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We all know the obvious ways to save money, but what about the not so obvious? Good deals abound and you can save money in a variety of ways, you just need to know where to look so you’re not wasting your hard-earned dollars.
Here are three less obvious ways to save money:
1. Buying Bottled Water
For hard-core bottled water lovers, this will be a hard pill to swallow, but listen up.
Did you know the top two water distributors in the country, Dasani, and Aquafina have openly admitted that they are just purified and nicely packaged tap water? In essence, buying either of these two products is a fantastic way to waste money.
So if you are buying Dasani or Aquafina, consider making a small investment and buy a water filter such as a Brita and stop buying water that was always essentially free to begin with.
2. Overdraft Protection
When new laws mandated that overdraft protection change from opt-out to opt-in service America’s banks launched a ferocious campaign encouraging customers into overdraft protection and all of its accompanying fees.
Well, it worked because more than 75% of the people using debit cards have opted in for the overdraft protection. Those that use overdraft protection don’t like the fees, but don’t have the resources to go without it.
Here’s the problem – overdraft protection costs you as the consumer a whopping $35 each and every time you swipe your card and don’t have the money to cover the expense. If you have 10 of these transactions a year, you’ve just wasted $350 dollars.
If you have opted in to over draft protection call you bank and remove it immediately and get a handle on you money situation by tracking your spending and budgeting each month.
The only reason someone needs overdraft protection is because they are ignoring their finances. My Good Money Habits Guide has great tips to help you get a handle on your money, but here a few things you can do right now:
- Sign up for online banking if you haven’t already.
- Log in each day and check your balances so you know exactly where you stand.
- Develop a budget and stick to it.
3. Paying For Unnecessary Services
We all have ‘em and many go unused. Stop and think about this:
- How many cable channels can a person watch?
- Do you need ever single app your paying for on your cell phone?
- Are you using your gym membership regularly?
- Do you read every magazine that is dropped in your mail box?
- Are you taking full advantage of your Netflix or Amazon Prime membership?
Take a look at what your family’s using and make decisions based on actual usage. What you don’t use cancel, cut back or get rid of altogether.
Remember, plugging your financial leaks can and will save you big money in the long-term – money better spent on reducing debt, investing or finally breaking free from the living pay-check to pay-check cycle.
I’m a professional cleaner with over 13 years of hands-on experience cleaning homes, a published writer, certified money specialist, and the founder of A Mess Free Life. After paying off over $50,000 in debt, I dedicated myself to helping others master their homes and their money — proving that a clean, organized, stress-free life is possible no matter where you’re starting from. When I’m not writing, you’ll find me cooking, playing bocce, sipping an extra dirty martini, or enjoying the ocean with my cats nearby. I’m also a proud mom and grandma who cares deeply for my mother at home.
