29 Financial Tips to Boost Your Savings This Week

The biggest lesson I’ve learned about saving money is that it’s a discipline of the mind, not a discipline of the wallet. Where your attitude about debt, giving, stuff, and wealth goes, your account balance will follow.

On that note, I’ve compiled a simple list of 29 tweaks you can make to save money this week. These tips will only be successful in the long run if you shift your thinking, rather than go through the motions for a week.

With that, let’s get started.

1. Cut out one Premium Coffee

It’s freezing in many places of the world right now, but trimming back one fancy latte each week adds up. Cutting out a coffee won’t make you rich, it can add up though which everyone knows.

The key to actually saving g money by cutting out a premium coffee is taking the next step to transfer what you would have spent to savings or investing it immediately.

For example, Raiz Invest is a micro-investing platform that gives you $5 when you join and invest $5 yourself. You can then easily transfer $5 any time you resist a coffee too and start increasing your net worth in seconds.

2. Consolidate Your Errands

Not only will this save you a significant amount of gas, but I always spend more at the grocery store when I splinter my trips throughout the week versus making one big stop. Do everything all at once and reduce your temptation to spend.

Take time the night before to work out everything you need to do and make it one trip, once a week. This saves time and money while also reducing temptation.

3. Don’t Shop Hungry 

Seriously. I don’t know who taught me that, but it’s infuriatingly true. Especially when I was pregnant. I ate everything I saw and it cost a fortune!

When I compared shopping after eating vs shopping when hungry, the price difference is often $20 and it’s snacks or junk that make up that $20 overspend. My worst was $100 spent on junk/ready-made food etc when I was hungry and tired.

4. Skip Delivery on Pizza Night

Having a pizza delivered can often cost $20+ compared to $5 getting one from the store and cooking it yourself. By keeping a pizza or any other takeaway we love in the freezer, we’ve drastically cut down on deliveries.

5. Clip Some Coupons

I saved $402.94 the first year I clipped coupons. I used the Sunday paper and coupon apps from my favorite grocery stores. Here’s how I got started.

6. Swap cable for Netflix, Hulu Plus, or Amazon PrimeTV

Turns out people spend an average of $123 for monthly cable. Instead, they could choose one of the video streaming services that currently will cost them $8. That’s a total savings of $115 this month and $1,380 this year.

However, be aware if you sign up to all the services, you’ll end up paying as much as cable!

7. Shop for Deep Discounts on Amazon Merchandise via SnagShout

If you agree to leave a review, you can score some MAJOR discounts on products via SnagShout. We bought a leather iPhone case for $5. It’s legit, as long as it’s stuff you’ll use.

Recommended Reading: How I Saved 91% On My Most Recent Amazon Purchase

8. Select “No-Rush” Shipping on Amazon Prime Purchases

If you’re an Amazon Prime member, you probably LOVE that free two-day shipping. Next time, select “No-Rush” shipping and receive a few extra dollars back for future in-store purchases.

9. Sell Your Stuff on Facebook

Do you have some stuff to sell but can’t or don’t want to have a physical garage sale? Head to Facebook and use Market Place to get rid of items quickly. You can also look at buy sell swap or garage/yard sale groups in your area too.

10. Sell Your Services

In many of those Facebook groups you can also sell services such as babysitting, gardening, cleaning etc. This can be a great way to get some extra cash in your spare time.

11. Sell Your Stuff on your own Social Media Channels

Facebook is the most popular for this, but go ahead and post your stuff on your own profile. I can’t tell you how many times I saw my friends’ stuff for sale and if I didn’t grab it, someone else gratefully did.

12. Start Saving Automatically

We save for a debt-free Christmas each year without lifting a finger. That’s because a set dollar amount automatically moves from our checking to the Christmas savings account every payday. All year long. You can set this up via online banking or by checking with your financial institution.

13. Find out if Your Accounts can Have a “Round up” Option

Every time I swipe my debit card, that transaction is rounded up to the nearest dollar in my account and the extra change gets put into our savings. For example, if I pay $30.01 at the pump for gas, then my account will automatically read $31.00 and $0.99 will be placed into my savings.

It’s like a forced piggy bank. 🙂

14. Negotiate a Lower Payoff Amount on one Bill

Many companies (not all) will settle for a lower payoff on an outstanding bill if you can pay it in full. I’ve negotiated medical bills this why by simply asking, “What discount is available if I pay this bill in full right now?” The worst they can say is “none” and then you’re none the worse for wear.

Note: If you negotiate a lower rate, ALWAYS get it in writing!

15. Substitute Redbox for Your Local Library

 It seems like every time I use Redbox, the price is a little higher. Then, there’s the inevitable 24-hour late fee that does nothing pleasant to our checking account. Your local library is bound to have a better selection, a longer checkout time, and it’s F-R-E-E.

16. Watch Free Movies and TV Shows on Crackle 

If Netflix doesn’t have it, you can always check Crackle, a website dedicated to streaming free movies and shows like Jerry Seinfeld’s Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee.

17. Buy Off-Season Items

Recently, I went to my husband’s corporate holiday gala and saw a woman with a gorgeous red dress that went perfectly with her silver pumps. She told me later that the Christmas attire at Von Maur all got marked way down in January, so she was rockin’ an evening dress for which she happily paid $20.

18. Swap one Convenience Store Purchase with Something from Home 

If you make frequent visits to a gas station or vending machine, try stocking up on those items during your next grocery store trip.

19. Cut out one Trip to a Fast Food Restaurant 

Most people spend $10 or so per meal when getting fast food and most of the time it doesn’t even taste good. DIY fast food for a fraction of the cost e.g. chips or butter chicken or pizza are all so easy to make.

20. Recreate your Favorite Restaurant Meal at Home 

I love ordering shrimp and broccoli alfredo. Hubby loves steak and potatoes. There is nothing wrong with going out to eat, but you can also challenge yourself to spend less by staying home without missing all the fun.

21. Slice your Meat Portion in Half

We’ve gotten into the habit of browning a pound of ground beef or ground turkey, then only using half for the meal. It works great for things like spaghetti, Hamburger Helper, or tacos.

Also, gound meat is super easy to hide vegetables in such as gratef carrot, zucchini and similar. Cooking it with the meat it will take on more of the flavour and not be noticed.

22. Buy Cheaper Meats

We buy a lot of ground turkey, chicken sausage, turkey bacon, and turkey franks to reduce some of the cost of red meats. I’m really growing to like them all.

23. Search for Manager’s Specials at the Grocery Store

If you keep an eye out, you’ll find a group of shelves, usually toward the back of the store, that holds the manager’s specials. These items might have a few dings on the packaging or approaching expiration date, but you can score some deals if you’re looking.

24. Earn Points Using Bing as a Search Engine

Sign up to start earning points for every search. Accumulate enough points to earn gift cards like Amazon, or free products, like a photo album from Shutterfly.

25. Launch a 52-Week Money Challenge

Save a little money each week, then end the year with big ‘ole pile of money in savings.

Recommended Reading: 3 Simple Ways to Take the 52-Week Money Challenge

26. Read Blogs that Inspire and Motivate you to Save Money 

I love reading personal finance blogs because they’re so filled with passion and they’re so helpful. Subscribe to a few and you’ll see what I mean.

27. Check out more Piggy Bank Dreams Money-Saving Tips

There is more where this came from. You can either scroll to the top and select “Frugal Tips” in the menu bar, or click here.

28. Get Accountability

We’re back to the whole mindset of saving money. Don’t go it alone. I implore you.

29. Get Started

What money-saving tips are you going to try this week? The most important piece to this whole puzzle is taking action.

Remember: Weigh the pros and cons. Why are you saving money? Hold to that. If any of these tweaks cramp your style, they don’t have to be forever.

Tell us one you’ll try this week in the comments below.