in our free newsletter.

Thousands benefit from our email every week.

31. Your car

The monthly payment, maintenance, insurance and parking all add up to a serious amount of money. So trade in your car for a bike — or for Uber.

Car model and Financial statement with coins, finance and loan concept, saving money
jack8 / Shutterstock
Your car can drive a lot of spending.

Kiss Your Credit Card Debt Goodbye

Having a single loan to pay off makes it easier to manage your payments, and you can often get a better interest rate than what you might be paying on credit cards and car loans.

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When you consolidate your debt with a personal loan, you can roll your payments into one monthly installment. Find a lower interest rate and pay down your debt faster today.

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30. Gasoline

Just can't part with that baby in your driveway? Well, leave it in the driveway more often and rely on friends, ride-hailing services, public transportation or maybe even your thumb to get around.

Man hitchhiker standing on a road. Adventure and tourism concept. Vintage filters
palidachan / Shutterstock
Maybe it's time to rely on your thumb to get around.

29. Car maintenance

What you may have heard about needing an oil change every 3,000 miles is kind of a scam. You might be able to go 7,500 miles or more between changes. And, you can probably put up for a while with that passenger side window that won't go down.

Profecional car  mechanic changing motor oil in automobile engine at maintenance repair service station in a car workshop.
Nejron Photo / Shutterstock

Stop overpaying for home insurance

Home insurance is an essential expense – one that can often be pricey. You can lower your monthly recurring expenses by finding a more economical alternative for home insurance.

SmartFinancial can help you do just that. SmartFinancial’s online marketplace of vetted home insurance providers allows you to quickly shop around for rates from the country’s top insurance companies, and ensure you’re paying the lowest price possible for your home insurance.

Explore better rates

28. Tipping

Who says 20% is the new norm? Just go back to 15% — or con yourself into thinking you live in one of the many countries where tipping doesn't happen. (But you may not want to visit the same restaurant more than once!)

Black leather tray blank space payment bill on wooden table
Mumemories / Shutterstock
Just pretend you live in a country where people don't tip.

27. Your cellphone

You're on a budget — so why do you need a fancy smartphone? Just get a cheap, prepaid or pay-as-you-go phone.

Mobile phone
anaken2012 / Shutterstock
Hello? Why not get something cheap instead of another expensive smartphone?

26. That place of your own

Yeah, it's nice having your own bathroom and not having to deal with someone else's weird food items in your fridge. But if you really want to save, it's time to look for a roommate and cut your rent in half.

Man sitting on sofa and giving fist bump to friend at home. Multiracial people friendship.
szefei / Shutterstock
You may not love your roommate, but he'll be a big help with expenses.

25. Dating

Whoever said love don't cost a thing was lying. Trying to look your best and going out on dinner-and-a-movie nights can give your budget a hickey. Staying in your sweats and having TV nights with friends — or your cat — is cheaper.

Woman alone, lying on the couch alone in the room. Beside her cat
Tatyana Dzemileva / Shutterstock
Staying home with your pet costs a lot less than dating.

24. Romantic gestures

A dozen long-stem red roses will die, and those sweet little gifts that seem like a good idea when you're standing in the Hallmark store will quickly start gathering dust. Can't you come up with something a little more memorable than spending money on cliches — or crap?

Man with bouquet of pink roses to take to a date.
Clem Onojeghuo/Unsplash
Stop wasting money on dating cliches, like flowers.

23. Marriage

The average cost of a wedding in the U.S. has soared past $35,000. So don't say "I do" — at least not yet. Wait until the two of you can afford it, and then try to keep the costs within a range that's not completely insane.

I said yes! Cropped image of an open ring box and woman hand taking the ring isolated on white background
Dmytro Zinkevych / Shutterstock
Don't get hitched until you can afford it.

22. Professional hair cuts and styling

Let your significant other or a good friend cut your hair, and save. If the results are a disaster — well, that's what hats are for. Besides, it'll grow out!

woman getting a bad haircut from boyfriend
Mila Supinskaya Glashchenko / Shutterstock
Live dangerously and let your boyfriend cut your hair.

21. Travel

Where do you think you're going? You can't afford it! For you, vacation time should be staycation time.

Man wearing sunglasses and taking a selfie in his bathtub
nito/Shutterstock
Next time you want to go on a vacay, make it a staycay.

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20. Your cellphone data plan

The data plan is one reason your monthly wireless bill is so dang high. Lose the internet capabilities and go back to having a phone that's just a phone. Maybe it's not as much fun that way, but it's less expensive.

Businessman with bills and smart phone at the table. Calculation of costs
chingyunsong / Shutterstock
Your cellphone data plan is may be one reason why you're broke.

19. Netflix

You can chill just fine without The Crown or Stranger Things.

Finn Wolfhard, Gaten Matarazzo and Caleb McLaughlin in a scene from Netflix's
Curtis Baker/Netflix
Do you really need that Netflix subscription?

18. Concerts

Concerts can be crowded, you can have a terrible view, the acoustics tend to be awful and the performers can be off key. Just watch them on YouTube instead.

video streaming, online concert, woman watching live music clip on internet on laptop in cafe
Ditty_about_summer / Shutterstock
Watching concerts online costs less and has fewer hassles.

17. Store-bought gifts

Do they really need more stuff? Bake or make something more meaningful that you know they'll really love.

Christmas: Woman Holds Out Gift Of Home Baked Bread
Sean Locke Photography / Shutterstock
Make or bake gifts, instead of running to the store.

16. Alcohol

This may be the hardest one to give up when you've got money issues and need to save. But if you're going out to bars all the time, you could easily be spending $20 to $50 a week on booze, not to mention pushing up your calorie count.

Young man drinking a beer from glass
Ray Bond / Shutterstock
When you're on a budget, it may be a good time to quit drinking.

15. New clothes

Trust us: No one will notice if you're still wearing last season's styles. (But if you're 10 or 20 years behind, you're in trouble.)

Girl choosing what to wear sits in front of hangers with dresses
fizkes / Shutterstock
The clothes in your closet don't look as bad as you might think.

14. Amazon Prime

Why spend $99 a year just to make it even easier to feed your shopping habit?

delivered stacking packages put in front of the door
ND700 / Shutterstock
Your Prime membership just makes it easier to shop and spend.

13. Cable TV

Cut that cord that's costs an average $101 a month. There's plenty of stuff to watch for free online.

Cutting cable with clippers
releon8211 / Shutterstock
Join the cord-cutters and save!

12. Sporting events

Sports stadiums suck huge amounts of money from taxpayers and fans. Spare yourself the high ticket and food prices and cheer from the comfort of your couch instead.

man watching American football match on TV (television) with feet on table, eating snacks - stock photo
Blackregis / Shutterstock
If you're a sports fan, the best seat is probably right in front of your TV.

11. Going out to the movies

The average cost of a movie ticket is around $9, and you're also likely to blow money on drinks, popcorn and parking. You probably own a few movies that you haven't watched in a long time, so stay in and fire one up!

Close-up batch of DVDs in packing boxes
Ingrid Balabanova / Shutterstock
When was the last time you watched that "Footloose" DVD on your shelf?

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10. Your personal web domain

Sure, it's cool owning YourName.com, but it's also totally unnecessary. Just put the online version of yourself back on GenericHost.com.

Closeup on the screen with depth of field and focus on the padlock. The image is a security concept in the search engine and web browser address. Hyper Text Transfer Protocol Secure (https).
ktsdesign / Shutterstock
You don't REALLY need your own vanity URL.

9. Brand-name prescription drugs

Generic medicines are just as good and reduce your drug costs by at least 66%.

Mid adult female customer choosing product at pharmacy
Tyler Olson / Shutterstock
Generic drugs are perfectly OK.

8. Your gym membership

Jogging and doing squats in the great outdoors don't cost anything. Or, ditch your pricey gym for a cheap one.

A senior man dressed in black is running in the forest during a warm spring day
Maxal Tamor / Shutterstock
There are plenty of ways to keep fit for free.

7. Foodie foods

Cut out the truffle oil, the boutique ice cream and the foie gras — and do both your budget and your waistline a favor.

sliced avocado on toast bread with spices
beats1 / Shutterstock
Have you seen your grocery bill lately? Being a food snob can be costly.

6. Dining out

Brown-bag it to work and cook more at home. You'll spend less, and you'll probably eat healthier, too.

A close up shot of a conceptual packed lunch
Kitch Bain / Shutterstock
Take a lunch to work and save a healthy amount of money.

5. Manicures

An emory board and a pair of cuticle scissors are good enough when you're trying to clip your budget.

Manicure
StepStock / Shutterstock
Next time, trim your own cuticles.

4. Smoking

It's unhealty, it's disgusting and it's EXPENSIVE — costing at least $1 million over a lifetime. So it's time to quit, like you've been wanting to do for years.

Businessman breaking a cigarette. Stop smoking concept.
PhotoMediaGroup / Shutterstock
You've been wanting to give up smoking, so just do it already.

3. Coffee-shop coffee

Your money is drip, drip, dripping away with every latte and mochachino. Get acquainted with Mr. Coffee instead. Or, if you don't want to bother with making coffee at home, wait until you get to work and rely on the free stuff there.

Man carefully pouring hot fresh coffee from a coffee maker into a cup, kitchen interior in the blurred background
victoras / Shutterstock
Swear off the fancy stuff and make your own simple cup of coffee.

2. ATM fees

Every time you withdraw money from some other bank's ATM, you spend an average of $4.69 on fees. If you take out $20, you pay almost 25% extra! Crazy! When you need cash, use only your own bank's machines, or make small purchases with your debit card to get cash back.

Man taking money from a cash machine using credit card. Cash widrow and finance concept
Albina Glisic / Shutterstock
ATM fees are a huge waste of money.

1. Lottery tickets

Odds are you're throwing your money away. Take a chance on your future with that money you're spending on scratch-offs and lotto tickets: Put it into a savings account instead.

Losing Lottery Ticket Isolated on White Background.
Mega Pixel / Shutterstock
Somebody's going to win, but many, many, many more people will lose.

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About the Author

Doug Whiteman

Doug Whiteman

Former Editor-in-Chief

Doug Whiteman was formerly the editor-in-chief of MoneyWise. He has been quoted by The Wall Street Journal, USA Today and CNBC.com and has been interviewed on Fox Business, CBS Radio and the syndicated TV show "First Business."

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Disclaimer

The content provided on Moneywise is information to help users become financially literate. It is neither tax nor legal advice, is not intended to be relied upon as a forecast, research or investment advice, and is not a recommendation, offer or solicitation to buy or sell any securities or to adopt any investment strategy. Tax, investment and all other decisions should be made, as appropriate, only with guidance from a qualified professional. We make no representation or warranty of any kind, either express or implied, with respect to the data provided, the timeliness thereof, the results to be obtained by the use thereof or any other matter.