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Unique ways you save money.

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When I get my monthly salary in my primary checking the following happens:
- a fixed amount of money goes to a different checking account. This account covers all my fixed and predictable costs such as mortgage, insurance, transportation, utilities, etc. Whatever is left each month goes to my savings.
- a fixed amount goes into my savings account.
- a fixed amount goes into my other savings account which has subaccounts for travel, gadgets, festivals, etc. But most importantly, it has a subaccounts called 'buffer' for emergencies. The buffer is 500 euros. As long as my buffer is fine, the money goes to the other subaccounts.

Whatever is left on my primary checking account I spend.
 
Carn82 said:
When I get my monthly salary in my primary checking the following happens:
- a fixed amount of money goes to a different checking account. This account covers all my fixed and predictable costs such as mortgage, insurance, transportation, utilities, etc. Whatever is left each month goes to my savings.
- a fixed amount goes into my savings account.
- a fixed amount goes into my other savings account which has subaccounts for travel, gadgets, festivals, etc. But most importantly, it has a subaccounts called 'buffer' for emergencies. The buffer is 500 euros. As long as my buffer is fine, the money goes to the other subaccounts.

Whatever is left on my primary checking account I spend.
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This is how you should do it. I use YNAB to do basically the same thing, but it stays in the same account, except for retirement fund transfers.

Automate this shit
 
I change my w-4 to "single" "0" no dependents then when it's tax time I slam the IRS with "Head of House Hold and an bunch of kids" making out like a bandit.
 
I wait at least 2 months before making large purchases to prevent myself from making impulse purchases and removing the luster of getting something new.

If I still want it as much as I used to, I'll buy it. If not, nevermind
 
I like computers and videogames so I constantly sell my old shit to pay for new stuff. It's surprisingly cheap to have the newest stuff if your willing to sell your old gear while it still has value.
 
Bring homemade food to work than eating at a fastfood.
Also during work I try keep my budget to 1 dollar a day.
Not that unique.
 
I think about purchases for a period of time. The bigger the cost the longer i think about it.

$20 - 20 minutes
$100 - 1 day
$1000 - 3 weeks

This gives me cool off time and 80% of the time I'll change my mind.
 
I'm enrolled in our company's pre-tax Metrocard plan. I ride my bike to work and give the monthly card to my wife for her commute.

My job requires me to frequently travel around the city, so on those days, I'll borrow a coworker's unlimited card and return it to them when I get back to the office.
 
Bring your lunch to work
Drink water at restaurants
Use cash instead of cards (I am much less likely to spend a dollar bill out of my pocket then swipe a card)
Stay away from gacha/mobile phone games


Yeah that about sums it up on best ways to save money... it is fucking tough too.
 
Being single helps but this...

Just called Comcast to get my bill lowered
Cut my own hair
Never buy stuff at full MSRP. I always wait for sales. Black Friday is your friend.
I buy things on cards with cash back rewards and pay them off every month.
 
RevoDS said:
Whenever I have something to pay for with cash, I put all the coins (including $1 or $2 pieces) in a jar at home instead of keeping them in my pocket to spend. Every few months, I go deposit a few hundred bucks back into the bank.

I also transfer enough money out of my checking account each month that it makes me uneasy about whether I have enough money, so I'm more careful about every expense. Started doing that after I noticed my savings rate going up dramatically after every time I had a big expense (such as when my car broke down and I had to replace it)
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smokeymicpot said:
Leave my cards at home and only take cash.
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Worst option possible.

I only pay with cash as a last resort. Everything gets paid for with a credit card, so I can get a 2-5% discount on everything I buy.
 
Earthbound64 said:
No, the worst option possible is to put everything onto a credit card and max out the card without paying it off.
And then take out payday loans for necessities.
And call in favors from the Mafia for that.
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Well if you're saving money, I'm making the base assumption that you have self control.

No self control and all bets are off.

Like others, I also have a "fun budget."

Paycheck $$$ go towards living expenses, bills, savings, etc. Small chunk of $$$ each month goes to the personal fun budget. Spend it, save it, whatever w/o worry because it was already budgeted for. That and sell off the crap you no longer use. Living in an apartment space is more valuable than stuff in a box.
 
I have a set amount in cash that I keep on me for spending and then I do a weekly dump of my checking account into a savings account that I can't readily access because it's a credit union that's part of a company that my guardian used to work for.
 
Always make lunch at home.

Recently got a bidet, so hoping that helps.

Put change in jars.

Been getting inspired by minimalism so I've put aside clothes and things that I haven't worn or used in a while and been selling them online.
 
Syriel said:
Worst option possible.

I only pay with cash as a last resort. Everything gets paid for with a credit card, so I can get a 2-5% discount on everything I buy.
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This doesn't preclude what I said? Key word: if I have to pay with cash, I take whatever coins are left out of my wallet ASAP and put them in a jar.

I pay for everything with a credit card as well unless I have to use cash.
 
Gray Matter said:
One of my ways is by putting money I could spend on something I don't need into a savings account.

For example, i want to play the new Zelda, but isn't smart to pay $400+ for just one game, so I put the $300 that it would cost me to buy a switch into my savings account. I do this for most of my impulse purchases above $100.
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Wait do you not typically have your money in a bank account?
 
I can't really think of novel ways we save money.

Ways we actually do our savings:

The vast majority is automated, either taken from my paycheck (401k, HSA) or shuttled off to investment accounts right after it hits the bank (529 college fund). This forces us to make the household budget work within our savings goals.

My wife is a beast with coupons. Seriously, holy shit.

We don't eat out often.

I pack lunches, and don't eat out at work.

We talk about, and budget, any expense over ~$50. Make sure we have a plan to cover it. All major purchases that can be foreseen are budgeted early in the year (home projects, vacations, electronics, etc.). We have some cash in the savings account for emergencies.

That's about it really. It's boring but it works.
 
mafe said:
Always make lunch at home.

Recently got a bidet, so hoping that helps.

Put change in jars.

Been getting inspired by minimalism so I've put aside clothes and things that I haven't worn or used in a while and been selling them online.
Click to expand...

How much toilet paper are you using that buying and installing a bidet is going to save you money?
 
I have 20 % of my paycheck go into an alternate account and either save that for vacation or put it in an index fund. Otherwise, I pretend it doesn't exist.
 
PixelatedBookake said:
I stopped buying candles
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I like you

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Tip 1: never use credit cards unless it's an emergency. I work hard for my money, not to keep banks richer.
Tip 2: Cook food at home as much as possible. Home-cooked meals don't have to be repetitive and dull.
Tip 3: Create a realistic budget and stick to it. Saving money does require some effort and discipline.
Tip 4: Use available coupons when grocery shopping and always look for good deals to save money.
Tip 5: Find ways to reward yourself when you see progress toward saving. Just don't spend all that hard earned cash though lol.
 
Pterion said:
I drive a 10 years old car.
Click to expand...

Mines 20. Runs great with less then 70k miles on it!

I resell stuff
Invest all spare money into index funds
Cook dinner and don't eat out for lunch
Walk or bike most places.
Don't consume media really, so no new games or movies for me
Phone is PAYG, about $33 a month
I house sat for a year and had no bills to pay or rent. Don't do that anymore though.
When I owned my own home I rented the spare rooms out on Airbnb
Run some websites that generate me cash that just goes into my investment account.


I think that's about it. Works well, don't have to fuss about work and I travel a lot.
 
Syriel said:
Well if you're saving money, I'm making the base assumption that you have self control.

No self control and all bets are off.
Click to expand...

You'd be surprised how many people "do things to save money" (being obsessive about turning off lights, etc.), but keep large running balances on credit cards.
Or maybe that was just my ex.
 
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