{200} Genius Ways To Save Money

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Are you looking for genius ways to save money? What about putting a stop worrying about your cash and taking control of your finances? If so, you’re in the right place!

Here are 200 Brilliant Ways to Start Saving Money today!

** UPDATE ** There are 100 ways to save money on this page. When I first started this list, my goal was to find the best 100 Money Saving tips but I found so many more great money saving ideas that it has now grown to the Ultimate Money Saving list of 200 brilliant tips that are workable and realistic for every family! You can grab a copy of all 200 money saving tips here!

Money saving tips

Let’s face it: Stressing out over money can be seriously Emotional.

I was tired of being worried about money all the time. It was keeping me up at night and it was affecting our family life too. I knew I had to make some changes if I wanted to regain control. At first, I didn’t feel that I could possibly squeeze a single cent out of our budget. But once I started looking, I found loads of ways to save money on a tight budget.

I started adopting many of these money saving tips one by one, and I was able to pay off some of our debt and sleep better again.

Money saving ideas

Where should you start? Whether you want to be wealthy or simply want to stop spending your paycheck before you get it, there are some surprisingly easy ways to tuck away a some of cash and be accountable for your spending without going totally overboard.

From genius saving hacks to shopping smart and cutting costs in the home, here are 100 pretty easy ways to save more money starting now!

Many of these are common sense ideas that you just haven’t put in place, but just by going through the list you can start saving a couple of dollars to thousands of dollars straight away.

On this page, you’ll first find 100 of the best ways to save.

Read through the list and highlight the ideas which will save you the most amount of money, in the least amount of time.

I recommend you print off the entire Checklist here so that you can put it where you can find it.

You can get a printable copy of this list here alongside a Work book to help you keep on top of saving money! Grab your copy from our store here!

100 Ways to save money

The “Tighten the Belt” Meal Plan: Write out 4 weekly budget friendly meal plans and shopping lists and rotate them every month. You family won’t even notice
Drink More Water. Stop buying soda and fruit juice (or reduce the amount by at least half). Try water infusions as a replacement. Save money and get healthy at the same time
Cancel Cable. Use cheaper options like Netflix or Amazon Prime
Refill your Water Bottle. Buy a good refillable water bottle and fill with water. No more spending on bottled water
Make your own snacks. Keep a snack container at home and keep it stocked with easy snacks. No more convenience food stops. We have a snack container in the fridge for fruit, cooked goods and yogurt and a pantry snack box for biscuits and nuts
Make Lunch at Home. Prepare lunches at home instead of buying takeout at work
Eat less Meat. Bulk up meals with vegetables like potatoes, beans or lentils or choose cheaper cuts of meat in soups and casseroles or try a Meatless Monday
Cook in bulk. Cook Casseroles and Soups in Bulk and freeze for another meal. This saves cooking time and works out cheaper per serve
Cancel magazine subscriptions. Read or borrow from the local library. Or Choose the long line in the Supermarket to get a few minutes to read while waiting. Save from $30 / year
Cancel your Gym Membership. Go for a walk, run or work out at home with a DVD and weights. Save $30/month
Buy Frozen Vegetables. They are cheaper as still good for you
Grow your Own herbs. You don’t need a lot of space to grow a pot of herbs. Choose your four most used herbs, pot them and and line them up on your kitchen windowsill
Join Rewards programs and use these instead of cash. I use my rewards for gifts at the end of the year
Pay bills online and on time and avoid late fees or save with early payment incentives. The best way to do this is to set up direct debits or automatic payments. And you Save money on travel and stamps
Find a Cheaper Mobile Phone plan. You may need to shop around, but we save $200 a month by cancelling our contract and finding a cheaper provider. Most of the time you are paying for time you don’t even use
Check bank statements and change to a cheaper bank account plan with no or little monthly charge
Don’t buy books. Join the library instead
Make your own cleaning supplies instead of buying them. DIY laundry and dish washing supplies are natural and work out to around 20c per wash vs 50c – $1 of the store bought stuff
Set a personal limit on gift spending. Make your own or be a creative gift giver. You don’t need to tell anyone if you don’t want to, but decide on the amount and stick it for your own budget
Stop Buying Music. Use the library or free music apps like Spotify (they have a free and paid version available) or livestream the radio
Buy in bulk only when items are cheaper or in season. Only buy food that you would normally buy. Only stock up on things just because they are cheap. They will end up sitting in the pantry and gathering dust until you eventually throw them out
Switch to Generic brand products where it works for you. I buy Whole-wheat flour, raw sugar, baking soda, ugly fruit and vegetables, bread crumbs, butter and a whole list of generic products. Most of the time they are actually healthier with fewer additives or flavours added
$10 Dinner List. Write out 5-10 rotating, cheap & great tasting affordable recipes you routinely make that cost under $10 to prepare. Cook these at least once a month
Eat your leftovers for lunch the next day and don’t spend money on food. We eat leftovers at least two to three times a week for lunch. IT saves time and money
Get ‘free plants’ by getting cuttings or baby plants from friend’s gardens or join the local garden club
Look for cheaper hobbies like reading, gardening, writing, cooking
Plan your Driving trips carefully. If you commute 100 miles per week (20 miles per day), you’re spending $57 a week or $208 every month! Group errands to do all in one day if possible
Get rid of the second car. Depending on your circumstances, is it possible to have only one car in the family? Can you car pool, take the bus or cycle
Give your Home a water Audit: Install a flow restrictor in the shower and taps, add a brick to the toilet cistern (this reduces water by ½ litre each flush)
Use rain water in the garden. Simply diverting rain water from your gutters to a water tank will give you free water to water your garden. We have one 15,000 litre water tank which supplies our family with all its water for the year so we pay $0 in water fees
Have a simple 40 hanger wardrobe you can mix or match. Try the 40 hanger system – only forty items of clothing per person. Before you buy something else, you need to get rid of something from your closet
Only buy your kids clothes from the thrift store. Kids grow out of clothes so fast or wear them out if they are active type (I have two of those)
Host a Clothes swap party – All your friends bring clothes they don’t wear and you can swap clothes for free. It’s fun and you can walk away with a whole new wardrobe
Give your kids an allowance in exchange for chores. They will need to spend their own money on things they want (this surprisingly saves money because you can control how much is being spent and kids share in the work at the same time) Plus it teaches the kids the value of money and how to budget at the same time
Don’t Buy Something just because it’s on sale!! Every time you walk away from the urge to spend, write down the amount you saved by NOT buying it
Shop with Cash not plastic. Draw budgeted grocery money each week in cash and leave your credit card at home. If you don’t have it you can’t use it!
No Spend Day x 2. Choose two (or more) days a week that you don’t spend any money at all!
Limit your transactions to one to two per day. This sounds weird but if you go through your bank statement you will see tons of small amounts coming off every day. These add up. Limit spending to two transactions a day will help you prioritise your spending for the day and stop wastefulness
Use Half the Amount of Everything. Most people actually use more shampoo, conditioner, washing soap etc than they actually use. Try using only half the amount you usually would to make it last longer
Shop the Dollar Stores. Buying household staples like tape, wrapping paper, soap, and other items will save you a bundle over the grocery store or pharmacy
No Spend Day x 2. Choose two (or more) days a week that you don’t spend any money at all!
Shop the Sales Circular. Use your local supermarket Circular and plan your weekly meals around the weekly specials
Re-purpose instead of buying new. Transform old items at home or from the dollar store to make instant new decor. Ideas include recovering old chairs, updating cabinet hardware, repainting furniture or photo frames
Learn to sew. Save money by mending your own clothes and taking up your own hems

The “Tighten the Belt” Meal Plan: Write out 4 weekly budget friendly meal plans and shopping lists and rotate them every month. You family won’t even notice
Drink More Water. Stop buying soda and fruit juice (or reduce the amount by at least half). Try water infusions as a replacement. Save money and get healthy at the same time
Cancel Cable. Use cheaper options like Netflix or Amazon Prime
Refill your Water Bottle. Buy a good refillable water bottle and fill with water. No more spending on bottled water
Make your own snacks. Keep a snack container at home and keep it stocked with easy snacks. No more convenience food stops. We have a snack container in the fridge for fruit, cooked goods and yogurt and a pantry snack box for biscuits and nuts
Make Lunch at Home. Prepare lunches at home instead of buying takeout at work
Eat less Meat. Bulk up meals with vegetables like potatoes, beans or lentils or choose cheaper cuts of meat in soups and casseroles or try a Meatless Monday
Cook in bulk. Cook Casseroles and Soups in Bulk and freeze for another meal. This saves cooking time and works out cheaper per serve
Cancel magazine subscriptions. Read or borrow from the local library. Or Choose the long line in the Supermarket to get a few minutes to read while waiting. Save from $30 / year
Cancel your Gym Membership. Go for a walk, run or work out at home with a DVD and weights. Save $30/month
Buy Frozen Vegetables. They are cheaper as still good for you
Grow your Own herbs. You don’t need a lot of space to grow a pot of herbs. Choose your four most used herbs, pot them and and line them up on your kitchen windowsill
Join Rewards programs and use these instead of cash. I use my rewards for gifts at the end of the year
Pay bills online and on time and avoid late fees or save with early payment incentives. The best way to do this is to set up direct debits or automatic payments. And you Save money on travel and stamps
Find a Cheaper Mobile Phone plan. You may need to shop around, but we save $200 a month by cancelling our contract and finding a cheaper provider. Most of the time you are paying for time you don’t even use
Check bank statements and change to a cheaper bank account plan with no or little monthly charge
Don’t buy books. Join the library instead
Make your own cleaning supplies instead of buying them. DIY laundry and dish washing supplies are natural and work out to around 20c per wash vs 50c – $1 of the store bought stuff
Set a personal limit on gift spending. Make your own or be a creative gift giver. You don’t need to tell anyone if you don’t want to, but decide on the amount and stick it for your own budget
Stop Buying Music. Use the library or free music apps like Spotify (they have a free and paid version available) or livestream the radio
Buy in bulk only when items are cheaper or in season. Only buy food that you would normally buy. Only stock up on things just because they are cheap. They will end up sitting in the pantry and gathering dust until you eventually throw them out
Switch to Generic brand products where it works for you. I buy Whole-wheat flour, raw sugar, baking soda, ugly fruit and vegetables, bread crumbs, butter and a whole list of generic products. Most of the time they are actually healthier with fewer additives or flavours added
$10 Dinner List. Write out 5-10 rotating, cheap & great tasting affordable recipes you routinely make that cost under $10 to prepare. Cook these at least once a month
Eat your leftovers for lunch the next day and don’t spend money on food. We eat leftovers at least two to three times a week for lunch. IT saves time and money
Get ‘free plants’ by getting cuttings or baby plants from friend’s gardens or join the local garden club
Look for cheaper hobbies like reading, gardening, writing, cooking
Plan your Driving trips carefully. If you commute 100 miles per week (20 miles per day), you’re spending $57 a week or $208 every month! Group errands to do all in one day if possible
Get rid of the second car. Depending on your circumstances, is it possible to have only one car in the family? Can you car pool, take the bus or cycle
Give your Home a water Audit: Install a flow restrictor in the shower and taps, add a brick to the toilet cistern (this reduces water by ½ litre each flush)
Use rain water in the garden. Simply diverting rain water from your gutters to a water tank will give you free water to water your garden. We have one 15,000 litre water tank which supplies our family with all its water for the year so we pay $0 in water fees
Have a simple 40 hanger wardrobe you can mix or match. Try the 40 hanger system – only forty items of clothing per person. Before you buy something else, you need to get rid of something from your closet
Only buy your kids clothes from the thrift store. Kids grow out of clothes so fast or wear them out if they are active type (I have two of those)
Host a Clothes swap party – All your friends bring clothes they don’t wear and you can swap clothes for free. It’s fun and you can walk away with a whole new wardrobe
Give your kids an allowance in exchange for chores. They will need to spend their own money on things they want (this surprisingly saves money because you can control how much is being spent and kids share in the work at the same time) Plus it teaches the kids the value of money and how to budget at the same time
Don’t Buy Something just because it’s on sale!! Every time you walk away from the urge to spend, write down the amount you saved by NOT buying it
Shop with Cash not plastic. Draw budgeted grocery money each week in cash and leave your credit card at home. If you don’t have it you can’t use it!
No Spend Day x 2. Choose two (or more) days a week that you don’t spend any money at all!
Limit your transactions to one to two per day. This sounds weird but if you go through your bank statement you will see tons of small amounts coming off every day. These add up. Limit spending to two transactions a day will help you prioritise your spending for the day and stop wastefulness
Use Half the Amount of Everything. Most people actually use more shampoo, conditioner, washing soap etc than they actually use. Try using only half the amount you usually would to make it last longer
Shop the Dollar Stores. Buying household staples like tape, wrapping paper, soap, and other items will save you a bundle over the grocery store or pharmacy
No Spend Day x 2. Choose two (or more) days a week that you don’t spend any money at all!
Shop the Sales Circular. Use your local supermarket Circular and plan your weekly meals around the weekly specials
Re-purpose instead of buying new. Transform old items at home or from the dollar store to make instant new decor. Ideas include recovering old chairs, updating cabinet hardware, repainting furniture or photo frames
Learn to sew. Save money by mending your own clothes and taking up your own hems
Plan a yard sale and sell everything you are not using. Decide before hand where you will use this extra money to benefit your goals the most
Organise your pantry so that you use the food correctly without letting anything go to waste. The Average family wastes over $1500 a year on food
Upskill yourself. Take free Classes at the local community centre or sign up for a free online class
Adjust your Air Conditioning or heat by 1-2 degree. It is estimated that you can save 1% for every degree you adjust up or down
Start using rechargeable batteries and label them for each child – this way everyone in the house is responsible for their own batteries
Turn off the lights: turning off the lights when not in use can really help keep energy costs down. Compare your energy bill to see how much you save
Use Solar lights in the garden instead of using electricity
Become a minimalist for one year. Get rid of the clutter, downsize the amount of ‘stuff’ you have and really don’t need. A Minimalist mindset will stop you splurging on unnecessary things
Use free Apps only. Don’t get sucked into upgrades or upsells. Unlink your credit card from the phone
Shop your own closet – pair new things together or mix it up to make something new entirely before going out to buy anything
Adjust the Water Heater. It is estimated that you can save up to $30 annually for every 10-degree reduction
Use Air Purifying plants and skip the need for a home air purifier
Keep a spending journal for one week. Write down every dollar you spend. It will make you conscious of where your money is going
Only plant Perennials in the garden that keep blooming year after year instead of wasting money on annuals that get you through only one season (and save on hours spent in the garden too)
Do your own dog/pet grooming: Bath, brush, trim and clip their nails
Don’t buy clothes that need dry cleaning or dry clean at home. Based on 56 Garments a year, this will save you $150 a year on dry cleaning fees
DIY Beauty Treatment: Need a budget makeover or massage? Contact the local beauty school. They are always looking for Volunteers to practice on
Use a Water blaster to clean the house, deck or car. It uses substantially less water per minute
Wear warm pajamas in Winter to reduce the need for extra heating
Get the kids learning Guitar or a new language for free by downloading a free App or watching YouTube tutorials
Consider taking in a boarder and share home expenses
Share the cost with a friend. Really want to read the latest novel? Share the cost with a friend and pass the book on or sell it on eBay when you are done
Don’t be shy to ask for a discount every time. Ask your plumber, builder, car salesman. Just ask. They can only say No (or yes and save you money)
Don’t boil the kettle each time you want to make a cup of tea / coffee during the day. Boil it once and fill a thermos so you have hot water all day. Boiling a 1.5 litre kettle once a day for a year costs $14.67 a year. How many times do you boil a day?
Make your own Artwork and change your décor without the big price tag
Redecorate on a budget. Looking to repaint a room? Shop for off colour tints at your local paint shop. They always sell these at an extremely discounted price
Pay a little extra. Round up to the nearest hundred dollars for mortgage and car payments. Saves a lot of interest in the long run and you won’t even miss the money
Trade services like babysitting (or handyman services etc) with a friend. Make a list of things you could do that you could exchange with others. Ask your friends to do the same. This could be house cleaning, book keeping, cooking dinners, gardening, car pooling etc
Do your Research by Googling it first. When my washer broke down last month, it only took a couple of YouTube videos and a set of pliers to fix it. Saved me at least the minimum $75 service call charge. Just Google the model number and brand plus the issue
Mulch with Cardboard. Save on Gardening time and weed killer by laying down cardboard in the garden bed and mulching on top. This stops weeds growing through
Let the Rice Sit. When cooking rice, save on cooking time by bringing the water up to the boil, give the pan a quick stir, put the lid on tightly and turn off the heat. By the time the rest of the meal is ready, the rice will be done. This save at least 10 minutes of cooking time
Turn off the heat. Switch off the oven for the last 5-10 minutes of cooking time
Stock Box. Keep a box in the freezer for veggies that are not going to get eaten in time. Use for stocks, soups and stews
Cook 5 times in 10 Days. For 10 days cook dinner every second day and always make enough for a ‘leftovers’ meal
Limp fruit Smoothie Box. When fruit goes “limp” or past its best, put it in a smoothie instead of throwing it away. Cut it up and freeze it if you want to prolong its life
Cheap Swap or Sacrifice. At the end of every shopping trip, take three items out of the trolley or swap for three generic brands. Write down how much you saved
Use a 30-day Waiting list. To curb impulse buys, create a 30-day list. When you want to buy something, other than a true necessity (medicine or food), put it on this list, with the date you added it to the list. And make it a rule that you can’t buy anything for at least 30 days after you put it on the list. And stick to it. (this is a tip from zenhabits.com)
Leftover wine hack. Freeze it in ice cubes and then use in spaghetti dishes, lasagna etc
Wash clothes less. Don’t wash them if they aren’t really dirty
Eat a Cheap breakfast. Choose 2 – 3 budget breakfast options for the week and stop spending on overpriced sugar coated kids cereals
Try a Cheaper brand of wine
Buy identical socks so you never have to throw away a missing one. We have two colour sock policy in our home. I only buy white and black socks
Reuse Gift Wrapping Paper
Don’t shop online if you have been drinking. It lowers your inhibitions and makes you more likely to press the ‘buy’ button
Get a free week of shopping (Save $1000’s with this one!!) If you grocery shop weekly, each week do your main shop a day later than the previous week. 1st week weds, 2nd week Thurs and so on. Every 8th week you will have a “free” week of shopping
Read the news online and cancel the paper delivery
Freeze leftover sauces or gravies so you don’t have to remake for another meal
Once a Month Stock Pot. Make a huge pot of Chicken or vegetable stock every month and freeze into portions
Consider eating expired food or food close to it’s use by date is sold at an extreme discount. Often this food can be frozen to extend it’s life. Here’s a little secret: Expiration dates actually refer to the quality and freshness of food, not safety. Food is often safe to eat even beyond “sell by” and “use by” dates, so long as it’s stored right
Create a Realistic Budget that you can stick to. Look at past bank statements and see how much you have spent in each category (food, clothes, house, insurance etc) and see if you can improve or save on each. Then stick to it!
Build a Compost bin out of free wooden pallets and reduce the amount of trash. We pay $2.40 for each trash bag in our area, so I love this one. This also provides great fertilizer you can use in your garden – for free!
Only shop once a week. Allocate one day a week to do your grocery shopping and all your other shopping too if possible. This means that if you run out during the week you have to wait. This little tip drastically reduces impulse shopping
Start doing grocery pick up instead of going to the store. Order only what you need online and you will avoid the impulse buys as you go around the supermarket
Use a calculator in the grocery store. If you go over your limit, remove things from the trolley or swap for a generic brand. This only works if you stick to it
Keep your tires properly inflated. This saves you money on gas and cuts down on tire wear and improves the handling and safety of your car. Most gas stations let you fill your tires with air for free
Start a list of things that you can do for free in your neighborhood to have fun. For us these are things like feeding the ducks, going on a picnic, heading to the beach. Put the list on the fridge and keep adding to it