If you drink sparkling water and buy it each week at the grocery store, why not invest in a SodaStream machine? You can make your own bubbles at home for a fraction of the cost. A case of La Croix at Costco is ~$8, so (assuming you buy two cases per month) a carbonator would pay for itself after 3-4 months. Plus, there's a lot less waste to manage and a lot less real estate taken up in your pantry and fridge.
You could tote your fancypants water around in a lux water bottle. Or just a plain old one. You do you, not everyone is into the glitz and glamour.
If I had an office job I would totally pack my lunch in this great bento box and save megabucks by not buying subpar salads and sandwiches. If you're into portion control this is doubly cool.
Eating in season is always a money saver and it requires no up-front investment. However, what if chayote is on sale? A cookbook that spans the seasons and techniques will serve you well. You could also just search allrecipes by ingredient and revel in the hilarious recipe reviews.
A smartphone is an expensive necessity, so you should protect it at all costs. These strong as steel cases are affordable and these screen protectors are the best.
If you've decided to take the plunge into quality clothing and are eschewing fast fashion for quality pieces, then you'll need to protect them. A well-made item will last you years if you take care of it. Store your out of season pieces properly in these vacuum bags and save space! It's a win-win. These are easy to operate and you just need a regular sweeper hose attachment to suck the air out. You can fit about 10 bags under a queen sized bed, so free up your closet!
Hands down, my best money saving purchase has been this stash of reusable bags to keep in my purse. If you live in a state where you have to buy bags at the store, you already know how annoying that 10 cent fee is!
What are some ways you've spent money to save money?
If you 1) pay federal taxes and 2) have an employer that offers them, leveraging pre-tax deductions to set aside pre-tax dollars for non-discretionary expenses can save you a boatload of money.
ReplyDeleteThis is a good video overview:
https://www.bettermoneyhabits.com/taxes/how-taxes-affect-paycheck/pre-tax-benefits.html
My employer offers a Transportation FSA, a Health FSA, a Health Savings Account, and Dependent Care FSA.
I have a Health Savings Account and maximize my contributions to it. Unlike the FSA, the HSA rolls over each year, stays with you as you move employers, you can invest the balance and the growth is not taxed, and after the age of 65 you can use it to pay for anything, not just qualified medical expenses. It's so easy to use, too. Mine comes with a little debit card and any time I make health-related expenses (co-pays, medical bills, contacts/glasses, OTC medications, etc.) I just use the debit card. And I can track all of my expenses online.
Next year I'll start contributing to the Dependent Care FSA so I can pay for a portion of my daughter's childcare with pre-tax dollars.