Terri Ramsey Beavers 
Are you planning on setting a goal to save more money this year? There are many great ways to cut out extra expenses daily and around the house.
Keep reading for some great home hacks that can help save you money and get started today!
1. Make Your Own Coffee
You may have finally gotten your morning routine down to an efficient science including factoring in enough time to zip into your local coffee shop on the way to work. Depending on what you order this could cost you at least $2 to $5 every day, or more if you can’t resist the hot out of the oven pastries.
One of the easiest ways to save money is by cutting out your trips to the coffee store. You should start brewing your own coffee at home and bring it in a to-go cup with you. If you want to make it coffee shop fancy you can invest in your own frother or buy your own syrups and flavors to keep things interesting. This small change can help you save yourself money and also time.
2. Update Your Lighting
Incandescent light bulbs have been phased out which might be a bummer for those who miss the cost, but the good news is the CFL and LED lightbulbs have become much more affordable. It may seem like you aren’t saving money here, but the CFL and LED lightbulbs have a much longer life span.
While it may seem like more of an investment initially, these lightbulbs will save you money by not having to replace them as frequently and in overall energy costs.
3. Make Your Own Home Decor
When you are decorating your home it may be difficult to do so without spending a ton of money. But who says you have to buy everything brand new? Wall decor can be affordable if you make it yourself. You can buy inexpensive frames at the dollar or discount store and fill them with your favorite photos (make them black and white for extra drama), kid’s artwork, fabrics, or even paint your own.
If you need drapes for your windows you can save by making them yourself. This is also a great way to express your own personal style by selecting your own fabric and customizing the design of the curtain. There are many great tutorials on the internet and you don’t even need to have sewing skills with no-sew drapes.
4. Meal Plan
One of the best ways to cut your grocery bill down is to meal plan each week. This will keep you prepared for dinners and avoid making stops at the store on your way home from work to grab ingredients or buying fast food. Quick trips to the store are almost impossible to avoid adding additional items to your cart which will hurt the budget you set for that week.
Another way to save money on groceries is to use what you already have on hand. Organize your pantry so you are able to keep an eye on what you already have and avoid buying duplicate items. This is also a great way to avoid wasting food by having it go past its expiration date.
5. Make Your Own Soap
Bath and bathing products can be very expensive and it never seems to fail that you will run out of soap and shampoo at the same time. A great way to save yourself some money is by making your own soap at home.
The ingredients cost is low and the amount of soap it makes is great. You can also customize the type of soap you make with different fragrances, colors, and textures. Check out these great melt and pour soap recipes to get started.
You can also make your own household cleaners to use around the house by using common household items such as baking soda, white distilled vinegar, or lemon juice. Making your own cleaners are cheaper than purchasing store brands and might be better for your health too.
6. Cut the Cord
These days there are many great streaming services available at a low price and make it easy to watch a variety of different shows and movies. If you are still paying for cable then it is time to consider cutting the cord.
Take some time to evaluate how much you watch your cable channels and determine if you can watch these shows or movies on streaming service. If you find you don’t use your cable that often then it is time to either cut back on premium channels or cancel it altogether.
7. Use Coupons
When shopping online or going to the grocery store there are many great opportunities to use coupons towards your purchases. Subscribe to the Sunday paper and get the weekly coupon circular for discounts on your next weekly shopping trip. You can even use the coupons to help determine what your meal plan will consist of. You can also join your favorite stores’ loyalty program to collect points and discounts to use for future purchases.
If you are doing some online shopping there are opportunities to receive cashback on your purchases simply by initiating your shopping trip through their website first. The savings will depend on the retailer and time of year, but this is a great way to earn some cashback towards your purchase.
8. Bulk Shop
There will always be certain items that are staples in your household, such as toilet paper or garbage bags. When possible you should purchase your frequently used items in bulk, this way you will avoid buying smaller quantities more frequently and save money long term.
Before buying an item, check the “per unit” price of the item to make sure you are getting the best deal.
Learn More Today About Money-Saving Home Hacks!
There are many great home hacks for helping you stick to your goal of saving money this year. With a few small changes, you will begin to notice your life becoming easier and save some money along the way.
For more lifestyle tips and information, visit our website daily!