If you’re familiar with A Zesty Existence, you’ll know that my husband and I are in the phase of life where paying off debt is our top financial priority. It’s a trail we’ll continue to walk until every student loan has been shed and there aren’t any emails informing us of our upcoming automatic withdrawals. Oh I can’t wait for that day!

 

So right now, it’s important for us to be choosy with where our money is going. And the more we keep in our cash envelopes the better! Being picky pays off when you can save a little cash. And while we know we won’t be existing between the barriers of our current budget forever because our budget will grow as we eliminate debt, we know that in any stage of your financial life it’s still fun to save some money.

 

So here are a few ways we are saving cash that might help you if you’re sitting in our boat or have a large boat of your own.

 

Use an Antenna

Since we’ve been married, Zach and I haven’t had cable. To some of you TV buffs, this seems impossible, and to those who rarely watch, this isn’t a big deal. Most shows that we tune in for are on regular network television, aside from cable sports channels. Unfortunately we can’t always see the Lions or Wolverines play, but we can watch everything on regular TV thanks to an antenna.

Our antenna picks up every major station and allows us to watch everything from PBS to ABC the Bachelor to Sunday Night Football. I love that it’s free (aside from the initial upfront cost of the antenna), and saves us from sending a monthly payment to the cable company.

If there is something you can’t live without watching then check out my next point.

 

Hulu/Netflix

Hulu, Netflix, or any other streaming service have become so popular nowadays. We’ve been customers of both, particularly Hulu right now, and love them. For around $8/month (at the time this is published) you can watch most anything on Hulu. And times when there is something on TV that you just can’t miss, you can upgrade to stream live TV. You can always drop that extra service. Online services like these are great because although they are an added monthly expense, they are much cheaper than a cable package.

 

Library

The library is one the most important places to visit in your community. Not only does it have books, events, and perhaps classes, it can also have a media section. We love going to the library and checking out their selection of movies, documentaries, TV series, etc all for free. Some libraries might even have a music section and video games. All you need is a library card. My husband once checked out a newly released video game and had it for 3 weeks! All libraries might not have that luxury, but if your’s does, take advantage! You can save some serious coin.

 

Diversify Your Shopping

We’ve found we can save some money just by shopping at two different stores. Now if you’re looking for the convenience of having everything in one location, this might not work for you, but if you’re willing to make two trips, then it might be a good way to save some money. We love shopping at Meijer (Michiganders and neighbors know) for most everything, but once we introduced Aldi into our shopping routine, we noticed we were saving money on certain items. Splitting up what is purchased where could help out your shopping budget.

 

Coupons

I’m guilty of forgetting coupons at home and kicking myself mentally in the checkout line when the cashier asks if I have any coupons. It might not seem like .50 off granola bars is a huge savings, but several coupons can. Don’t forget bottle returns slips either, as they can help trim the cost .5-.10 at a time.

Because I’m a Meijer shopper, I use Mperks and absolutely love it. If you’re not familiar, it’s an app that allows you to “cut” digital coupons to use when you checkout, and the amount you spend goes to a reward that will give you $5 (for example) off your next trip. It’s totally worth it.

If you aren’t in the vicinity of a Meijer or you prefer shopping elsewhere, look into what coupon offers they have. Do they also have an app? Every little bit off helps in the long run!

 

Double Duty Products

Is there anything that can preform double duty in your home? I’ve stopped buying shaving cream because I’ve found that regular soap will do. All-purpose cleaners might be a solution for you, or a two-in-one shampoo/conditioner. I like to use the plastic grocery bags that I get from the store and reuse them as small trashcan liners instead of purchasing specific small trashcan bags. Take a good look around your home and see if you can duplicate something’s purpose.

 

If you’re looking to get the most from your money and use it towards what matters to you, then I hope these suggestions help you cut your monthly expenses.

What ways do you like to save money? Let me know in the comments!

 

Cheers!