Who doesn’t love to save a buck or two? Whether you’re trying to save big or just stash a little something for a rainy day, it’s always helpful to hear some quick way to slash that budget. Cutting a few simple things from your life can help save you a bundle so I’ve come up with 13 expenses you can remove from your budget to share with you today.
You might look at this list and think, “No way can I cut that.” That’s fine. If something on this list is a non-negotiable for you, then move down the list and find something else to cut.
We all know our priorities and where we’re willing to splurge and where we’re willing to cut. The ideas below are all over the map, so even if you just cut one or two, you’re well on your way to saving!
13 Expenses You Can Remove From Your Budget
Bottled water
Americans blow $11 billion on bottled water per year. I wish I was joking, but that’s a fact. If you have access to tap water that is drinkable, buy a reusable bottle and stop paying for all that plastic. Your bank account and your environment will thank you! Camelbak water bottles are my fav!
Name brand anything
Brand names come at a cost. Someone has to pay the bill for advertising and packaging, and that someone is usually you. 9 times out of 10, the off-brand is identical to the name brand.This is especially true for the Kirkland brand as they actually pay companies to make their products and then market them under the Kirkland brand.
Ever wonder why the Kirkland laundry detergent is so similar to Tide? Hmmm!. My exception to this rule is jeans. I’ll pay a bit more for name brand jeans and then wear them for years.
Expensive holiday decor
Dollar store. Seriously. That is the absolute cheapest place to find holiday decor. Depending on the store you go to, they have some of the exact same items that are 10x as expensive in a regular superstore. I can deck my whole house out for Halloween for $10! Sweet!
Presents
What? How can you stop giving gifts? Well, this one might depend on where you are in life. I’m not sure if I could completely cut this out if I still had little ones at home. I could limit it, but it would be hard to deprive them of Santa gifts or a birthday present.
But now that my kids are grown, we can have a conversation about gift giving. We’re at a stage in our lives where if we need something, we can save and buy it ourselves. Excessive gift giving for the sake of tradition seems silly.
Can you stop birthday presents altogether? Limit Christmas gifts to one? Decide not to exchange anniversary gifts? Just because the rest of the world expects you to give red roses and chocolate on Valentine’s Day doesn’t mean you must. Have a hard conversation about presents with those you are closest to and see if they’d be willing to chuck the practice or really pare it down.
Bank fees
If you don’t have a totally free checking out, find a bank that offers it. So many banks won’t charge you for bill pay, online banking, debit cards, counter checks, monthly service fees, statement fees, ATM fees, etc. If you are paying any of those fees, talk to your banker about switching to a free account.
Some require a minimum balance and some are free with just a penny in there! Also, if you find yourself unable to get that account balance thing just right and you bounce a few checks a month, look into overdraft protection or a sweep account. Normally they are around $25 a year, but then you won’t be paying crazy high overdraft fees!
Books, movies, music
Do I love ALL those things? Yes. A lot. But with most libraries offering them completely free {plus a TON more!}, that would be a great first place to slash.
Getting your nails done
I know this is a splurge some of my friends would never give up. While they are capable of painting their own nails, they love to go in for a mani/pedi and get a little pampering. Nothing wrong with that.
But if you’re looking for a fast way to save cash, skip the salon and buy a $3 bottle of polish. If you miss the pampering dearly, maybe make it a twice a year treat or something. I can’t tell you the last time I painted my nails. It’s not my thing. But if it is yours, find a way to set a little money aside for this or cut it altogether.
Lawn service
This one might be a doozy depending on the size of your lawn, but lawn services are expensive. Power up that mower and push it yourself. It’ll be a great workout and save you hundreds. Or if you just don’t have the time, pay Johnny from down the street to do it. Kid labor is much cheaper and they love the extra cash!
Avoid eating out for lunch
Might be hard not to go out with your co-workers at lunchtime, but the savings are substantial. I make the HH lunch every day, and if I ever sat down to add up how much that has saved us over the years, I think the number would be jaw-dropping.
Meat at every meal
Meat is expensive. Having a meatless meal even just 2 times per week, assuming $5.00 for the meat can easily shave $40.00 off of your monthly food budget.
Gourmet coffee
Skip Starbucks and make it at home. You’ve heard that one too many times to count, right? And rightfully so, since the average Starbucks order is over $5. Many people do that 5x a week. That’s $100 a month for coffee.
So making it from home seems like a better alternative. Except when that coffee is just as spendy. If you can’t stand bad coffee and you drink it black, this is probably one step you’ll skip. But if you dress it up with so much sugar, cream, and caramel that you won’t know the difference between spendy coffee and Folgers, go for the cheap stuff and skip the unnecessary expense.
Cable
There is LAC {Life After Cable}. And it is a life where you have about $100 more in your pocket each month. Satellite TV is expensive, and with so many alternatives, it’s no longer necessary. There are literally hundreds of thousands of shows, movies, news programs that you can stream online. Hundreds of thousands people. With so many alternatives, cable has got to go!
Car washes
This is a DIY money saver that many view as a horrible chore. But if you take your car through a fancy car wash each week, you can add $60 to that monthly budget or more! Wash it yourself or hire a few of the neighborhood kids to do it for you.
If you don’t trust them with your baby, even a cheap gas station car wash with fuel purchase will only set you back $5. It’s about a third of the cost of the big car washes and while it might not be as amazing, it just might be worth it!
So there you have it. My ideas for 13 expenses you can remove from your budget.
What are some quick things you’ve cut from your budget? Was it hard? Was it worth it?
Save on,
~Mavis
Rosemary says
You are spot on with this!
1) my fridge has a water filter – I just fill up my glass
2) I don’t typically buy name brand clothes. There are a couple of household cleaners (like Dawn dish detergent) that I do buy. For other groceries I will usually buy whatever works out to be less expensive.
3) Dollar Tree – or should I say 1.25 Tree – for the win on holiday décor.
4) I have 18 grandchildren so gift-giving will continue. I do have a limit for how much I spend on the gifts.
5) We have totally free checking and saving accounts.
6) Libraries are the best (I used to work for one).
7) I have never had my nails done . . . I always did them myself.
8) Hubby is the lawn service 🙂
9) We rarely eat out unless we have gift cards
10) I’m a pasta girl – don’t need meat for every meal (hubby is another story . . .)
11) I don’t go to Starbucks – make mine at home. However, my son owns a coffee shop (400 miles away) and when I visit, I can get whatever I want. (He tries to give it to me for free, but I insist on paying for it, so he gives me a “family discount”.)
12) We don’t have cable – just internet service and we pick and choose the streaming service that has most of the shows we want to watch. (we will sign up for a month or two – watch our shows and then cancel)
13) Hubby is the car wash . . . 🙂
Absolutely worth it!
Jeanine says
We go to lunch, not dinner. Lunch is so much less at most places. And like you…it’s a date once a week or two. Driving at night is getting worse, now that we are older. And if we drive by the ocean during the day, we get to enjoy the view.
Most of everything that you have on the list, we are already doing. We do have cable…but that’s our entertainment.
Amanda says
With you on all these…apart from the banking. I’m in the UK and have an account that I pay £3/ month for, but get back money on each direct debit/ supermarket spending. So I actually make money on it.
Linda Sand says
We already save on all of those; want some more?
1. housekeeping
2. dry cleaning (all our clothes are machine washable)
Lana says
Once you have grandchildren you will love buying gifts.
Deb from Ohio says
Great advice!
I don’t spend money on any of those, except modest gifts for family and friends. Thankfully most of my friends agree, so I don’t fight peer pressure.
Although I do keep bottled water for emergencies, and a few times a year get drive thru or takeout…
But I’m older, and age changes your priorities
Cindy Brick says
(Happy belated Birthday, Mavis!)
We also tend to go out for lunch, instead of dinner. (It’s still ‘supper’ to me.) And I ALWAYS check the sale flyers, plus clearance bins, at any grocery store. (And return anything that’s not quite ‘right,’ the next time I stop in.)
I thought I would add a few riffs on your savings ideas:
*Yes, quit stopping at Starbucks — but don’t stint yourself. Buy quality beans and grind your coffee yourself. (Even better: get a coffeemaker at the thrift shop that grinds the beans automatically for you.) Amazon Warehouse Deals periodically have great prices on very good brands. I also look for key words like ‘Kona.’ Husband enjoys doing his own mixes of various beans — and his coffee is worlds better than Starbuck’s.
*Go ahead and buy books and videos, if you’re not close to a library. (Which we’re not, at present.) BUT get one of the deals on Ebay that offers ‘buy 3, get 1 free,’ plus free shipping. ThriftBooks regularly offers this — Second Sale has one going on right now. These are great for presents… after you read them yourself, or watch them, that is.
sandy says
I agree with all of the ideas with the exception of RAO and Daves Killer Bread. I appreciate those brands. They are worth it…but only at Costco.
Lawn done by husband ( it is good exercise)
Nails maybe twice a year if I have to for a vacation or event.
Brand name clothes-TJ Max or sales, but Quince is 100% worth it. Wonderful clothing at great prices. Classic and timeless.
Hardly go to dinner but an occasional InNOut burger or Sushi for a splurge.
Gifts are getting out of hand and we need to come to a solution on that-too $$$.
Water is a PUR filter pitcher.
Coffee-a Nespresso machine for me and a coffee monthly subscription from a wonderful friend for my husband. I indulge with Nespresso and a milk frother.
Car washes-again-we will do it as long as we can. But after a vacation we splurge because we have 2 corgis that shed like crazy.
I love books and movies-that is a hard one to stop.
Cable-not ready to give that up yet…maybe soon.
cheers all!
Sue S. says
Guess this was a hot topic judging by the # of comments. Great topic Mavis! Recently I signed up for my fee-free banks “save-up” program so that each time I use my debit card the amount is rounded up and the difference goes into my savings account.
DENISE KRUSE says
Yep! These are things I already do. Love the library for books, movies, music, streaming (Kanopy and Hoopla). But for some reason I am getting emails every time someone comments. I don’t have that turned on. Anyone else getting them?
JulieP says
We do all of the above and like the other uk commenter we have a joint account that’s £4 a month but we get cash back and interest on what’s in our account which leaves us approximately £5 in credit every month. Don’t buy artisan bread make your own. A bread maker was a good investment for me it has paid for itself over and over and I didn’t buy a named branded one I bought it from Lidl!
sandy says
To add: I recently listened to a wonderful podcast with “The laundry Guy”
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/am-i-doing-it-wrong/id1707391801?i=1000643775573
I learned so much and have completely changed the way I do laundry. Express cycle only, 2 tablespoons laundry “soap” ( Target) or baby laundry detergent only. Wool balls on Perm Press then air dry for dryer.
I am amazed at the difference in softness, fresh smell, time savings and eventually cost savings. Check it out-so interesting.