There are so many options for you to save money in your budget. You just have to know which ones you are willing to give up and which things you want to stay. 

This big list of options makes that choice so much easier AND the savings will be in the THOUSANDS! It’s so worth it.

Try one or two in your life and see what a difference it makes at the end of the year. 

In total, the 11 things below can save you $7346+ a year.  This post will be updated overtime with the many more ways I am learning to save money on my road to financial independence. 

This is what $7346+ can provide:

•  $119,000 in 10 years if invested at 7% interest 
• Several budget trips to Cuba, Thailand, and Paris (All of these trips were under $1000 for me or friends)  especially if you use miles or credit rewards 
• A down payment on your home or rental property 
• A few months of money to sustain you while you figure out your new business idea

You gotta check these out so you can save your coins!

Ok, let’s get to it!

1. Cell Phone Provider

Savings: $500+ a year 

There are so many alternatives to AT&T, T-Mobile, and Sprint these days. With all the advertising they do and bandwidth they need, they price gouge like crazy! 

Instead go for a quality plan with much cheaper prices. My favorite is Mint Mobile!

I switched to their service in 2018 because of their bring your own phone and your own number options.

Most other budget cell phone plans don’t offer this so they stood out. I was not giving up my iPhone for anybody!

I save about  $500 a year by doing their bulk 12-month plan, in which I pay $180 a year upfront.  Their data sizes are 3GB, 8GB, and 12GB.If you love your unlimited data plan or feel like you use a lot more data than me, ask your current provider how much you actually use.

 If it’s under 12GB you are so much better off getting Mint Mobile.  

With the internet being everywhere I go, I only use data in the car to listen to podcasts or for my life coaching program and I still don’t go over 2GB for the month. 

2. Home Bar

Savings: $1200 ($25*52 weeks) 

Game Changer!

You can easily spend $20 to $30 a night going out to a bar for drinks that are 5x what they actually cost plus tips. 

Instead, spend $90 a year on a home bar.

That’s how much my home bar costs and includes mixers, homemade syrups, garnishes, AND all the alcohol! ( Bourbon, Spiced Rum, Rum, Vodka, and occasionally Tequila that I buy from Sam’s Club at a steep discount.). 

 A home bar is so inexpensive:

• Grab a bar cart off Amazon or head to Goodwill or Christian Mission to get a unique set up 
• You can pick up cute bar items at the Target dollar area 
• Cups are always on sale at Tj Maxx and Marshalls 
• Shot Glasses are always fun to collect on vacations or events and are 2 for a $1 at the Dollar Tree 

Tell your friends to come over and chill for game night or dancing without the crazy price! You will save so much money, while still enjoying a good buzz. 

Plus, if you get good enough at mixing drinks a bar hand can be a good side hustle! Or you could just stop drinking in general and save that $90 too! 

3. Bringing Breakfast and Lunch from home

Savings $3120 ($13*5 days*4 weeks*12 months)

 

Food and drinks are Millennial budget busters. The price adds up so quickly and usually the food is 2 or 3x’s a normal serving and mixed with chemicals and possibly Coronavirus if you are not so lucky! 

My breakfast favorites:

• Eggs cups ( I ate this every day for 4 years 😜 )
• Breakfast sandwiches
• Green Smoothies

Lunch favorites

• Rice or cauliflower bowls
• Burritos
• Mason jar salads
• Sweet or baked potato meals

Check out my Meal Prep Pinterest board for more ideas. It’s divided by all the major meals. 

4. Capsule Wardrobe

Savings: $50 to $70 a month

Turn your closet into a capsule of limited quality items that all go together.

Capsule wardrobes save both money and time. We usually wear our favorites outfits or styles over and over again without thinking about it.

 A capsule wardrobe clarifies that process by only filling your closet with items you love and feel good in that you can easily style yourself every day. Also, since they are quality items you don’t have to keep buying cheap fashion over and over again nor do you need to update your closet as much.

 Stick to quarterly updates with trendy pieces, but keep your main wardrobe a classic capsule.

To get started with a capsule wardrobe take all the clothing you haven’t worn in 3 months out of your closet and place them in storage. From there you will find a pattern of clothing styles and colors that make you look and feel amazing.

You can even divide them by usage such as work, fitness, at home, going out, and special events/holidays. Then, go buy quality pieces of those styles so they last for years.

Example:  I love jeans with a tucked-in v neck shirt and a cute belt. This looks amazing on me and makes me feel good. So I’ll buy basic quality shirts in different colors that are short-sleeved for spring, sleeveless for summer, and long-sleeved for winter and two good pairs of jeans and shorts that match all of them. 

Capsule wardrobe makes getting ready easier, saves money because your closet feels complete instead of always missing something, and boosts your confidence and style.I started it last year with my work clothes and it has made such a difference in getting ready and looking good and professional. 

You can also try out Amazon Wardrobe for $4.99 a month if you are not in love with your current style.

5. Water Filter

Savings: Priceless! Less plastic in landfills, but also $96 a year. 

Whenever I see a trashcan full of water bottles I feel like a terrible person. 3 years ago I bought a $22  faucet water filter and a $10 water bottle and haven’t looked back. 

Plus our workplaces, airports, and everywhere else are now set up to provide filtered water for your water bottles and cups. Take advantage of this free way to stay hydrated. 

6. Planning Shopping Trips

Savings: Priceless!!

Planning out your trips and making a list of the items you need will keep you from overspending and stop you from taking several one off trips.Before starting this, I would go in the store for half-half and come out with ⅓ of the food department.

I could not keep affording that lifestyle and I’m sure you can’t either! Instead, keep a list on your notes apps of things you need throughout the week and just shop once a week.

If you bulk shop or make sure to keep a running list of needs so you can just shop once a month. Try to stay on budget by using a strict list and sticking to the outside aisle, anything in the middle leads to snack land and it’s hard not to pick up something extra. 

When I was paying off my car, I would only use cash to go grocery shopping because I kept going over with my credit card.That forced me to stick to the budget or embarrassingly return things with everyone staring at me.

 Nowadays, I’m less strict because I know the usual price of items I get  and stick to the same stores: Aldi and Sam’s Club.

This another reason why meal planning is so important, it helps you stick to your grocery budget. I always spend $25 or less at Aldi’s and at Sam’s Club I use the Scan and Go App to stick to my budget while I shop.

Another option if you are cash adverse is to buy giftcards with set limits. You gotta do what you gotta do to keep yourself within the budget. No need to spend more on food that could take away other entertainment and fun. 

7. Meal Planning

Savings: When I started bulk and budget shopping my grocery bill went from $200 to $67 

Meal planning and Meal Prepping have been my ish since 2014! It saves me money from not eating out or going over my grocery budget,  time from not cooking every single day, and calories if you align your food to your macros.

Here are the 3 Rules for Beginner Preppers:

1. Basic: Make sure your food is for you not the Gram.
2. Budget-Friendly: Try Bulking and Budget Groceries to get the most food for the least money
3. Made For You to Love: “Own” every recipe you make so you love every bite

My favorite meal prep items:

• Instant Pot 
• Air Fryer 
• Ninja Smoothie 
• Glass Prep Containers 
• Mason Jars 
• Ziplock Bags 

8. DIY Coffee

Savings:$1200+  ($5*5*52)

Make coffee at home. The savings is astronomical. What you can spend over a week at Coffee shops takes me 2 months with my coffee pods.

 If you want to get fancy use this coffee recipe to resemble Starbucks Cinnamon Dolce! ( Let is set for a day for full flavoring) I know it’s not as fancy and fun as Starbucks or your local coffee shop, but at $.32 cents a cup compared to $5. They can have it! 

 

My favorite at home coffeemaker is this one! It’s a single serving coffee maker for both coffee pods and ground coffee. Best of both worlds!