Super effective ways to go frugal and save money on a budget.

The importance of money can’t be understated as everything today pretty much revolves around earning and spending money.

What people fail to do effectively is to strike the perfect balance between earning and enjoying money which if not done right, leads to a whole lot of turmoil.

Read: 75 Superb Ways to Make Money Without a Job

Especially at the end of the month, when you’re busy pondering where all your money went, or how your bills soared so high, reality comes and hits you hard across the face.

• How to spend less money is of prime importance.

Today, we are going to shed some light on various creative ways to save money so that you won’t be left scratching your head at end of each month wondering where all your money went.

These easy money saving tips will ensure that you can learn from the past and take preventive steps so that you know how to control spending and take a step in the right direction.

Whether you’re saving up for that big car or paying off your loans, cutting costs is one of the best ways to do more with the money you have.

The point is not to deprive yourself by being miserly and not spending at all; it’s about spending money the right way so that they match the real priorities in your life.

These tips for saving money in daily life will surely help to turn your financial life around and thereby drill down the importance of saving money in you.

Obviously, not all easy money saving tips are going to be applicable for everyone so I have listed out quite a few simple tips to save money and you may quickly end up saving more than you could ever imagine.

Here are 17 budget tips to save money which will help you in the long run.

Smart Money Saving Tips

1. Set Savings Goals

Setting goals on how to save money is a habit amongst all successful people and you should make it a habit as well. Visualize what you’re saving for and set a goal, whether it is:

• How to save money for a house.

Or

• How to save money for a car.

You should come up with a realistic and actionable plan for achieving these targets.

Additionally, various studies have confirmed that just by having a goal in place brings you closer towards achieving that goal as compared to not having any goal at all.

2. Stick to Your Grocery List

Compiling a grocery list is also amongst the ways to save money on a tight budget.  It’s a quite common phenomenon for someone to go overboard while grocery shopping and get carried away by buying unnecessary items.

To avoid this, make sure you list out the items you intend on buying and when you hit the store, just buy what is on the grocery list.

A lot of items on sale can catch your eye, but as long as you stick to your list, it’s easy to say no. It just requires a little extra time, a few sacrifices, and some practice.

3. Give Up on Expensive and Harmful Habits

Simply put, kicking the butt and ditching cigarettes altogether will help you save a whole lot of money especially in the long run.

Not only is it detrimental to your health, but is a massive money waster. A website like Smokeline can help you calculate exactly how much you stand to save by quitting.

4. Pack Your Own Lunch

While eating out at McDonalds or Burger King might look appealing during those lunch breaks, an obvious money-saving tip is packing your own lunch to work.

Also See: Why You Need to Have Multiple Sources of Income

5. Car Pool

Car pooling or sharing your ride whilst commuting to work not only breaks the monotony of traveling alone but also ranks amongst fun ways to save money by cutting your fuel bills drastically.

6. Unplug Unused Devices

Plugged in devices consume energy by drawing power from the wall.  Weird ways to save money include ensuring your electronic items like television, computer, cell phone chargers etc are not plugged in all the time.

7. Shop Online

Shopping online proves cheaper than going out to retail stores and buying at full price.

Not only do you save money by way of online discounts and coupons but you also tend to cut out the auxiliary expenses like eating out and traveling expenses which usually form a substantial chunk during those visits to the mall.

8. Cable Bills

Those monthly cable bills can get quite expensive especially if you have subscribed to watch only a few channels.

By switching to an online stream, you can cut out TV altogether as you pay only for what you watch when you opt for services online at fraction of the cost.

Popular stream websites include Hulu, NetFlix etc. which let you choose from a variety of categories.

Must Read: 20 Honest Ways to Improve Your Finances

9. Make Tea/Coffee at Home

Those trips to cafeterias can seriously dent your wallet especially if you’re an ardent coffee/tea lover.

Amongst the unique ways to save money is by simply brewing your own coffee/tea at home which translates to massive annual savings overall.

10. Cut Down on Those Parlor Visits

Parlor and Spa visits for getting manicures, facials etc add up and prove expensive. Well, your self-care and beauty indulgences aren’t just restricted to expensive salons.

By scouring through blogs and even Pinterest, you get to learn how to make spa-like goodies and DIY beauty treatments and amongst the easy ways to save money each month.

11. Gym/Fitness Classes

Let’s face it, how often do we actually frequent gyms after enrolling for that expensive gym memberships.

More often than not, those annual memberships go to waste entirely because of lack of motivation to go to the gym or because you’re traveling or probably even owing to the gym being far away or inaccessible at certain hours when you have downtime.

Either opt for flexible monthly plans at a nearby gym or when you have that downtime, stream fitness classes online so that you not only stay fit physically but also stay economical as well.

12. Look for an Additional Income Source

If you’re wondering how to save money fast on a low income, hustle for a secondary source of income right from the confines of your home.

There are quite a few freelance jobs available online from data entry to graphic designing which will help you earn that extra buck on the side and further diversify your income.

13. Make Your Own Gifts

Birthdays, Holidays and Anniversaries are an annual event and can’t be avoided. If you want to save money while also being part of the celebrations, indulge in some creative DIY and create your own homemade gifts like candles, soaps, cookies etc.

After all, it’s the thought that counts over and above everything else. You can always go online and search for videos and tips on doing all these things yourself.

Check Out: Unusual Ways to Make Extra Money Doing Odd Jobs

14. Brew Cleaning Solutions

Concocting your own cleaning solutions is easily one of the most unusual ways to save money but it’s a solution nevertheless. Cleaning solutions are not only expensive but they also get over very quickly.

By using simple household ingredients like baking soda, olive oil, vinegar etc, you can cook up natural and safe solutions which are long lasting and inexpensive.

15. Switch to Energy Efficient Bulbs/Tubes

Traditional bulbs and tubes might be cheaper to purchase than their CFL/LED counterparts but they don’t last long and suck a whole lot of energy to run. CFL/LED’s can easily last for years without requiring to be replaced and also needs less energy to run.

It might be tough to narrow down on which one is better between a CFL and a LED, but one thing is for sure, it’s definitely an upgrade over the traditional bulbs in every which way.

16. Look for a Better Rate on Car Insurance

Sometimes you’re just stuck with the car insurance the showroom forced upon you which might have higher premiums than the competition and bundled with useless add-ons which might never be beneficial for you.

If you shop around and search online, you are not only guaranteed to find a cheaper premium than what you’re currently shelling out but also you can eliminate the unnecessary add-ons bundled with your insurance thus resulting in monies being saved dramatically.

17. Use Third-Party Call and Texting Apps

With the enormous amount of VOIP and messaging applications, there is no excuse for you not to jump onto the bandwagon.

Get smarter about your phone usage by using free voice and text services like Skype, WhatsApp, and Facebook Messenger etc and eliminate the use of mobile minutes and texts which won’t count towards the total of your mobile bill.

Also Read: How to Achieve Financial Independence: 7 Important Steps

Over to You

I sincerely hope that these smart money-saving tips help you to save more. Whenever the struggle against saving money feels like it’s getting out of hand, go read a personal finance blog and remember that there are plenty of like-minded individuals out there fighting the same fight.

Knowledge is power, and the more you know, the more you can save. The truth of the matter is that there are many smart and quick ways to save money; you need to find out which works for you and accordingly incorporate those strategies in your life.

Do you have any top tips on ways to save money which can make your life more balanced? Share your ideas with other savers below.