In what felt like the blink of an eye, millions of people lost their jobs. In addition to being forced to search high and low for water and groceries, people across the world are looking for a paycheck as well. While the world is on hold, people have no choice other than to get creative. In that spirit, I thought it made sense to provide a short list of ways to save a couple bucks during the quarantine. Here we go!
- Donate.
You’re probably thinking this is the opposite of accumulating money and at face-value, you’re correct. However, all donations are tax-deductible and when will you ever have the amount of time you do now to go through all the kids’ old clothes, toys and shoes? Right now is the perfect opportunity to round-up everything that you don’t have use for and would be better suited elsewhere.
- Cook at home & Coupons, coupons, coupons!
A much more obvious way to save money is to make meals at home. Multiple trips to restaurants during the week adds up quick. Plus, most if not all restaurants are closed indefinitely. Right now is the perfect time to sign-up for a meal delivery service and sharpen those chef skills. A lot of meal delivery businesses are offering an online coupon to get started as well. With grocery store shelves more bare than usual, it’s a chance to give that weird recipe a shot.
- Cut the fluff.
Nobody is more guilty of having more than one naughty indulgence than I am. For me, and I’m sure lots of us, it was coffee. The first thing I stopped doing was my nearly daily run to the coffee shop. You’d be amazed how much you’re spending on a monthly and even weekly basis! Coffee, sodas at the gas station and fast food are great places to start. Just like spending that money adds up, so does saving it.
- Unnecessary subscriptions, bye-bye!
Do you really need that premium Spotify account AND the latest album on iTunes? Cutting those recurring monthly subscriptions, at least for a few months, will save you more than a few dollars. Gym memberships are another expense that take a decent chunk of the monthly budget. Watch a couple FREE YouTube videos and build that backyard workout compound you’ve always wanted. With so many home improvement stores offering discounts during the quarantine, take advantage of a rare Home Depot discount on shipping for those heavy materials you’ll need. Enlist the kids to help with the construction to burn off some of their extra energy as well! If all goes well, you can be done with the gym membership for good.
There you have it, simple yet effective steps you and all of us can take to save some money during these uncertain times. Nothing lasts forever but it’s never a bad idea to be prepared for things to last a little longer than you’d prefer. I’m a firm believer in a person growing the most and being most creative when forced out of their comfort zone…and boy what an opportunity we have now!
Clay Jared is a freelance writer that enjoys sports, blackjack and his French bulldog puppy Milton. When he’s not wordsmithing articles, you can probably find him at a baseball game or swimming pool.
