We all want to save money, but who has time to nitpick every expense every month. Everything seems necessary, that’s why you’re spending money on it! Instead, to make the biggest difference in your budget, find ways to reduce recurring expenses. Make one-time changes that will save you money forever!
Subscriptions
One of the biggest things we waste money on is subscriptions. Can you list all the random $5 things you subscribe to? I was amazed at how many I’d accumulated over time. I couldn’t even remember all of them until I sat down and look at my past month’s expenses. $30/month was wasted on subscriptions I couldn’t even name. $30 might not sound like a lot, but that’s enough for a dinner out, or a night at the movies.
$30 a month is $360 a year! I think I can find a much better use for $360 than throwing it away on forgettable subscriptions.
Look at your past month’s expenses and circle all your subscriptions. How many of those do you really use? Could that money be better spent somewhere else? I want you to cancel all your subscriptions for a month. Not permanently, just a month. A lot of subscription services, like Hulu, will now let you put your account on hold for a period of time, instead of canceling.
For one month, get rid of all subscriptions. After a month see which ones you actually miss. You can always add them back in, but see if distance makes the heart grow fonder or grow forgetful. Permanently ditch the ones you forgot about.
Reusable Household Items
Another big way you can save money is to switch from a disposable item to a reusable item. Household items are a great place to look for things to swap out.
Dryer Sheets
Did you know there’s a reusable alternative to dryer sheets? I didn’t know about it until a few years ago. Behold wool dryer balls! Let them live in your dryer for years and you never need to buy dryer sheets again!
If you miss the fresh scent from dryer sheets, you can add a couple drops of essential oils to each wool ball.
One $10.99 purchase of wool dryer balls every few years vs. $10-$15 purchase of dryer sheets every few months. That adds up!
Homemade Cleaners
There are so many individualized cleaners these days it costs an arm and a leg to stock up on everything. Don’t even get me started on more natural cleaners, the markup is outrageous! I instead choose to use the cheapest, safest alternative I know
I make a 1:1 water vinegar mix, add it to a spray bottle and use it to clean everything in my house. You can add essential oils if you’re into that kind of thing, or just want to add a nice scent.
A gallon jug of vinegar plus 3 reusable spray bottles: $6 vs glass cleaner, toilet bowl cleaner, shower cleaner, surface cleaner: $12-$15
Kitchen Towels
My most recent household change was to move away from paper towels and use reusable towels. I bought this pack of cotton towels and keep a stack on my kitchen counter. While I do still buy paper towels for use on raw meats and to clean up pet messes, these cotton towels have significantly reduced our use of paper towels.
A pack of cotton towels: $20.99 once every couple years vs. paper towels: $20 every couple months.
Bonus!
The bonus to all these household swaps is not only are they cheaper, they’re also more natural, use less chemicals and are less wasteful. Good for you and the environment!
By cutting out recurring expenses you are automatically saving money every month without having to nitpick every purchase you make. If you’re unsure about cutting one of your subscriptions, try living without it for a month, you can always add it back in. Same with the household swaps. You don’t have to commit for a lifetime, just give it a try and see how it goes!
Let me know if you try any of these changes and any other household swaps you’ve tried!