11 Creative Ways to Save Money

Are you looking to buy a new house or perhaps get a car? Well, you will want to save up some cash. It can be hard to figure out how to save up what you need. So, here is a look at 10 creative ways that you can save money.

Creative Ways to Save Money

1. Get a change jar - A change jar can be an easy way to take some of your spare change and get it out of your wallet or purse. Depending on how much cash you use, you might be able to save up more than you think by simply keeping your change in a jar. Then, when it comes time to convert that change to cash, you can take it to a Coinstar. For a fee, the Coinstar machine takes your change and hands you a receipt. That receipt can be converted to cash at a cashier at that store.

2. Plan your meals - You can end up spending more than you would expect if you dine out each night. You can shop for the items you need and have them ready for each meal by planning your meals. Depending on how frequently you eat out, this could save you quite a bit of money every month.

3. Buy store brands or generic products - If the name brand items you like to purchase are not on sale, you should check out the store brand or generic brand instead. Store brands and generic brands are generally just as good as name brands today, but always read the label to be sure. In addition, generic and store brands are typically much cheaper than name brands.

4. Adjust your thermostat - The electric bill can be relatively high during the extreme summer and winter months. Depending on what you set your thermostat to, it’s possible to save up to 10% a year on your electric bill. All you need to do is set your thermostat 7 to 10 degrees higher in the summer and 7 to 10 degrees lower in the winter for at least 8 hours per day. You can also check with your local electric company to find out if they offer free energy audits. The audit could show other ways to save on your electric bill.

5. Cut the Cable Cord - More and more people are "cutting the cord" on their cable bill and see some significant savings. Chances are that you do not watch all the channels that the cable company delivers. Instead, you can opt for a handful of streaming services that can give you the channels you need at a lower price. Look at what Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, Amazon Prime, and YouTube TV offers. 

6. Shop at thrift shops - If you like to shop, you might consider places that won't charge you outrageous prices. One of the most creative places to save money on clothes is your local thrift store. Thrift store shopping consists of previously owned clothes that are usually priced at a significant discount from the item's original price. In addition, you can find some creative items at a thrift store, such as vintage shirts and popular brands. It can also be incredibly fun and rewarding to find items at a very low cost. Simply wash when you get home and it can be like having a new wardrobe for pennies on the dollar!

7. Take advantage of coupons - Coupons used to be a staple of savings during grocery trips. Today, more and more coupons have gone digital. That means that you don't have to break out the scissors and start cutting. Instead, your favorite grocery store is likely to have an app where you can digitally collect the coupons. Then, when you check out, present the coupons on your phone. According to the Inspiring Savings blog, a typical family can save as much as $9 a week. That doesn’t sound like much, but that’s almost $500 a year in savings! More money in your pocket.

8. Look at your recurring subscriptions - Many people tend to have recurring subscriptions on their credit cards, debit cards, or checking accounts. As a result, there is a chance that you will not use some of the services you are being charged monthly. Be sure to look over your recurring charges and cancel any services that you are no longer using.

10. Trade items that you no longer use - Don't like to spend money? Well, there is a great way to potentially get what you need without spending a lot of time. You can simply trade items that you already have. For instance, let's say that you want a bike, and you have an older iPad that you no longer use. Chances are, someone in your area has an extra bike and in need of an iPad. You can simply trade items. You can trade items at your local swap meets. Also, you can find items to trade on sites such as Craigslist and Next Door. Simply search for ways to trade items, there are plenty of websites dedicated to trading unwanted items.
11. Create an automated savings plan - Looking for a way to save each month without having to think about it? You can set up an automated savings plan at your local bank or financial institution. Here is how it works: You sign up to save a specific amount of money swept from your checking account to your savings each month. This allows you to "pay yourself first" and prevent you from spending all the money you make each month.
12. Round up your Spend - A fun and creative way to save a little money is to round up your spending. Using a savings tool like Acorns, you can simply sign up and allow your spare change to be placed into an Acorns account. For example, let’s say you purchase groceries for $82.45; with Round Up with Acorns, your bank will send $.55 to Acorns, and you can watch your money grow.

 11 Creative Savings Plans Reviewed

Let's look at the 11 ten creative ways to save money. If you have a goal to save $200 a month, then you may want to consider using several of the approaches listed below:

Becoming a master of saving

Saving is the first key to getting ahead financially and building wealth. Be sure to create a plan where you can save more of your money for your future plans. With the proper discipline, you could become a master of saving your money.