Tips to Help You Save Money & Become Financially Savvy

There comes a time when we may of us have to stop and change our financial goes.  Focus less on the things we want and more on what we have and learn how to be savvy and look for ways to save money.

After my divorce, I had to sit down, think and research ways I could save money.  I went from living a comfortable life to scraping just to make it. I was not receiving any child support and all the bills my ex and I created together I was paying alone.   Here we are over two years later and I still have not been asked if the kids need anything or even an offer to help with the bills we created together.   We have a court date soon so I’m hoping things will change, but I’m not expecting much from him, to be honest.

Rather than sitting around and pointing the finger I knew I needed to make some serious changes so I could provide for my kids.  There was a time I used to be financially savvy, so I knew I could do it again.

Tips to Help You Save Money & Become Financially Savvy

Here are a few things I’ve done to save money and become more financially savvy.

Use coupons & follow blogs with great savings combos and tips

Coupons can save you tons of money if you put in a little time to visit a website like Mojo Savings before heading to the store or buying something online.

I just recently paid $0.27 for Summer’s Eve Sheer Floral Wipes at Target thanks to Mojo Savings.  She is smooth, by using a cartwheel offer and combining a coupon from her database you can score Summer’s Eve Sheer Floral Wipes for $0.27 each when you purchase two!  Is that awesome savings or what?  Savings Mojo is full of great savings, tips, coupons, freebies, and even DIY ideas and recipes.  I’m totally digging Mojo Savings!

The wonderful people at Mojo Savings are not your average coupon database.  With a large family of six combined with hard economic times which inspired them to not only find ways to save for their own family but also to help others looking to accomplish the same.

Mojo Savings works hard to keep their readers informed of all the latest deals, sales and coupons so you can enjoy saving money without the work.  Make sure and swing by and check them out at MojoSavings.com.

Learn to appreciate what you have

After my divorce, I had to sit down and learn to appreciate the things I had.  Once we learn to appreciate what we have we place more value on what we have and focus less on things we “need”.  I now put more focus on the little things, the moments and less on the extras we used to have.

Create a budget

Creating a budget is something we all want to do but often never sit down to put the pen to the paper and do it.  Be realistic and create a budget that works for your family.

Do a little research

Look at all your bills, are there bills you are overpaying, things you can do without.  One huge saving for me was getting rid of my ex’s much-loved cable bill and using a streaming service.  I got the same thing but paid half of what I was paying.

Make money off your old cell phones and tablets

There are some great places where you can sell all your old cell phones and tablets online such as SellCell.com. When you visit their website you’ll be able to type in the type of phone or tablet you have to see how much your phone is worth.  If you have several old phones or talbets laying around this could be a great way to make some extra cash.  

Try negotiating your bills

You can find places online that will help you negotiate some of your bills such as your internet bill, cable bill, phone bill, and more.  Most of these places take a small fee only if they end up saving you money. You can also negotiate your bills on your own. Even a small savings on your phone bill of $10 a month ends up being $120 a year and can make a huge difference.

Consider using a budget tracking app

There are tons of great apps available to help you track your spending.  You can connect your bank accounts and track your spending.

Audit your home energy costs

You can ask your local electric company for a free or low-cost energy audit.  You may find several inexpensive ways to help reduce your homes energy costs which can cause decent savings.

Lower your home water heater

Did you know just lowering your home water heater by 10 degrees can save you up to 5% on your homes water heating costs?

Keep the sun out or the warmth in

Curtains or blinds can help you save money all year round because they help keep the sun out of your home and the warmth in.  Your home will stay cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter, and you’ll save money.

Reduce water usage

My kids are horrible about doing dishes and leaving the water running or filling the bathtub and letting water out to make room for more warm water.  Teaching your kids the importance of saving water can help cut back on your water bill.  You can also install fixtures to help you use less water.

Eat out less

If you live a busy lifestyle, like so many of us eating out is often easier but costs can add up.  Rather than eating out try planning your meals in advance. I’ve found that using a crock pot not only saves me time but money.

Consider changing banks

Do you pay fees on your checking account?  Consider changing banks, there are plenty of great banks that offer all the same bells and whistles without the monthly fee.  I started using Chime Bank.  I don’t pay any fees and I got $50 bucks just for signing up and I’m happy with the services they provide.

Make a grocery list

Yet another huge money saver for me has been, not just creating a grocery list but taking it with me to the store.  I used to forget it all the time and wing it at the grocery store. I still forget my list but now I’ll go back home and get it before stepping foot into the grocery store.  This way I stick to what I need rather than purchasing a lot of stuff I don’t need and nothing I needed.

Go grocery shopping when you don’t have a lot of time

Another thing I’ve found that saves me money is shopping when I don’t have a lot of time to spend at the store.  I stick to my list, do less thinking and browsing.

Sign up for loyalty cards

I do a lot of shopping at Albertsons and signing up for their rewards saves me money in the store, PLUS I can use those rewards when I get gas at certain gas stations.

Invest your spare change

There are great ways you can invest your spare change, like Acorns. Right now when you sign up for Acorn you can score a $5 Referral Bonus – Sign-Up For Acorns Today!

Turn off the lights

Get in the habit of turning off the lights and anything else that uses electricity in your home.  Teach your family to do the same.

Line dry your clothing in the warmer months

The dryer uses a lot of electricity to dry your clothing.  Line drying your clothing can save you some serious cash. I love the way fabric smells after being dried on a clothing line.

Wash clothing in cold water

Using cold water to wash your laundry can save you money and your clothing will last longer.

How are you currently saving money in your home?  If you have any tips that could help others save a few extra bucks be sure and leave us a comment so we can help one another reach our savings goals.

This is a sponsored post written on behalf of Mojo Savings. All opinions are our own.