How much money would you like to have saved for the holidays? Or your next vacation? Or your emergency fund?
Whatever your goal, the number probably seems overwhelming.
Trying to figure out where several hundred or a few thousand dollars might come from is tough. Instead, break it down. Find ways to set aside just a little bit at a time — you’ll be surprised how quickly you can move toward your goal!
To help you get started with that first step, we’ve put together 17 easy things you can do to help save money this year!
1. Negotiate A Better Mortgage Rate With HARP – An Extra $290 Month in Savings
If you’re a homeowner and you want to save yourself thousands of dollars this year, there’s a government program that you might be able to take advantage of called HARP. The Home Affordable Refinance Plan (HARP) could help hundreds of thousands of Americans reduce their monthly payments by as much as $3,500 in their first year. The program was set to expire in 2017 but has been extended to 2018 for the time being.
In order to qualify for HARP you’ll need good or excellent credit, so if you don’t have a very good credit rating then this probably isn’t for you. To check if you qualify visit HARP Approvals, and fill out the short quiz (take 2 minutes). If lowering your payments, paying off your mortgage faster, and having an extra $290 a month in HARP savings would help you, then this could be the easiest money savings tip you take.
2. Install A Home Alarm System – Save 20% on Homeowners Insurance
Would you like to save up to 20% on your homeowner’s insurance? That’s typically the savings insurance companies give for having a home security system. Why? Because 90% of convicted burglars admit that they avoid homes with alarm systems. And because homes without alarms are three times more likely to be targeted. Improve safety. Sleep better. And save money!
More than six million Americans rely on ADT to protect them. Find out from your insurance company about the discount you’ll get with a security system, and then find the system that fits you. The good news is that these home alarm companies are pretty desperate for customers at the moment so you can get a good deal. For instance, ADT is currently offering over $800 in savings if you qualify. That means you basically get a free alarm system for over a year, just by paying the initial setup fee (less than $100).
3. Drive For Lyft – Earn an Extra $2,400
Need a fun, flexible way to earn money this month? Try driving with Lyft! Demand for ridesharing has been growing like crazy, and it shows no signs of slowing down. To be eligible, you’ll need to be at least 21 years old with a year of driving experience, pass a background check and own a car made in 2007 or later.
We talked to Paul Pruce, who’s been driving full-time with Lyft for over a year. He earns $750 a week as a driver. Best of all, he does it on his own time. You can work days, nights or weekends — it’s up to you!
Work 40 hours a week for one month, and you could bank up to $2,400.
4. Get a Lower Auto Insurance Rate – Pay Less Than $50/Month
Would you like to pay less than $50 per month for your car insurance? Car insurance is mandatory for every driver, but that does not mean you have to pay an excessive premium.If you have no accidents or violations in the past two years, you can probably get a much lower rate than you currently pay and join the 5% of Americans who figured out how to pay less than $50 a month! In the past, you’d have to shop around and call several companies to compare rates. Today, you can use a website tool that shows you comparable rates from top companies, letting you make the clear choice. See how low you can get your rate and tell your friends!
5. Slash Your Electricity Bill With Solar Panels
For homeowners, rising monthly electricity costs can make you feel like you’re always living paycheck to paycheck. The good news is that now more than ever the government is offering subsidies to install solar panels. That means if you live in the United States, you may be able to qualify for a free installation, and it will significantly reduce your electricity costs in a matter of weeks. In fact, some Americans have saved as much as $183 per month on their energy bills. For starters, you will save 30 percent on the installation because of the federal investment tax credit (ITC), and there’s no cap. (The ITC expires in December 2018.) Your monthly electricity bill will be much lower and might even be $0.
Also, your bill will not be affected by rate hikes or spikes in fossil fuel prices. When you decide to sell your home, the panels will increase its value. Buyers will typically pay $15,000 MORE for a home with an average-sized solar power system. Save on the installation. Save on the monthly bills. Earn on the sale of your home. Check out getting solar panels for your home.
6. Get A Lower Health Insurance Rate
Obamacare can be very confusing, and people have been overloaded with too much information. But with new changes coming, making sure you have a good health insurance policy can end up saving you a lot of money in the long run. A big part of the law states that if you do not have coverage, you will have to pay a fine (which has increased since last year). A new website called Obamacare Health Plans aims to educate consumers about their options and also provides you with an easy way to find and compare health carriers and brokers in your area. Just enter your zip code and provide them with a bit of information and they’ll work to find you the best health insurance rates.
7. Get Paid To Take Online Surveys – Make More Money Every Week
What if you could get paid a little bit of extra pocket money just for taking a few online surveys? Would you do it? There are several new websites that allow you to do just that. You provide them with a bit of information about yourself and they’ll match you up with to surveys that you can complete for big brands. You then earn rewards and virtual points that you can redeem for Paypal or e-Giftcards. You won’t make a ton of money doing this, but it could help pay for a few things every month and it’s easy to do.Lunch breaks, bus rides, and nights are opportunities to take surveys and earn spending money or build your stash of savings.
8. Cut The Cord on Cable Forever – Access Free TV
How much do you pay each month for your cable TV subscription? $25? $55? $95? What if you could get a lot of the same programs—top programs—for free? What would you do with all the subscription money you save? You can still get access to network TV—for free. That includes ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC, PBS, The CW, Univision and more. All free. You just need the right antenna. One antenna that is available to consumers is ClearView. It’s real, and it’s legal. It stays indoors, it’s sleek and discreet, and it delivers all your local news, weather, sitcoms, cooking shows, kids’ shows, sports and thousands of movies. If you’re not spending significant time on specific cable channels, cut the cord, save your money, and enjoy free TV.
9. Purchase Airline Tickets On Sunday
A study by Expedia and Airlines Reporting Corporation (ARC) analyzed billions of ticket sales in 2016. The study found that generally you can save the most money on airline tickets if you purchase them on Sunday more than 21 days ahead of your flight. Also, flights that include a Saturday-night stay offer the best prices. Also, if possible avoid booking flights for holidays like Christmas or New Years as airlines love to hike up the prices whenever they can.
10. Open A Savings Account – Earn 1.75% APY
If you want to save $5,000 in one year, the first thing you have to do is, well, start saving! Even if it’s a few bucks, put it aside. Better, put it in a separate bank account. Even better still, open an account at an online bank and stuff in $5 or $10 to start. American Express offers a high-yield savings account with a very nice 1.75% APY. Put your money here and it will grow.
11. Trim Down Your Subscriptions
Movies, books, music, the gym, cable, satellite TV. . .how many subscriptions and memberships do you pay for each month? You probably still pay for ones you no longer use! A cool app called Trim analyzes your accounts to find recurring subscriptions and determine where you can save more money. Trim also finds cashback deals, cancels subscriptions, and even negotiates your Comcast bill for you. If you buy something on Amazon, Trim will monitor for price protection refunds.
12. Learn How To Trade Cryptocurrencies
This tip is a lot riskier, so only do it with money you’re comfortable completely losing. Millions of people around the world are cashing in on the rise of cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, Ethereum and others. In fact, many people have become “Bitcoin Millionaires” overnight! But what happens if you’re not a techie or computer nerd, how do you get in on this trend? There’s a new online course by the Palm Beach Research Group which promises to teach you how to invest in these new cryptocurrencies, and you can access some of their information completely free of charge by clicking here to visit their website.
13. Pack Your Lunch
A standard sandwich in a city lunch spot can cost you $10.00 or more. Add in sides and a drink and lunch can cost $13 – $15 a day. That’s $75 a week! A salad starts around $7.00. So even if you go this route, you’re looking at $35 a week. Or, you can buy a few lunch options when you go to the market and prepare your own lunches. This will cost you between $10 – $20 a week depending on your taste. Calculate the balance and drop it in your new savings account or into a “lunch money savings” jar and watch it add up.
14. Host On Airbnb
If you have an extra room in your house, turn to Airbnb. Millions of travellers do. That means extra money for you. Airbnb provides insurance for your home and for your guests. Look at the schedule of upcoming events in your area. Concerts, conventions, and high-profile sporting events draw lots of visitors. Capitalize on this opportunity. According to Priceonomics, Airbnb hosts average $924 a month.
15. Sell Your Stuff Online
Yard sales are fun, but oh they take a lot of energy and you spend a whole day and earn a marginable amount of money. Instead, sell your stuff online. There are general sales sites like Craigslist, eBay and letgo, an app that lets you take a photo of what you’re selling and upload it in 30 seconds. Refashioner.com lets you sell hip (and vintage) women’s clothing while ThredUP bills itself as the largest online consignment and thrift shop. Of course, if you need a “new” wardrobe, using these sites will save you lots of money.
16. Help Researchers Find A Cure
Scientists and doctors need people to help them discover different cures for the ailments they study. Headaches, sleep disorders, and eating disorders are three common areas of research. (Imagine helping scientists find a cure for one!) By signing up to be a subject, you may receive free treatment and access to cutting-edge technology. Acurian Health is currently looking to pay subjects in these studies:
The Cluster Headaches study pays up to $300 if you suffer cluster headaches.
The Arthritis Study pays up to $1,000 If you have hip or knee pain that won’t go away.
The Crohn’s Disease study pays up to $750 if you’ve been diagnosed with Crohn’s and have had it at least three months or suffer other other gastrointestinal disorders.
If you’d prefer to sleep to earn money, find a sleep study facility near you and see what studies they offer.
17. Consolidate To Just One Bill
If you have several credit card bills to pay, as well as your regular monthly expenses, it can get overwhelming. According to Forbes, the average U.S. household owes $15,762 to credit card companies at an average interest rate of 13.70%. If you’re in this boat, you’re not alone. Paying the minimum each month means you wind up paying $2,000 in interest in a year. You can lower this. Consolidate several bills into one. This will reduce the interest you pay, the number of bills you pay, and it could help your credit score. Even Financial offers loans up to $100,000 to help individuals and families consolidate their debt into one monthly bill with lower interest rates. See if they can help you.
