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There is always a reason to save money or to improve your financial standing. The pandemic is one good one that might make you stop and reevaluate what you are doing.
Here are some money hacks that are especially useful during this frustrating time.
Ditch Premium Streamers
You may have already cut your cable bill, which is a good start, but streaming services add up and you can do without them. True, you may be binging more than usual during the pandemic, but there are other options that don't cost you anything extra.
At a minimum, look for rebates and free trials for some of these services -- for example, Rakuten members can earn $12.50 back on their Disney+ streaming service right now!
Consider free alternatives, or make the switch from visual media to audio. catch up on your favorite podcasts, or get acquainted with some you didn't previously have time for.
This is also an excellent opportunity to start reading more -- for example, Prime readers have access to a ton of ebooks for free as part of their membership. You may also have a lot of favorite books collecting dust around your home.
Buy Frozen
There are a lot of ways to save money at the grocery store, but one of the simplest ways is to buy frozen food.
Frozen produce is cheaper and more available than seasonal fresh produce. Frozen meals are also a great alternative if you are spending too much money on fast food delivery apps.
Ordering out is more expensive than you might think and the cumulative costs are disastrous. You don't have to cook homemade meals from scratch every day to save money.
If you know you aren't going to do that anyway, having fast, easy meal solutions in your freezer is a solid start.
Pay-Per-Mile Insurance
It's a good idea to review your bank and credit card statements to cut costs. Lots of people really don't have a clear picture of where their money is going, so reading through your mail is crucial.
One area you can regularly save on is auto insurance, especially when you hardly drive. Take advantage of pay-by-mile options and save big on a necessary item.
DIY (WHFY)
It's not always practical or cost efficient to DIY, but often it is. You just need the know-how and the time.
During the pandemic, some of us have more time than we did before, so it's an excellent opportunity to learn a new skill and take care of some things we don't want to pay a service for. So, Do it yourself (with help from Youtube). You can learn how to do just about anything by searching for tutorials on the mega platform.
Grab a FREE DIY cleaners e-book for easy solutions now that some popular cleaning supplies are hard to come by.
Start Selling Online
Spending more time at home? If clutter is driving you crazy, or you generally have too much stuff you can take advantage of this time to clean up your lifestyle and make your home a better conduit for comfort and productivity.
Tidy up and organize your home. While you do, you will invariably find lots of things you are willing to throw out, or even pay somebody to take.
Before you do that though, you should see if it sells online. Mercari, eBay, Poshmark and other selling sites are a great way to get a few extra bucks from home while improving your own environment. Grab a FREE Clean Out Kit + $10 to shop on ThredUP here.
See other money-saving or money-making tips below: