Ways to save money as part of your daily routine

Article by Leesha Chamberlain — owner of Living Contently, a lifestyle blog offering everyday tips for living healthy, being frugal, and finding contentment

Saving money is probably one of the goals people set most often. So, what’s the problem? It’s probably also the most often abandoned goal because people just don’t know how to save. If you want to save money, but just don’t know exactly where to start, take heart. Today I’m sharing 5 tips you can use to save money every single day! It’s easy really, and once you learn to save money with these simple practices, you’ll be able to apply savings practices in other areas of your spending as well.

1. Pack Lunch

Whether you are headed to work, sending your kids to school, or headed out for a day of shopping, one of the easiest ways you can save money everyday is packing your lunch. Let’s just say a typical packed lunch costs anywhere between $1 and $2. You can’t buy a lunch anywhere for less than $6, so that is a daily savings of $5, which adds up to $25 in a work week. Think about how much you can save by packing your lunch everyday and encouraging every else in your household to do the same.

2. Drink Water

Want to add up additional savings everyday? Drink water instead of purchasing soft drinks or sports drinks. Sure, it takes some getting used to, but once you make drinking water a habit, you’ll likely come to enjoy and even crave more water. This tip does double duty because it helps you save money and improve your health!

3. Skip the Coffee Shop

I’m a caffeine addict as much as the next person, but one way I add an extra $5 to my pocket everyday is avoiding the coffee shop and making my coffee at home. By preparing your own coffee or latte, you’ll save money everyday and get a more personalized drink. You can even spice up your homemade coffee with a flavored syrup or spice. I love adding a little cinnamon to my coffee in the morning, and don’t miss getting a retail cup at all.

4. Use Cash

Another way you can easily save money on a daily basis is using cash instead of plastic. To put this strategy into play, set a spending budget at the beginning of the week, and only take out as much cash as is in your budget. Ration your cash throughout the week so you have enough for the purchases you have to make, and see your savings add up. Using cash helps you reduce impulse purchases and keep better record of your spending.

5. Carpool, Bike, or Walk

Another great way you can save money is reducing your gasoline usage. Again, this one takes some planning but is pretty easy once you get the hang of it. If you’re headed to work, try to carpool with a neighbor. Need to make a run to the store? Head out on your bike, or make do until you can combine trips with another outing. Whatever you are doing, if it requires driving, look for a way to conserve gasoline, and you’ll save money!

So many of us use the excuse, “I just don’t know how to save money.” Take that excuse out of your vocabulary because now you have 5 easy ways to save money everyday. Use these ways to save on a regular basis, and you’ll see the savings really start to add up. I use these strategies every single day to save, and I know you can too. Happy saving!