Many of us are looking to better our budgets.  We all know (don’t we?) that there are really only two ways to improve a budget:

1) Reduce the money being spent, and/or

2) Increase the money coming in.

Now, I’m going to assume that most of you are busy and that starting a full-fledged business is off the table.  (Some of you may be up for that, but the details will be so different from one person to another that a single post wouldn’t do the topic justice, anyway.)  We’re going to focus on ways to make a little more wiggle room between the income and the outgo without requiring a huge investment of time or starting a whole new business.

The income we’ll save for tomorrow; today let’s talk about ways to save a bit of money.  A couple of these are probably pretty obvious, but sometimes the obvious gets forgotten in the shuffle, so I’m including them anyway.

Ways to Save

1. Shop when things are on sale.  This probably goes without saying, but you can capitalize on this one by also buying ahead.  If you buy things right when you need them, they may or may not come available for a good price.  If you keep your eyes open, you can get a good deal if you’re willing to buy a little while before you need something.  (For instance, buying a clothing size your child hasn’t quite grown into yet.)
2. Use coupons.  Another obvious one, I know.  Don’t use coupons for something you won’t use (or have a true reason to give as a gift or donate), though, and be sure the price-with-coupon is not still more expensive than a comparable product without.  You can capitalize on this method by pairing #1 and #2 — using your coupons on sale items.  Even if you don’t get the newspaper, you can still print coupons.  I print mine through MyPoints, which also earns me points whenever I redeem the coupons.
3. Use e-coupons.  It only takes a few minutes each week or each month to load e-coupons onto your account, and these will “stack” with any printed coupons you have available.  I like SavingStar.
4. Don’t be afraid of generics/store brands.
5. Buy secondhand.  Thrift stores, consignment shops, Craigslist, Freecycle, eBay, Amazon’s “Marketplace,” etc. are all great sources for previously-loved items.  If you’re shopping online, try Swap.com or ThredUP, too.
6. When shopping online, always check for a coupon code prior to checking out.  You won’t always find one, but it doesn’t hurt to check.  (This is a nice thing about Honey — see below.  It will often find coupon codes for you.)
7. When shopping online, always use ShopAtHome or Honey.  Most major retailers (and some lesser-known retailers) are included here, and you can get a bit of cash back from your purchases.  (They usually have the current coupon codes posted, too.)  I’ve tried other cash back sites, but these two have consistently been the best for me.
8. Shopping at Target?  Check the store coupons and Cartwheel.
9. Shopping at Wal-Mart?  As soon as you get home, enter your receipt on the new SavingsCatcher page for automatic price-matching.
10. Make use of rebate apps like Ibotta or Checkout51.
11. Get your books through PaperBackSwap.  Not everything will be available, of course, but I’ve gotten a lot of books this way.  (This is another area where “buying” ahead works well.)
12. Try unexpected sources for things.  Women’s clothing is more expensive than men’s or boys’, so if you need something unisex like sweatpants, try those departments.  Spices are often less expensive at the bulk food store or the international grocery than they are at the supermarket.  Stainless steel cereal bowls may be pricey, but stainless steel “pet” bowls cheaper.  Other kitchen items are often less expensive at a restaurant supply store.
13. Of course, there’s also the classic option of repurposing what you have/doing without.