the process.

That way, as soon as you receive your salary, the first thing you do is direct the money towards your short-, medium- and long-term goals.

This can be done simply by scheduling a monthly transfer to your savings account.

But, of course, for this to be possible, it’s essential that you don’t have any debts.

If you do have debts, all the money you save should go towards paying them off.

And if the money you save isn’t enough, you should work to earn more.

So you can work overtime or earn extra income by selling a product or offering a unique service.

But these aren’t the only ways to save money.

That’s why today we’re here to show you how you can save money on household bills.

Also, in your food, clothing, transportation and leisure.

Saving money on household bills

First, we need to find ways of saving electricity.

One very simple way would be to use energy-saving light bulbs, the famous LED bulbs.

This kind of bulbs use around 70% less energy than traditional bulbs.

Another interesting point is that LED bulbs last up to 25 times longer.

If possible, change all the traditional light bulbs in your home to LED bulbs.

Another money-saving tip that may seem simple, but is essential, would be to:

Make the rooms bright, making the most of natural lighting.

More tips for saving light

We are often accustomed to using artificial light even during the day.

But we should lose this habit because it can be beneficial for both our pockets and our health.

So swap thick curtains and blinds for thinner ones or keep the curtains open most of the day to let the sunlight in.

Another interesting way to save energy is to unplug electrical equipment.

You know that little red light you see on appliances like televisions? That light indicates that the equipment is plugged into the socket on standby.

In other words, you’re wasting energy without even noticing.

The cost is up to 12% more in energy consumption, so for equipment you don’t use often, unplug it.

Of course, the same goes for computers and cell phones.

Don’t leave them in the socket after a full charge because, as well as damaging the device, this wastes energy and won’t save you any money.

Watch out for excessive water consumption

In addition to saving energy and water, remember the shower.

Beware of wasting time in the shower thinking about life’s problems, because this can lead to even more problems: extremely high bills.

On hotter days, avoid leaving the shower at full blast.

Also, be careful about leaving the tap running when brushing your teeth, and don’t use the restroom as a garbage can.

A dual-flush toilet can also be an excellent alternative, as using the same amount of water each time is wasteful.

With this system, depending on which button you choose, 3 or 6 liters of water are poured into the toilet bowl, ensuring that you save money.

This type of button can be installed for both wall-mounted flushes and coupled cisterns.

Valves without this type of feature use an average of 12 liters per flush in wall-hung toilets and 10 liters in wall-hung toilets.

In addition, older bowls, manufactured more than 10 years ago without this technology, can use between 12 and 40 liters per cycle.

When it comes to saving gas, bear in mind that orange or yellow flames mean that the nozzle is out of adjustment and consuming too much gas.

Also, watch out for the idea of boiling water or other foods for too long without needing to.

Always remember that keeping the pan closed allows the food to cook more quickly.

Other tips for saving money by using less water in the kitchen and laundry

If you are a parent with small plants, use a watering can instead of a hose.

Also, set the right level of water in the washing machine according to the amount of laundry and use the maximum capacity whenever possible.

And speaking of the washing machine, consider doing your chores outside peak times.

When you use appliances at different times from other people, you save a lot of energy, as companies usually charge lower rates during times of the day when demand is lower.

For example, before 3pm and after 7pm.

In this sense, try washing clothes in the evening or running the dishwasher in the morning.

Another basic tip that should be mentioned to save money:

Keep the tap turned off while soaping up the dishes.

Consider other aspects of saving money on household bills

Of course, energy, water and electricity bills are not the only expenses.

You may have additional services such as subscriptions.

Although unnecessary services should be removed from the outset after budgeting, we must remember:

You don’t need 5 streaming services.

If you don’t use one for a month or more, cancel it!

If you do need them in the future, you can subscribe again, but overall, you’ll be amazed at how much money you’ll save.

On the other hand, these savings may be the dream of many, because not everyone has adequate space.

However, you can grow your own vegetables if you have a suitable place.

As well as being a fun activity to do with the whole family, it will also save you money, because you won’t even have to go to the market.

Choose foods that can be grown in containers, such as radishes, squash and tomatoes.

By containers, we mean buckets or wooden boxes.

Saving money on food

And while we’re on the subject of food, to save money in this area, you should prioritize the idea of preparing your own meals.

In the fast food market, the United States is in first place.

If you budget correctly, you may notice that part of your salary is going on snacks, and you should do something about it.

As mentioned above, one of the alternatives would be to prepare your own meals, because as well as saving you time during the week, it also helps you avoid temptations to eat out or order in.

So set aside one day a week to prepare the food for the next few days.

When you go to the market, it’s also important that you go in the middle of the week to save money.

This is because when you shop on days like Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday, you can find better discounts.

In fact, these are the days when new fruit and vegetables usually arrive at the market, so you’ll be able to buy the best options.

Therefore, find out in your neighborhood which markets offer midweek specials and visit them on those days.

If you need to visit the market more often than you are used to, if you get good discounts, it will be worth it.

But that doesn’t mean that by going to the market more often you’ll be able to buy everything that’s on sale.

Be very careful with discounts and buy what you need at a lower price.

Shopping list and bottled water to save money

To ensure that this happens, we recommend that you have a shopping list.

That way, you can go to the market with a focus and always stay within your budget.

And if you think I’m going to waste a lot of time preparing a shopping list, I’d rather remember everything on my own.

To avoid wasting hours of your week or month structuring a shopping list, an essential tip would be to have a pen and paper in the kitchen or use the notes app on your cell phone.

That way, as soon as you notice that something is missing, you can just add it to the list.

So, on the day you need to go to the market, you’ll have the list ready, including all the products you need.

And as a final tip for saving money on the market, stop buying bottled water.

For many people, buying water is an indispensable act to guarantee their health, while others think it’s totally unnecessary.

The second group believes that you can get water anywhere, including from the tap at home.

What’s the point of buying water?

The point is that this group believes that tap water is 100% reliable.

However, despite the fact that public water supply centers treat water to make it drinkable before it reaches homes, there is a risk of it becoming contaminated.

This contamination occurs with chemical residues, impurities such as algae, rust and sand, as well as microorganisms.

From there, the first group we mentioned above emerges and prefers to buy drinking water, bearing in mind that water is the most important element for maintaining the quality of human life, so consuming poor quality water automatically affects the digestive system.

However, why do we say that you should stop buying bottled water to save money? 

Well, because it affects your pocket. Buying water on the market may seem cheap, but it gets expensive over time.

There is a better and cheaper alternative in this case: buying a water filter to use tap water.

It’s cheaper over time, and it’s also better for the environment. 

There are several options, and regardless of your choice, the product must have the Inmetro (National Institute of Metrology, Quality and Technology) certification seal, which establishes the standard to be met for the accessory to provide drinking water.

3 options, so you don’t have to buy water in order to save money

Firstly, there is the most traditional of all, the clay filter, which is designed to retain larger particles.

These include silt, mud, clay or pebbles that may be present in the water.

The product has ceramic or activated charcoal plugs inside to trap impurities, but this type of filter is not capable of removing bacteria.

In general, you should look for a modern device with more efficient and up-to-date candles.

Another point to pay attention to is the flow rate, because filtering is done by gravity.

This means that the water flows down from the top of the filter to the bottom, so you have to wait to get a good amount of water.

If you opt for this model, one tip to save money is to keep an eye on maintenance because the porcelain candle needs to be changed every 6 months.

The candles and filter tanks should also be washed frequently, using only water and a sponge.

Drinking fountain and purifier 

Secondly, you can buy a drinking fountain.

The first model is a pressure device that works via an electrical system and is connected directly to the end of the water pipe.

It can have a filtration system attached, with activated carbon and colloidal silver (used as a bactericide). 

As a result, the drinking fountain prevents the proliferation of characteristics, retains suspended particles and eliminates odors and tastes from the liquid.

However, the filter should be changed every 6 months or every 3,000 liters of water used to prevent the device from breaking down and consequently save money.

On the other hand, you can buy a model that uses a gallon of water, which requires periodic cleaning of the tank.

This cleaning serves to remove possible dirt.

Finally, we can talk about purifiers, which are complete and modern.

The purifier treats physical contaminants (particles), chemical contaminants (by absorbing chlorine) and biological contaminants (against bacteria and viruses).

It also has water heating and cooling features.

Each manufacturer suggests a specific frequency for maintenance and filter replacement, which can be every 3, 6 months or more.

Saving money on clothes

Stores need to sell clothes, so they can make room for next season’s items.

So, the first step to saving money would be to take advantage of end-of-season promotions.

In the case of winter, it’s true that you’ll only be wearing that item next year or if you’re visiting a cold country, but this strategy will save you a lot of money.

In this sense, instead of buying outfits as soon as they hit the store shelves, consider waiting a while.

Before finalizing your purchase, look for coupons or promotional codes to save money.

Shein, for example, is the site that many Americans love to buy clothes from and every day there are coupons for 10% off and free shipping for customers.

It’s worth following discount sites or YouTube channels that talk about this niche so that you have access to the best prices.

However, we’re not saying that you should look for discounts and spend your entire credit card limit on clothes.

Learn not to give in to temptation.

Buying what you really need is one of the strategies, but for this to be possible, don’t put yourself in situations where you know you’ll feel like buying.

Many people spend money according to their feelings.

If they’re happy, they buy, if they’re sad, they buy and if they’re nervous, their pocket always pays.

Learn to deal with your emotions intelligently in order to save money and, whenever you need to go out to buy clothes, use the same strategy as in the market: make a shopping list.

Always ask the famous question “do I really need this or do I just want it?”.

Exchanging clothes

You’ve probably heard the famous quote by the thinker Claudio Buethner: “Some people’s trash is other people’s treasure”. 

In this case, you can organize a (clothes) swap to get rid of what you don’t use and get new clothes for free.

The rules are simple: all that’s needed is for each participant to bring clean, used clothes so that others can add them to their closet.

As well as being an interesting socializing activity, the clothes swap saves everyone money.

But for the event to be successful, make sure that the venue is large enough for the clothes to be well distributed and for all participants to be able to examine and try on each item of their choice.

Also, invite people who are roughly the same size and set a minimum number of items that each person should bring.

However, although you might consider buying clothes out of season and taking advantage of swapping clothes with friends and colleagues, you might love a dress from a certain store and decide to buy it.

Repairing clothes to save money

And if the clothes swap doesn’t work out, you can start repairing your clothes.

Often, we can see a lot of beauty in a garment when it’s on the mannequin, but when we put it on, the result is completely different.

If you’ve bought a garment and got this impression, you might consider repairing it.

When the garment fits your body, you’ll see that it’s one of the best you have in your closet.

Another key point is to consider garments with small holes or missing buttons.

Instead of getting rid of the garment that has a few details, consider getting it repaired by a tailor or doing it yourself.

Basic repairs don’t require many tools and are very easy, saving you money.

As long as you have the basics, such as a needle, thread, scissors or buttons if necessary, you’re good to go. 

If you’re not sure about your hand-sewing skills, you can find plenty of instructional videos on YouTube. 

Selling clothes

If the exchange didn’t work out, or even the repair, consider selling.

Discarding is only an option when you realize that no one will wear it.

There are several reasons why selling used clothes is important.

For example, you’ll be helping to extend the life of the garments.

Instead of being discarded, they continue to be worn by other people, thus reducing the need to manufacture new garments and saving natural resources.

5,200 liters of water are used from the planting of cotton fiber for the post-consumption of a pair of jeans.

With this in mind, it makes perfect sense to extend the life of a garment as much as possible in order to save money.

It’s also worth mentioning that selling used clothes helps educate people about the importance of sustainability.

It raises awareness of how small individual actions, such as buying second-hand items, can have a positive impact on the environment.

To do this, you can use both niche platforms and online thrift stores.

Buying used clothes and making a smart closet

So, as well as selling clothes, we encourage you to buy used clothes.

There are many options for thrift stores, both online and in physical stores.

This way, you can set aside a day to browse online or in person to find good clothes at a good price.

The next step to saving money on clothes would be to create a capsule closet.

This means that you will create a simplified clothing collection that features well-made, off-the-peg pieces that can be mixed and matched.

Some also say that this is a smart closet, where, although you’ll have to spend a bit more at the beginning, you’ll save a lot in the long run.

In other words, you’ll be investing your money in higher quality pieces without having to replace them in a few months.

It’s worth remembering that this type of closet has timeless and versatile pieces.

As a result, instead of having a closet full of innovative styles, you have simple pieces that go together.

Rules for having a smart closet and saving money

Among the rules for having a smart closet, it’s worth mentioning the need to let go of clothes that don’t fit you.

Also, get rid of items that don’t fit in with your current lifestyle or that have defects that can’t be fixed.

If you only use 20% of your closet, why not have a closet that is 80% smaller? 

For this strategy to work, get rid of what isn’t essential to you.

We’ve already given you some ideas on how you can do this, just above.

Another key point would be to buy less often and when you do buy, look for long-lasting, quality, well-made pieces.

Also, invest money in pieces that go with different styles and can be laid on colder days to save money.

The choice of style will depend entirely on your personal taste in fit and colors. 

While using neutral and sober tones may be the easiest way, that doesn’t mean you can’t have colorful pieces! 

Ideally, you should avoid clothes with prints, and whatever your favorite colors, make sure they go together.

Consider how you wash your clothes

Although it sounds strange, you can save money by washing your clothes correctly because laundry mistakes can damage the garments.

For example, washing certain fabrics in hot water can cause shrinking, fading and wrinkling, as well as causing the dye to run. 

In other words, the ideal would be to use cold water to wash your clothes, because, as well as being better for the fabric, it also helps you save on your electricity bill.

Also, pay attention to the type of product you use in the wash.

For example, when fabric softener is used excessively, it has the power to accelerate the wear and tear of fabric fibers.

As a result, the durability of your garments is directly affected.

As tempting as it may be to overdo the amount of fabric softener, thinking about the delicious smell that will remain on the garments afterward, resist!

Saving money on transportation 

Certainly, in most cases, the best way to save money on transportation would be to use public transport.

But you have to analyze your situation.

For example, if you spend twice as long getting to work and back because public transport always has problems, it might not be worth saving money.

That’s because you’ll save a few dollars, but you’ll be wasting a very valuable resource: time.

Alternatively, you can choose to cycle to work.

This way, you avoid wasting money on gas every day, and you don’t waste your time in traffic.

However, in this case, it’s also worth paying attention to your safety.

If your city doesn’t have a bike lane, this could be a warning sign for you.

Competing for space with cars and trucks in order to save money is not the ideal alternative.

Carpooling and walking

Maybe there are four people in your neighborhood who work for the same company as you.

If they all got together, put gas in a car and went together every day, the savings would be huge.

Carpooling is also a good strategy because it reduces your carbon footprint.

So, you can either ask someone for a ride or be the one offering the ride.

In the second case, the ideal is to take care of your car, because this also helps to optimize fuel use.

Properly inflated tires and regular oil changes make your vehicle more fuel-efficient while keeping it out of the garage.

Regular maintenance is also key to keeping your car healthy.

Even if you make a deal with your staff to go to work together, suggest that everyone uses their cars to save money.

For example, in the first week of the month, you could offer your car to everyone to fill up with enough gas to run for 5 days.

After that, someone else should offer their car and so on.

In this way, maintenance costs won’t just be borne by one person, as all the cars will be used.

Anyway, let’s talk about walking.

According to a study published in the Journal of Transport and Health:

People who walked mainly from home to places like work and the supermarket reported better health than those who walked for leisure.

Walking not only serves as a form of exercise, it can also be a great ally for your pocket.

If you live close to work and need to walk 30 minutes, for example, take advantage of this opportunity.

Saving money on leisure

Although it’s hard to understand, it is possible to have fun without spending money!

First, you have to make it fun.

Then set yourself, your family or your friends the challenge of saving money:

Let’s have a weekend without spending.

Most people spend their extra money, or even the money they don’t have, going out on weekends.

So taking a break from this kind of spending can be an interesting strategy.

In this case, you can look for free activities to do, such as the very idea of:

Reconnecting with a friend or family member.

How long has it been since you talked to your best friend from childhood or college?

You’re always saying you don’t have time and, instead of wasting it, invest your time talking to loved ones you’ve lost touch with.

You can make a simple phone call, send messages or plan to meet up in person.

It’s always good to visit an older relative who doesn’t have much company, or someone you like very much but rarely see.

Secondly, consider having a picnic to save money.

Prepare sandwiches with what you already have in the fridge and cupboard.

And then put them in a backpack along with an old bed sheet and walk to the park closest to your home.

It’s a great way to create fun memories with your family or friends.

And as well as eating, you can play different kinds of games without having to pay anything.

For example, you can play soccer, volleyball, tag, hide and seek, treasure hunt, human tic-tac-toe, mummy, among others.

More free leisure options 

If you don’t have a good park near your home, take the opportunity to visit public places.

Go to free cultural activities in your city, museums, cultural cinemas, and so on.

These are fun outings that you don’t have to spend anything on.

Even if there’s nothing fun going on in your town, get your friends together and have a chat in the square.

Another interesting option would be to take part in free courses in order to save money.

You’ve probably heard of a place in your neighborhood that offers courses in handicrafts, cooking, dancing and meditation.

Take the opportunity to learn something new without having to spend a penny!

And speaking of games, if it’s not a very nice day outside, get the gang together to play board games or even a puzzle.

It sounds cheesy, until you start playing and remember why board games are so popular.

And of course, if you own the puzzle, you can then glue it together and frame it to hang in your living room.