Interest rates going up and up. Home prices, cars, gas, food – all too high.
- The average home price in the US is $436,800.
- The average mortgage payment is $2,317.
- The average new car price is $48,008
- The average used car is priced between $20,000 to $25,000
- The average new car payment is $716
That’s insane!
Now add utilities, cell phones, internet, streaming services, food, gasoline, …
According to ZipRecruiter – “As of May 18, 2023, the average annual pay for an American in the United States is $58,563 a year. Just in case you need a simple salary calculator, that works out to be approximately $28.16 an hour. This is the equivalent of $1,126/week or $4,880/month.”
That’s before taxes and deductions.
Its crazy! And its not sustainable. We can’t live like this for very long.
I don’t know about you, but I’m really starting to feel the pinch of higher prices. Food, gas, eating out, … everything costs more and its draining.
We keep waiting for things to return to normal, but will they?
We really need to find ways to save.
I’ve brainstormed as many as I can think of. If you have more ideas, please help us in the comments.
40 Ways to Save Money-
1. Cut your debt –
2. Don’t use credit, especially for everyday stuff- unless its a reward card and you pay it off every month.
3. Buy less – weigh nice to have vs must have.
4. Do more with less –
5. Cook real food. You’ll not only spend less per meal, but you’ll also save on healthcare and lose weight.
6. Shred meat – it goes farther – make casseroles, sandwiches, tacos…
7. Buy on sale. I use sale papers to plan my menus.
8. Grow food
9. Make your own coffee – save on average $3 per day.
10. Bring your lunch – save on average, $10 a day.
11. Have pot-luck dinners with family and friends.
12. Make more meatless meals like fake baked mostaccioli or Spanish omelets.
13. Have a garage sale
14. Shop resale
15. Borrow tools instead of buying.
16. Swap stuff
17. Take care of your stuff – make it last
18. Do it yourself as much as possible – see YouTube
19. Do your maintenance, car, home, self, computer, etc.
20. Turn the temp up a degree in summer and down a degree in winter.
21. Save water. Turn the water off when brushing teeth or doing dishes.
22. Use your dishwasher instead of hand washing dishes.
23. Run full loads of laundry.
24. Use a water filter pitcher and carry your own reusable water bottle.
25. Do free things – free concerts in the park –
26. Take a walk
27. Go hiking
28. Go to the beach
29. Play tennis, basketball, etc. at the park.
30. Go for a bike ride
31. Have a workout center where you live? Use it!
32. Use your library. You can get books, movies, ebooks… all for free.
33. Have Amazon Prime? Be sure to check out all the shows and movies you can get for free.
34. YouTube has free movies.
35. Check out https://iscreeningroom.com/ where you can watch movies b4 they are released.
36. Take advantage of discounts. AARP. Reduced fees for seniors, students, vets…
37. Use a cashback card and pay your balance off every month.
38. Use cashback apps like Rakuten.
39. Plan your errands so you drive the least. Maybe east one day, west another?
40. Cancel some of those subscriptions. I know you’ve been thinking about it.
Another upside to saving –
According to an article I read recently at TheSimplifyDaily.com, if you save just $27.40 a day, you can save $10k in a year. Think about that!
There is a silver lining to the interest rate increases. It also increases the interest you receive on savings. Shop around. Just be careful to use only credible banks or credit unions. I stick with credit union because there are lower and fewer fees.
What about cars?
I’m a drive your car til it dies kind of person. I don’t need to impress anyone.
The average car payment now is $716 a month! It used to be like $450 ish. I haven’t had a car payment in 8 years. I figure I’ve saved over $40,000!!! At $250 a month, it would still be $24,000 over the eight years.
One Exception – if the car needs constant repairs, don’t throw good money at it. Its not worth it.
My next car will probably be a hybrid. Save on gas and maintenance.
What do you want from life?
Do you really need the latest car? The latest phone? Or are there better things you could put that money towards that would make your life better in the long run?
Recession or not, we really have to rethink our crazy spending habits if you want to have a good life. You can live well for less. I do.
I just got $12.98 Cash Back for shopping with Rakuten. You should get in on this too! Join for free with my invite link and get $30 after you spend $30.*