Graceful Little Honey Bee

30 Easy Ways to Reduce Household Expenses and Save Hundreds

by 37 Comments

This post was brought to you by SearchRx. All opinions are my own.

  If you’re trying to save money and live a frugal life, then you’ve probably already realized that the little things matter and can really add up quickly. Being frugal and saving the most money is all about changing habits. Today I’ve put together a list of 30 Easy Ways to Reduce Household Expenses and Save Hundreds including things like groceries, heating/cooling costs, entertainment, health, clothing and much more. Of course there are many other ways to reduce your expenses and save money, but I wanted to keep this list small and manageable so that no one gets overwhelmed.

 

  If you’re just starting out with your frugal living journey, I’d advise you to go slow and change one or two things at a time until they are normal for you and then pick a couple of other habits to change. It won’t happen overnight, but soon you will see how these little habits can save you hundreds of dollars in the long run. So enjoy the list and be sure to add your own way to reduce household expenses in the comment section.

 

30 Easy Ways to Reduce Household Expenses and Save Hundreds

 

1. Cook From Scratch

2. Buy Secondhand

3. Make Your Own Cleaning Products

4. Cancel Subscriptions

5. Hang Clothes to Dry

6. Lower Thermostat Temp in the Winter and Raise it in the Summer

7. Unplug Appliances Not in Use

8. Grow Your Own Food

9. Make Your Own Laundry Detergent

10. Take Your Lunch to Work

11. Make Your Own Coffee at Home

12. Use SearchRx to Compare Rates and Get Big Discounts on Prescriptions

13. Turn Lights off When Not in Use

14. Meal Plan and Shop Sales

15. Stay at Home

16. Eat Simple Meals

17. Drink Water instead of Juice or Soda

18. Make Your Own Chicken Broth

19. Utilize Your Local Library

20. Go to the Park instead of the Movies

21. Stop Eating Out

22. Eat Leftovers

23. Put Green Onion Stems in Water after use to Regrow More Onions

24. Clip Coupons

25. Lower the Temp on your Hot Water Heater

26. Cut up Old T-Shirts for Rags

27. Workout at Home instead of at the Gym

28. Consider Having a No Spend Weekend

29. Buy in Bulk

30. Cook Dried Beans in Your Slow Cooker and Freeze for Later

 

  If you can get to where you’re doing most things on this list then I bet you will be surprised at how much you will be saving each month! What would you add to the list? I’d love to hear your tip!

 

  Also, in case you missed it in the list, be sure to check out SearchRx which is a website and app that allows you to search for the best prices at nearby pharmacies on almost all FDA approved medications and also use coupons to save up to 75%! Anyone can use the app whether you have insurance or not and you can sometimes get a better price than your copay. Normally, you don’t know the price of your medication until you pay for it, but with this app you could potentially save a lot of money on your prescriptions each month!

 

  You may also want to consider checking out SingleCare which also offers savings on prescriptions, but includes discounts on dental, vision and on-demand doctor visits. They are definitely worth checking out, especially if you have a lot of medical expenses each month.

 

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  1. Melody says

    One thing that really helps me is to have a running grocery list on the fridge. I add things to the list as we use them or as we open the last can/bottle/jar, etc. This way when I go to the store, I don't pick up extras of things I haven't actually run out of yet. I only shop twice a month so this helps me so much. No way am I gonna remember everything I need! Then, being the techno-geek I am, I type it into a spreadsheet that has categories in order that they appear in the store. I always walk the same route and this keeps me out of aisles where there is nothing I need, helping me not to impulse-spend. (Plus, I get in and out of the store quickly which also saves me time)
    Reply

  2. Terri says

    Thank you for the great ideas for saving money. We ran into some unexpected expenses this month and ran out of money before the next pay day. So I used what we had in our freezer, fridge, and cupboards for our meals and was able to make it to pay day without having to go to the grocery store. It helped me use items that otherwise may not have been used and I didn't have to dip into savings. That's a win win!
    Reply

    • Cyndy says

      Terry, as a mother of 8 on a single income, running out of grocery money is nothing new to me. I found that the ingredient search on allrecipes.com really came in handy. Type in what you have on hand, and allrecipes will give you a selection of recipes that include those ingredients.
      Reply

      • Vanessa says

        Wow! A concept I had thought of before, but never really searched out. I’ll have to check out Allrecipes. Thanks for the tip.
        Reply

  4. Candace says

    I used to approach the sink with something in my right hand then, because my left hand was free, I would turn on the hot water faucet just for a cup of water (or whatever). The water never got hot as it didn't run long enough. But, what did happen was that enough hot water was moved into the lines on the way tot he faucet, it triggered the hot water heater to come on. In my humble opinion, this is an unnecessary expense.
    Reply

    • Vivian says

      I don’t understand what you mean. You were drawing extra water? Or you used the hot tap when you should have used the cold tap?
      Reply

  5. Hannah says

    I love reading all the different ways to save money I'm new to all this and trying to find simple effective ways to save money. One thing I have found is that using paper towels is way too expensive I do still have them in my house but I only use them for things like draining the grease off food or nasty messes I wouldn't want to use my towels for and this in itself extends the life of the roll of paper towels from one roll every other day to 3 rolls a month which makes a big difference especially since I like the good quality paper towels. I also stock up on meats when they're on a good sale and split them up and freeze for later that's a great way to make your grocery budget stretch one month if you happen to catch lots of good meat sales use the majority of your budget for that then the next month just buy sides it works well as long as you keep it balanced. I always prepare if we have a really great month hubby works some overtime and nothing unexpected comes up then I take some of that extra and go couponing with it to add to my stockpile. We never ever ever pay full price for shampoo, laundry detergents, diapers, etc I always buy a couple when they're on a good sale and typically there's always a good deal on at least one kind. I stay stocked on condiments when they're on a good sale also because my family practically drinks them lol so to avoid paying full price for them I buy one or two when they're on sale. Another way to save money is to turn the ac/heat off during the fall and early winter, wear layers around the house if you have to but I hate having to turn my heat on if I didn't have a young child I wouldn't turn it on unless it was in the 30s or below and even then I turn it on 62.
    Reply

  6. Nonarae says

    We have gone through the efforts of reducing our waste. We arent zero waste by any means, but ive found that the more packaging an item has, the more it typically costs. If i can find a way around packaging, id rather go that route even if it is more work for me in the long run. As for food, in the spring we buy a whle pig and butcher it ourselves and buy around 150lbs of chicken at our local bulk store, as well as a CSA share. This keeps us in all the meat and veggies that we need throughout the year and keeps our weekly budget to around $30. Since it is just my husband and myself, i cook 1-2 very large meals every monday and we live off leftovers for the rest of the week! Maintaining a monthly AND weekly budget also helps keep us on track so that we do not overspend and can anticipate larger upcoming expenses without breaking the bank.
    Reply

    • Nonarae says

      To add to the food part, we also do a lot of hunting, fishing and scavaging for food and then i do my best to preserve everything with canning/dehydrating/freezing. All scraps also get composted, which helps save us from filling the garbage can with unnecessary stuff, and costing us more more removal. Man, you would think we live out in the country!! We actually do all this in a tiny one bedroom apartment in town. But i definitely cannot wait to move out to the country!!!
      Reply

  7. Becky says

    I'm always looking for ways to save money. I only saw one thing on your list I'm not already doing! Yeah for me!! All great tips & easy enough to accomplish them all once it becomes second nature.
    Reply

  8. Kim says

    We dropped our cable bundle. We kept the internet. Moved our phone to Ooma and picked up some firesticks when Amazon had them on special black Friday weekend. The savings is adding up to about $140/month. I prepaid for a year of Ooma premium for $100 and am an Amazon prime member for $99/year. The savings added up quick.
    Reply

    • Jackie says

      Mandy: Buying generic is not always the same as name brand. There have been many times my doctor had had to order the Name brand because the generic adds items that I am allergic to to make them less expensive. When you have almost died because the pharmacy changed your medicine to generic you learn things like this. That goes for larger doses of medicines. When I started some medicines my doctor would start with a lower dose to make sure I could take it. Then go to a higher dose. There have been several times my doctor had to tel them "JUST prescribe them the way I write the RX" I just can't take many additives they use as fillers.
      Reply

  11. Kay says

    I like to shower every day and wash my hair each time. I found I could extend my hair shampoo and conditioner by adding water to a separate bottle then adding either to water to stretch out the time needed to next purchase. This has never changed the way the product functions for me at full strength. This trick also works with current bottled body washes.
    Reply

    • Cyndy says

      I get double duty out of shampoo. After lathering up my hair I wash as much of my body as possible with the suds as they wash out of my hair. Usually I just finish up with a little deoderant soap on areas that might get smelly. I have read of people making their own shampoo and tried it myself, but I haven't found a recipe that I cared for. So double duty helps me to justify the cost of the (inexpensive) shampoo.
      Reply

  12. Jackie says

    I would add hand wash dishes and allow them to air dry, Find sites where they offer free magazines to subscribers, ( I get several and these are major magazines), and find sites that list Free Kindle books for Kindle and read them on your computer, kindle device, I pad or notebook. I have gotten over 1,000 books this way and sharing with family my daughter is able to read the books I get and I can read the books she gets.
    Reply

  13. Natalie says

    All good tips except the work out at home for me. I recently joined a gym and have noticed my electric bill has dropped circa $40 and water bill $10 a month. I love scorching-hot baths and used to take them at least 3 times a week. So I have sacrificed my love of hot bathing to get healthy but the bonus is that every day at the gym I use their hot tub, sauna, and I take a shower there every day, yes I do go every day; so the results are significant. So that is my tip to all other moms out there like me!
    Reply

  14. Helen says

    I've been looking for a solution to the vinegar scent. My husband doesn't like it either, but I think vinegar cleans amazingly. Thanks for sharing your citrus scented vinegar cleaner recipe mix Helen from budgetingisachallenge.com
    Reply

  17. Cyndy says

    Compost your kitchen scraps, then grow your own herbs in your homemade soil. Learn to dry the herbs for use in winter.
    Reply

  18. Lena says

    There are some very helpful tips in your list! I also just published a list of 50 tips to save money, if you‘re interested in more ??
    Reply

  19. Gutchie Spencer says

    Eating at Whole Foods is my big problem, it has to stop. Too damn expensive! Thanx for the tips I will definitely be using them...
    Reply

  20. Alix says

    You should never, ever lower the temperature on your hot water heater. Even at the 120°, all kinds of bacteria and pathogens can grow. Lowering it even more significantly increases your chances of illness, specifically legionnaires disease and pneumonia. My father has worked on water heaters for decades and I can tell you firsthand that the inside of a water heater set at a lower temp is not pretty. The sludge is horrific. Think, inside of a dark, damp cave. You can check out videos of them being cut open on YouTube to see it for yourself and honestly, the ones I've seen on YouTube are clean compared to some I've seen in real life. Obviously you should never drink hot water from the tap as it is, but just showering in it is hazardous and is typically what causes legionnaires. This is a serious health hazard and NOT something you should be recommending people do. People can, and do, die from doing this. My grandfather ended up in the hospital for weeks after coming down with legionnaires that turned into pneumonia because his water heater was not reaching the proper temp. It's best to have it set to 140° to prevent illness, but be aware there is potential risk of scalding. I'm all for saving money, but that tip is just dangerous.
    Reply

  23. Karen says

    LOVE the list!!! One thing we do, in regards to buying bulk, is utilize the shops that allow it, for one, and not the ones that charge a yearly fee. ex: sugar/flour/rice/oatsetc bought in 25 - 50 lb bags. We utilize the curbside pickup (even before this virus), shop online at local stores, arrange curbside, pick up all one day, and I arrange it for just after my shift ends, so no excess gas used. We also very much utilize the points cards. Buying on the deals only for the extra points (optimum is used for free products, which we redeem on more expensive items), and utilize the extra buy/extra points ex every milk purchase you get 1000 extra points. we stock up, freeze it, get tons of bonus points. Just a few ideas we use... Love your site, and your ideas... *I am in Canada, coupons and points cards work diferently here :)
    Reply

  24. Laura says

    I have been doing most of these tips. I would suggest another, go to food banks. Google forgotten harvest, gleaners, churches, and talk to friends. I go to forgotten harvest at a local church. You will get plenty of food, enough to share with friends and family. I also go to a local schoold, my church, city hall, and masonic temple. Someone needs to go during the day as these are open during business hours. Most have hours in the morning.
    Reply

  27. Jimmy says

    I love eating cabbage mixed with onion and carrot boiled with bone broth and soy sauce.Yep,also laundry with simple brush with tub of water is not difficult for it can save electricity from using washing machine.Also,dishwashing by hand with some mild detergent can help saving bill instead of using dishwasher.
    Reply

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