
There are lots of easy ways to save money. I've covered some of those in my series called Using Apps to Save Money: Part 1 and Part 2. Aside from using apps, here are 3 fairly simple things you can do to keep more money in your bank account week after week and month after month. With the cost of everything going up nowadays, it's just smart to save money where you can. I'll highlight what are, in my opinion, 3 ways you can save money that don't require a ton of effort and add up to significant savings over time.
Use dryer balls and make your own laundry detergent.
Next time you're in Dollar General or Walmart, pick up a pack of dryer balls. I prefer the wool ones but they come in plastic, too. They only cost between $2 and $5 for a pack and help dry your clothes faster. They have the added benefit of making your clothes a bit softer and less wrinkly, as well. This frugal teacher bought a 6-pack of wool dryer balls on Amazon for around $7. I keep 3 or 4 in my dryer at all times and they've reduced the time it takes to dry a load of clothes by about 10-15 minutes per load.
You can also easily make your own laundry detergent with 3 simple ingredients: soap flakes (I like the Zote brand), Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda, and Borax. Just mix together 1 cup of each in a container with a lid and it only takes 1-2 tablespoons of the mixture per load of laundry. I can make enough laundry detergent for my family for 6 months and it only costs $15 total, making it around 6 cents per load! You can also use plain white vinegar in place of fabric softener to save even more money. Here is my post on making your own laundry detergent with all the info you'll need.
Meal plan to limit eating out.
I covered meal planning in-depth and that post can be found here. Planning out your family's meals for the week, doing a grocery pickup order, and limiting eating out to just once a week can save quite a bit of money. Taking a few minutes to make a meal plan at the beginning of the week (I do this on Sunday) can reduce the stress that often comes with not knowing what your family will eat for dinner all week. It also means you won’t be as tempted to hit the drive-thru or order takeout. Plan basic meals that you know your family will like and have the ingredients on hand so cooking at home becomes the norm and eating out is limited to once a week or so.
Consider getting a programmable thermostat.
Programmable thermostats can be quite fancy and controlled by apps using Wifi. However, there are still simple, battery powered thermostats that can be installed in about 5 minutes that allow you to set the temperature in your home to match your family's weekly schedule. I programmed our thermostat to have our AC go up during the day when we're all gone and go back down in the evening when we are typically home. After I set it up for all 7 days of the week, I've never had to touch it again. Our electric bill went down the very first month by 15% and has stayed that way. In the winter, I simply push one button to switch it from AC to heat and don't have to touch it again until it's time to switch it back. Programmable thermostats can vary greatly in price based on the features you want but I was able to buy ours on Amazon for around $25 and it is pictured above. The money I saved on my very first electric bill after installing it was enough to pay for the thermostat itself, and I’ve been saving money on my electric bill ever since.
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