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Easy tips to save money every day

Saving starts with just a few simple changes to your spending. Learn how to save money on your everyday expenses, like groceries, transportation and entertainment. 

The material provided on this website is for informational use only and is not intended for financial or investment advice. Khan Academy assumes no liability for any loss or damage resulting from one’s reliance on the material provided. Please also note that such material is not updated regularly and that some of the information may not therefore be current. Consult with your own financial professional when making decisions regarding your financial or investment options.

Khan Academy doesn’t provide legal, tax or accounting advice. You should consult your legal and/or tax advisors before making any financial decisions.

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  • female robot ada style avatar for user Katey Gordon
    Does anyone have any tips to save money?

    I love how this video explains that you can still find ways for entertainment with Apps, Open source and the internet in general it helps in many ways for me here are some tips I go by.

    1. Amazon Kindle offers free ebooks this allows you to read new and differen't stories at no cost for example there are children books, young adult novels, Hobbie books, self improvement and educational books as well this saves me lots and allows me to explore and have fun reading.

    2. Software used to be costly before making a big purchase for a software that you need whether a student project, personal or bussiness either google it or check your app store as sometimes free apps can provide enough power to do what you need unless its for longterm use in this case download a trial software before a big purchase.

    3. Be mindful of subscriptions for music streaming etc. they may seem low cost but if you were to put together a entire list of the yearly subscriptions you purchase it would add up to allot ask yourself do I really need it ? Also if your lower income you can create a playlist of Music from Artists vevo channels saving the need to purchase streaming services with fancy playlist software.
    (12 votes)
    Default Khan Academy avatar avatar for user
    • leaf red style avatar for user bassgirl98
      You should check out Libby and Kanopy! They're free e-book and streaming services that you can access by connecting your library card. I use Libby all the time to listen to audiobooks, and they keep up to date with new releases as well. Kanopy isn't the next Netflix or anything but it does have a wide, sophisticated selection of popular movies as well as a huge section dedicated to video lessons :) It's a great free alternative to paying for subscription services!
      (8 votes)
  • male robot hal style avatar for user O - Glass Carl
    how to save money more easy
    (7 votes)
    Default Khan Academy avatar avatar for user
    • primosaur seed style avatar for user fuliaj
      Have the money automatically taken out every week, 2 weeks or month. I use Capital One to do this. Each month Capital One pulls $$ out of my regular checking account for things like car insurance, vacation funds, Christmas, and the like. Plus Capital One pays about 1% interest.
      (2 votes)
  • starky ultimate style avatar for user Tyler
    is this a real example?
    Because that is a revelation.
    Could that possibly be true in some places, and you could save hundreds, thousands, of dollars just by doing housework during the morning and night?
    (3 votes)
    Default Khan Academy avatar avatar for user
  • starky ultimate style avatar for user Tyler
    I know the question isn't that related, but at , that made me think:
    Would making your own food be cheaper than purchasing the frozen options?
    (3 votes)
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    • aqualine tree style avatar for user David Alexander
      There are tradeoffs. Cooking your own from scratch (not just heating up frozen stuff) will save you money, but take more time. The initial investment in cooking equipment may be higher (but you can deal with that by purchasing at thrift stores and the like), but, eventually, you'll be saving money, eating better, and come to enjoy the process of creating things rather than just taking what is shoveled at you by food processing companies.
      (4 votes)
  • blobby green style avatar for user 15048
    I feel like using leftovers in plastic containers could help you save money as well because you are not using as much.
    (4 votes)
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  • blobby green style avatar for user Deimy Caceres Bonilla
    Software used to be costly before making a big purchase for a software that you need whether a student project, personal or bussiness either google it or check your app store as sometimes free apps can provide enough power to do what you need unless its for longterm use in this case download a trial software before a big purchase.
    (2 votes)
    Default Khan Academy avatar avatar for user
  • blobby green style avatar for user 432312
    should we wash during the day Evan tho we know washing at night is cheaper? what id we really need to wash?
    (2 votes)
    Default Khan Academy avatar avatar for user
  • blobby green style avatar for user Deimy Caceres Bonilla
    3. Be mindful of subscriptions for music streaming etc. they may seem low cost but if you were to put together a entire list of the yearly subscriptions you purchase it would add up to allot ask yourself do I really need it ? Also if your lower income you can create a playlist of Music from Artists vevo channels saving the need to purchase streaming services with fancy playlist software.
    (2 votes)
    Default Khan Academy avatar avatar for user
  • blobby green style avatar for user Deimy Caceres Bonilla
    Sometimes churches will have these types of shops, sometimes there are Goodwill, or other local-only shops with limited hours but worth finding for the money they'll save you
    (2 votes)
    Default Khan Academy avatar avatar for user
  • blobby green style avatar for user Deimy Caceres Bonilla
    for example there are children books, young adult novels, Hobbie books, self improvement and educational books as well this saves me lots and allows me to explore and have fun reading.
    (2 votes)
    Default Khan Academy avatar avatar for user

Video transcript

You probably already know some of the basics – like how making your own coffee or bringing your lunch to work can help you save hundreds of dollars a year. If you are doing that, definitely keep it up! But let’s look at a few other ways you can save on everyday expenses, and how some simple decisions that you make every day can help you save money. The supermarket is a great place to start because there are a lot of easy ways to cut down on your shopping bill. You may already be doing things like: making a list to cut back on impulse buying, clipping coupons or using apps to find deals, and even looking at the price-per-unit to help you get the most for your money. But there are even more ways you can save. For example, when you see a sale or discount, be strategic. Sales and discounts can be great opportunities to save on things you need but stores often offer incentives for items that a lot of people wouldn’t normally get. So, it can pay to be selective when considering any discounts you might be offered. And while you’re considering priorities– spend on what’s important, save on what’s not: For example, for some people, things like organic foods or your favorite brands might be important to you, for others what’s important may be different. The point is that it might be worthwhile to spend a bit more on the items you care about. But look for ways to save on the things that are less important to you to keep you on budget. Making simple trade-offs like these can help you save money without giving up what’s important. Finally, before you even make a shopping list, consider your actual eating and cooking habits. A good idea is to plan your meals ahead of time or challenge yourself to eat at least one more meal at home each week. This may help prevent you from tossing out spoiled groceries that you didn’t eat or ordering take-out because you didn’t buy enough food for the week. This can save you hundreds of dollars each year. Keeping with household expenses and bills. You probably already turn off the lights when you leave a room and unplug gadgets when you aren’t using them, right? But there are some other small changes you can make that can help you save even more around the house. For example, did you know that most utility companies charge more for electricity during different parts of the day? Peak hours, like the middle of the day when more people are using electricity, often have substantially higher rates compared to early mornings or late at night. Doing your laundry or running your dishwasher off-peak can likely help you save on your utility bill. You can check out your utility company’s website to see if they list their peak hours or contact them directly. Let’s move on to transportation. Gas prices can be unpredictable, but technology could be a way to help you save. There are plenty of websites and apps that can help you locate which gas station in your area might be offering the cheapest prices. And depending on how often you drive and where you live, you may consider ditching your car altogether. Public transportation might be one option and there are a number of car-sharing programs that allow you to affordably rent vehicles short-term. And for the truly dedicated, how about biking? It’s certainly a cost-effective and healthy alternative to both driving and public transportation. It can be easy to follow others into overspending. But try getting creative and occasionally plan activities with your friends and family ahead of time that can help you avoid temptations like a spontaneous meal out. Saving money doesn’t have to mean sacrificing fun. It pays to take some time to figure out where you’re spending and what you’re willing to cut back on. You don’t necessarily have to do the math on every single decision you make, but being mindful of where your money is going and how simple trade-offs here or there can add up over the long run can help you get creative and find your own ways