12 Easy Money Hacks to Save More Money

If you find it's a lot harder to save money than it is to spend it, then try some of these insanely easy money hacks to save your money.

After all, it's a lot easy to save money than it is to earn it.

12 Easy Money Hacks to Save Money

1. Use Cash instead of a Card

When was the last time you used cash instead of charging it on a card? Well, if you're like most of us, cash is now an afterthought. However, when you pay with cash, you see the money leaving your hands, and this action does something in our brains.

It lets us know we are 'x' dollars poorer for making the purchase, and instantly can see how much money we have remaining.

Try doing those calculations in your head with a Credit Card.

It's impossible, so we ignore it until the next Credit Card statement is released, but by then it's too late to make a correction to our spending habit.

Paying with cash ensures you know when you have money and when you don't. Ultimately, helping you to avoid credit card debt which is the real goal.

2. Make your Morning Coffee

It doesn't matter how cheap you can buy a coffee from a shop, it's unlikely to be cheaper than making it yourself. So ensure you take the time to make your coffee before leaving the house.

It'll save your hundreds of dollars over the course of the year.

And OK it might not taste as good, but you'll get used to it.

3. Add Money to a Jar

Adding money to a jar is a great way to save a little extra money each day. In fact, if you are making your coffee now, then every time you have a cup, throw a few dollars into a jar, as a visual reminder that you are actually saving money.

You'll be surprised how addictive saving money can be.

And if you don't drink coffee then just throw in your loose change, or $1-$2 per day. You won't miss it and at the end of the year, you'll have an extra $500+ to spend on yourself.

4. Plan your meals

People usually get takeout because they need to eat and don't have an idea of what they could make at home.

But if you plan your meals, you'll know exactly what you'll be eating that night and will actually feel a little guilty if you don't eat it. Here's a list of 10-minute meals you can make at home.

Of course, if you enjoy going out then just make sure this is in your plan too.

Bonus: Planning meals also means you'll be creating a shopping list to take to the store, and this will ultimately save you more money at the checkouts.

5. Take your lunch

Eating out is fun, but is also a big drain on funds if you're doing it every day for lunch. And even if you're only spending $5 a day it still adds up to over $1000 in the course of a year.

So instead of buying lunch every day, consider taking it, and just buy lunch as an occasional treat.

6. Join loyalty programs

A lot of stores have loyalty programs, which reward you for shopping in their store. And although the rewards are usually small they do add up over time.

Just remember to only join the reward programs that are free, and never go out of your way to collect reward points. If it's cheaper to buy it somewhere else, then forgo the reward points, as they are likely to only be worth a few cents in the dollar anyway.

7. Sell unwanted items

When you need extra money, just sell some unwanted items you have lying around the house. It's likely you'll eventually throw them out anyway, so you might as make a extra money before they become worthless.

Tip: Selling something when they are still in trend, will make you more money than when they were just a fad.

Make the call early and sell your stuff.

8. Turn off the lights

When you leave a room, turn off the lights. It's a simple habit that will save you money in the long run.

Of course, if you'll be back in a minute it's probably not worth it, but leaving one room usually means you've entered another, so are you going to leave those lights on too?

Habits don't require us to think about our actions and usually take 21 days to form, and if you can form the right habits you'll always be saving money, even if you're not conscious of it.

9. Walk more

Walk to work, school or the store and save money on fuel costs. Plus, you'll be getting yourself some decent exercise and could potentially save on gym costs too.

Walking doesn't cost anything, except for a new pair of shoes each year. And if you eventually decide you don't need that car then sell it and save even more.

Uber is a great replacement for the occasional car trip you might need to make and public transport is another alternative, to avoid on-road car costs.

10. Turn down the heat

In winter try turning your thermostat down by a few degrees. It'll make a huge difference to your heating costs and save you a heap of money.

And when you get used to the cooler temperature, try notching it down a few more.

How low can you go?

11. Drink more water

You need around 8 glasses of water a day, and when you don't get it your body begins to crave for other liquids. These other liquids are often either coffee, tea or soft drink and aren't as cheap or healthy as a glass of water.

And if you can't stand the bland taste of water then try some easy Detox Water recipes instead. Infused water is actually quite refreshing and has more benefits than drinking just soft drink.

12. Review your bills

One of the easiest ways to save money is to review your bills on an annual basis. The marketplace is very competitive so you might get a better rate on your electricity, gas, insurance or even mobile phone plan if you just review it once in a while.

And if you don't want to switch providers, let them know you're thinking of leaving and usually you'll be switched over to a retention team who be able to offer a competitive deal to keep your business.

Just always be prepared to leave if they say no.

Conclusion

There are many ways to save money around the house and I hope you'll adopt some of these easy money hacks for yourself.

And remember even if you manage to save a just few dollars a day that's going to mean a whole lot more by the end of one year.

Make saving money a habit, and you'll never have to think about it again.

So what easy money hacks do you use to save more money around the home?

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