101 Super Creative Ways to Save Money

Do you want to save more money? Who doesn’t?! Doing so can be fun, creative and inspiring. Don’t believe us? Here are 101 super creative ways to save money:

1. Create upcycled fashions. Take your old clothing and repurpose it into creative new designs instead of spending money on new clothes!
2. Update your furniture by hand. Paint repair markers, new upholstery and handmade pillows can make an old item new again at a low cost.
3. Use your library. It’s a free resource for books, DVDs, CDs and even classes and other useful information.
4. Buy only what you need for projects. Doing a DIY project? Measure it out to get exactly what supplies you need and nothing extra.
5. Rent or even swap tools. If you need an item for only a short period of time, such as a tool for a specific household chore, don’t buy it. Look for a place to rent it or even see if there’s a tool swap in your area.
6. Engage in other swaps. There are clothing swaps, toy swaps and book swaps available locally and online and they all save you money.
7. Never throw away used pantyhose. Check out Planet Green for 25 ways it can be re-used.
8. Make your own herb garden. It’s cheap to start and maintain and saves you a lot of money on fresh herbs.
9. Make your own baby food. It is healthier and far more frugal than buying the ready made kind at the store.
10. Make your own pet food. And here are 50 other ways to save money as a pet owner.
11. Learn to cut hair. It isn’t very hard to learn. After the initial investment in a good set of haircutting supplies you will be able to provide yourself and the rest of your family with free haircuts. You can even make some money helping out your friends with inexpensive haircuts!
12. Remodel your bathroom to make it a mini-spa. You will save money on facials, mani/pedis, saunas and other relaxing beauty treats because you’ll be able to do it all at home.
13. Host group birthday parties. Put together a calendar of birthdays that are near the birthdays of each member of your family. Hosting group parties allows everyone to pitch in on the cost.
14. Save money with QR codes. We can tell you how.
15. Start using frugal affirmations. For example, at the start of each day say the following five times: “saving money makes my life simpler and happier.”
16. Watch movies and TV online. If you are paying for an Internet connection then there is no need to pay for television, too. Watch what is available online for free.
17. Replace vacations with staycations. Take time together with your family to explore your own town at a bargain instead of shelling out a fortune for holidays away from home.
18. Avoid sending post. It’s so twentieth century! Stop paying to put things in the mail when you can use electronic communication instead.
19. Have one no-spend day per week, one no-spend month per year. This is a day (and then a month) where you don’t spend any money at all, not even a coffee on your lunch break. For the month you will probably have to make an exception for rent and other ongoing expenses but don’t buy anything extra.
20. Commit to The Compact. Avoid buying anything new for an entire year except perhaps for the consumables that you require (like food).
21. Try the Uniform Project. Wear the same thing every day for a year. Get creative in making it different with the right cheap accessories!
22. Sell all but one of your scarves. Did you know that you can wear the same scarf in at least twenty five different ways. This video shows you how.
23. Develop a fashion style of your own. This will help you avoid buying trendy items.
24. Give up your clothes dryer. Dry on the line instead.
25. Become a coupon broker. Earn an income while finding your own money-saving deals!
26. Switch to re-usable nappies. Money Saving Expert shows that you can save £500 on your child’s total nappies cost if you make the switch.
27. Switch to re-usable feminine hygiene products. You can even make them yourself out of leftover fabric remnants.
28. Re-use coffee filters. They can be rinsed and re-used four or five times before they need to be thrown out, saving you a lot of money over the year.
29. Re-use dryer sheets. Or find alternative uses for them.
30. Invest in a slow cooker. Countless cheap recipes can be made using this single kitchen appliance.
31. Use beans in recipes that call for meat. It provides the texture you want at a much lower cost.
32. Buy foods that are in season. They are cheaper especially if they are local.
33. Get a makeover at the beauty counter of a big store. It doesn’t cost anything as long as you don’t get lured into buying the products they are trying to sell you!
34. Make your own sunscreen.
35. Use tea bags to treat sunburns. Just in case your sunscreen didn’t work!
36. Use nice smelling foods to make your house smell nice. Vanilla on a cotton ball, cinnamon sprinkled on a candle and fresh herbs growing in the kitchen are some of the ways that you can do this.
37. Use your own urine as a skin care product. It’s a lot cheaper than what you can buy in the store to get clear skin!
38. Never pay for apps. If you use an iPod or smartphone then commit to only getting apps that are available for free.
39. Use our 101 free alternatives to paid software.
40. Visit openings at art galleries. This is a great free date where you can enjoy wine and snacks at no charge while spending time around creative people.
41. Check out free local museums. This is another creative experience that educates you without costing anything.
42. Plant vegetables in your home instead of buying fresh flowers. They are just as pretty, much cheaper and can be turned into meals.
43. Only shop on money-off weekends at big stores. The Irish Daily Mirror reminds us that big chains like B&Q often host these huge money-saving days.
44. Give up your phone. Yes, your mobile as well as your landline. You can make all of your calls through Skype and other free/cheap online chat services.
45. Move into a tiny home. People are living in homes that are 30 square metres or smaller. Your energy and water costs would be a lot lower if you did this. Are you creative enough to make it work?
46. Invest in white roofing. It saves on energy costs.
47. Switch to LED lights in your home. They cost a little bit more at first but save a lot of money over time.
48. Use your home’s greywater.
49. Update the insulation in your home. You’ll spend a lot less on heating and cooling the home. DIY to save money.
50. Fix all leaks in the house. The wasted water is wasting your money.
51. Use natural sunlight in the home. Then you don’t have to pay for lighting.
52. Only use free items for craft projects. It will challenge you to be even more creative with your artistic endeavors!
53. Read blogs instead of magazines. Magazine subscriptions are too expensive and blogs are free.
54. Give up the newspaper. Get your news online. Got old newspapers around the house? Here are some ways to use them.
55. Embrace re-gifting. Who ever said it was a tacky practice? It’s actually a great money-saving idea!
56. Bake cookies. Wrap them up in tissue paper and give them as inexpensive gifts.
57. Bring back board games. What a fun cheap way to entertain people of any age.
58. Go on free walking tours. Another great cheap activity for all ages.
59. Host potluck parties. Challenge everyone to bring the least expensive dish they can make.
60. Build your own casket. It is a little bit morbid but they cost a lot of money and it’s not a cost many people can think through clearly when they are dealing with a death in the family.
61. Repurpose your pet’s fur. You can save it up and turn it into fiber to use for yarn-based crafts.
62. Use olive oil around the house. It is a moisturizer, a furniture polisher and more.
63. Buy paper doilies. They are cheap and can be used to decorate everything from dinner to weddings.
64. Become an IKEA hacker.
65. Make your own household cleaners. Baking soda, lemon juice and vinegar can replace most commercial cleaners.
66. Research new money-saving theories. For example, learn about The Shopper Continuum.
67. Get free samples of shampoo and conditioner. Use them as cleaners all around the house.
68. Give up your car. Be a cyclist or pedestrian instead. Use car share as needed. Rent out your parking space for more money.
69. Become a hiker. It’s a cheap activity that gets you fit and keeps you busy at the same time.
70. Take a nap. Getting enough sleep keeps you healthy so you don’t incur health care and medication costs.
71. Decorate your home with burlap. These cheap fabric is great for window treatments, tablecloths and more.
72. Make plarn. Turn plastic bags into yarn and use it to crochet household items.
73. Make tarn. The same thing can be done with old T-shirts.
74. Buy a hula hoop and a jump rope. You can use these fun items to get exercise so you don’t have to pay for a gym membership anymore.
75. Shop in your own house. For example, when it’s time to get school supplies, look through the house to see if you have notepads and writing utensils that can be used.
76. Make your own reusable Swiffer sheets. Old socks or reclaimed yarn can be used for this task.
77. Explore open houses. Need some free entertainment? Visit local open houses to get inspired by the architecture.
78. Work from home. You will avoid commuting costs.
79. Use social lending. Avoid high interest loans. If you need a loan look into the option of peer to peer lending.
80. Hang out on campus. Your local college probably has free performances and lectures for the public to enjoy. Your local high school probably has free sports events.
81. Go to poetry readings. They are free, creative and fun.
82. Make your own beer. Learn more from Wise Bread.
83. Or drink only water. Especially at restaurants, but also at home.
84. Learn to love local bands. Their shows are a lot cheaper than traditional summer concerts.
85. Learn how to stretch your own canvas. This saves you money if you’re an artist.
86. Use free address labels. They come in the mail and you probably don’t use them up. Here are some other uses for them.
87. Turn old crayon bits into candles. Here’s how.
88. Take free classes. They’re available from various sources both online and offline and are a great way to learn something new.
89. Get free advice. Local organizations offer professional advice at no charge for many of the questions you may have in life.
90. Repurpose old calendars and cards into artwork. Don’t pay more for art!
91. Use social media to market yourself. It’s the cheapest option for anything you want to spread the word about.
92. Shop online. You can save a lot of money by shopping online instead of at stores. Set budgets and use discount codes to lower costs further.
93. Use Cheapism. This site helps you figure out which budget items are worth buying.
94. Shop used. If you need an item you should always see if you can get it used.
95. Send the kids to the babysitter’s house. Stay home together alone instead of going out on a pricey date.
96. Start a business. Bringing in new income is a great way to offset your other costs. Plus starting a business looks good on a resume and makes you more employable in traditional jobs, too!
97. Use crowdfunding to get money for creative projects.
98. Collect coins. CNN explains that they can be worth a lot of money so you should always look at the ones that you come across.
99. Spend time instead of money. Spend time doing free things with family. Volunteer time instead of doing an activity that costs money. Barter your time to get the services you need.
100. Get competitive about saving money. Challenge a spouse or friend to save more than you.
101. Think positive about your finances. Positive thinking will help improve your money attitude and will assist in your enjoyment of saving more money.
102. Source http://www.promotionalcodes.org.uk/