49 simple but impactful tricks to save a lot of money every day.

 

49 simple but impactful tricks to save a lot of money every day.

 

 

It doesn't matter why you want to save: these 49 tricks will help you keep money every day, practically effortlessly.

The first tips condense effective money-saving techniques. Then you will find more specific tricks to apply at work, when traveling, shopping, etc. 

Saving money is a difficult task because the brain is used to thinking about short-term rewards. That's why it's hard for you to resist temptations and whims. So don't worry if you are in the savings phase but it's costing you more than you thought.

 

Small changes that have a big effect on the economy are the key to fooling the mind and saving money every day without much effort.

 

It doesn't matter if you are saving for a future big purchase, to create an economic cushion, to pay off debts, prepare for unforeseen events, etc. Regardless of your situation, these 109 tips and tricks will help you.

 

The tricks are divided into categories that in turn cover almost all areas of your daily life: work, shopping, home, travel, entertainment, etc.

 

First, you will start with saving methods and techniques in general, in case you fancy a good challenge, and then you will discover more specific tips. Choose a dozen of them and get going. You will notice changes right away!

Methods and systems

'The Simpsons".

'The Simpsons'.20th Television.

 

 

1. Try the envelope technique.

 

The problem with always paying with credit cards is that you can easily lose track of what you spend each month. A good alternative is to take out X money every month and put it in envelopes. You can title the envelopes according to the maximum number they contain, their purpose ("food," "clothes"), or their time frame ("week 1," "week 2"...).

 

This trick allows you to visually find out how much money you have left depending on the situation and also discover your problems to save. For example, if the week 2 envelope ends on Tuesday, it means that you have a hard time slowing down your impulses shortly after cashing out. If you end up taking money from the food envelope to fill the clothes envelope, you already have a type of consumption that you must learn to control.

2. Use the 50/30/20 method.

 

The 50/30/20 method does not consist of performing mathematical calculations, but of reserving 50% of your salary for household needs (paying bills, food, paying off debts...), 30% for fun (eating out, leisure, whims...), and 20% dedicated to your future self (that is, saving and only spending these savings in case of emergencies or investments).

 

This ratio is not forged by fire and should not be strictly followed. You can alter it in the most appropriate way for your economic situation. The important thing about this method is to be consistent with it, and take advantage of the concept of the "future me" to motivate you to save.

3. Experiment with the 30-day rule.

 

The 30-day rule is very simple. When you want to buy something that costs a lot of money and is not strictly necessary for your survival, wait 30 days and then ask yourself again if you need it.

After that amount of time has passed, you will no longer want that thing as much as you did before.

4. Experiment with the other XX-day rules.

 

This rule is the second cousin of the one above. The concept is the same (wait a few days before asking yourself again if you want to buy something), only the number of days to wait equals the price of the product.

 

For example, if you want shoes that cost 80 euros, wait 80 days before asking yourself again if you need it. This method is very effective in avoiding the temptation to buy expensive whims.

5. At least give the 24-hour rule a chance.

 

If the 2 rules above seem too hard for you, or you've tried them but it's hard to hold out for so long, try this easier version.

 

Do you want to buy this new book that has come out in hardcover that costs more than its imminent paperback edition? Wait just 24 hours. Tomorrow he'll ask you again if you want it. If so, go ahead. If in doubt, wait another 24 hours.

 

6. Practice visualization.

 

Visualization is a very simple technique that is performed, especially in the world of sports. Before a match, confrontation, or test, the athlete spends days visualizing that moment in order to be ready when the challenge arrives in order to perform it in the most optimal way possible.

 

For a few days, do the same thing: visualize yourself going shopping or doing daily tasks, only instead of acting as usual, you do it in a way that maintains your savings goals. The important thing here is consistency: practice daily!

7. Turn your money into working hours.

If, for example, you earn 10 euros per hour, do not think that these shoes cost 80 euros: think that they cost you 8 hours of work, that is, a whole working day.

You will see that, by thinking that your effort can be wasted, you will begin to be more aware and careful with your purchases.

 

8. Try the penny challenge.

 

The penny challenge allows you to save 667.95 euros for a whole year if you apply it day by day. It's very simple: on the first day you start saving only one euro cent, and you add a cent every day. After a year, you will save 3.65 euros per day.

 

There are different variations of this challenge. You can start day one by saving 3.65 euros and every day lower the savings figure by one cent. You can also opt for the messy method, in which every day you save a different and random amount (just remember to cross out that amount so as not to repeat it).

9.The 52-week challenge

 

Another challenge! In this case, it looks like the one with the cent. Take a boat, a box, a piggy bank... and put a euro in it. The next week, add 2 euros. In week 3, enter 3 euros...

 

Every week, add one euro, and in 52 weeks/a years, you will have saved a not insignificant sum of 1,378 euros.

10. Create a long-term dream portfolio.

 

If it costs you a horror to save, you must be lacking in a strong motivator that will help you find energy and persistence.A good way to find such motivation is to create a dream folder for yourself.

 

Create a folder on your PC, or make a physical one, and include images of everything you can buy once you have saved a lot of money: that car you want to drive, a new bigger house... Check that folder daily to remind yourself why you're saving.

 11. Use the rule of 1%

 

This rule looks a lot like the trick of waiting X hours before buying something. It's very simple: if you want to buy something that is not essential but costs 1% more than your annual salary (for example, more than 300 euros if you earn 30,000 a year), then wait 24 hours before buying it.

 

This seemingly insignificant wait will undoubtedly provide you with the initial dopamine boost that has clouded your judgment and almost convinced you to buy yourself that treat. It is almost certain that, after those 24 hours, you will no longer have a desire to buy that obj.

 

12. Try not to spend anything in a week.

 

This challenge may seem harsh, but if you manage to overcome it, the discipline to save will increase. It consists in spending nothing, absolutely nothing, for a week.

 

That means not being able to buy food or basic necessities. To get the challenge, you must make the essential purchases for that week before it starts. The goal, beyond saving, is for you to learn that it is possible to keep your money intact for long periods of time. It will help you in the future.

Entertainment.

'Ready Player One.

'Ready Player One.Warner Brothers Pictures.

 

13. Create a shared account with friends or family.

 

Netflix, Spotify, Xbox Game Pass, Nintendo Online, Youtube Premium, etc. If you use a lot of online subscription services, surely the total figure is higher than you thought.

 

A good way to save is to talk to friends or family who use the same services and create a shared account to pay for it equally. There are services like Spotify that have promotions for multiple accounts. In other cases, as with Netflix, it's cheating. But when it comes to saving, anything goes.

 

14. Discover the free paradise that is the Internet Archive.

 

The Internet Archive is literally the Internet library: digital copies of all kinds of books, films, documentaries, magazines, old video games are kept there...

 

If you feel like reading or watching a movie, spend an afternoon at the Internet Archive and you will discover that there is a lot of free material waiting to be consumed.

15. Yes, you can watch movies and series by streaming them for free.

 

Beyond the Internet Archive, there are many websites that allow you to watch movies and series by streaming for free and are 100% legal.

 

You have examples like Atresplayer, eFilm, FilmOn, Microchannels, MiTele, and even Netflix has a bit of its catalog open.

16. Review all your subscriptions

 

In addition to the above trick, take the opportunity to review and make a list of all the subscription services you are paying for.

 

Once you have them under control, ask yourself the inevitable question "Am I frequently using Netflix or Spotify?". If the answer is a firm "No", cancel or pause the subscription.

17. Go to the library

 

Books are an almost inexhaustible source of knowledge, and fiction ones fuel your creativity and help you develop empathy. But they can be very expensive! Especially if you buy them in hardcover or devour them right away.

18. There are not only books in the library

 .

If you think that there are only books in your nearby library, it's because you haven't been there for a while!

 

In a library, you can borrow movies, documentaries, comics, and, even in some cases, even video games. So before buying or renting some of these items, check that they are not available in your nearby library.

19. Consider signing up for Scribd if you're a voracious reader

 

In the event that you read at a high speed, or need to read many books at once, consider subscribing to Scribd, a kind of Netflix for books. It does not include all the publications in the world, but its offer is large and varied.

 

In addition to digital books, Scribd includes documents uploaded by users (and sometimes such documents are whole books), free magazines, audiobooks...

20. Don't buy individual magazines; subscribe.

 

In the event that you are fond of a magazine of regular periodicity, consider 2 things. The first is to switch to its digital mode if it has it because normally the numbers are cheaper than in physical.

 

The second consideration is to subscribe to its online modality instead of paying individually for each issue: it usually comes out very on account, especially if you commit to reading each issue from cover to cover.

21. Go to the morning sessions at the cinema.

If you really like going to the movies, instead of going to the premieres on Friday night, go the following Saturday morning.

 

Maybe you're lazy or it's weird for you to go to the cinema in the good morning, but as a general rule, the tickets for the morning sessions are usually reduced to half price, at least!

22. Find free, or cheaper, leisure on Meetup and the like

 

If you want to have a good leisure time, or meet new people, but you don't feel like spending a lot of money in bars or pubs, check out apps like Meetup.

 

In this type of application, groups of all kinds of get-togethers are formed. Although some activities are paid, the price is usually much lower than normal.

23. Discover quality free games.

 

If you're a gamer, curbing the temptation to buy fewer games every month is harder than beating a Dark Souls final boss with your eyes closed and using your nose instead of your fingers.

 

Surely you have thought about calming your cravings by trying free games... and you have found titles of dubious quality. The good news is that there are many free video games, you just have to know how to look for them well,

24. Activate the Steam shared library.

 

Steam allows you to share your games with some of your contacts. And vice versa: you will be able to access the digital video game library of your friends.

 

In this way, you can agree with some friends and share your Steam purchases with everyone so that you don't spend so much on video games. Of course: you can't access a friend's library if they are on Steam.

25. Commit to buying only discounted games

 

The bad news is that a new game unless it's indie will cost you 50-70 euros. That's so expensive. Now, wait 4-6 months and it will surely go down to 40 euros. Even better: wait for the seasonal sales (winter, summer...) and you will see how it goes down to 30 and even 20 euros.

 

He constantly consults pages like IsThereAnyDeal or PSPrices. They are web services that tell you the latest game discounts on a multitude of platforms. In addition, you can customize notices to notify you of new and juicy sales.

Personal development.

Creed'.

Creed'.Warner Bros. Pictures.

26. Cancel your gym subscription

 

Ask yourself the following question: How often do you go to the gym every month? And every week?

 

If you don't come at least 3 times a week, consider canceling your subscription or freezing it if you have that option, especially if you're having a hard time making ends meet.

27. Switch to a cheaper gym

 

In the event that you find that you do go to the gym or your fitness center a lot, but still need to cut back somewhere, consider looking for a cheaper center.

 

On a psychological level, you may believe that this change is a worsening of your physical activity. The important thing is to have routine and consistency; as long as the equipment is in condition (and the showers and facilities are decent) everything else does not matter.

28. Make YouTube your free school

 

Do you want to learn to cook, to negotiate, to sing, to write, to darn...? On YouTube, you will find channels and content creators of practically all kinds of topics and knowledge. The offer is multiplied almost infinitely if you manage English well.

 

Keep in mind that to learn about something nothing beats a proper class, even if it is online. However, it is better to bet on being self-taught until you have enough savings to invest part of them in more professional training.

29. Take advantage of the free online courses.

EdX, Learn for free, UniMOOC... there are multiple online course web services that offer free modalities.

You will not get a certificate at the end and you will not be able to be evaluated, but if what you want is to expand your knowledge while saving, this opportunity will go from pearls.

30. Get used to waking up early.

 

If you get up early, you will be able to take advantage of daylight for longer than relying so much on artificial light, thus saving every month.

 

In addition, waking up early has other advantages: it improves your natural sleep habits and increases motivation by feeling that you have more time to do things or enjoy the day...

31. Quit smoking.

 

Many vices are expensive, and others, such as tobacco, are also harmful to both you and those around you.

Take advantage of this moment of savings to quit smoking and thus feel healthier (and with a bulkier wallet). Do not try to leave it overnight; better go little by little.

32. Drink more water.

It seems very obvious, but I'm sure you haven't thought about it. If you buy more water, you will avoid the expense of buying sugary drinks such as Coca-Cola.

 

In addition, water is the healthiest thing you can drink. Surely you feel lighter after making this habit change.

33. Go to the bar less

 

Visits to the bar represent the most useless expenses for most people. These expenses are multiplied if it turns out that you are going to have a beer or a coffee very often.

 

34. Make a list before you go shopping.

When you go shopping, even if only because you lack bread for food, it is quite possible that you will come home with a couple of extra whims.

 

To avoid this kind of impulse, don't leave shopping without a list of what you really need, and commit to sticking to the list! No need to improvise a few chips or a few extra cans of soda.

35. Use coupons like there's no tomorrow.

 

Maybe in the past, you prejudged that person who slowed down the queue at the supermarket a lot because he was preparing an impressive combo of discounts.

 

Well, it's time to swallow those opinions and do the same. Do not throw away any coupons or discount vouchers and use them whenever they help you save. But don't make the mistake of buying something you hadn't planned to buy simply because it's on sale.

36. Take advantage of supermarket point cards.

 

Almost all supermarket chains nowadays have loyalty cards, which include cumulative points, exclusive discounts, and other promotions.

 

So you already know: on your next visit to the super ask about the loyalty card.