50 Ways to Cut Costs Without Cutting Fun
Supercharging Savings
Hopefully by now you are paying down any remaining debts and building up an emergency fund. Today we’re going to give you 50 ways to cut costs without cutting fun so that you can enjoy life while improving your financial situation at the same time. A lot of people out think that you have to choose between saving money and having fun. My wife said something very profound to me while we were engaged, “If you focus too much on the future, you’ll miss the present.” She was trying to tell me nicely that I was taking cost cutting a little bit too far.
There is no point in Getting Rich Young, if you don’t have anybody to share it with when you get there. On the flip side though, you don’t want to get yourself into a position that you spent everything yesterday and now you have no time to be with your family and friends because you’re working all the time. That’s why in this post, we’re going to discuss ways that you can have your cake and eat it too. Some of these ideas may seem like you’ll sacrifice some fun or it will be too inconvenient, but hear me out. Before dismissing any idea hear, think about the last time you were in a similar situation. Do you remember the items or the people? Do you remember the materials or the experience? If the answer is the material positions in either question, then you’re in the wrong place, and this blog is not for you. We are here to get rich young in order to have more time to spend with others and experience life. We are not here to accumulate crap.
So here we go. Here are 50 ways that I have cut costs without noticing an adverse affect on my life.
Restaurants and Bars
Stick with water when you go out instead of soft drinks and alcoholic beverages (Do you remember the booze or the banter when you go out?)
Offer to be the designated driver when going out to drink with friends instead of getting hammered (You save money on drinks, your friends get home safely, and they are thankful for you driving. It’s a win-win-win.)
When going to the bars or restaurants, follow the specials (Food and drinks can be expensive, take advantage of those savings they give out to get you in the door)
Try going to a BYOB restaurant (You can save a significant amount by bringing your own bottle of wine instead of ordering by the glass)
Have friends over for a pot luck dinner instead of going to a swanky restaurant. (You get a lot of the excitement of eating what somebody else cooked without all the expense, plus you have an excuse to invite more people over).
Take a picnic lunch with what you have in the cabinets to the park instead of grabbing fast food (Save money and enjoy the outdoors. Science shows that nature makes us happy!)
Make your own sushi instead of going out, you can even make a party out of it! (I love sushi. With a rice cooker and the tips of this post and technique from this video, I’m able to make near-restaurant quality sushi now for a fraction of the price)
Have a fermentation party (Brewing equipment can be expensive, but there are some cheap alternatives to get you started. Otherwise try splitting the cost with your friends. It’s cheaper over time and more fun than the bar).
Entertainment
Go see a movie before dinner in order to get the matinee pricing.
Eat a large meal before going to the movies instead of getting snacks at the theater.
Invite your friends over for a home movie night instead of going to the theater.
Put YouTube on the big screen and watch some live music instead of going to a concert (Try using one of the music channels like #CountryMusic or #PopMusic. There are a ton of high quality music videos from big artists)
See if there are any local bands playing or free concerts in the park instead of going to a headliner
Host a pot luck board game night. (Everybody brings a different board game to play)
Stream your tv using Netflix, Youtube, Hulu, and other streaming services instead of Cable
Rent a movie from RedBox instead of buying it if you’re only going to watch it once or twice
Read a book from the library instead of buying your own copy
Play outdoor games from your childhood like ghost in the graveyard and tag
Start a no-spend challenge with your friends (You all try to go a month without spending any money. You can use specific spending categories like “No spending money on coffee for 2 weeks”)
Start a weekly library date with a group of your peers (I always enjoyed study groups while I was in college, because small chatter would always take up from time to time. Why not do the same thing now? You and your friends can all learn something new, and it’s something different to spice things up)
Start volunteering. (Volunteering is a completely rewarding experience, you save money by avoiding a night out on the town, and you meet new people with similar interests. Another win-win-win.)
Transportation and Lodging
Get a group to go camping instead of getting a hotel room
Check out AirBnb in major cities before getting a hotel room
Nice night? Try convincing the group to walk instead of taking the cab
Carpool whenever you can (Save time and spend some more time with people that you would usually spend alone)
Pack food for road trips. (Do you really remember the fast food on the trip? Probably not, so just pack a lunch instead)
Slow down (If you have a lead foot, then you’re throwing money down the drain and you’re not saving that much time.)
Shopping
Buy in season produce at the grocery store
Swap clothes with friends to get clothes new to you instead of buying something from the store.
Holiday shop after the holidays and save them for next year. (Stuff usually goes on sale right after the holiday ends and you can save it for next year without anybody knowing)
Try out the generic brands of your favorite foods, toiletries, and other commodities (Sometimes I’m able to tell the difference, but most of the time it’s pretty close. I love Aldi)
Grow your own herbs instead of buying expensive spices from the store (Bring a little nature into your life without much maintenance and get your food a little fresher in the process)
Do a quick Google search for coupons before you purchase something online (Or you can install a firefox or chrome add-on like Honey which will automatically look for coupons)
Use a rewards program like FatWallet or Ebates before buying online for easy cash back (Just by clicking on the web link to your retailer before you go, and you can get some major cash back)
Make your own coffee instead of stopping by starbucks
Substitute some of your meat in recipes for more vegetables
Try frozen vegetables when not in season
Buy second hand when you can (Prices tend to fall pretty quickly. You can save a lot of money by living on the trailing edge)
Home and Maintenance
Pretend the power is out (Time to bust out the candles and books)
Eat breakfast instead of skipping and having a bigger lunch
Swap skills with your friends (So you know about cars? Maybe your friend knows about plumbing. Help each other out before hiring somebody new)
Switch to a safety razor when shaving (I have saved hundreds of dollars over the last few years by using a safety razor instead of traditional cartridges. I spend $10 for every 100 razor blades)
Everything Else
Automatic repayment for student loans (My lenders all provided a small interest rate discount for doing this, and it stopped me from having to sign up every month.)
Switch to a discount mobile provider (I switched to Cricket from AT&T and now I spend half as much for the same network)
Find a running trail and run your own marathon instead of going to an organized event (Why spend $100+ dollars to run in a crowded space when there are thousands of miles of running trails that likely don’t have many people on them?)
Do body weight exercises instead of getting a gym membership
Try streaming fitness classes instead of paying for a gym membership
Summary
When trying to save money, it helps me when I prioritize in the following way
Doing Things With People I Love > Doing Things Alone > Things
Prioritize spending time with family and friends above material positions and you will both save money and increase the amount of enjoyment you get out of life.
Continue the Discussion
What are some things that you do to save money without sacrificing fun?
