Do you drive?  You probably have what seems like a mountain of auto-related expenses, right?  I know it seems like that to me sometimes. My husband and I are the only drivers in the family, although we have a daughter that is close to turning 15 which means a driver’s license is just around the corner.  For the last several years, I have been all about getting these auto-related expenses down now before she starts driving so we can teach her too.

If you would like to bring those costs down too, here are our top 5 ways to save on auto expenses:

Regular Maintenance.  Keeping up on regular maintenance helps your car run at its optimal levels which means better gas mileage, less oil used, etc.

Keep your tire levels correct.  It is imperative to keep your tire levels aired up to the correct pressure.  Anything less can ruin your MPG levels and anything more can cause unnecessary wear on your tires.

Empty out your car. This is one that I struggle with because I always carry around a bunch of extra stuff in the trunk of my car.  All of this extra stuff causing your gas mileage to go down though so clean it out!

Shop around for insurance.  A couple of times per year, shop around for car insurance.  You may be able to save some serious money! Oh, and pay your premiums twice per year as opposed to monthly and you will save big money

Be a one car family.  If you live in a metro area, it makes a lot of sense to use public transportation.  If you need to maintain a car, just do one instead of multiple. This could cut your auto expenses in half.

How do you save on your auto expenses?

How much money have you spent today?  Yeah, I am talking to you. I’m a grown woman in the real world, I know that it is not easy to go without spending money for one day.  Kind of sad, isn’t it? The idea that going an entire 24 hours without spending money seems crazy. It can be done though!

My family and I are in the middle of getting a new home and oh my goodness, the expenses that come with building a new home are simply outrageous and almost always surprising, so I have learned that I need more money on hand than I realized.  Because of this, I have been working hard to be sure that I go through many days without spending money.

If you would like to try it as well, here are 10 ways to save money today:

1. Make coffee at home so you aren’t spending money on drive through coffee.
2. Clean out your sofas!  Last time I did this I literally found $3 in change that had fallen through the cracks.
3. Clean your car.  Same thing as above, but I would be willing to be you could find some loose change hiding under your seats.
4. Check your subscriptions.  Go through your expenses and see if you are paying for subscriptions that you no longer use.
5. Recycle.  Do you live in a state that pays a redemption on bottles and cans? My state pays 10 cents for every can returned. It can add up quick.
6. Pack a lunch.  Pack yourself a lunch so that you aren’t tempted to go out to eat.
7. Stay home.  When you are on the go, it is very easy to be tempted to spend.
8. Invite a friend to coffee (at home).  We all need someone on one time with friends. How about you invite your friends over to enjoy coffee at home though instead of heading to the coffee shop.
9. Meal prep.  Okay, so this one will save you money in the future instead of today, but this is a great way to save money through the week.
10. Sell you stuff.  How much stuff do you have at your home that you no longer use or wear?  Try putting it up for sale in your local BST groups on FB or take them to a consignment shop to earn more money.

Do you have road trip plans this Summer?  You should plan in advance to save money on gas so you are not overwhelmed with the costs associated with your adventures.

Here are 5 ways to save money on gas this Summer:

1. Clean out your car.  Did you know that extra weight in your car costs you fuel mileage?  Make sure that you stay on top of your cleaning out your car.  I used to have a habit of driving around for days with the back of my car full of old stuff that was taking to the Salvation Army.  I never made it a habit to make sure I got there right away.  I have since changed my tune and if I have a basket full of stuff in my car, I head straight to the donation center so I’m not wasting precious fuel.
2. Drive less often.  Okay, this one is a given, but seriously.  Combine your trips so that you are not wasting gas when you could have done that same trip yesterday.
3. Use GasBuddy.  Download Gasbuddy onto your phone and use it to find the cheapest gas near you.  I used it yesterday and discovered that within a short distance, there was more than a $0.30 difference in gas prices.
4. Consider downsizing your vehicle.  Do you drive a large SUV or car?  Do you really need a car that size?  Why not downsize your car to one that gets better fuel mileage?  Many of us get too wrapped up in what we are driving and the status of it to really think about whether it cost effective and beneficial to our families.
5. Avoid Rush Hour.  The stop and go traffic that many of us are stuck in during rush hour costs a lot of money worth of fuel mileage.  Constantly hitting the brakes and then having to hit the throttle heavy to go again can cause you to lose about 20% of your fuel mileage.

When you think about saving money and living on a budget, it might stress you out, it might make you feel sad and it might actually make you feel like you are suffocating.  But I did want to tell you guys that you can definitely save money without those side effects! Here are some ways you can sort of trick yourself into saving money this year.

Try putting together a swear jar. Now that doesn’t necessarily mean it has to be when you actually swear. Think of a bad habit you have or something you’d like to change in your life. Then set an amount that you contribute when you break your goal. Growing up we apparently said the word “fart” to many times so every time someone said the word they’d have to contribute a quarter to the jar. Let me say…it adds up fast.

Save your bonus or raise. I know it sounds hard but you’ve been living without that money so you know you can make it work. Say you make 40K a year and you get a raise to $45K a year. Your cost of living won’t increase but your income has so you can put that money aside to save. My dad has taught me that any raise you receive should be contributed to your 401K or some type or retirement account. If you still want to have a little fun with the extra money plan on saving 50% of the raise. But whatever you do, save some of it.

Keep your savings separate, even at a different bank. If you can’t see it, you’ll forget it’s there. It might even be a great idea to set up direct deposit with a set amount coming out of your paycheck and going into this other savings account. It’s forcing you to save even the smallest amount each time your paycheck comes in.

Race your friends. Try talking with a friend who want to save the same amount as yourself and see who can get there first. It gives you more motivation…kind of like going to the gym. It’s easier when you have a buddy right by your side cheering you on. You could even save money to go on a future trip together, make it fun.

Don’t add more stuff to what you already have. Make sure you’re thinking hard about each purchase you make. Do you really NEED that new dress or shoes? You’re going to want new things and that’s ok, just get rid of the old and maybe even try to make a little money off of it. Or donation your items and write it off on next year’s taxes.

So if you’re trying to save for a big trip, a down payment on a house or just to find more financial freedom, try one of these ways to saving money.

Do you have kids?  Do you find yourself spending a lot of money buying lots of clothes for them?  Yes, you want your kids to be well clothed, and yes you want them to get what they want, but does that mean that you need to spend a lot of money?  The answer to that is no.  You do not need to overextend yourself just to dress your kids because there are some awesome (and sometimes creative) ways to save money on kids clothes.

These tips that I am about to tell you can actually be used for both kids and parents, so make sure that you implement them when shopping for yourself to help save money.

Here are six ways to save money on kids clothes:

1. Shop Amazon of course.  I know I mention it often, but Amazon is a great place to shop.  I recently bought my daughter a Columbia Fleece Jacket for $10 at Amazon!! The same jacket was $26 at the OUTLET Store (not even the regular store!).  Amazon offers low prices, plus extra discounts on occasion as well as sales and promos.
2. Thrift Shops.   No need to be squeamish about it, thrift shops are a great place to shop for clothes for kids.  Kids grow so quickly that it is sometimes pointless to spend big money on clothes that they are just going to wear or 6 months.  Consider buying the clothes that another kid has already worn and grown out of.
3. Hand Me Downs.  Do you have more than one child?  Definitely use the opportunity to use hand me downs for their clothing.  You know how the clothes have been worn and stored.  Plus, how cute is it when your kids wear the same things?!
4. Spend More.  I know, I know, it makes no sense to spend more money when we are talking about spending less, but it really does.  I always try to avoid buying my children’s clothes at discount stores such as Walmart and Kmart because they just never last.  The clothes that you buy there are just not made with the same quality as higher end brands.
5. Swap with Friends.  If you have friends with kids that are a different age than yours, consider swapping with them so that you can both save money!
6. Facebook for Sale Groups. Are you a member of any for sale groups on Facebook?  Definitely scroll through those to find deals on clothes.  I am a member of several of those and I often see complete lots of kids clothes for $30-$50.  That is a huge savings over buying brand new individual pieces.

What is your favorite way to save money on kids clothes?

Most of us have expenses in our lives that interfere with our budgets.  Do you know where your budget leaks are?  

Many budget leaks spring from the same areas.  Here are 10 ways to reign in those budget leaks and save yourself at least $500 by the end of the year.

1. Turn off the TV.  No I don’t mean to hit the power button, I mean cancel your cable and/or satellite and find another entertainment source.  That can mean streaming netflix or watching your old DVDs.  Plus, if you live in a city, you can easily get local channels without any cost by using an antenna.  This step alone can easily save $100 per month (depending on the amount of your bill)
2. Keep the car parked.  If you combine your errands and trips, you will save gas therefore save money.
3. Cut the coffee trips.  Switch to home brew instead of hitting the drive through each day.  This can save you up to $5 per trip.
4. Skip the car wash.  Say you get your car washed twice a month at $6 per trip.  That is almost $150 per year you will save.  
5. Use coupons.  Coupons are a great resource for saving money.  You can literally save hundreds of dollars each year by clipping coupons from newspaper inserts and printable coupons.
6. Hit the clearance racks.  Whenever you go shopping for pretty much anything, be sure to hit the clearance racks to find the best deals.
7. Call and compare your insurance rates.  The commercials don’t lie. It is smart to call once a year or so to be sure that you are getting the best insurance rates.
8. Use LED light bulbs. This switch can easily save you $50+ this year.
9. Carpool.  If you live nearby any co-workers, consider carpooling with them. You will both save money on gas and vehicle maintenance.
10. Switch your phone plan. Whenever you have a few minutes to spare, call your cell phone provider and simply ask about any discounts you may be missing.  Chances are there are one or two that you can take advantage of.