50 Ways You Can Start Saving Money TODAY

The number one topic of discussion in our community over the past week has been MONEY. As we watched and waited to find out about a government shutdown (and how that would affect military families financially) many people expressed concern. That was understandable. Many military families live paycheck to paycheck for a variety of reasons. Many military families would love to have a back-up savings plan that would cover them in an emergency. But many do not know where to start. Saving money can be a daunting task when it is hard, as a spouse, to find a job despite multiple moves and many other things that can make employment a challenge. Some families have made a decision to be a one-income family while their service member is active duty. But even if they are making ends meet, it can be hard to stash away money for the future. Listen, the military community may have dodged the bullet (once again) in regards to not receiving a paycheck mid-October. But it has become very clear, in reading your comments and concerns, that a conversation about fiscal health would be helpful. And we have to start somewhere. Saving money can start by making small changes. Saving money on small things can add up to a big reward... and that reward could be peace of mind if we find ourselves in this same position again... or if a car dies, an appliance breaks, or a family emergency requires last-minute travel. We asked our amazing online contributors for their best money savings tips. They came up with 50 things that you can start doing TODAY to help build your emergency savings account. We want to hear from you as well... what tips do you have for saving money, even when money is really tight? Contributors: Erin Whitehead, Kate Dolack, Rebekah Sanderlin, Rebecca Alwine, Alisha Youch, Stacy Huisman, Morgan Slade, Monica Pugh, Tia Johnson, Cyndia Rios-Myers, Libby Smith, and Ingrid Herrera-Yee. 50) Check your cell phone bill to make sure you are not enrolled in services you are not using. 49) Just say "no"- -to kids who may want an extra treat, to pressure from friends to go out to dinner, to yourself when you "think" you need something new. 48) Before going on a road trip (or even just a day trip to local spots), make sure your car is stocked with water and snacks so you don't need to stop if someone gets hungry and you are out longer than anticipated. 47) Drink more water. This will save you money and health experts agree... it is better for your health! 46) Paying a monthly fee for banking or for checks? Find a credit union or military friendly bank that offers a free checking account and checks. 45) Give time as a gift, instead of money. Giving a friend a coupon for a free night of babysitting is probably more valuable than a $10 trinket anyway. 44) Have a girl's night in- instead of out. Having a bottle of wine and homemade appetizers is cheaper. Bonus... everyone can wear comfy clothes and not have to worry about that creepy dude who doesn't get it the first fifty times you tell him you are all married and not interested! 43) Skip the department store cosmetics and head for the drug store. Many times you can find products that are just as good and drug stores often have great coupons or cash back rewards for buying cosmetics. 42) Opt out of gifts as a couple... forgoing gifts between spouses for holidays can save tons of money. Just focus on the kids. 41) Weather-proof your home so that you are not spending extra money on heating or cooling your home. 40) Keep up with the maintenance on your car. Keeping your car engine tuned and tires properly inflated can save money on fuel. 39) Make a menu plan and then a list before going to the grocery store. And then stick to it! 38) Use only cash to pay for items at a store. 37) Make the decision to not eat a single meal out for an entire month. You will be amazed at how much money you save! 36) Take advantage of any garden produce. Right now our apple trees are full and we are getting ready to make homemade applesauce. Canning and freezing produce is easy to learn to do and really helps save on your grocery bill. 35) Make one meal every week "meatless" and save money on your meat purchases. 34) Only drink coffee that you prepare at home. If you need more coffee while you are out, put it in a thermos instead of stopping at a coffee shop. 33) Buy generic brands of food products. Many name brand companies also produce the generic items... there is very little (if any) difference in their quality. 32) Sites like Pinterest are filled with ways to make your own household products for pennies. Examples are: baby wipes, laundry detergent, and household cleaners. 31) Cupboard Clean Out Meal - instead of going out to dinner or making another trip to the store, get creative and clean out your cupboard to make a meal. As family, we get really creative - pancakes for dinner, crazy salad, crazy pizza toppings, and top ramen noodle fest. It's fun if you get the entire family in on it. 30) Utilize your local library by borrowing books and movies instead of purchasing them. 29) Get serious about electricity use. Adjust the thermostat, unplug electronics when not in use, and be diligent about turning OFF the lights. Make it a game for the whole family... see just how much you can save in one month! 28) Cancel cable and try Netflix or Hulu instead. 27) Combine all of your errands into one day or do them on your way to/from other places you will already be driving to during the week. 26) Have everybody pack their lunches... even Mom and Dad. It is much cheaper than eating out, and often times much healthier. 25) Price shop online for items like paper products, baby items, or other household goods. Search online for coupon codes, look for sites that offer free shipping, and even sign up for sites like E-bates to earn extra cash back on your purchases. 24) Go back to your natural hair color. It will save money and time. 23) Swap gowns with a friend for the military ball. 22) Trade babysitting nights with a friend so both of you can still enjoy time alone with your spouse. 21) Call your cell phone provider and ask if they offer a military discount. 20) Go old school and use a drying rack or clothes line to dry your clothes. 19) Use your blender and ice cube trays to make your own baby food. A quick web search will give you instructions and tons of great recipes. 18) Carpool like crazy. Carpool the kids to school and events with neighbors. Carpool with your friend to the grocery store. Even service members can carpool to work. 17) Plan your weekly menu based on meat and veggie items that are on sale in your local area that week. 16) Cook one big meal (such as pulled pork or chili) eat half of it for dinner and freeze the other half for later or turn it into 2 separate meals (cheese and chili enchiladas, shredded pork tacos, baked potatoes topped with chili or pork, etc.) 15) Swap hand-me-down kids clothes with a group of friends. 14) Date in Daylight - Instead of going out to dinner and a movie with your sweetie, go out to breakfast/lunch and a matinee. It will save you at least $30 on the date! 13) Find out what the requirements are at your military treatment facility to receive over the counter medications for free. At some installations, simply taking a short class, will allow you a certain number of OTC meds per month at no cost to you. 12) I love my Kuerig, but will bust out the old coffee pot and save $5 in a couple of days by brewing a whole pot for pennies instead of one cup with the K-cups. Or purchase the reusable cup that takes your own coffee. 11) Kids need new clothes? Find a consignment store locally that will take your kids gently used (but outgrown) clothes in for trade. Use the credit to buy the sizes they need. 10) Get rid of your home phone. You can save $15 today by only using your cell phone. We did it and we don't miss it at all. 9) Instead of buying individual snack size portions, buy the big bag of snacks and make your own snack packs with little baggies. 8) If you buy organic products, stop. Organics are usually 15%-40% more expensive. I love organics, but when money is tight, I'll switch to regular for a few weeks. 7) Buy a water filter and bottle your own water in reusable bottles. Better for your wallet... and the environment. 6) Instead of spending $10-15 on a birthday gift for your child's friend's birthday, go to the dollar store, buy a plastic piggy bank and fill it with $5 in quarters. 5) Go to free local events and museums. Free entertainment is always good. 4) Buy frozen veggies when possible. (I do for broccoli, peas and green beans.) What you can save in tossing spoiled produce is significant. 3) Reuse plastic containers, plastic wear and you can even wash out and dry ziplic bags that were used just to store snacks, fruits or veggies. 2) If you use a non-sugar sweetener for your coffee, skip the packets and buy the bulk package. You will have to measure for each cup you drink, but you'll save a bunch on the inconvenience. 1) Use your Crockpot. You can throw in lots of cheap ingredients to make a great meal, but it also saves you from ordering pizza when you are exhausted after a long day. Dinner is already complete when you get home!

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