10 Ways to Save Money Easily

10 Ways to Save Money Easily and Painlessly!

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1.  Washing your laundry in Cold Water vs Hot Water ~ I've read a lot of articles about washing your clothes in cold water versus hot and the consensus seems to be that using hot water does not make much of a difference when it comes to getting laundry clean especially if you use a detergent made specifically for cold water washing.  On average if you do 3 loads of laundry per week in cold water compared to hot you can save anywhere from $27.00 to $100.00 per year.

2.  Program your thermostat to save on your heating bill ~ I have a programmable thermostat that is set to a lower temperature during the night.  If you program your thermostat 7 to 10° lower for an 8 hour period everyday you can save up to $180.00 per year* {These are government estimated yearly energy savings}.  The newer programmable thermostats are also Smart Phone enabled which means you can program them from your phone so that your home is nice and warm when you get home or if you forget to set it before leaving for the day you can easily remedy that while you're out.

3.  Purchase blinds and/or energy saving blackout drapes ~ We had a large tree in the front of our house.  The tree unfortunately began to die and had to be cut down. With the tree gone the sun comes directly in those front windows several hours a day and heats up that entire section of the house.  While I like the look of minimal window coverings on those big windows in order to shade that room and save on our electric bill I installed blinds in the living room and black out curtains on the bedroom windows.  The shades in the living room are up during the early part of the day but as soon as the sun heads toward the front of the house we close those blinds and draw the curtains in the other rooms affected.  It has made a HUGE difference in the temperature in those rooms.   The drapes also help to keep the bedrooms warmer in the winter keeping the warm air in and the cold air out.

4.  Eat before you grocery shop ~ I remember my Mom giving me this tip when I was younger and it is so true!  I eat something small (or large!) before I go grocery shopping and if I am taking any of my kids or my husband with me I make sure they eat something as well.  The times when I haven't done that have been awful for the budget.  I come home and think how in the world did that get into the cart????

5.  Keep non-perishable snacks and bottled water in your car ~ Whenever there is a good sale on bottled water I like to buy an extra package just to keep in the car.  So many times when we're out someone is thirsty and having bottled water on hand is a time and money saver.  No need to stop and purchase something to drink.  It's the same for snacks.  You never know when you may be out longer than expected and those snacks certainly come in handy and allow you to make it home without having to stop at a restaurant for an unplanned meal.

6.  Use vinegar as a base for multiple cleaning recipes.  It's so much less expensive than chemical laden sprays and foams.  I use it to Blast Away Scum in the shower, to clean the calcium deposits that gather around my kitchen faucet and I've even used it to clean paint brushes that are dried and crusted to restore them to almost new condition.

7.  Make extra when you cook and bake.  I like to make extra, often doubling my recipes, and then saving the leftovers for lunches throughout the week.  Much less expensive than grabbing a bite to eat while at work.

8.  Shop Craigslist.  My sister-in-law has gotten so many amazing things from Craigslist.  Just from watching her and her amazing Craigslist skills I am inspired to start this as well.  She has gotten everything from furniture to china to clothing to appliances for prices that are unbeatable.  I have recently found that the Thrift Store if getting over-pricey so this is a great place to now start looking for those things I normally would have purchased there.

9. Download apps for your favorite stores and use them!  Also, ask at the cash register if there are any text coupons available.  I was out shopping yesterday and heard another shopper in line asking the cashier about the 20% off coupon....my ears perked up so when it was my turn at the checkout and I asked about that same coupon.  Sure enough the cashier gave me the info....I sent a text and received the coupon within seconds saving $7.00 on that purchase alone.

10.  The Walmart Savings Catcher ~ Until just the other day I had never heard of this program but having used it once, I can definitely see myself using it again and again.  You can download the app or signup online and your set.  Shop as you normally would and once you have your receipt you can easily scan it into the app or enter the information into your account once home.  The Savings Catcher does all the work.  It checks local stores and matches any sale prices for items you purchased.  It then takes the difference in the money spent and adds it to an e-card that you can choose to print out as a coupon and use the next time you're at Walmart or let the savings add up to be used all at once. This is a great and painless way to save for holidays!  It can take up to 72 hours for your receipt to be validated and for the savings to show but saving money and getting some of it back is certainly worth the time.

I purchased the items above that I knew were on sale at another local store for less just to double check on the results.  I'm still waiting for my final results and will update you here with a screen shot as soon as I have that information.

Right now you can also enter to win a $2,000.00 Walmart Shopping Spree ~ upon entering you'll get your own unique link to share ~ share that link and when others enter using your link you accumulate more entries!  

What are your favorite, painless, ways to save money?

Sharing at:  Creativity Unleashed , Weekend Retreat, Tidy Mom, Handmade Hangout