For the past two years, I have shared 5 ways that I have saved each month.  Some months I have saved hundreds of dollars, and other months have seen more modest savings.  Over these two years, however, I have noticed that many of my “ways” are repeated nearly every month.  So, I thought I would share with you my:

10 Super Easy Ways to Save Money Each Month

1. Use the Ibotta App

Each week I use the free Ibotta app to save some money at the grocery store.  It’s really simple!  You just:

-Download the free app

-Link up your store’s reward card

-Click on rebates that you would like to use (my favorites are ones like $.25 on milk, $.25 on carrots, etc.)

-The app will know when you’ve purchased those items (if you link your account to your store’s reward card,) and they will credit your account

-Once you have reached the payout threshold ($20), you can cash out

-That’s it!  Ibotta is definitely the simplest way to save money at the grocery store.  No coupon cutting required!

Plus, right now if you sign up through this link, you’ll get $10 automatically credited to your account!

2. Cheerfully Receive Hand-Me-Downs

We have been very blessed by the generosity of various families in our church.  One family in particular has a son one year older than our oldest son, and they regularly (twice a year or so) give us his hand-me-downs.  This month we received a bag with several pairs of pants, sweaters, work out clothing, and church clothes.  The moral of this story?  Let others know that you cheerfully accept hand-me-downs.  Then, be sure to pass on the love when your kids outgrow their clothing.

3. Receive a “Big Fat Check” from Ebates

I receive a “Big Fat Check” from Ebates four times a year.  If you are like me and love the convenience of purchasing items online, to make things even better, use Ebates! Ebates is a website that will give you cash back for any online purchase made–you just have to go through their website first. So, go to Ebates, type the name of the store into their search bar (like Amazon, Expedia, Target, etc.), and then click on the link. You will receive cash back for the purchase you were going to make anyway. So easy!

(And, right now if you sign up for Ebates HERE, you’ll receive $10 cash back just for creating an account and making your first purchase. If you do any online shopping at all, Ebates is the way to go. I’ve earned over $250 in the past year.)

4. Take Advantage of Free Entertainment

We are blessed to live very close to Shenandoah National Park; however, the cost often keeps us away.  That is why I love the fee free days that the Park Service has throughout the year.  On Martin Luther King Jr. Day, the kids and I headed over to the park in the 35 degree weather.  We went on the most beautiful hike to several waterfalls.  My kiddos are troopers–they loved it!  If you live near a national park, be sure to check out this list of fee free days for 2017.

We also check out a free museum pass from our local library, attend free festivals, go hiking in local parks, and have play dates with friends.  Everyone has fun, and it doesn’t cost a dime!

5. Use Swagbucks 

I use Swagbucks to earn Amazon gift cards and save money on my online purchases.   Swagbucks is a way to earn gift cards online by doing tasks like searching, watching videos, taking surveys, etc.  I spend less than 10 minutes on it a day, but I manage to earn a few Amazon gift cards each month.  If you have more time than money, I’d definitely recommend checking out Swagbucks.

6. Mend and Repair

My son’s comforter was getting quite frayed.  We love it, but it has seen better days!  Instead of buying a new one, though, I spent one night mending the comforter while I watched a movie.  What could have been a chore–or an easy $50 spent–turned into a relaxing, enjoyable evening.

I also sew on buttons, mend small tears, and darn socks.  My husband is quite the handyman and can fix just about anything around the house!  So, we have saved tons of money through his home repairs.

7. Have Inexpensive Date Nights

My husband and I try to have a monthly date night.  Because we are trying to live frugally (and because babysitters are just so darn expensive!), we typically have in-house date nights each month.  On those nights we will often make ourselves a cheese tray and play a game or watch a movie.

Some months, however, we may have a gift card (which is what we usually ask for for Christmas!) or a coupon to a restaurant.  On those nights when we go out for date night, we also swap babysitting with a family from our church.  It all adds up to a VERY inexpensive date night!

8. Shop for Free or Inexpensive Clothing

I have tried out Schoola, an online clothing site with discounted gently used clothing,  and was impressed.  I had a $10 credit and found a really cute tank top that I wanted to buy.  I simply added it to my cart, entered my address, and they applied my credit.  I ended up with a great summer top for free!  You can get $20 credit by signing up HERE.  Schoola has a huge variety of children’s and women’s clothing at 70% off retail.  Plus, 40% of each purchase will benefit a primary or secondary school.  As a teacher, I’m all for that!  I’m excited to make another purchase through Schoola soon.

ThredUp is another online thrift store with excellent products.  You’ll get a $10 credit if you sign up through this link!

9. Eat Inexpensive Dinners

Since we are trying to save some serious money right now, we eat a lot of inexpensive dinners in our house.  Grilled cheese, eggs and pancakes, black bean tostadas, and quesadillas are fairly typical fare for us.  (If you are looking for simple, frugal meal ideas, I’ve written more extensively about 8 Frugal Meals for When You Don’t Feel Like Cooking.)

10. Use A Grocery Store Rewards Card

I used to be an avid couponer.  A couple of years ago when I had more time than money, I would spend Friday evening compiling dozens of coupons to match with the sales at my local grocery store.  Then I would plan my meals and my shopping trip around them.  It’s a great system, but I just don’t have the time anymore.  (If you want to learn more about saving on your grocery budget, though, be sure to check out Money Saving Mom’s Grocery University.  It’s an audio course that will save you hundreds on your grocery bill.  Totally worth the $10 cost of the course!)

However, I don’t clip coupons right now.  Instead, I use my grocery store rewards card.  It helps me get the discounts and deals automatically–and it’s free.  The store also has a website with hundreds of digital coupons.  I spend about 5 minutes each week looking through them and loading the ones I want onto my card.  So much faster, and I don’t have to carry around my coupon book anymore!

So, there you go!  10 super easy ways to save a little bit of money each month.  And, don’t forget:  Frugal living is a marathon, not a sprint.  Every little bit adds up!

How do you save money?

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