I am all about saving money. But when you’re busy, sometimes you have to draw the line at what you are willing to do to save a buck. So here’s a list of seven things you can do in 15 minutes (or less) that will save you $15 bucks (or more).
1. Get a reusable water bottle. And carry it with you.
When you are out and the thirst hits, most people will hit the nearest gas station for a fill-up. At the bargain price of $0.73 per fountain drink. And if you want to be healthy and get a bottled water or tea, the cost goes up. However, you can pick up a relatively inexpensive water bottle (or a plastic cup) and bring your own beverage wherever you go and save yourself the stop and the cash. Convenient and cheap.
2. Shop at Aldi.
With over 1,000 stores in 31 states, buying groceries at Aldi can really save you some bucks. Just on milk, cheese, and chips alone I save almost $5 every trip. Add in the juice, nuts, and crackers that sneak into the cart and I’m into double digits. Plus, shopping at Aldi is SO MUCH FASTER because the stores are smaller and the brand choices are limited. Save $15 and 15 minutes? Yes, please!
3. Make your own laundry soap.
How many times do I have to tell you to do this?! 15 minutes of my time to save myself running to the store, lugging jugs of detergent, and money? Sold. A typical batch lasts me nearly 3 months and costs me $0.01 per load. And it cleans just as well as the name brand.
4. Bring your own lunch/snacks.
Yes, I understand this tip is about as overdone as skipping the Starbucks drive-thru, but in about 3 minutes before walking out the door, you can make a sandwich or grab some packaged leftovers from the fridge and a piece of fruit and save yourself easily $5 at the lunch line. Multiply that by 5 days… And it bears repeating.
5. Use a slowcooker instead of the oven.
Using your range will cost you an average of $1 per hour, whereas the slowcooker only costs about $0.03. Obviously the slowcooker needs to run longer, but cooking your meal for 8 hours will still end up being significantly cheaper, especially through the Winter months when roasting is abundant. And in the Summer it will save you on cooling costs since you’re not heating up the house with a hot oven.
6. Ditch the commercial cleaning products.
I have to yet to find anything that can’t be cleaned with simple vinegar and/or baking soda. And for a fraction of the cost. I use diluted vinegar to clean my counters, bathrooms, and just add a little squirt of dish soap for mopping the floors. Baking soda is a gentle abrasive, a natural deodorizer, and combined with vinegar, a fizzy toilet and drain cleaner. Plus it’s really fun to watch…
7. Check your tires.
If you haven’t checked your tire pressure lately, you might be throwing money away at the pump. Tires can lose 1-2 pounds of pressure (psi) per month thereby reducing your gas mileage. Properly inflated tires will save you up to $0.10 per gallon and if you drive as much as the average American, that can be a savings of $60 a year.
What are your favorite ways to save money?
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I love Aldi! The veggie and fruit prices are so much lower than the other grocery stores.
JDaniel4′s Mom recently posted..Getting Back to Our Pre-Holiday Schedule
I know! I always buy my carrots, grapes, onions, bananas, and potatoes there. And the last few times I have found pomegranates for $0.79! That’s practically $2 less than the regular grocery.
The no frills aspect alone makes shopping at Aldi worthwhile! Of course, it doesn’t hurt that I can get cheese, butter and veggies much cheaper there.
I’m also a big fan of the slow cooker. Saves time AND energy!
Elise recently posted..Gluten-Free Cranberry Kuchen
I know! Butter is SO much cheaper there! I do find shredded cheese is kinda high, but I usually buy blocks anyway.
Really? Where do you get cheese?
Elise recently posted..Baby Milestones
I try to find shredded cheese for less than $2.50/bag. My Aldi has it for $3. If I can’t get that price, I just shred my own. Or I make my husband shred it, I should say…
My frugal tip – hang laundry. I do it year-round with a great clothesline that my dh built outside, and drying racks, shower bars, and a clothesline inside.
Barb @ A Life in Balance recently posted..weekend reading
I wanted to add that on the list, but I haven’t really done it consistently myself. I want an outdoor line this Spring, though! Sadly, I just get frustrated when hanging clothes inside because it takes up so much space in the house and sometimes you have to spend a little money to save your sanity.
These are some great ideas for saving money. I have yet to do the homemade laundry soap but what a great idea. I love using vinegar in my cleaning and it’s so nice to not have to worry about the chemicals around the kids!
My husband just told me yesterday that he and his brother used to concoct “stew” with all the different cleaning chemicals they could mix together… So glad I don’t have to worry about that!!
Wow! Me too! I’m curious, have you tried making your own dish soap? I just found one that I pinned on pinterest (http://pinterest.com/pin/194006696417518723/) the other day that I want to try. Curious if you have any that you like?
Heather recently posted..Monday: Meet New Foods: Pummelo!
I did try homemade dishwasher detergent once and it was a HUGE fail. All the dishes had this white film and I had to hand wash them 4 times to get it off. But the recipe I tried didn’t have citric acid or salt in it, I don’t think. If you give it a try, let me know!
Reuseable water bottles have been a staple in our house for years! My favorite frugal idea is to now buy paper towels. I only use cloth kitchen towels and dish cloths. I have collected quite a few for just a few dollars and use them all the time. Once a week I throw them in with a load of towels. Saved so much money, and they work a lot better!
Dee Wolters recently posted..New Puppy arrives
What kind of kitchen towels do you use? I’ve tried several different types but none of them actually absorb anything!
Generally, I purchase 5-6 packs of dish towels at Wal-Mart or Big Lots.No particular brand, just cheapest. I have found that the darker colors look better longer, as the lighter colors quickly become dingy. I do not spend a lot on dish towels! Have bought some on clearance at Ross. I think that fabric softener has a negative effect on towel absorbtion. I do not use fabric softener due to skin allergies. Hope this helps.
Dee Wolters recently posted..Frugal tips to begin the new year
Like the small washcloth size? I typically use the larger hand towel size and they don’t absorb spills at all. Even without using fabric softener.
Sorry you have problems. I just use a hand towel size kitchen towel. I have not had absorption problems. We use them for general hand drying in the kitchen, drying dishes and wiping spills.
Dee Wolters recently posted..Frugal tips to begin the new year
THanks for the tire inflation tip! I think I need to check our van’s tires.
great post!! oh how I love my Aldi !
Stopping by from Frugal Fridays over at Life As Mom.
These are some great tips! We do several of these on a regular basis. I’ve always wanted to try making our own laundry soap, but haven’t had the courage yet. Maybe I will look into that again!
Mary recently posted..What to do with saved cash when you cut expenses?
Thanks for stopping by! And the laundry soap is so easy.