50 Effective Tips to Save Money in the Philippines
What to do when you want to jumpstart your efforts in saving and cutting back on spending? Nowadays, utilities and groceries are almost always constantly on the rise. Increasing your income is an option but sometimes, that’s easier said than done. With prices hiking up like crazy, it’s even more important to save money in any way we can.
To give you some ideas, I’ve come up with a list of thrifty tips to help you get started
50 Effective Tips to Save Money in the Philippines
1. Always bring a list when grocery shopping and only buy what’s on the list
2. When grocery shopping, never go with an empty stomach as this may result to buying more than what you need. Trust me on this one.
3. If you stocked up on grocery bags, reuse them for trashcan liners
4. Know what’s in your pantry and refrigerator so you won’t duplicate purchases
5. Buy in bulk, divide, then freeze
6. Have a “No Spend” day, week or Month as a way to detox from all the spending you’ve done.
Read my post: How to have a “No Spend” day/week/month and it’s benefits
7. Refrain from postponing yearly visits to your dentist or doctor for checkups. A simple toothache or cavity, once ignored, can lead to big expenditures in the long run
8. Steer clear from malls, convenience stores, tiangges, or anywhere you are tempted to spend. There’s no sense in deliberately putting temptation in front of you
9. When dining out, order water instead of softdrinks or fruit juices. It’s healthier and helps trim down the waistline!
10. Eat at home more often
11. But if you do eat out, opt for lunch instead of dinner. It’s cheaper!
12. Cook from scratch and hone those cooking skills of yours
13. Get creative by planning a week where you eat what you have at home
14. Grow your own garden. Some of what we have are calamansi, malunggay, eggplants and kamias. Not only is it good for your wallet but it’s good for the health as well because you know it’s organic. If you live in the metropolis then don’t fret! You can recycle empty containers for planters and you can grow plants from seeds and leftovers
15. Don’t throw leftovers, keep them or freeze them so you may use it for another meal when you don’t feel like cooking
16. Take your lunch to work. It’s cheaper and satiating because you can adjust your portions according to your desire and appetite
17. Bring your own water container instead of always buying store-bought plastic water bottles.
18. Skip the line at Mcdonalds and make your own coffee at home instead or take advantage of the coffee served at work
19. Make a BUDGET. You can set up the old school way using a pen and paper, like what I do which has helped me tremendously.
Read more about it here: Budgeting using the CASH ENVELOPE SYSTEM: How to Budget for Singles and Couples
20. Take on financial challenges
21. Always do price comparing before closing the deal. Never assume that the first retailer offers the cheapest price
22. Sell your pre loved or 2nd hand items at Pwedepa.ph and be amazed by what decluttering can do
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23. Be on the look out for garage sales before you pay retail for anything
24. Shop after the holidays and get huge discounts. Now there’s one more reason to look forward to Januarys!
25. Stock up when things go on sale. Buy in bulk, bulk, bulk!
26. Stock up on coupons but only use them if you really need to buy that item anyway
27. Budget in time for the holidays as early as you can. We’re aware that it always comes at the same time of the year so why not save in advance?
28. Unplug electronics or appliances that are not in use.
29. Drop your landline if you don’t use it for the majority of your time
30. Drop your cable TV if you spend most of your time watching online. Or in our case, our local cable was always offline, the very reason why we ditched it and never looked back again
31. Adjust your thermostat
32. Take shorter showers
33. When scrubbing hands or brushing teeth, turn your water off
34. When a bar soap shrinks and gets too small, stick it to a new bar soap instead of throwing it right away
35. Get every drop of toothpaste out of the tube by smoothening it out using the handle of your toothbrush. And only use an estimated pea sized amount of toothpaste. Don’t be fooled by the amount of toothpaste used in advertisements since this is just their way for you to consume more of the product
36. Switch to energy-saving lightbulbs
37. Change your air conditioner filters every 3 months
38. Defrost your refrigerator regularly, especially when you notice the ice thickening
39. Look for no spend entertainment. Get those deck of cards and board games out!
40. Walk if you can, instead of commuting or driving. It’s good for the health as well
41. Keep your car clutter-free as possible. The heavier the car, the more fuel you consume
42. Maintain your car by having the oil changed regularly and having the correct air pressure in your tires
43. Bundle your errands and try to do them all in just one trip to save gas. Another advantage? less wear and tear on the car
44. Use cash instead of credit, if you know you haven’t disciplined yourself. Studies have shown that people who use cash tend to spend less.
45. Travel or have a vacation in an off peak season
46. Instead of an out-of-town trip, why not go for a “staycation” and look for fun activities nearby
47. Always ask for lower rates when closing a deal
48. Put your haggling “tawad” skills to good use!
49. Never pay late. Set up automatic billspay online if you tend to forget due dates so you can save yourself from penalties.
50. Have savings automatically deposited/transferred to another account once you get your paycheck
51. Cancel gym memberships if you miss out ‘most of the time.’ Find an exercise buddy and opt for exercising at home instead
52. Smash your tissue paper rolls or simply get rid of it. This will prevent it from rolling excess tissue
53. Avoid sales if you must, because impulse buying can wreck your budget
54. Save your loose change. Better yet, drop it in your piggy bank. I’ve read about tons of this in Money groups online. Every P20 or P50 bill they get goes straight to their savings and when accumulated over the weeks, resulted to a good amount of cash.
55. Learn to say “No” and take a raincheck for when you are on a better financial footing. There’s no shame in saying no if you can’t afford saying “Yes.”
Read my post: Overcoming Financial Peer Pressure when out with Friends
And there you go!
The list above shows the many ways you can save money every month. I know there are plenty more that I haven’t listed above but what’s important is I hope you have learned a thing or two! If you do have more ideas, share them in the comments section below!
50 Effective Tips to Save Money in the Philippines
