37 Life Hacks That Will Save You Money – msnNOW

You can save money on groceries by using smartphone apps, which give you cash back on grocery store purchases. All you have to do is scan the receipts after you shop. You could easily earn $5 or more a week for just a couple of minutes of your time.

2. Buy Prescription Drugs at Costco Without a Membership

Always remember to zip up your jeans and other garments that have metal zippers before laundering them. Those little metal teeth are like miniature chainsaws, tearing up and ruining other expensive clothing in the washer and dryer.

Installing a rain barrel to provide water for your lawn and garden can save you a barrel of money on your water bills. Conserving water is also eco-friendly, and many municipal governments now offer tax and other incentives to encourage homeowners to reduce stormwater runoff.

Adjusting your sleep schedule to better coincide with daylight hours will allow you to save on daily electrical usage. Plus, you’ll wake up feeling refreshed and rejuvenated.

Some health insurance plans offer reimbursements or discounts on gym memberships. Benefits vary by provider, so check with your insurance provider to see if you’re eligible.

Pretty much everyone faces unexpected expenses, whether you have a medical emergency or need repairs done to your car. If you’re lucky, you’ll have enough money saved up to pay for these expenses, but not everyone is lucky. That’s why it’s important to plan now for what you would do if you were hit with an expense you couldn’t afford. Because if you aren’t ready, you might have to skip getting the necessary work done or you could face fees and more on an unpaid bill.

Stop heat loss and drafts with inexpensive, easy-to-install foam insulating gaskets on the back of electrical wall switches and outlets.

Cooking more meals at home in a slow cooker will save you some major bucks. But you can also use a slow cooker in the winter to add humidity to the air and stretch the heat in your home. Just keep it filled with water, with the lid off and the temperature set to low. It won’t cost much to operate, and house guests will be really curious about the steaming slow cooker in your bedroom.

You might make fun of your grandma for her electric tea kettle, but the fact is granny knows best. When boiling just a small amount of water, an electric teapot is the most economical method, compared to the microwave or stovetop — plus it’s quick.

Skip the fabric softener and dryer sheets by making your own “wool balls” out of old woollen yarn and a pair of worn-out pantyhose — just Google “wool balls” for DIY instructions. They’ll help your clothes dry faster and keep garments soft, all without the use of chemicals.

In the fall, lightly mist the insides of uninsulated windows with water. Then, apply a sheet of bubble wrap, the bubble side facing the pane. The bubble wrap will cling to the window all winter long, boosting the insulating value, and it’ll come off neat and clean in spring.

Those extended service plans that appliance stores tend to push on their customers are a great deal — for the stores selling them. While they do provide some additional protection for most products, the vast majority are never used, since many problems are covered under the manufacturer’s warranty. What’s more, people often forget they bought the extended coverage plan in the first place.

Everyone knows that generic or store-brand products are cheaper than name brands, but maybe you don’t know just how much cheaper. According to Consumer Reports, you’ll save about 25% when you buy store brands.

The movement to replace costly, high-maintenance lawns with veggie-producing garden space is growing in popularity. Google “grow food, not lawns” for tips on how to supplement your grocery budget and reduce lawn care costs by starting an eco-friendly yard or neighbourhood garden.

The seals around the refrigerator and freezer doors need to be replaced periodically to avoid energy loss. Test for a tight seal by closing the door on a dollar bill; if you can pull the dollar out, the seal needs replacing, and your money is being wasted on an inflated energy bill.

After you check the seals on your fridge, take a few minutes to vacuum out the dust bunnies living underneath it and clean the coils. Keeping the coils clean can increase the energy efficiency of a refrigerator, saving you money on your utility bills.

Trees not only increase your home’s value, but if carefully positioned to shade the house and act as windbreaks, they can also reduce your home’s energy costs by about 25%. Talk about a growing investment.

Keep your dryer vent clean and free from blockage at all times. A clogged dryer vent reduces the appliance’s energy efficiency and can cause a fire.

When shopping for an item on an e-commerce site, search for the specific product (such as a “DVD player”) instead of surfing the general product category (“electronics”). One study showed that online shoppers who searched by category were three times more likely to keep browsing after they found the items they wanted.