Save Money Every Month With These 15 Simple But Profitable Money Hacks

Let me get straight to the point.

No boring introduction here, as we know that saving money is undeniably important to each one of us.

1. Clear your browser’s cookies.

One of the easiest but often overlooked ways to spend less by seeing less tempting ads online, is to delete those cookies from your browsing history. Have you ever noticed how when you look at something online — say, Nike sneakers or an expensive perfume you’ve always wanted to buy — you start seeing ads for that exact product on literally every damn website you visit for the next fortnight or so?

Those shoes were only mildly tempting before, but the more you see them, the more likely you are to give in and end up buying them. It’s happened to me a lot of times. I decided to learn more about ways to save money after spending $300 last week on two pairs of Nike sneakers. It happened because I was tempted by those ads. Though I feel bad about overstepping my monthly budget plan, I love Nike shoes and I will relish them for a long time. Then, I deleted cookies every day for a week. Ads have since not popped up like before. Here’s how you can delete cookies from your browsers:

In Chrome

On your computer, open Chrome.

At the top right, click More.

Click More tools. Clear browsing data.

At the top, choose a time range. To delete everything, select All time.

Next to “Cookies and other site data” and “Cached images and files,” check the boxes.

Click Clear data.

Clear the history and cookies from Safari on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch

To clear your history and cookies, go to Settings > Safari, and tap Clear History and Website Data. …

To clear your cookies and keep your history, go to Settings > Safari > Advanced > Website Data, then tap Remove All Website Data.

2. Try to live off your previous paycheck.

Now this one is a lifesaver. Got a new job with a better income? Fantastic. You’ve celebrated the occasion with friends and family. You are extremely proud of yourself. You get pats on your back. Sure. I’ve been there.

Now here’s the task: try living on your old paycheck for as long as you can. Well if you absolutely don’t have any obligatory expenses, of course. Put the rest of the money in a savings account that you won’t be able to touch for a set period of time. See the money baby grow nice and fat.

There will come a time when you will really feel like upgrading your lifestyle. When that time comes, use the saved up money wisely. It takes a bit of planning and a bit of self-control to plan and work out this method. It has done wonders for me and a few of my friends. It really works.

3. Have a look at your subscription services.

Who’s not addicted to Netflix? Let’s have it. We all enjoy it. But if you carefully observe the current trend, people have gradually shifted to watching anything and everything online. So, is it time to think if we really need cable TV or satellite TV service? It costs money.

I don’t watch TV at all. I have a huge monitor in which I stream what I want online. For instance, you could stop paying for your cable TV service and instead go for YouTube premium. It’s way cheaper and you can watch all your favorite videos without ads. Taking a look at all the subscription services you have and cutting out the ones you barely use can save you a chunk of money in the long run.

4. Check your unwanted recurring monthly subscriptions.

This one can get really nasty if your family has more members, especially adolescents. With phones and ipads, the in-game and in-app purchases are just one or two clicks away, if kids have their ATM cards connected to their phones. I am not saying kids are irresponsible. It’s their age that’s to be blamed.

Teenagers these days are addicted to instant gratification, aren’t they? They may subscribe to play a game or use an app where an automatic recurring monthly transaction happens. There’s a big chance that they forget to undo the whole thing. This goes to us, adults as well. Most such services usually send emails either before or after a transaction happens, which makes it easy to track and nib it in the bud. But some services do not send any information and keep withdrawing money. It’s better to have an eye on these and also educate kids at home.

5. Make coffee at home and save $150 a month.

Coffee is my first love. My day doesn’t get over without having relished 4–5 cups of the black magic. I live in Europe. People here try not to spend money on takeaway coffee from Starbucks. It’s expensive and only for special times when there’s no other way out. Moreover, Americano tastes the same everywhere. I’ve tried it at a handful of places, including Starbucks, and Americano made at home. They all taste the same and feel the same.

$5 a cup a day, sometimes two or more cups a day, per family member, equals at least $150 a month, and more than $1500 a year. 75% of that could be easily saved by making coffee at home. Trust me, next time, go have an Americano from your favorite coffee place, then when you get back home, try the homemade one. I bet you will hesitate to buy a takeaway next time. Get yourself a nice lightweight Thermos to take.

6. Meal prep dinner or lunch for a week.

This one takes a bit of time, motivation, and patience. But the rewards you will reap, both in terms of saving money and living a healthy life, are phenomenal. It’s been trending on YT for quite some time, in case you haven’t noticed. If you set your mind to spending a couple of hours with your spouse and kids (if they are willing), this can become a nice family time. Careful division of labor and effective work will do all the magic. As a starter, try it out on a Friday evening and meal prep lunch for the whole weekend.

You can find meal prep videos for all types of diets-keto, paleo, veg, meat-only-on YT. Have a look at the video below to know what I am talking about and work out a plan for your family. It saves time and money, doubles as great family time, and keeps everyone in good shape and health.

7. Cancel your gym membership.

Let me tell you why. 70% of gym-goers don’t reap many benefits from working out at the gym. They go to the gym out of sheer guilt or to meet their friends. If you belong to the rest of the 30%, I am happy for you, and you may skip this part. If you’re not, then perhaps it’s time you said goodbye to going to the gym. You’re wasting your precious hard-earned money.

Instead, you can do most of your workouts at home, if you are only looking to keep fit. A pair of adjustable-weight dumbells, or a set of resistance bands, and a yoga mat are all you need. There are infinite workout programs to suit your needs and age on YouTube.

I quit going to the gym when COVID happened. I’ve saved a good amount of money since then. I took up running in the park, doing simple weighted workouts at home. And then there’s yoga or pilates that one could try. I am a big fan of this YT channel. Check out their videos

8. Invest in a good overhead projector.

Now, this may seem like you’re spending money, but it’s actually an excellent investment. It also helps to have a good sound system to go with it. With NetFlix and YT, and these gadgets, you’ll have a complete cinema hall experience at home. Invite friends and have parties at home instead of spending lavishly someplace outside. Kids would love it too. I have it and I love it. Oh, and you can save money on drinks. Make cocktails at home when you sit down to watch a movie. You’ve hit two birds with a stone here.

9. Make cash payments.

Instead of charging things to your debit or credit card, you could pay with cash wherever you could — restaurants, grocery stores, gas stations. This way, spending becomes more real, and you have control over how much goes out of your pocket. I avoid taking my credit and debit cards to such places and instead have only cash on me.

10. Avoid receiving product catalogs.

Yes, you read that right. Product catalogs and newsletters are sent by email by companies to sell their stuff. Try to unsubscribe from all such email services. Resist the temptation to pick up catalogs when you go to an electronic product showroom or even the supermarket. The cover page is usually designed to attract clients with discounts and other promotional sales. But the company’s primary goal is to make you pick it up and take it home. You have no choice but to browse through the entire colorful booklet. There you go. You are now mesmerized by corporate business magnets. You may then indulge in an unwanted temptation to buy unwanted products, resulting in unwanted guilt and frustration. So, no catalogs hereafter.

11. $25/$25/$10/$10 a week go to the piggy bank.

It’s a classic saving method but with a new twist to it. Buy a piggy bank for each member of your family. You and your spouse could chip in $25 a week each, and your kids could chip in $10 a week each from their own pocket money. Also, kids would get excellent life lessons on the importance of money and savings. You may scale the numbers up or down depending on your family’s size. Generally speaking, this makes a total of $70 a week, $280 a month, or even better, $3600 a year. This is just pure savings, isn’t it? Now the sky is the limit to finding a nice use for it. Go for a holiday or buy something nice for the house or kids. Do something, I don’t care:)

12. Online savings accounts in online-only banks.

Having a savings account in such banks means you get paid higher interest rates than traditional brick-and-mortar banks. Here you can find A-Z information about an online savings account, how to open an account, and its pros and cons.

13. Apps for budget tracking.

Apps are being used for anything and everything these days. So, why not exploit it for such an important aspect of our lives-savings. Here you can find a list of budget apps for tracking your monthly budget, planning your budget, and much more. I haven’t used these yet, but maybe you will want to use them.

14. Don’t save your credit card or debit card details on any website.

This may save you a couple of unwanted expenses a month. Actually having to pull out your card from your wallet to shop online helps to act as a strong defense against impulse buying.

15. Indulge a little bit.

This article’s aim is not to make you a monk or something. I don’t have the slightest intention to see you become a monk ;) Indulging in the stuff you like is totally okay and totally needed. The trick here is moderation. That’s the mantra: moderation. It’s good to avoid our indulgences becoming an addiction or a routine to the point where we can only make our ends meet month after month. Knowing our earning potential’s realistic expenditure potential makes our life much more satisfying and stress-free.

• Thanks for reading.
• Love, Peace, and Bliss.
• If you liked what you read, please consider subscribing, liking, or sending me a small tip.

...................................