Sure, you’ve heard about how to save money on the big stuff — cars, mortgages, utilities, cable bills. Don’t get me wrong, though, I wholeheartedly advocate cutting expenses where you can — for instance, there’s no need to pay $150 a month for cable and Internet when you can get a promotional rate for $100.
What about sweating the small stuff? Everyday purchases, like food and drink, add up over the course of days, weeks and months. Of course, it’s no fun to completely eliminate the simple pleasures in life, but there are ways to cut back and still get the caffeine kick from a cup of coffee every morning.
I calculated the costs of certain items that many people purchase daily, using a five-day workweek at 50 weeks a year (minus two weeks of vacation time that I really hope you all get). The savings that can be realized are amazing.
Coffee exchange
Old: $2 daily for a cup of coffee = $500 yearly
New: Brew coffee at home, bring in a thermos
Can the soda purchases
Old: $1 (12-ounce can) daily = $250 yearly
New: Buy soda by the case at the supermarket and take to work
Feast for less
Old: Ordering lunch, average of $7 daily = $1750 yearly
New: Bring leftovers or sandwiches made at home
Don’t pay the bank
Old: Depositing your paycheck manually, $2 monthly = $24 yearly
New: Sign up for direct deposit
Movie madness
Old: Two movies a month @ $10 each tixx = $240 yearly
New: Netflix subscription, unlimited rentals
We do all of the above, but sometimes I feel that there are other ways of saving money that I have yet to discover. What are your tricks for saving your pennies? Share them with us in the comments section!
