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How to Save Money When Buying Cross Bit

04, Aug. 2025

57 Money-Saving Tips That Real People Swear By - BuzzFeed

—lazytortoise89

"My big questions are, Do I have space for it? Do I have time to enjoy it? If an object is coming into this house, it needs a 'spot,' and that spot can't just be a pile.

"The exceptions are things I use for research (I occasionally teach and lecture on historic clothing) and needful hobby items."

—Lunamyluna

—lazycake78

—Prolix

—bittertable44

"I find I spend less on impulse buys because there's less in my account, but if I have a big or unexpected expense, I can easily move money back out of savings to cover it using online banking.

"Before I started doing that, I'd find myself spending my whole pay every month and relying on a credit card even for big costs I knew were coming up (e.g., car insurance)."

—hannahh43

—u/frithar

"When my insurance policies, cellphone contracts, etc., are set to renew, I always shop around. Most companies offer discounts to new customers, not to existing ones."

—wylyjoan

—forestmelodies

—u/ynicole22

"I haven’t heard of Cloud Library, but I use Libby, and it’s great! I highly recommend taking advantage of getting a library card."

—u/cucumberappleblizz

"Kanopy and Hoopla come with many libraries, as well. Movies and more e/audiobooks. Also, city passes to cool places."

—u/emu30

—u/unendingone

—u/teamdogemama

—u/ketchupandcheeseonly

20. "To save money and waste less food, figure out a few cheap meals you can eat daily, weekly, or several times a month — beans and rice, oatmeal, grilled cheese and tomato soup, whatever. There are a few things this can help with. You save money on groceries and waste less food because you’ll use up all the ingredients, bonus points if it’s mostly shelf stable ingredients. It can save time and decision fatigue because you don’t have to decide what to eat; your brain knows you have red beans and rice on Mondays, and you finish any leftovers on Wednesdays, etc. You have oatmeal for breakfast every day, and always add whatever fruit you need to use up."

"My personal favorite is beans and rice. There are so many versions from around the world to try, and you can always add whatever meat or vegetables you need to use, even in small quantities. It’s also easy to turn any leftovers into soup."

—u/gullible_concept_428

—u/meatballbusiness

—u/sunny_and_lucky88

—u/missmegz

25. "Pick a store and get really good at using their rewards system. I just don't have the time or energy to be going to a bunch of different places. We go to Safeway and Costco — Trader Joe's maybe once a month for wine and snacks. I have had the Safeway app for years, and at this point, it gives me deals on stuff I buy. I know it is far from the 'cheapest,' but it's a clean store with a layout I am very familiar with. With the app deals, I feel like I get within striking distance of some of the cheaper places."

—u/dcmom14

—u/agitpropgremlin

"Repairing as well — I had a backpack that had several pockets that split along the zipper seams. Actually sitting down and fixing those with some fabric and a sewing machine (though hand would work too) was particularly satisfying, so I didn't need to go out and get an alternative."

—u/Balthanon

—u/Gibbons74

—u/TheFairyingForest

"Facebook Marketplace is a nice spot for slightly used appliances."

—u/k-c-jones

31. "Never buy treats at full price. Obviously, the most frugal thing to do is not to eat out at all, but if you want to incorporate the occasional treat into your lifestyle — date night, etc. — just don't do it at full price. Use local discount coupon books, go to the Ben & Jerry's Free Cone Day, get the birthday club freebies on your birthday, and use fast-food app discounts. Our local burger place has a two-for-one special that comes up every six weeks or so. We don't always use it, but now that we know it exists, paying full price seems so obnoxious that we never do!"

—u/Scout-CM

—u/iridescent__wings

—u/floriish

—u/Icy-Tomatillo-

—u/napsrule563

—u/prodigalnun

—u/macaronsforeveryone

—u/laugust27

43. "Find a friend that is also frugal. For me personally, my social life is the hardest thing to save money on, because many of my friends spend money quite easily. Always being the only one who insists on having a cheap night makes me feel like a total pain in the ass. One of my buddies is also trying to save up money, and so far, it has been really nice to have a partner in crime. We made a list of frugal activities, and often do something cheap/free whenever we hang out. And when we're with a larger group, it's still easier to be cheap together than alone."

—u/heyynickkayy

—u/panicinthecar

46. "Double check your health insurance benefits (US specific). I know a lot of people who get health insurance through their work that have some type of 'healthy incentive' program. This is a program where they will give you money toward something they deem as healthy, match the amount of money you make in purchases they deem as healthy, give you some type of discount in some type of healthy product, or something like that. Your insurance probably won't go out of their way to tell you if you have one of these programs. If you have insurance that does this, take advantage. Get money off your produce. Get free pre-prepared healthy meals. Get a free gym membership."

—u/franklinsuglydolphin

—u/quadrophonicdaydream

50. "Stack savings when you can, as well. The big jug of laundry detergent we use is regularly $9.48 at Walmart, and more expensive anywhere else. One other grocery store here recently had it on sale for $6.99, plus a $1 digital coupon in their app, bringing it to $5.99 per jug. In Ibotta, I had an offer for $3 back on each with a limit of five, so naturally, I bought five of them at essentially $2.99 per jug. At the rate we use it, we likely won't have to buy laundry detergent for a decade or more."

—u/gofunkyourself69

—u/rumtiger

—u/knaimoli619

—u/ok-fact

With competitive price and timely delivery, KunXu Drill Tools sincerely hope to be your supplier and partner.

56. "I started getting cash out each month instead of using my debit card. It was SO easy for me to just swipe my card and not really pay attention to what I was spending. With physical cash in my wallet, I keep much better track of my spending and don’t go over budget. I also don’t spend coins. All my change goes into a jar, and I turn it in every few months. Easy way to save up an extra $40–$50 each month that I barely notice, and it becomes my vacation fund."

—u/heyynickkayy

—u/pulledoveragain

How to save money effectively: 6 smart savings strategies

Whether you're beginning to put away money for an emergency fund or ready to save for a down payment on a house, reviewing your savings habits can be integral to reaching your financial goals.

There are several key steps and strategies to use when saving. You need to understand your finances, create a budgeting plan, start reducing spending, build an emergency fund, and practice other smart financial habits. You should also understand what tools are available to you, from investing, budgeting, and banking tools to side hustles and other ways of making additional money.

Here are six steps and strategies to saving money.

1. Understanding your finances

Assessing your income and expenses

To start saving money, you first have to look at where your money is going.

"Oftentimes, people find it difficult to save because they try to do that after they take care of a lot of spending — after they pay their mortgage, rent, car payment, their groceries, etc. They find that they may have nothing left. I always suggest tracking your spending because that helps you identify money that can be saved," says Patrina Dixon, CFEI and founder of It'$ My Money.

Evaluate your spending to see if there are any specific categories where you can make some monthly adjustments. And make sure you're not a victim of wage theft and have received all the funds owed to you.

Setting realistic financial goals

Maybe you want to save for particular savings goals, like a vacation or new car.

To help make your goal more tangible, Scott Stanley, CFP and founder of Pharos Wealth, says you can estimate expenses for your goal and set a timeframe. Then, you can review your budget and see how much you can save each month to make the goal more tangible.

If you realize it's becoming challenging to save for your goal, consider resetting your expectations by extending your timeline or selecting something with a more practical cost.

The role of budgeting in saving money

Budgeting can help you identify how much money you have to spend, as well as what expenses you should spend that money on. Some expenses will be necessary to cover every month, like rent or utility bills; these are considered essential expenses.

Nonessential expenses are things you don't necessarily need to pay every month and are dependent on your wants, like entertainment and eating out. Your budget will help you determine what nonessential expenses you can afford, and which ones you need to cut back on or get rid of entirely.

2. Effective budgeting strategies

Creating a monthly budget

There are a few common budgeting tips you can use to structure your spending when you're learning how to budget.

One example is the 50/30/20 budget rule. In this budgeting strategy, you spend 50% of your income on your necessities, like housing, transportation, and utilities, 30% on nonessentials, and 20% on savings, investments, and debt repayments. This is a flexible rule you can tweak to fit your situation, but it might not work for every circumstance, especially if you live in an area with high cost of living.

Another common budgeting strategy is the 70/20/10 budget rule. With this strategy, you'll spend 70% of your income on essential and nonessential expenses, 20% on savings and investments, and 10% on debt payments or donations. Like the 50/30/20 rule, this is a flexible rule that doesn't require you to keep careful track of every expense. If you want to focus on debt repayment, or if donating part of your income each paycheck is important to you, this might be a good strategy for you.

If you've kept up with a consistent budget, check in on your progress. If something doesn't go to plan, you can always modify it. You'll also want to make adjustments if you recently received a raise or bonus.

Identifying areas to cut costs

Once you've decided on a budgeting strategy, you can identify places you might be overspending.

Reducing non-essential expenses doesn't necessarily mean you have to eliminate things that bring you joy. Instead, Dixon recommends reducing how frequently you're making that particular purchase.

For example, let's say you are a gourmet coffee aficionado. If you buy gourmet coffee from a cafe every day, you could alternatively go once or twice a week and contribute more to your savings.

Budgeting tools and apps

There are lots of budgeting tools, such as money saving apps and personal finance software programs, that can help you build your budget. If you don't want to use online apps or software, you can always use a notebook to track your expenses.

Using a budgeting app can help you keep track of your expenses without having to do it all manually. Budgeting apps can also help show you areas where you might be overspending. Depending on what app you use, you might also have access to other features, like monthly bill reminders, savings goals planning, and more.

If you would like to track your progress toward a specific financial goal, you might like a savings account with budgeting tools. Some high-yield savings accounts let you label and track progress for goals. Another option is to open a secondary savings account to track your progress.

3. Reducing everyday expenses

Saving on groceries

If you're looking for ways to curb your spending on groceries, Dixon suggests planning out shopping trips beforehand to make you get everything you need all at once. This could also be helpful with saving gas if you would normally make frequent grocery trips or don't live near grocery stores.

Cutting utility costs

There are several ways to cut utility costs, although some of them require upfront expenses.

One way to cut utility costs is to bump your heat down a few degrees in the winter, or raise your thermostat by a few degrees in the summer. You can also consider turning your heater or air conditioner off or down at night, if the temperatures in your area permit it.

If you're interested in saving money long-term and don't mind spending some money, consider investing in energy-efficient appliances or solar panels.

Lowering transportation expenses

If your area offers public transit, using that might be less expensive than paying for the gas you would use to get somewhere — especially if your city's public transit system is robust enough to get rid of your car entirely. If your city is bikeable, replacing your car with a bike might provide similar savings.

While this option definitely isn't possible for everyone, being able to avoid car payments, expensive maintenance fees, and gas costs can save you a lot over time. Using public transit or biking might also help you avoid using ridesharing apps, which can get very expensive over time.

4. Smart financial habits

The benefits of an emergency fund

Having an emergency fund is vital for financial security. If you lose your job or have a surprise medical bill, an emergency fund can keep you from going into debt or having to dip into money you were saving for something else. It can also help ease money-related stress, since you know you have funds to fall back on.

You should keep roughly three to six months' worth of expenses in your emergency fund. You might want to keep more than that saved to budget for healthcare costs or other emergencies if you're more likely to run into them.

Putting your emergency fund in a high-yield savings account can also help you earn extra money off of your emergency fund.

Prioritizing high-interest debt repayment

Debt, especially debt with a high interest rate like credit card debt, can build up over time. If you're not paying off your debt fast, you could end up just paying the debt's interest without touching the principal, or the original money you borrowed. If this happens, you won't make any progress towards being debt-free. Make sure to budget enough money for debt repayment to avoid this, and try to pay off debts as fast as you can to avoid paying too much in interest.

If you have several debts, consider prioritizing repaying the ones with the highest interest first. This is a debt repayment strategy called the "avalanche method," and it can help you save money in the long run. You could also use the "snowball method," where you pay off your smallest debts first. Analyze your debts to decide whether the avalanche method or the snowball method is the better choice for you.

Investing in your future

It's important to start saving for retirement as soon as possible, and investing can be a great way to do that. Contributing regularly to something like a Roth IRA can ensure that you have money to depend on later in life. Not only will you have the money you put into the Roth IRA, but you'll also have whatever money you made off of investing, too.

You can also use investing to pay for long-term financial goals, like buying a house. Just be aware that investing comes with risk, and it's possible that you'll lose money.

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5. Making extra money

Side hustles

Finding ways to make money outside of your job can help make sure you always have some money coming in. There are several ways to find fast cash, including money-making apps, freelancing, or using gig economy apps.

While you're unlikely to earn lots of money from them, money-making apps can help you earn some money, and the tasks they offer don't usually require much from you except for time.

Freelancing is more likely to provide a strong extra income stream, but can be inconsistent and might require more investment from you. There are several online freelancing platforms you can use to get started, like Fivver and Upwork. Similarly, gig economy apps like Uber or TaskRabbit could provide an extra income stream, but also frequently require you to provide your own equipment.

Selling unused items

You can use apps like Depop, Poshmark, or Facebook Marketplace to sell things you already have but don't need. Keep in mind that apps like this sometimes charge a fee to use them.

If selling your stuff online doesn't appeal to you, you could throw a garage sale to get rid of things you don't need anymore.

High-yield savings accounts

High-yield savings accounts are similar to regular savings accounts that you'd find at brick-and-mortar banks, but they offer more competitive interest rates. Putting your money in a high-yield savings account is a great way to make money off of your savings without risk.

The best savings account option for you will likely depend on when you'll need to access your money. Savings accounts typically have a cap on how many times you can withdraw your cash per month, although some don't. While it can be inconvenient to not have access to your money at any time, this can also be a perk if you don't want to be tempted to dip into your savings.

For money you need access to more regularly, a checking account is a better choice. You probably won't get as good an interest rate — most checking accounts don't earn interest at all — but you'll have much easier access to your money.

"The majority of your direct deposits may go into there so that you can pay your car payment, rent, mortgage, whatever the various bills that you need to pay," explains Dixon.

Certificates of deposit

Like high-yield savings accounts, CDs are all interest-earning bank accounts that can help grow your money.

CDs are different from high-yield savings accounts in two key ways. First, you generally can't withdraw money from your CD after you put it in. CDs last for a specific length of time, referred to as its "term length," and you generally only get access to your money again at the end of that term length. Second, while savings accounts have a variable interest rate that can change at any time, CD rates are generally fixed, and will stay the same for however long your term length is.

Certificates of deposit are great for saving for specific long-term goals, especially if you know how long you want to save for. They're also good for ensuring you keep a good interest rate for a long time. However, if interest rates rise after you open a CD, you might be stuck with a worse interest rate than you would have with a savings account.

Automated savings plans

Automating your savings can be a great way to ensure you're always making progress on your savings goals. Stanley recommends setting up an automatic transfer from your checking account to a high-yield savings account after each paycheck. That way, you won't forget and accidentally overspend money you were planning on saving.

By assessing your income and expenses, making and sticking to budget, and making use of different financial tools, you'll be able to save money and start building towards your financial goals. If you follow these tips, you can start saving for the future, even if you don't think you have much money to set aside.

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How to Save Money When Buying Cross Bit

57 Money-Saving Tips That Real People Swear By - BuzzFeed

Rounding up money-saving tips is one of my favorite things. I get so excited when I find room in my budget to save for the future or spend money on something that matters to me, so I love sharing ways to spend less and save more.

So, here are some of my favorite money-saving tips I've come across lately:

1. "Facebook Buy Nothing groups are a lifesaver! I’ve been able to get a table and chairs for my dining room, a large dresser, snowboard boots for my daughter, lots of home decor, and several houseplants, all for free."

3. "I buy food through the Flashfood app. It's like a manager's special rack in app form. The food is expiring soon or is discontinued but still good. I usually buy whatever meat they have and freeze it until I use it. It's saved me quite a bit."

4. "I keep three or four frozen meals from Trader Joe’s in my freezer for when the urge for takeout hits."

5. "I adopted this policy not long ago. I have to calculate how many meals I can create from a meat cut or seafood when deciding whether to buy it. I don't buy it when there's only enough for one meal, no matter how much I crave it. Very tough at the start, but it's gotten easier since."

6. "I buy all wrapping paper, gift bags, and other gift-wrapping items from the dollar store or HomeGoods. So much more affordable."

7. "Unplugging things not in use is a huge one! It's estimated that 10%–15% of the average American's electric bill is stuff that’s plugged in but not in use, aka vampire energy."

8. "On payday, I put away for savings in an instant- or easy-access savings account. I spent a bit of time working out how much of my paycheck goes on regular bills and expenses and then set up a standing order to put most of the rest into an instant-access savings account the day after payday."

9. "I sat down and made a budget. I realized I had been lying to myself for decades. I am now getting back on track, and it’s painful and joyous all at once."

10. "If you see something you like but don't know the cost of it — in your head, assign a price you'd be happy to pay for. When you find out the price, see how much you still want it if it varies greatly from the price in your head."

13. "Increasing the time between recurring expenses like haircuts adds up to savings over time. I have long hair, which makes it more doable, but for example, six haircuts a year vs. four saves a lot while not actually denying you the pleasure of said haircut."

16. "Rounding up. When tracking my spending, not only was it easier to tally, making me more likely to do it, but by rounding numbers up, it was also better because I tended to underestimate things and overspend."

19. "Use curbside pickup as much as possible. If you don’t go into the store, then you won’t buy unnecessary stuff. It also saves a lot of time and hassle."

21. "Buy the sample size first before you commit to the full product. This has saved my ass on shampoos I didn't like, makeup, sunscreens, and even food. Buy the small portion size first, then, if you like it, buy the bulk saving size."

22. "I shop around for my insurance every January, since it's the beginning of a new year. I also do my health checkups and major car maintenance. One year, I actually saved $200 on my insurance by switching to another company."

26. "Watch who and what you follow on social. I unfollowed a lot of influencers who were overconsuming. I love following the ones who teach you to shop your closet."

27. "Really enjoying/using/repurposing what you have is a satisfying alternative both to recreational shopping and to buying stuff in general. I've been focusing more on that this past year as I go through a frugality and decluttering process, and it's honestly great."

28. "Check the markdown racks at your grocery. I find cheap cereal, bread, and veggies that I can prep and freeze. Go early in the morning, and meat going out of date that day is often marked down. Take it home, portion it out, and freeze it."

29. "I have learned to repair almost any home appliance. YouTube is a lifesaver and has literally saved me thousands of dollars. Furnace, AC, dishwasher, oven, washer, dryer, and sump pump — I have fixed them all."

33. "This year, I stopped getting coffee and drinks outside. This saves me about $125 to $150 per month. I’m unexpectedly not even missing it, and I’m planning to throw this money into my retirement account."

34. "Switching to an old-school razor blade razor instead of the plastic ones. Shaves fantastically, lasts forever, and razor blades are incredibly cheap."

35. "Menstrual cup and menstrual underwear. I never even feel that I'm on my period anymore."

37. "I got some more containers and now make as much food as possible. Doubling the amount of food rarely involves twice the work. Then I freeze what I know I can't eat. Frozen soup or chili lasts months; I can have a whole buffet in my freezer and not eat the same thing all the time."

39. "After you've gotten the discount signing up for a shopping website's mailing list, unsubscribe from the emails."

40. "I do a fiscal fast once a month. I'll fuel up my vehicle, get at least 10 days worth of groceries, and the goal is to spend absolutely ZERO dollars for those 10 days. So, for about 1/3 of the year, I don't spend a penny. Works for me!"

45. "I keep a dry erase list of what we have in the fridge and freezer so I don’t have to go looking and I can get a better idea of what to cook this way. Cuts down on food waste."

47. "I only buy out-of-season clothes. I have a $700 coat that I bought brand new for $100, and it will last me for life with proper maintenance. Helps, too, that I'm a man. We don't really do fashion trends, lol."

48. "Buy your cellphone outright and then use a prepaid month-to-month plan."

52. "If your vehicle has the ability to show your MPG [miles per gallon], pay attention to it. Driving faster burns more fuel. Leave a little earlier and drive a normal speed instead of rushing around."

53. "The Ibotta app and the Rakuten app combined over the last three years have netted me over $1,500. Sometimes it seems so insignificant to get change amounts back on purchases, but they add up, and I use them consistently."

54. "I rent DVDs and stream shows through the library instead of having a streaming service subscription. Each month, I go through Rotten Tomatoes and make a list of things I want to see, then request them from my library. It meets my needs, and saves me roughly $30 a month."

55. "I pay with everything using cash back credit cards and pay my statement in full every month."

57. And finally, "For me, it was quitting smoking. You never realize how much you're spending on it until you're not."

Is there anything else you would add? Share your favorite money-saving tips and tricks in the comments!