Life is expensive. A seemingly loaded bank account can quickly evaporate from a monthly onslaught of recurring bills, minor purchases and daily expenses.
You can, however, cut into your monthly expenses in numerous ways. You’ve likely heard the same-old money saving tips such as saving loose change, buying in bulk and couponing, but we’re not going to talk about those things.
Instead, we’re going to share seven unique ways to save money that you’ve probably never heard before.
1. Pay more attention to your teeth
Root canals are expensive. So are crowns, fillings and other fairly common dental procedures that most people undergo. You can, however, reduce your need to undergo procedures like these by taking better care of your teeth.
Try bringing a portable toothbrush to work so that you can get rid of all of the food residue after lunch and any snacks. Also, be sure to floss everyday (many dentists consider this to be more important than brushing).
2. Pick a bank that will pay you (not the other way around)
Many banks make a substantial profit by charging their customers chequing fees, minimum balance fees, ATM fees and overdraft fees. You do not have to suffer these expenses. There are many banks in Canada that not only have FREE bank accounts, but also offer financial incentives for joining and sometimes even have relatively high-interest savings accounts. Find these banks and stop paying $15 a month for a bank account just because you’ve been with them your whole life.
3. Get your hair styled or cut at a beauty school
Beauty schools will charge you next to nothing (if they charge you anything at all) to get your hair styled or trimmed. Most beauty school students are highly experienced in their craft and are simply trying to hone their skills and earn a certification in the process, so you can bank on them doing a good job.
4. Use surge protectors to reduce your electricity bill
Did you know that most devices still use electricity even when they’re not being used? As long as they’re plugged in, they can continue to use between 10 and 100 per cent of the power they consume when in use. This can really hurt your electricity bill. It isn’t exactly practical to unplug all your devices when you’re done using them, so use surge protectors everywhere and switch them off when you are finished.
5. Print your own greeting cards or send e-cards
If you send 10 relatives greeting cards on just birthdays and Christmas, you could find yourself spending more than $100 a year. Printing out greeting cards cuts this cost to only a few cents per card, so you’ll end up spending no more than a couple of dollars. Alternatively, e-cards are free!
6. Share your (or someone else’s) Netflix account
Online streaming sites are great for instantly accessing your favourite movies and shows. Sharing the use and cost of these accounts will cost you less than $10 per month. You may even be able to cut back on your cable bill altogether!
7. Drink more water
Juices, soft drinks and alcohol are not as good for your health as plain old water. Plus, water costs a lot less than the alternatives (especially if you decide to drink filtered water instead of buying packs of bottles).
For more creative ways to save money, check out our money-saving blogs.
