Yahoo Finance 25 Habits That Will Save You Money, According to Frugal Living YouTuber Kate Kaden
You might be able to think of five quick ways, or maybe 10, to save extra money off the top of your head. But do you think you know 25 tips? Kate Kaden, a YouTuber dedicated to frugal living, does and she recently recapped her favorite classic tips for saving money in a YouTube video.
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Below you’ll find Kaden’s roundup of the top habits that save the most money along with expert insight into how effective these behaviors are. In no particular order, see which 25 habits can save you the most money.
1. Batch Your Errands
On the days when Kaden runs errands, she said she will do all of them on the same day. This saves her money on gas and time and energy to get all the one-off shopping trips done in one go.
Does this habit save money? Absolutely. Any expert will tell you that it’s much more cost-effective to do a run to the bank, grocery store and post office all in the same afternoon versus stretching these visits out over the course of several days.
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2. Turn Off the Lights When You Leave the Room
Both Kaden and her son are in the habit of turning off the lights every time they leave the room. Because they practice this habit so frequently, Kaden said their power bill is always pretty inexpensive.
Does this habit save money? It does. Some households will take it a step further and unplug various electronics, like laptops and smartphone chargers, which can hike up electric bills just by being plugged in even when they’re not in use.
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3. Enjoy Free Entertainment
Kaden said she takes advantage of local community events, including musical theater performances and concerts, which are often free so long as audience members come to support and cheer them on.
Does this habit save money? Definitely — just make sure you keep a calendar handy of free events happening in your area. Beyond your local community, there are many streaming services where you can also enjoy movies and TV completely for free.
4. Wait To Upgrade
When the latest piece of technology drops, Kaden doesn’t rush out to buy it. Upgrading every time a new smartphone is available is expensive, and Kaden recommends waiting until your tech is no longer functional before upgrading to a new model.
Does this habit save money? Yes. The FOMO you might feel at first is not worth the sticker shock of the price tag.
5. Use Up What You Have
This goes beyond using up food that is left over in your pantry, fridge and freezer. Kaden said it can be easy to stockpile toiletries and makeup in the bathroom and that using what you have helps declutter the space.
Does this habit save money? It does. Why buy more body wash, even if it’s on sale, when there are seven different varieties stockpiled at home?
6. Eat More at Home
This frugal saving money habit is a no-brainer.
“If you make a solid grocery list filled with foods that you actually want to eat and you really enjoy at home, you’re going to be less likely to go out and spend more going out to eat,” she said.
Does this habit save money? Yep! You can even cut costs further and make delicious meals with ingredients purchased at Dollar Tree.
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7. Check Your Accounts Daily
Kaden said getting into the habit of checking her accounts daily, including her checking account and retirement account, has changed her life. Doing so gives her a good idea of the direction her finances are going in and whether there have been any unusual charges.
Does this habit save money? Checking your accounts is listed among our eight financial habits that improve your daily life. Some of the benefits include the ability to detect fraud early and empower yourself with knowing how much money is in these accounts.
8. Use the Library
If you’re an adult who loves to read or an adult with kids, Kaden recommends exploring the library. It’s free to check out books and most libraries also offer free events.
Does this habit save money? 100%. Even if you aren’t a bookworm, you can still get a lot of fun freebies just by using your library card.
9. Use Autopay for Bills
Kaden said she loves the win-win of using autopay for her monthly bills. The way it’s set up means she never misses a payment or deals with late fees.
Does this habit save money? As a money-saving habit, most consumers who use autopay do recommend it. This is especially true if you’re used to paying bills by mailing in a check or you have a busy schedule and don’t want to miss a payment.
10. Practice Frugal Exercise
You don’t need a gym membership to work out! Kaden said you can do free exercise from home, like going for a walk or run in the neighborhood.
Does this habit save money? Yes, especially if you’re worried you might pay for an expensive gym membership and not get into the habit of using it regularly. PS: there are even free workout apps available to all levels in their fitness journey.
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11. Drink Less Alcohol
For adults over 21, Kaden recommends drinking less alcohol to save money. The price adds up quickly, whether you’re buying it at the store or getting a few drinks after work.
Does this habit save money? Think about a grocery bill with a bottle of wine in it. Now think about the same grocery bill without wine. The groceries without the wine, or other spirits and mixers, will always be much cheaper than those with it.
12. Drink More Water
Health benefits aside, Kaden said it’s much cheaper to drink water when you’re thirsty instead of soda or energy drinks.
Does this habit save money? It does and it keeps you fully hydrated as a bonus.
13. Try Meatless Meals
Meat can be expensive, and Kaden recommends alternating some inexpensive meatless meals in your weekly meal prep rotation to mix it up.
Does this habit save money? It does, but don’t fall for the misconception that meatless meals aren’t nutritious. Swap in another ingredient like beans or lentils for an added boost of protein.
14. Never Pay Interest on Credit Cards
“If I can’t pay it off when it’s due, I do not buy it,” Kaden said.
Does this habit save money? It absolutely does, although this habit isn’t one everyone will embrace. Consider trying it out in a 30-day spending challenge to see if you can make it a new financial habit.
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15. Shop at Your Local Dollar Store
Swap out a more expensive shopping trip at a big-box retailer with Kaden’s recommendation for shopping at the local dollar store.
Does this habit save money? Yeah! You can find all sorts of essentials at the dollar store, from household cooking utensils to groceries and all at low prices.
16. Utilize Returns
If you bought something you don’t like or find doesn’t fit you properly, return it. This is something Kaden said many people will avoid doing because returns can be a hassle. Not making the return, however, means you’re stuck with something that doesn’t work for you and out of the money spent.
Does this habit save money? This is a helpful, underutilized tip for saving money. Just make sure you know the retailer’s return policy to get the most out of it.
17. Stay Organized
When you’re not organized and on top of what needs to be done, Kaden said it can lead to disorganization in your financial life. For example, budgeting will keep you from spending more money than you’re supposed to.
Does this habit save money? Always. The more organized you can be with your finances, the better for the short and long term.
18. Use a Free Money Tracking App
If you struggle to stay on budget with a physical planner, Kaden recommends using a money tracking app for your financial picture.
Does this habit save money? How you use a budgeting app will differ for every type of financial situation, but there are many success stories associated with them. Best of all, many of these apps are free to use.
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19. Learn How To Do Things for Free on YouTube
Want to broaden your skill set? Kaden recommends watching YouTube tutorials from creators who can teach you tons of skills like learning to bake or sewing to fix a tear in your clothing.
Does this habit save money? There may be certain circumstances where you do need to call a professional for help, but getting into the habit of watching YouTube tutorials can help you save some money and pick up a new-to-you skill set.
20. Review Your Memberships and Subscriptions
Periodically, Kaden recommends conducting an audit of your existing memberships and subscriptions. Look for ones you can cut out of your budget, like the memberships you rarely use, for extra savings and keep what you value.
Does this habit save money? This habit is a must to get into regularly, especially if you have several subscriptions. In some circumstances, it’s possible to cut these expenses down to more than half of what you were paying monthly.
21. Shop Your Closet
The next time you think you don’t have any clothes to wear, Kaden recommends going into your closet to see what’s there. The truth is if you’re not in the habit of wearing certain clothing, it’s easy to forget about it in your closet.
Does this habit save money? Try it! Make a visit to your closet and see what articles of clothing you can find which you might have forgotten about otherwise. Kaden said there will be times when you will need to go shopping, but it’s worth it to start shopping your closet first so you know what you need to buy new.
22. Wash Your Clothes in Cold Water
Instead of washing your clothes in warm water, Kaden recommends washing them in cold water. Households that do this save money, energy and, best of all, their clothes look better longer.
Does this habit save money? This is a laundry hack that is proven to help keep electricity bills down.
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23. Wash Your Clothes Less Often
Kaden said many people are in the habit of doing their laundry daily. If your clothes are truly dirty, wash them but if they’re not dirty and have been worn a little bit you’re OK to go a few days in between washes.
Does this habit save money? Yes, especially if you consider that the more frequently you do your laundry, the more likely it is you’ll be washing your clothes during peak hours and subsequently driving up your electric bill.
24. Don’t Fall for Bargain Shopping
Many retailers will send shoppers coupons in the mail and even if you don’t need to buy anything, Kaden said some shoppers might try to find something to buy anyway just so they can use the coupon.
Does this habit save money? The coupon isn’t worth it if you don’t need to buy anything right now. To quote Kaden, “Don’t shop because there’s a sale. Shop when you really need something and get it on sale.”
25. Get Rid of Distractions
There are so many distractions trying to get you to buy something you don’t need. Kaden recommends eliminating most of this noise to save money. A few examples include hitting unsubscribe from store emails or unfollowing store accounts on social media apps.
Does this habit save money? It does. Even better, it allows you to put your money toward the things you know you need and love.
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This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: 25 Habits That Will Save You Money, According to Frugal Living YouTuber Kate Kaden
