5 Money Saving Tips for Your Home

Money. Don't we need it, love it, hate it, and want more of it. We often think it will solve our problems if we just had a little more. And when we do, we only want more and more! As Christians, we sometimes confuse the verse 1 Timothy 6:10 with thinking that money is "evil." Taking a look at the verse a little closer, we see that the love of money is actually the culprit. In reality, when money is managed correctly and within our means, it can be helpful and do good! I wanted to share 5 money saving tips for your home from my book The Simplicity Project to help you set new habits in motion today.

I know there are many aspects to how we handle our finances. Expenses, budgets, savings, the list goes one! BUT I will say that no matter if you are in a great place with your finances, or reevaluating what you've been doing, there are ways to stretch the green stuff. When my husband and I have had to rebuild our emergency fund a number of different times, we've pinched pennies in the small ways for big results. Here are just 5 money saving tips for your home that helped ours:

1. Give up eating out and entertainment for a month or two. This one is huge! Our family loves to eat out and try new foods. And let's be honest, it gives me a break from cooking! But when my husband and I have sat down to look at the number, it made us cringe! There are a number of other ways to eat and save time (meal plan, crockpot, order pizza for a break!), and have fun less expensively (family game nights, walks on the beach, get together with friends).
2. Make your own coffee. For all of you on-the-go, this one might be hard! It is so easy and convenient to pick up a Starbucks for an afternoon pick-me-up. But when that is a daily habit that's costing you almost $5, it can add up as the week goes on! Invest in good beans, and make your own!
3. Cancel memberships you don't use. Netflix, hulu, gym, yoga, Dropbox, music etc. Before you know it, you've sign up for so many things it's costing you a few hundred a month! Review what you need versus what you want. Tip: remember cutting back might be temporary until you have a better handle on your budget.
4. Use coupons. Yes, this takes time! Yes, some are helpful! No, you don't need to use every single one. Couponing can save you money. Just as signing up for your grocery store's rewards programs, or shopping for bargains can too.
5. Stick to the list. Meal planning saves time. And you will also walk into a store list in hand ready to buy what you planned for. If it's not on the list, don't buy it!

These are just a few ways that you can start saving money today! In The Simplicity Project, I go into a little more detail about budgeting, saving, and a total of 50 money saving tips! It isn't always easy or comfortable, but it will pay off in the long run.

What are some money saving tips you can share?