Here are over 75 legit ways to save money so you can stop living paycheck to paycheck.
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How to Save Money: Earn More Income
I am a firm believer in saving money, but my biggest financial moves have been when I’ve focused on making money. Here are some of my favorite money-making hacks.
Ask for a Raise
Feeling undervalued at work?
It might be time to advocate for yourself and ask for a well-deserved raise.
Start by doing your homework—research industry standards for your position and gather evidence of your contributions, such as positive feedback from clients or increased productivity metrics.
Schedule a meeting with your supervisor to discuss your performance and confidently and professionally present your case for a raise.
Highlight your accomplishments, skills, and the value you bring to the company.
Remember, the worst they can say is no, but the potential financial gains from a successful negotiation could be substantial. So don’t be afraid to speak up and advocate for your worth—you deserve it!
Read more:
The Surprisingly Easy Way to Make $1,562 of Passive Income in a Week While You Vacation
Start a Side Hustle
This option may not be for everyone, but starting a business or side hustle is a great way to make more money. It can also help you reduce how much you pay on taxes.
How?
Here’s an example: Because I am a business owner, I get to write off things like my cell phone, computer, internet, a portion of my house for my home office, travel (when it’s for my business), and even some meals.
If I didn’t have a business, my taxes would be higher because none of those items would be able to be written off.
I’m also a firm believer that having a business or side hustle is a great way to help you develop your skills, which can make you more marketable in the workplace.
More money, less taxes, and more skills—that sounds like a win-win-win to me!
Read more:
The Ultimate Passive Income Checklist
Side Hustle Ideas: Over 200 Ways to Make Money on the Side
How Can I Pay Less In Taxes? Shocking Tax Loopholes Exposed: How to Pay Less and Save More
How to Save Money When Shopping
Here are my go-to money hacks when it comes to shopping.
Leverage Discount Websites and Stack Discounts
Websites like Groupon give discounts on beauty services, entertainment, restaurants, and even some goods.
While Groupon alone can give you great prices, you can triple the discounts with this hack: before you search on Groupon, go through the Rakuten portal.
Rakuten is a cashback website, and they often give 10-15% cash back on products and services you purchase from Groupon.
Then, once you’ve found what you want to purchase on Groupon, instead of paying cash, buy a gift card for the exact amount you need to cover your Groupon purchase from Fluz. Fluz has 6% cash back on Groupon purchases.
Here’s an example of how much I saved on admission to a jump house for my kids using this hack:
| Jump House Full Price for 2 Kids and 2 Adults | $33.90 |
| Groupon Price for 2 Kids and 2 Adults | $24.50 |
| Groupon Savings | $9.40 |
| Rakuten Cash Back | $3.68 (15% of $24.50) |
| Fluz Cash Back | $1.47 (6% of $24.50) |
| Original Price | $33.90 |
| Final Price after Discounts & Cash Back | $14.55 |
| Total Savings | $19.35 or 57% |
Purchase Discounted Giftcards
If you don’t like the idea of using Fluz, you can use the same concept by purchasing gift cards when they are on sale.
For example, sites like Raise.com sell discounted gift cards. If there are stores that you frequent often, you can purchase gift cards to those places when they are on sale.
Grocery stores and pharmacies occasionally offer coupons and discounts on gift cards as well. For example, I just saw a coupon for my local grocery store where they’d give you a $10 discount if you purchased a $50 gift card and $10 worth of food.
Comparison Shop
Comparison shopping is important. This applies to groceries, discounted gift cards, car insurance, life insurance, and products on Amazon.
For example, rather than throwing those grocery ads that you get in the mail in the trash, scan through them to see which store is offering the best prices on the staples you need.
Similarly, if you’re using discounted gift cards to save money, check to see if they are cheaper through Fluz or Raise. When you’re looking for insurance, get quotes from multiple providers.
When purchasing items from stores like Amazon, use free tools like Camelcamelcamel.com to track the pricing and ensure you’re getting the best deal. Finally, compare similar items found on differnt aisles. As much as it maddens me to say this, the men’s versions are often less expensive than the women’s versions.
Know What Loss Leaders Are
Loss leaders are items that stores sell at a loss in order to entice customers to shop or be tied to a brand. Businesses do this because they know that once you’re in their store or you purchase their equipment, you’re likely to buy other stuff that makes them a profit.
However, if you know the game, you can use it to be a savvy consumer. Here are some common loss leaders:
- Costco’s hot dogs and pizza
- Costo’s rotisserie chicken
- Turkeys around Thanksgiving
- Milk and Eggs at most grocery stores (that’s why they’re in the back)
- Razor kits (often they’ll sell the bundle at a loss, and then get the profit when you buy the refillable blades)
- Printers (they’ll sell you a cheap printer, but you’ll pay a lot for the ink)
- Video game consoles (they make their money on the games)
Buy Off Season
The end of winter is the best time to buy winter jackets!
Why?
Because that’s when they’re on sale.
Try to buy timeless pieces at deep discounts at the end of every season.
Save your purchases until you need them the following year, and enjoy the extra cash in your pocket.
Read more:
How to Look Expensive on a Budget
Use Coupons
Many retailers and manufacturers offer coupons.
Keep in mind that the best time to use coupons is when an item is also on sale. Also, if you don’t have a coupon don’t be afraid to ask the cashier if they have any extras available for you to use.
If you ever see a promo code option when you’re checking out online, make sure you do a quick Google search to see if you can find a promo code for that store before you check out. You can also use browser extensions like Honey to help you search for coupon codes.
Read more:
How to Coupon: The Complete Beginner’s Guide
21 Amazing lululemon Hacks That Will Actually Save You Money
Shop Sales
Most stores run sales on occasion. If something isn’t on sale, you can take note of what you like and then wait for it to go on sale.
Ask for Rain Checks
Have you ever been to a store to get an amazing deal only to find that they’ve sold out of that item? Rather than getting upset, ask for a rain check!
A rain check is a promise to honor that price when they get more inventory. Most stores have this rule. To check if they have a raincheck policy, simply Google “rain check and store name” to check. Here are some common stores that offer rainchecks:
- Target
- CVS
- RiteAid
- Walgreens
- Albertsons
- Kroger
- Hobby Lobby
- Sears
- Best Buy
Leverage Price Matching Guarantees
Another thing you should be aware of is price match guarantees.
Basically, this means that stores are willing to match the price of an item if it’s offered at a lower price by one of their competitors. Here are some stores that have a price match guarantee:
Know Return Policies
Have you ever found clothes in your closet that you bought on impulse but still have tags on them that have never been used?
If that’s the case, don’t be afraid to use the store’s return policy and return the item. Some stores take items back indefinitely, and some don’t even care if it has been worn or used! Here are the stores with the best return policies:
- Nordstrom
- Bath and Body Works
- Athleta
- Costco
- Target
- Zappos
- Ulta
- American Eagle
- Kohl’s
- L.L. Bean
- REI
- Patagonia
Avoid Impulse Buys
Stores are designed (I’m looking at you, Target) to get you to explore, stay longer, and buy more than you need.
Instead of going inside, save your valuable time and money by ordering what you need in the store’s app and then opting to pick up your order in the parking lot.
This keeps you from seeing all those impulse buys.
Stockpile
If there are staples that you know you’ll use, buy large quantities for the lowest unit price and/or stock up by buying multiple items when they are on sale. For example, I recently bought a deep freezer so I can stockpile meat when it goes on sale. This has saved my family a lot this year.
Extra “life points” if you can match a sale price with a coupon!
Get Stuff for Free
Did you know there are communities where people give stuff away!?
They’re called Buy Nothing Groups, or Blessings Groups (on Facebook), and they’re all around.
So check to see if there’s a group near you, and when you need something, ask for it in the group before you go out and buy it.
Buy Used
Another option for saving money is to buy used items instead of buying them new.
You can find what you’re looking for at a fraction of the price at yard sales, thrift stores, Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist, or eBay.
Get Rid of Subscriptions You Don’t Use
When was the last time you audited all the subscriptions you pay for?
Take a few moments to review what you’ve subscribed to and cancel any that aren’t serving you anymore. Truebill is an awesome app that allows you to quickly and easily see all your subscriptions in one place.
How to Save Money With Credit Cards
Credit cards can get some people into trouble because they are notorious for having high interest rates and encouraging a buy now, pay for it later attitude.
Studies have also shown that people spend more when they use credit cards compared to cash. BUT, credit cards also have some sweet benefits! Here are some of my favorite hacks when it comes to using credit cards.
Travel Rewards and Sign-up Bonuses
Travel can get expensive especially if you want to go longer distances.
However, many people are now hacking the cost of travel by using credit card rewards and sign-up bonuses. In a nutshell, travel hackers sign up for credit cards with high sign-up bonuses (like the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card) and then meet the minimum spend to get the rewards.
Then, they book their travel in savvy ways (see the travel money hacks section below) to maximize their rewards. If you want to learn more about travel hacking, check out Julia from GeoBreeze Travel on Instagram. She also has a great podcast with tons of tips and tricks.
Travel Insurance Protection
Many credit cards now offer travel insurance when you use the credit card to book your travel.
So, make sure you know what benefits your credit cards come with, and when you book travel, use the card that offers travel insurance protection.
General Purchase Protection
Some credit cards now offer purchase protection.
For example, I recently bought a pair of shoes and when I wore them for the first time I tripped and ruined the top of my shoe.
Luckily, I had bought these with my Chase Sapphire Preferred Card, so I worked with them to make a claim. They ended up refunding me 100% of the purchase price since I ruined my shoes.
Extended Warranties
Many credit cards now offer extended warranties on products for up to 7 additional years!
So, if you’re purchasing something that you think may break, make sure you use your credit card that offers an extended warranty when you make your purchase
0% Interest Credit Cards
If you have a large purchase coming up and you want to kick the can down the road a few months, some credit cards offer 0% interest for a period of time. While paying upfront is always ideal, paying 0% for a period of time is way better than paying 22% out the gate. If you use this method, it’s best to have a plan before you get started to make sure you pay everything off before the interest kicks in.
Balance Transfer Credit Cards
If you have credit card debt and are feeling bogged down, transferring your balances to one credit card with a lower (or even 0%) interest rate could be a good option for you.
Again, if you use this option, make sure you have a good plan to pay off your debt from the start, and run the numbers to make sure this is the best financial option you have because there are usually fees associated with balance transfers.
How to Save Money in Banking
Here are some of my favorite money hacks when it comes to banking.
Sign Up for an Online Checking Account
Have you ever been somewhere and needed to get cash from an ATM, but the closest ATM had a crazy high fee?
Online checking accounts are great because they usually allow you to use an ATM anywhere, and they’ll reimburse you for the ATM fee.
Sign Up for Online High-Yield Savings Account
Traditional brick-and-mortar banks are known for having ultra-low savings rates.
So, if you’re not ready to invest your money or you don’t want the risk associated with investing, getting a high-yield savings account is a great way to get your money working for you.
While traditional banks will offer you .01% interest, online savings accounts will usually offer 4%+.
Challenge Bank Fees
Have you ever accidentally overdrafted your account or made a payment one day late and got hit with a $30 fee!? It happens to the best of us.
But did you know that you can challenge these fees? That’s right. Simply call the bank and ask them if there’s anything they can do about the charge. Usually, they’ll make an “exception” to their rule for you.
How to Save Money with Travel
With gas being expensive and everyone wanting to travel after being on lockdown for 2 years, travel prices are going up! But you can manage the costs with these travel hacks.
Don’t Be Afraid to Ask
When traveling, don’t be afraid to nicely ask for an upgrade upon check-in.
Sometimes, you’ll get lucky, and the worst thing that can happen is that they’ll say no. I’m not about manipulation, but I have found that being genuinely kind and complimentary when you first start chatting with the customer service representative helps.
Leverage Your Memberships and Associations
Are you a Costco member or a AAA member?
Are you a first responder or a veteran? When you book your travel, make sure you ask if discounts are offered for your various memberships and associations. It never hurts to ask.
Shop Incognito
Many travel websites track your usage of their website and will increase the price to encourage you to buy ASAP.
Use incognito mode or clear your cookies to see the best prices when shopping for travel.
Share Your Good News
If there’s a special occasion, let customer service reps know when you’re traveling.
This is a great way to get upgrades and freebies to help you celebrate.
Save on Gas
Want to be efficient when pumping gas? There are debates as to the validity to these claims, but some people suggest you use the slowest setting when you pump gas and try to pump when it’s cooler outside and when the gas truck isn’t there.
Supposedly, pumping quickly creates vapors that waste gas, and heat causes gasoline to expand meaning you get less bang for your buck.
Travel Off Season
If you have flexibility and don’t need to plan your travel around a school schedule, consider traveling off-season.
You can enjoy less crowds as well as huge savings by traveling just before or right after the busy seasons.
Book Your Own Excursions When You Cruise
Excursions can add up when you’re cruising. However, many local ports have a ton of less expensive options for you to choose from. You can plan your excursions ahead of time through private parties, or you can test your luck by looking for excursions when you first exit your ship.
My husband and I have booked 90% of our excursions by just getting off the ship and walking around in the port. There’s always someone trying to sell you an excursion at a great price. We’ve even gotten great deals and then been on the same excursion people booked directly through the cruise line.
Beware of Drink Packages on Cruises
Many cruise lines like to tout the benefits of an all-you-can-drink package, but make sure you consider the true cost.
Many times, you have to drink 7-10 drinks a day before it makes sense to buy the drink package. If you’re planning on getting the package, try to get it ahead of time if it’s offered at a discount.
How to Save Money on Entertainment
All fun and no play makes life suck! That’s how that quote goes, right? So here are some great ways to save money while still having fun.
Use Your Library
Libraries offer a wealth of knowledge, but they also offer tons of entertainment options! In addition to free books, most libraries offer e-books and audiobooks through apps like Libby.
I’ve seen libraries offer free museum admission, free movie access, and even opportunities to check out instruments for free. Get to know your local library, and don’t be afraid to get memberships to libraries in other cities, counties, and even states!
Be Part of Your Community
Many cities and local communities offer free and low-cost events to the public. See if your city and the cities around you have a website or e-newsletter and check it out.
You’ll usually find low-cost classes, public events, and workshops that you can attend. Some examples include free movie nights, free concerts in the park, free parenting workshops, and free holiday events like community trunk-or-treats if you have children.
Make Your Own Fun
You don’t need to spend a lot of money to have fun. Send out a text and invite some friends over for a potluck and game night. Everyone can bring some drinks and food, and you’ll have a great time while saving a ton of money.
Another option is to invite people to go to the park for a game of soccer, football, frisbee, or baseball. Try to remember what you did for fun as a kid, and do that stuff again. If you can’t think of any ideas ask your parents or grandparents for ideas.
How to Save Money with Restaurants and Food
I’m not going to tell you to never eat delicious avocado toast. Just try out some of these hacks, and your avocado toast will pay for itself.
Check Yelp
If you go to a restaurant, check out their Yelp when you’re sitting down. Some restaurants offer free appetizers, desserts, or discounts if you check in on Yelp.
Help Restaurants Manage Their Waste
There’s an app for that! Seriously, there’s an app called Too Good to Go where restaurants post their extra items that are going to perish at a deep discount.
They make a little money on something they were going to throw away, and you save a little money buying some food at a discount. Give it a shot! What do you have to lose?
Go to School and Alumni Events
Having worked at a university, I can tell you from first-hand experience that there’s free food on college campuses all the time. If you’re a student, keep an eye out for events and workshops put on by clubs around meal times- most of the time they’ll provide food.
Also, if you’re not a student, keep an eye out for alumni events from the school you attended. Often times alumni associations will provide food or the first round of drinks at alumni events.
Go to Happy Hour
If you’re going to eat out, consider going during their happy hour times (usually before or after the dinner rush).
Make Your Coffee/Tea/Smoothie at Home
Save time and money by making your own morning beverage at home. Even if you buy premium coffee, the unit price will still be cheaper than a coffee shop.
You may want to spend a little on the right tools to make your favorite beverage at home, but in the long run it can pay off.
For example, I “invested” in a Vitamix many years ago, and now I can make great-tasting smoothies (and margaritas) that don’t have chunks of ice in them. It was a large upfront cost, but it’s paying off in the long run.
Order a La Carte
I used to be a server at a Mexican restaurant, and there was a savvy couple that figured out they could order a side of rice, beans, and tortillas and make their own burritos at their table.
This may not work at all restaurants, but some restaurants price their sides cheaper than if you buy them already put together by the cook. Another option is to order from the kid’s menu if they’ll let you get away with that.
Sign Up for Birthday Promotions
Many restaurants will give you free food for your birthday if you sign up for their email promotion.
So, sign up for the promotions to get free food. You could also consider using different birthday months so you can spread the freebies out across the year.
Drink Water
Adding a soda or tea to your meal when you eat out can increase your ticket price by up to 30%.
It can be even more if you purchase an alcoholic beverage. Save more money by opting for water instead. Plus, your body will thank you for it later.
Try Meatless Mondays
You can try going 100% vegetarian, but even cutting out meat one or two days a week can save money if you do it right because grains and vegetables are usually less expensive than meat.
This usually holds true whether you’re eating at home or at a restaurant.
Eat at Home
We’ve all heard this age-old advice. Eating at home can save a lot of money, but if it feels too restrictive, consider eating a little at home and then going out.
For example, you can eat a snack or meal before going to a restaurant and order an appetizer or dessert instead. You can have your cake and eat it too!
Eat Your Leftovers
Food waste is a huge problem. If you’re concerned about the increase in your grocery bill, try to reduce the amount of food you waste by eating your leftovers.
One easy way to do this is to make your meals with leftovers in mind. For example, if there’s food you know does not reheat well, only make enough for one meal, so you don’t waste the leftovers.
When you make food that you know tastes just as good reheated, go ahead and make a little more and have it for lunch the next day.
Take Your Lunch to Work
Now that you have leftovers go ahead and take them to work instead of going out to eat. In addition to saving money on food at a restaurant, you’ll also save gas, and you may eat healthier, too.
How to Save Money on Healthcare
Healthcare can get very expensive. Use these money hacks to reduce your healthcare costs.
Reduce Prescription Costs
If you have prescriptions, it might be time to shop around. Not all pharmacies charge the same price, and sometimes independent pharmacies charge less.
Also, did you know that you don’t need a membership to purchase your prescriptions at the Costco pharmacy? Give a few pharmacies a call and get quotes on what they charge for your most frequently used prescriptions.
Get Discounted and Free Workouts
I used to have a personal trainer, but we decided to part ways. I decided to use ClassPass to try out a bunch of new places to see which one I liked the best. Do you know what I found? In my city, ClassPass is actually WAY cheaper than signing up for group training memberships!
First of all, the first month with ClassPass is free. But after that, you can get a membership for $49 a month with 23 credits (even more credits if you use a Chase card when you pay). In my city, many classes are only 1-2 credits (aka $2.13 to $4.26 per class)!
Also, I’ve heard some people on Medicare can get a free gym membership as part of their health insurance plan. And some companies now give free or discounted gym memberships to their employees.
Finally, PlanetFitness offers free gym access to teenagers during the summer, and there are always tons of free workouts on YouTube (I did a HIIT workout by GrowingAnnas, and it seriously kicked my butt)!
Money Hack Your Period
If period talk makes you cringe, skip to the next hack now. Consider using a menstrual cup instead of pads or tampons for the rest of you. Not only are they more green and less toxic, but they can save you a ton of money.
Free Contraceptives
Reproductive health is important, but it can add up. There are plenty of free condoms out in the world. Most schools and Planned Parenthood Clinics provide free condoms. You can look for to find free condoms near you here.
Opt for a Health Savings Account for Triple Tax Benefits
Ever wonder why some crazy people decide to opt for the high-deductible health plan (HDHP) during open enrollment? It may be because they’re financially savvy! With the HDHP you can opt to have a Health Savings Account and put pre-tax dollars into the account, allow it to grow tax free, and even take the money out without paying taxes! It’s a serious money hack that few people know about or use. For a more detailed description of this sweet money hack check out this post from the MadFientist.
How to Save Money: Oldies but Goodies
Here are some oldies but goodies when it comes to saving money.
Use the Envelope Method
You can’t spend more than you have if you only carry cash. The envelope method basically has people take their whole paycheck out in cash and then divide the cash into various envelopes. For example, you’d have an envelope for “rent/mortgage,” one for “groceries,” “entertainment,” and so on. If you run out of money in your “groceries” envelope, you can take it from “entertainment,” but that will force you to cut back on entertainment to make ends meet. This method can feel restrictive, but it’s a great way to change your spending habits quickly. Just be careful not to lose your cash.
Read more:
7 Simple Budgeting Steps I Used to Save Over $500,000
Buy an Old-School Safety Razor
Want to reduce waste and save money? Consider purchasing an old-school safety razor. Instead of using the disposable options that end up in landfills and cost a lot, this will get you a close shave at a fraction of the price in the long run. While there’s more of an upfront investment, the replacement blades are much less expensive and can even be sharpened.
Save on Baby Toys
Every marketer is going to want to guilt you into thinking you’re a terrible parent if you don’t buy the newest and most expensive toys and gadgets for your children. However, as a mom with two kiddos I can personally attest to the fact that kids love to play with trash! Yes, trash! Get a new toy, and what do they end up playing with? The box! My mom saved cereal boxes and aluminum cans (not the ones with sharp edges) and would let my kids play with them. They had a blast! They also love to use household items like pots, pans, and spoons.
Save yourself a ton of money, and let your little kids play with the items you already have laying around the house. If you really want something that’s actually a “toy” ask your friends with older kids, I’m sure they’d love to offload their kid clutter to someone else.
Hot Tip: Take all that extra money you’re saving and set up a 529 plan for your kiddos!
Read more:
Buy Generic
Many generic items are produced by the same manufacturer with the same exact ingredients. Save up to 25% by skipping the brand name and buying the store-brand or generic option.
Hang Dry Clothes
Hang drying clothes is a great way to not only save on electricity but also preserve your clothing. Rather than using your dryer, opt to hand your clothes and allow them to air dry the old-fashioned way.
Turn Lights Off and Unplug Appliances
If you’re not using lights, turn them off to save on electricity. Also, get rid of ghost electricity (electronics draining power even when not turned on) by unplugging devices you aren’t using.
Be a DIYer
Wonder how our parents and grandparents learned how to change their oil or patch a hole themselves? Me too! But we do know that they figured it out, and they didn’t have access to YouTube! If you’re trying to save money, consider doing more things yourself. Leverage the power of the internet and free tutorials to learn how to do stuff yourself.
Make Your Own Cleaning Products
Rather than buying brand-name household cleaners, you can make an all-purpose cleaner by mixing equal parts vinegar and water. You can buy a spray bottle from the dollar store or put your mixture in a cleaned-out, recycled spray bottle. This mixture can replace Windex, Fantastic, and your favorite floor cleaner.
Stop Buying Food Storage Containers
Mason jars are adorable, as are matching Tupperware for your leftovers, but have you tried reusing the jars that you usually throw away? Rather than tossing pickle jars, for example, save those and use them to store your food in
How to Save Big Money
Quick wins are awesome! Who doesn’t love finding $20 in their pocket or on the floor? But don’t underestimate the power of big money hacks. If you want to just do a few small things that will make a HUGE impact over time, check out some of these big money hacks.
One Person’s Trash is Another Person’s Treasure
Some people take this to the limit by dumpster diving, but there are a lot of ways you can think about this one. Here’s one example: I was recently looking for an area rug for my kid’s room. Rather than buying a rug online for $200+, I went to a carpet store and asked them for a carpet remnant. A carpet remnant is basically an extra carpet they have left from installing carpet in someone’s home. They showed me a bunch of great options, I chose one, and it was only $50.
Spend Less Than You Make and Invest the Difference
Jeremy Schneider from Personal Finance Club touts this advice, and he’s 100% right. You can spend less than you make by creating a budget and then set up automatic investing, so you start investing on autopilot. If you saved just $100 a month for 20 years and reinvested any dividends, you’d have over $52,000 in 20 years! $28,638.21 of that would be interest!
Pay Down High-Interest Debt Like Your Life Depends on It
If you have high-interest credit card debt and you’re trying to save money, it’s like you’re trying to swim upstream with 100 extra pounds tied to your back. Work to create a budget and put more money towards paying off your debt.
Get a Raise or Look for a New Job
You should advocate for yourself every year to get promoted or get paid more. If your company cannot afford to give you a raise, look for a new job. If you get hired elsewhere, you can leverage that offer to get a raise at your current company, or you can go where you are valued and move on.
I used to be on hiring committees, and I can tell you that changing jobs is the best way to get more money. Unfortunately, most employers give more to incoming people to entice them to leave their old company than they do to their current employees to get them to stay.
Uplevel Your Skills
If you’re stuck in a place financially, one of the best ways to increase your income is by increasing your skills. First, consider what skills are in demand, are scarce, and you would enjoy, and then learn that skill. It may take some time, but it will be well worth it when you can demand a premium price for your time and expertise.
Take Care of Yourself
Healthcare costs can be insane! One of the best ways to save money is to take care of your physical and mental health. It doesn’t have to be complicated. Eat your fruits and veggies, try to get some sunshine, drink water, hang out with friends, move your body and avoid things you know negatively impact your health.
Learn to Negotiate
Negotiating doesn’t have to be hostile. Learn to be a good negotiator and create win-win situations. This can help you get discounts and upgrades, but it can also help you get big raises and make more money. Check out Never Split the Difference: Negotiating As If Your Life Depended on It by Chris Voss to learn how to become a great negotiator.
Negotiation serves two distinct, vital life functions—information gathering and behavior influencing—and includes almost any interaction where each party wants something from the other side. Your career, your finances, your reputation, your love life, even the fate of your kids—at some point all of these hinge on your ability to negotiate.
House Hack
Housing is usually the largest part of a person’s budget, but there are creative ways to bring this bill down. For example, you can live with roommates, or you can rent out a room on a part-time basis through things like Airbnb or VRBO.
Downsize
Another option is to try to live in a smaller home. Larger homes will cost more to furnish, cool, heat, clean, etc. You can also look for a job that provides housing. For example, some colleges provide free housing for staff who need to be on call to assist with students living on campus.
Free Housing
If you’re a college student, you can get free housing by being a resident assistant or resident advisor at the college you attend. You could also hold a master lease and sublease rooms out to your friends. If you play it right you could get them to pay enough rent to cover your housing too.
Buy Cashflowing Properties
Got extra cash laying around? If so, you can also consider buying cashflowing properties. If you have enough cashflowing properties, the profit on them could end up paying for your mortgage as well.
Live n’ Flip
Another option is to do a live n’ flips. Basically this means that you purchase a “fixer upper” and live in it while you remodel it over time. If you do it right, you can end up selling it for quite a bit and the profit will have covered your living expenses while you fixed it up and then some.
Be an Urban Camper
I’ve heard stories of college students sleeping in the library and using the school gym to shower and get ready. There’s also the story of a Google employee who lived in his truck in the parking lot. I even knew a firefighter that worked a ton of overtime and went without an apartment since he always had a place to stay. In a pinch he’d sleep in his car and use his gym to shower. There are extreme versions of house hacking, and if it works for you then go for it.
Read more:
How to Get Free Housing Through House Hacking
Choose Cars Wisely
Cars expenses usually make up a large percentage of a person’s budget. So it’s important to choose your cars wisely and take certain things into consideration before you buy your dream car.
If you want to save money, you’ll want to consider things like gas mileage, how much it costs to maintain and repair the car, tire replacement costs, the average lifespan of the type of car you’re interested in, and even the resale value.
Cars are a large purchase for most families, so if you can make a wise financial decision about the cars you purchase, it can help you save a lot of money.
Choose Your Phone Provider Carefully
Phones are a big part of just about everyone’s life these days, and monthly phone bills can get expensive! However, there are lower-cost options that can save you thousands of dollars over your lifetime. For example, with Mint Mobile, you can drastically reduce your phone bill and pay only $30 a month! I know it sounds too good to be true, but it’s seriously amazing! What’s the worst that can happen from giving it a try?
Learn more:
Make Extra Payments on Your Mortgage
There are many simple hacks you can use to pay less on your mortgage. The faster you can pay down the principle, the less you’ll pay in interest over the life of the loan. One way to save is to make extra payments on the principle of your mortgage. The more extra payments you make, the more it will pay off financially over time. For example, let’s say you had a $400,000 mortgage. If you never made an extra payment, you would end up paying $729,619.27 over the life of the loan. However, if you make an extra payment of only $100 every month, you’ll end up paying your house off nearly 3 years early and saving $35,395.59 in interest!
Review Your Accounts
Keep an eye on the cashier when they’re ringing up your items. Check your bank and credit card statements every month. Get a free copy of your credit report every year. It’s important to keep a watchful eye on your finances so you can prevent errors and fraud.
Have a Money Hacker’s Mindset
At the end of the day, a money hacker is simply a person who is curious, asks questions, and considers, “Is there a better way?” Money hackers aren’t about frauding people, having a scarcity mindset, or doing things that are illegal; they just approach finding deals and optimizing their life like a game.
So get out there and start playing, you money hacker, you.
The Bottom Line
Exploring the diverse array of income producing assets available for passive income generation is essential for any investor looking to diversify their portfolio and secure financial stability.
Each option presents unique opportunities and challenges, from real estate and dividend-paying stocks to royalties, REITs, and even investing in oneself.
As you consider these 19 income-generating avenues, it’s important to align them with your financial goals, risk tolerance, and personal interests. By doing so, you can strategically build a portfolio that not only grows in value but also brings the potential for sustained income, helping you achieve financial independence and a prosperous future.
Additional Resources
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