Rhonda emailed in the following tip:
Are you looking for a few simple ways to save $5 a month (or more)? Here are 10 ideas:
- Install the Walmart Savings Catcher app on your phone. Then scan those and pocket the savings if prices on your items are lower at area stores.
- Join Inbox Dollars and earn money through taking survey and reading e-mails.
- Make online purchases through Ebates and earn a percentage of your total back.
- Sell one item you want to get rid of on Craigslist or eBay
- Take aluminum cans, obsolete electronics, batteries, cell phones, old non-working metal items and others to the scrap/salvage yard to sell them.
- Go to the thrift store to buy one item that you would normally buy new.
- Use the $5 off $25 purchase from Dollar General (good most Saturdays of each month)
- Buy greeting cards in a box, at dollar stores, or make them yourself.
- Donate items to Goodwill and receive a coupon worth 25% off your purchase of $15 or more – spend $20 and you will save $5 off the amount. Plus you get a tax deduction for your donation, which saves you money if you itemize deductions on your tax return. It’s a win-win situation!
- Cook a meal at home that you would have eaten at a restaurant.
What are your favorite ways to save at least $5 each month?
Olivia says
It’s hard to tell how much we’re saving each month as we’ve been using these methods for so long. But we are feeling the pinch less and saving much more than others with similar income.
Budget everything. Keep track of spending. Give to God first. Seek contentment. Enjoy free stuff. Make your own fun.
Our grocery shopping budget is self regulating. We use cash. This easily puts our food costs below most to begin with. When it is gone it’s gone. If I want to save for something not in the budget, I skim cash off the top over time and put it aside. There’s always a way to make meals work without dipping into it.
Most of our local stores have online sale ads. Look through those and make a list before shopping. Other ways to save, stockpile oft used items when on sale, use coupons carefully, make up dried milk, dried beans, keep a small garden and can/freeze your own foods. Also shop odder places for food, like CVS or Dollar Tree. Both take coupons. Cook “from the pantry” when money is low. Find alternative sources like farmers or outdoor markets or pick your own places or salvage grocers. Collect budget friendly meal recipes and intersperse them with your regular fare.
Put all change into a jar. This gives us over $4 a month.
Look for needed items on Freecycle or Craigslist. Hit the thrifts. Shop yard sales. Redeem aluminum. Informal barter. Curb glean.
Learn to do basic repairs. There are tons of tutorials online. Pick older folks’ brains for ideas. Use/reuse items unconventionally to serve in a pinch.
Buy Christmas, baby, wedding and birthday gifts year round and set them aside. Make gifts.
Lisa says
When we were working toward paying off our mortgage, we began looking for ways big and small to help us accomplish this. We started really paying attention to when we used electronics because of the type of electric plan we are on. On our plan, electricity is cheaper before noon, after 7 pm and on weekends. I started hanging clothes outside to dry when weather permitted. We also installed water saving devices on our shower and sink. We turned off lights when we left a room. We put on a sweater instead of turning up the heat. We ran the ceiling fan in the summer. We shaved $10 a month off of our utilities, just by being mindful.
Christy says
I use the specials at Harris Teeter and Publix where you can buy a $50 gas card for $40 if you buy $50; worth of groceries. Between the 2 stores, I usually can get one a week, saving $10 a week on something we already have to buy. And with the drop in gas prices, the one card has pretty much filled up both our cars lately!
Mel says
Just to clarify for everyone:
There is no separate app for the Walmart Savings Catcher program. You install the Walmart app, and included with that app is that Walmart Savings Catcher program.
I wasted a few minutes searching for the illusive Savings Catcher app only to realize I had it already installed on my phone via my regular Walmart app. Doh! 🙂
Mel says
I make my own detergent. There are lots of recipes on the web, but the powdered recipes are the easiest to make. I only have to use one or two tablespoons of my homemade detergent, so it lasts a long time.
I also try to use less of everything, for example: use half of a pump of hand soap instead of a full pump, 1/2 to 3/4 of the dishwasher detergent you normally use, etc.
debbie says
Definitely by earning Swagbucks! I love my $5 Amazon cards.
Melissa says
A few years ago I learned how to make dried beans in my crockpot. They taste better than canned, cost less and don’t have gobs of sodium. We eat beans a lot and I discovered our 99cents only store sells one pound bags of many types for just 99 cents. I’m sure this saves us at least $5 a month.
Amie says
I do several of the things mentioned. My big way to get extra “money” is through swagbucks. I earn most points through their apps. I average 700-1000 points per week, which is about $7-10. My husband also has an account and does the same. I combine sales, coupons, and swagbucks-earned gift cards to pay for diapers, wipes, and groceries. I know a lot of people don’t use credit cards, but I use an amazon.com rewards card for all my shopping. I even pay some bills online with it and get $6-12 back per month in amazon points.
Anna @ Feminine Adventures says
Last month I started freezing breakfast burritos and sandwiches. Much to my surprise, sandwiches freeze amazingly well.
At night I can just pop a burrito and sandwich out of the freezer and put them in the fridge for very economical meals the next day.
Chris says
Maybe not $5 a month, depending on how much you spend – I use cardcash.com to buy Wal-Mart and Kroger gift cards at a discount.
tina says
I have been using snap by groupon and checkout 51 as well as savings star. It adds up slow but every bit helps 🙂
Jessica says
My husband is a hairy man. I give him haircuts at home once a month.
Jen says
I also give my hairy husband home haircuts.
Amanda says
I like to save extra money by using swagbucks. I only use it for a few minutes a day, but it helps! Right now I am saving up for paint with my swagbucks so I can paint my living room! 🙂
Jennifer says
I save a lot more than $5 by not shopping in Walmart at All.
ebates only pays out every 3 months.
I am shopping less.
Taking meals to work, rather than eating in cafeteria at the hospital.
Utilizing coupons with target cartwheel and my red debit card.
Christy says
I agree. I hate Walmart. I can save way more by shopping sales and coupons at Publix and Harris Teeter and have a better shopping experience.
Victoria says
I used foaming soap dispensers for hand soap, dish soap and for body wash. With three teenagers in the house the foaming shower gel container saves me at least $5 a month. I fill it about 1/3 of the way full with body wash and 2/3 the way with water and it still is very creamy. The dish soap one saves me a tonne on dish soap as my son was squirting way too much in he was going through a small container a week. Now that same size bottle lasts us at least 2 months. Again I fill 1/3 soap 2/3 water to line on pump dispenser.
Malinda says
I was just thinking of a way to reuse our foam pumps. I got them on sale and my son seems to wash his hands way more often without being told now with the foam pump but I wasn’t for sure how to do myself. Thanks!
Heather says
Every month is seems we have a kiddo birthday invite… I bake cupcakes for my friend’s kids birthday parties vs. giving them an expensive gift. My daughter usually brings a gift that is a book or a puzzle, so she has something to give from her. The Mom is thrilled to not have to worry, or order. I have the time to bake, the ingredients on hand and it which results in extras for a nice treat for my home too so that we don’t feel like we are on a tight budget.
Crystal Paine says
That’s such a great idea!
Julie says
Wow, I bet the moms so appreciate the cupcakes! I know my friends love my homemade baked gifts.
Sabrina | Frugal Italian Family says
I suppose: cook from scratch, buy used, buy what’s on sale, eat leftovers, ask for books at the library instead of buying them and sell unused things.
Nicole says
Be aware that not all Goodwills offer discounts for donations; that’s a very region specific offer.
And if a smart phone is nowhere in the budget, you can save gas by using the price matching guarantee at Wal-mart by bringing in ads from the competition.
Amy says
I’ve recently discovered you don’t have to download the Savings Catcher app to use it. You can go directly to Walmart’s site and key in the TC# on your receipt to take advantage of any savings. So even without a smartphone you are still able to use Walmart’s Savings Catcher feature.
Crystal Paine says
Such a great tip! Thanks for sharing!
Melissa says
Great info! I did not realize that. I don’t have a smartphone and thought this savings opportunity didn’t apply to me. Good to know there’s another way to do it.
Jenn in Indiana says
I don’ have smartphone either. I just signed up and enter my receipt on their website. I ad match there but I still just cashed in $16.20. It is well worth your time.
Lynn L says
I agree that coupon offers at thrift stores are hit and miss. I live in South Florida and there are no coupons ever offered even after major donations are made.
Lana says
Before heading out to the grocery store take a look at what you have and decide of you really need to go. Most of the time it is a need for produce that makes me go but if I look at what we have and think about our meals I can often wait another 2-3 days. This saves me way more than $5.
We are doing a big clean out declutter of out attic and garage and I am finding way too many items to donate that I bought at thrift stores to begin with and I never really used. Now I keep a list of things I actually need and only purchase what is on that list when I find it. I remind myself of this before going into a thrift store.