But make sure you know what you’re getting. The cheapest fares you see in searches are typically budget tier. And while budget flights can be a great way to save, you could end up paying more than planned through add-ons like checked baggage, seat selection, and even a carry-on.
What are budget airlines?
Budget airlines—also called low-cost carriers (LCCs) and ultra-low-cost carriers (ULCCs)—are bare-bones airlines. You’re paying for a seat to get you from point A to B and little else.
In Canada, our last remaining true ULCC is Flair, although the company is looking to change its business model to a more “premium product.” But if you’re travelling south of the border or overseas, you’ll see a lot more ULCC options, including Spirit, Frontier, Ryanair, and Air Asia.
That said, all of Canada’s carriers have added ULCC-like options to their bookings, like WestJet’s UltraBasic and Air Transat’s Eco Budget. These fares can drastically bring down the costs of your next vacation, but keep in mind what’s often not included:
Seat selection
In-flight food and drinks
Checked baggage
Carry-on baggage (although a personal item is often allowed)
Changes or cancellations
In-person check-in (for example, Flair charges $34 if you don’t check in online)
Loyalty rewards (Air Canada’s Basic fare doesn’t earn Status Qualifying Credits and WestJet’s UltraBasic doesn’t earn WestJet Rewards)
Depending on your travel plans, some (or all) of these extras might not matter. On a short flight, for example, you might not care about ending up in the middle seat. And if you already have trip cancellation insurance, you may be covered if a family emergency prevents you from flying.
This is where a bit of math helps. If you’re likely to pay for several add-ons, the total cost could exceed the price of a higher fare that bundles those features. On the other hand, if you only need one or two extras, the lowest base fare may still be the better deal.
Here’s what to consider before you book.
How long is the flight?
While it may be tempting to go with the cheapest ticket, be honest about how much comfort you’re willing to sacrifice.
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Most traditional airlines charge to pre-book a seat but allow you to select one for free when online check-in opens, typically 24 hours before departure. Many budget airfares eliminate that option. For example, WestJet’s UltraBasic doesn’t include complimentary seat selection at check-in—and if you do choose to pay for a seat, the fee is higher than it is for the other fare tiers.
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How much are you bringing?
If you’re choosing a fare that only allows carry-on, check the permitted weight and dimensions—especially if you’re travelling overseas. Ryanair’s carry-on limits, for example, are three centimetres narrower than those of Canadian airlines.
If you realize the night before that you need to pack more or that your bag exceeds the size limit, you’ll likely end up paying significantly more in last-minute baggage fees than you would have by booking the next fare tier up in the first place.
Do you have flight perks through your credit card?
Credit cards like the TD Aeroplan Visa and WestJet RBC World Elite Mastercard include free checked bags for you and up to eight companions. That could help you decide which airline to choose.
For example, I searched for direct flights from Toronto to Cancún for March Break with Air Canada Rouge and Flair. Both were roundtrip Monday–Monday flights (because bumping your flight by just one day can help you drastically reduce your flight cost). Flair’s Basic Bundle, which includes checked luggage, was $1,118.29. To include checked baggage on Rouge, you need the Flex fare at $1,149.32.
At first glance, Flair is the cheapest option. But if you have an Aeroplan credit card that includes checked bags, you could go for Rouge’s Basic ($924.32) or Standard ($1,020.32) fare and save $98–$194 per person.
What’s the bundle value?
It may feel like a hassle, but pulling out the calculator can pay off when you’re comparing the true cost of booking a bare-bones fare vs. a bundled option.
For that same Toronto-Cancún trip, Air Transat listed these prices:
If you’re looking for a creative way to bulk up your holiday budget or jump-start an emergency fund, the $5 bill challenge could turn out to be your new favorite money hack.
The premise is simple: Every time you receive a $5 bill, you stash it away. What starts as loose change can turn into hundreds of dollars with almost no effort.
Want to give the $5 bill challenge a try? Here’s what you need to know.
If you’re new to saving money, participating in the $5 challenge can be a low-effort way to get the ball rolling.
Here’s how it works: Every time you receive a $5 bill, you set it aside instead of spending it, whether it’s from cash back at the store, change from a purchase, or in a birthday card.
Some people commit to the challenge for a month, a year, or until they reach a specific savings goal. There aren’t really any rules regarding how long or how much you should save. The point is to make saving money fun and manageable.
“The $5 challenge is basically a savings habit disguised as a game,” said Bree Shellito, director of financial well-being for Ent Credit Union. “It works because it removes the decision making. You don’t have to wonder, ‘Should I save this?’ You just do it.”
Of course, no savings challenge is one-size-fits-all. There are several key pros and cons to consider before undertaking this kind of challenge.
Pros:
Low effort: The $5 savings challenge is straightforward — you don’t need apps, spreadsheets, or complex rules. Its simplicity makes it approachable even for people who struggle with traditional budgeting and saving.
Nonrestrictive: Because it works in small increments, the challenge helps people save money without making major lifestyle changes. And this small-but-consistent approach to saving can add up faster than you might expect. “For someone handling cash daily, you can build a few hundred dollars surprisingly fast, sometimes $500 or more in a year without feeling the pinch,” Shellito said.
Great for cash carriers: The $5 bill challenge is ideal for individuals who use cash as their primary payment method, as they’ll likely accumulate savings faster than those who prefer spending with debit or credit cards.
Savings can be inconsistent: Some weeks, you may save several $5 bills. Other weeks, you may save none at all. The unpredictable pace makes it difficult to rely on this challenge for time-sensitive goals.
Cash doesn’t earn interest: Money sitting at home loses value over time due to inflation. However, you can supercharge your savings by depositing your cash in a high-yield savings account that earns competitive interest. Plus, you won’t have to worry about your cash getting lost or stolen.
Many people are cashless today: This challenge may not be effective if you don’t typically use cash, which is increasingly common given the many digital payment methods available today. According to a Capital One survey, 47.8% of respondents make no cash purchases in a typical week, and 69% used cash for a few (if any) purchases over the last 12 months.
If you’re not a cash carrier, it doesn’t mean you can’t take on the $5 bill challenge. You may simply have to make some adjustments.
“If you try to adapt the challenge without cash, it becomes less of a $5 challenge and more of a round-up challenge,” Shellito said. “That means saving the change you would have received or rounding your purchase to the next $5, $10, or $20. It is still a solid strategy, but different from the $5 challenge.”
If that sounds like a lot of work, many banks will do the heavy lifting for you. Ally Bank, for example, offers savings tools that allow you to round up purchases to the nearest dollar and automatically deposit the difference into your savings account. Bank of America offers a similar savings program called “Keep the Change.”
The main thing to keep in mind when it comes to this gamified savings strategy is that while it can make saving fun and feel less stressful, it may also make it more difficult to reach your goals within your desired timeframe. However, this doesn’t mean it can’t work effectively when paired with a more structured savings plan.
But perhaps most important of all during these final weeks is the opportunity for executives to set priorities, outline goals, and chart course corrections for 2026. That’s especially true as we finish up a year that’s forced many entrepreneurs—especially those navigating the uncertain tariff terrain—to think long and hard about their finances.
With businesses looking ahead to a new year that will bring with it further opportunities and challenges—from the launch of new federal tax policies to the growing talk of an AI bubble—Inc. spoke with small-business owners about what they’re doing now, or planning to do soon, to reduce costs in 2026. Here are some of the smartest, boldest, and most unique ideas they shared.
Efficiencies and consolidation
For many companies looking to save money in 2026, consolidation and synergy are the name of the game.
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Kasia Bednarz, founder and chief executive of the seed oil-free fast food brand Fare (No. 176 on the 2025 Inc. 5000 list), is consolidating vendors and tightening up on purchases across departments. In 2026, the company will be rolling out a single, unified inventory and ordering system. “This reduces waste and ensures consistency across stores,” Bednarz says.
Carlos Ventura, CEO of meal delivery service Feast & Fettle, a three-time Inc. 5000 honoree and No. 1,654 on this year’s list, plans to unify his company’s tech stack with a new, in-house enterprise platform that will pull “predictive ordering, menu planning, forecasting, and capacity planning into one system,” he says. “The financial upside comes from cutting waste across the system.”
Rethinking packaging
Packaging is the first impression that many consumer brands make on buyers—and also a significant expense. Laurel Orley, co-founder of the sprouted nut snack startup Daily Crunch (No. 992 on the latest Inc. 5000), says the biggest cost-cutting initiative her company plans to make next year is switching their packaging to plated bags.
“Plated packaging uses physical printing plates, making it ideal for large production runs where the higher upfront cost is offset by lower per-unit pricing,” Orley explains. “Digital packaging requires no plates, allowing for faster turnaround but much higher cost. … This packaging shift not only reduces material costs but also improves pack-out efficiency and lowers shipping expenses.”
These and other “operational upgrades,” such as reconsidering their enterprise partners, will be crucial as Daily Crunch looks to scale in the new year, she adds.
New retail models
Retailer relationships can also be a big financial factor. Isabella Hughes, co-founder of the candy company Better Sour—and an honoree on this year’s Inc. Female Founders list—says her business is looking to hone its retail strategy next year. In 2025, Better Sour was regularly merchandising some of its key accounts to ensure back stock—a common but costly practice in the world of CPG, she says, with hard-to-measure upside.
“Because ongoing merchandising hasn’t shown a clear ROI, we’re reducing those efforts and shifting resources to high-impact, measurable programs,” she says. These include shippers, a type of temporary retail display, and new account launches.
The AI advantage
Many companies Inc. spoke with touted AI as their key to cost-cutting in 2026. The insurance company Honeycomb, for instance, created a task force dedicated to reducing repetitive, manual tasks by 50 percent next year by using large language model (LLM) software.
“Freeing teams from this overhead lets them focus on higher-value decisions and elevates our overall operational excellence,” says Honeycomb co-founder and CEO Itai Ben-Zaken. “Even AI-native companies like ours still lose close to 30 percent of the workday to low-value tasks, reading emails, searching for information, or manually following internal playbooks.”
Similarly, Peter Barsoom, co-founder of the cannabis company 1906, says he’s been using the AI chatbot Claude to draft contracts and compliance documents before sending them on to actual human attorneys—a big timesaver when it comes to navigating the knotty web of state-level drug regulations, he explains. 1906 also uses the software for media campaigns.
“We made a big shift in our last web redesign,” says Dave Christison, marketing VP at the repeat Inc. 5000 honoree (and newly minted unicorn) Awardco. “We rebuilt the structure, navigation, headers, and all the supporting copy so that LLMs can easily understand and surface our content. Your website is your storefront, and with AI driving so much discovery today, getting this right matters more than ever.”
Awardco, a software company focused on employee recognition and engagement, says that they’ve already increased their LLM visibility by 169 percent over six months following the redesign, according to a tool that tracks how often the firm is mentioned in relevant AI output.
Equipment rentals
As anyone living in an apartment rather than a house will tell you, it sometimes makes more sense to rent something rather than buy it outright.
BJ Waters, supply chain COO at the health care company HCA TriStar Division, says that their firm has used rentals of “high-cost, low-use medical equipment” to increase flexibility and free up capital for other purposes—while still ensuring access to the tools that clinicians need.
“With advanced data and analytics,” Waters adds, “we now can also deploy both owned and rented medical equipment where they’re needed most.”
Corporate culture
Though not as directly tied to P&L, workplace culture can offer another way of honing a business’s competitive edge. For some entrepreneurs, it’ll be central to their 2026 money-saving efforts. Dor Golan, CEO of the fintech startup Grain, says he plans to double down on “radical transparency” next year—a goal aimed at improving not just company culture but also operations, such that employees can make decisions faster, prioritize tasks better, and collaborate across departments more effectively.
“We’re building shared dashboards across teams, opening up real conversations about priorities and efficiency, and giving every employee clear visibility into the signals that drive the business,” Golan tells Inc. “Most companies reserve that context for a small circle; we’re making it accessible to everyone … It’s a cost-saving mechanism that comes from alignment rather than austerity.”
Meanwhile, Jessica Sturzenegger of the baby and kids health food brand Amara Organic Foods—another 2025 Female Founders honoree and No. 44 on the 2024 Inc. 5000 list—says she’s shifted from monthly to weekly meetings with her key suppliers, allowing for more real-time communication.
“This shift has reduced volatility and helped us secure a more predictable supply where we avoid spot buying when demand spikes,” Sturzenegger says of the 4x increase in meetings. “It’s a strategy any company can replicate: Treat suppliers like strategic partners, communicate frequently, and invest in the relationship.”
Location, location, location
Sometimes, where you’re doing something can be just as important as what you’re doing. Joe Spector—founder of the pet care company Dutch (and, before that, the telehealth company Hims)—says saving money has meant moving most of his new hires to Vancouver, British Columbia.
“They have great talent at almost 50 percent less cost due to lower cost of living and far cheaper health care costs,” the serial founder explains.
On the other hand, Justin Kim—co-founder and COO of the Plug Drink, which sells beverages and pills meant to improve liver health—says his biggest cost-cutting move will be to shift beverage production to the U.S. in Q1 of next year, delivering an estimated 40 percent-plus gross margin boost and making the company EBITDA profitable “by removing freight, tariffs, and giving us full control over our proprietary formula and IP.”
Those savings will in turn trigger a flywheel by allowing the Plug Drink (No. 1,682 on the Inc. 5000 list) to expand its marketing budget, he added, further amplifying growth. The company says its drinks have previously been manufactured in South Korea and that pill production will continue happening there.
Experts say navigating any interruption in wages takes plenty of planning that should begin long before your union heads for the picket line.
“When we’re a year out from bargaining, it’s time to put a little bit of savings away just in case,” said Marty Warren, national director of the United Steelworkers union. While no one can predict whether a strike will happen or how long one will last, the more you can sock away, the better position you’ll be in to weather the situation.
To help build up your savings, Warren has advised union members in the past to work some overtime, if it’s available, and rethink that new car, cottage, boat, or home.
“Now, obviously, if you have one car and it goes, you’re going to have to replace it, but some of those bigger purchases, you should hold off, just so you’re in a position to vote with your heart (if your company asks if you are willing to strike),” he said. “Then, your vote isn’t influenced because you just purchased that brand new truck six months ago and you got a car payment to make.”
Adjust savings to protect essential payments
If you’re saving for any of those goals but they’re not imminent, workers can reallocate money toward helping them through a strike, said Mark Kalinowski, a partnership and education specialist with the Credit Counseling Society.
“People often don’t see one savings goal as being transferable to another savings goal,” he said. “Well, right now is not your vacation. Right now is the time that we have to make sure the mortgage gets paid, so be open to changing what your immediate goal is and we’ll save up for a vacation later.”
He feels the best way to build up a fund you can dip into during a strike is to set aside some money each time you get paid, ideally in a Tax-Free Savings Account. If you don’t think you are able to do that, consider “pushing the fluff out of your life,” even if it’s just for long enough to build up a strike fund, he said. “Everyone loves a cup of coffee, but if you’re not going to work, can you make it at home? It saves you $3 a day,” he said.
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Cut costs and assess true expenses
In the COVID-19 pandemic, Kalinowski and his wife calculated how much money they could live on if they just covered the basics like food, utilities, and costs for housing and children. He said they were shocked by how little they needed to get by and encourage others to do the same exercise if they are worried about a strike.
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While Kalinowski found a lot of things he could cut from his spending, he acknowledges some people have recurring payments from mortgages, loans, credit cards, and student debt. He recommends people with these payments pending reach out to their lenders as soon as possible to find out if they can get any extensions or relief in the event of a looming strike.
“We find normally when you approach, especially banks around mortgages, they don’t want to own your house,” Warren said. “They always find a way to work with us or our members, quite frankly, to bounce the payment to the end or to make half a payment.” Some lenders will also let you skip a payment.
Strike pay won’t fully replace wages
While workers won’t be getting their salary and aren’t eligible for employment insurance while on strike, Warren said there is often some cash they can access. Usually, unions offer strike pay but it often comes with conditions. Workers typically only get it if they picket or help with other job actions and sometimes, it doesn’t kick in as soon as a strike begins.
When they do receive strike pay, Warren said, “There’s no doubt about it, it doesn’t equal your wages. It’s just kind of to keep you moving forward,” he said.
If you find yourself facing extreme circumstances, many unions set up hardship committees to disperse additional funds to their members most in need. Recipients typically have to demonstrate an extraordinary need when applying for the money. For example, if you need an expensive drug not covered by your provincial health care, a hardship committee might give you some funds, Warren said.
Frugal living helps post-strike recovery
Unions also encourage workers to take on gig work if they are struggling to get by. “If you’re that kind of skilled person, you can paint, you can build a deck,” said Warren.
While strikes can stretch on for long periods of time, most wrap up rather quickly, he said. When they do, workers don’t get backpay for the days they were on the picket line, so they usually need to make their focus recovering from their job action and preparing for the next time their union bargains.
For some people, that could mean continuing to live frugally or delaying their big purchases. Others might find overtime is the answer.
The pre-pandemic norm of working five days in the office is coming back for many Canadians, except it’s not exactly the same this time around. The cost of just about everything, from food to gas, has risen significantly from five years ago. But for many office-goers, their paycheques haven’t kept pace.
For those mandated to return to the office, they face increased expenses for transit, parking, meals, and even dog-walkers as they prepare to spend more time away from home.
Returning to the office could cost up to $1,000 a month
Financial educator Eduek Brooks estimates the cost of returning to the office five days a week could range anywhere between $800 and $1,000 per month. Her calculation includes driving to work, paying for parking, and eating out a few times a week, as well as additional costs such as buying new clothing and beauty products.
“You’re so used to not having those costs and now going back and doing those things … There might be that big shock people will see in the first few weeks or even months of going back to work,” Brooks said.
Experts say this may be a time to search for some financial wiggle room for back-to-office expenses.
Caval Olson-Lepage, certified financial planner at Innovation Wealth, said it’s about taking your budget back to the basics of wants versus needs. “It’s really an awareness of what you’re spending that money on, and is it a need that you have to absolutely spend it?” she said. For example, instead of buying a coffee every morning, getting it just once a week can help divert upwards of $30 into your commuting budget, she said.
Olson-Lepage recalled how she diverted some of the money she would normally spend on commuting to buying more books during the pandemic. “Now that I’m going back to work, it’s like, well, as much as I love my books … I need that money now to go back to spending on gas,” she said.
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Working from home hasn’t always meant saving money
Sara McCullough said there’s an assumption that working from home was automatically saving people money. “Are we? Did you get yourself an extra subscription because you weren’t commuting?” asked McCullough, a certified financial planner and founder of WD Development.
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McCullough said people need to be realistic about how their spending habits have shifted over the years. She also said people should consider options for increasing their income, such as negotiating a raise or switching to a higher-paying job to offset growing return-to-work expenses.
McCullough said going back to the office today “isn’t going to be like it was pre-pandemic because you’re not who you were pre-pandemic.” That means people may have different needs and priorities than they did five years ago.
Planning ahead can help keep office days affordable
Olson-Lepage said managing in-office days without upending your household budget takes dedication and discipline. “If you can plan that time on a Sunday before the work week to prep all of your lunches, then it’s done,” she said. “You don’t have to think about it during the week when you’re more likely to be tired.”
Olson-Lepage said return-to-office is going to be a balancing act for many people as they get used to being outside of the home again. “It’s definitely not easy, and there is no … one-size-fits-all formula, but it’s about really just being aware of your situation,” she said.
Brooks suggested people buy snacks in bulk and keep them at their desk to avoid spending money when a snack craving hits. “You’re not tempted to go to the cafeteria or the vending machine or go out for a coffee midday because you have something that you can snack on,” she said.
However, despite your best efforts to minimize expenses associated with returning to the office, Brooks said people might not be able to save as much as they did while working from home. “The reality of the matter is that people might not be able to save for the first six months to a year of going back to the office while they’re making these adjustments, especially if you had such a major lifestyle change,” she said.
But as time goes on, she said it will be easier to get a sense of where the savings can happen.
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Retirement remains a far-off — and in some cases, unattainable — goal for many Americans.
About one in four adults over age 50 said they expect to never retire, according to an AARP survey. That’s perhaps not surprising given that Americans believe they’ll need $1.26 million to retire comfortably, per Northwestern Mutual.
In a new report from Bank of America, 68% of employees said that saving for retirement is their No. 1 financial goal, though working toward it often comes with significant challenges.
The research, which surveyed nearly 1,000 full-time employees who participate in 401(k) plans and 800 employers who offer a 401(k) plan, revealed that the average employee doesn’t start saving for retirement until age 30 and wishes they had more retirement education (33%).
Employees’ top expected sources of retirement income were as follows, per the survey: 401(k) or 403(b) (85%), Social Security (75%), checking or savings account 53%), IRA (38%), taxable brokerage or investment account (24%).
Baby Boomers are retiring at a rapid rate, setting a record number of retirees in 2024 that allowed Gen X to outnumber them in the workforce for the first time, GOBankingRates reported.
On average, Boomers began saving for retirement at age 34; now in their 60s and 70s, one in four of them don’t feel on track to retire, according to the Bank of America survey. Additionally, only two in 10 Boomers said they completely understand their Social Security benefits.
Rising healthcare costs in retirement present another hurdle, as only 34% of employees said they’re saving and investing for future healthcare expenses, despite current research showing that a 65-year-old couple could need as much as $428,000 in savings to cover their retirement healthcare expenses.
Respondents said the main reason they don’t save for health care is that they can’t afford it, but many who have access to an HSA through their employer also don’t understand the tax advantages and rollover process.
When employees across generations were asked to reflect on what they would have done differently to prepare for retirement, they cited three common mistakes: not starting to save at a younger age (49%), not taking full advantage of their employer’s 401(k) match (35%) and not paying off debt sooner (36%).
Image Credit: Courtesy of Bank of America
“The modern employee wants help with their broader financial goals,” Lorna Sabbia, head of workplace benefits at Bank of America, said. “Employers should consider additional resources to support their workforce in ways that bolster their long-term goals while also helping them tackle short-term challenges.”
If you’re like the 50% of Americans in this 2017 report, then you might be living paycheck to paycheck.
Even though the economy has seen significant improvement and people are earning more, there are still those who can barely make ends meet every month. This is something that makes you stop and think.
The biggest cause of this disparity is the fact that most people are neck-deep in debt.
Whether it’s because they want their lifestyle to reflect their earnings or they are afraid of missing the latest trends in fashion and technology, many Americans spend more than they can afford.
Having financial problems can take a toll on a person’s health and damage relationships.
But there are ways to correct the issue. In this article, we’ll talk about how to stop spending money on unnecessary things in order to achieve true happiness and freedom.
First, let’s discuss the reasons for our overspending.
7 Reasons Why We Overspend
1. We overspend because it is now too easy to swipe a card or click the “buy” button.
To be honest, plastic just doesn’t feel the same as holding onto paper cash.
It is easy to use credit and overspend more than you would if you had cash because you may not even look to see how high your credit card balance is, or how small your checking account balance is.
When you count out your dollar bills when you’re buying something, you’re aware of the amount of money that you are giving up. Researchers have even named this behavior “the pain of payment.”
But this doesn’t happen when you pay with a card or buy something online. You don’t have to look at the total before signing for the purchase, which is why this can easily lead to overspending.
2. We believe that it’s socially acceptable to incur debts.
If you have a balance on your credit card every month, or are swimming in endless student loan debt, adding some more debt may not feel like a big deal.
It may even seem to be the “norm” among the people you know. Incurring debt may even feel like a valuable investment.
In fact, one study found that among people between the ages of 18 and 27, credit card and other loan debt was directly correlated with a higher level of self-esteem and a feeling of more control over one’s life.
However, this feeling fades with age, likely as people start realizing how long it will take to pay off the debt that they have incurred.
3. We do not track our expenses, nor have a budget.
A recent survey found that only 41% of Americans use a budget and actually track their expenses against that budget each month.
This suggests that most people have no idea how much money they should be spending every month in different areas of their lives, such as food, living expenses, car payments, entertainment, and clothing.
Without having a budget for these expenses, it is easy to go overboard without realizing it.
4. We use retail therapy as a way to numb or momentarily escape pain.
A recent study found that over half of Americans admit to turning to “retail therapy” during times of stress. Additionally, 62% of shoppers have made purchases to cheer themselves up, and 28% have made purchases to celebrate something.
When people think of retail therapy, escape, entertainment, and excitement usually come to mind. Online shopping is increasingly noted as being a type of “mini mental vacation.”
Shopping is a pretty mindless, relaxing activity—especially if you’re not buying anything. However, sometimes, when you come across just the right thing, you feel like you have to buy it.
5. We have no clear idea how much our net income is (after paying our bills, taxes, and other deductibles every month).
Sure, you know what your salary is, but have you ever broken that down into your expenses? Even if you believe your salary is relatively high, bills and expenses add up quickly, and the numbers may be shocking once you add them up.
Don’t just think about your mortgage and cell phone bill—take into account your car insurance, personal property taxes, and the money you spend on the weekends for entertainment.
Create a spreadsheet that has your income and expenses on it to see how much money you have left at the end of the month. Chances are, it isn’t quite as high as you may think.
6. We are in denial about our own spending habits.
If you refuse to track your spending or create a budget, or you convince yourself that you can’t afford to save money, you’re probably in denial about your overspending.
Overspending doesn’t just mean that you are spending too much money on things that you don’t need, it also means that you could be spending too much money on things that you try to convince yourself that you need.
Most people are neck-deep in debt, spending more than they can afford because they are afraid of missing the latest trends in fashion and technology.
When you’re not in denial, you are able to limit your purchases to just the things that you need, not the things that you want in the moment—which is a good sign that you have control over your finances.
7. Ads compel us to buy stuff we don’t need. We have a fear of missing out, and overspend to keep up with the rest of society.
Everyone wants to keep up with the people around them, and acquire all of the new material items that are popping up. Social media has added to this problem for two reasons.
First, you see people that you know in pictures wearing the coolest new clothes or having the hottest new bags.
Second, companies are able to advertise on social media—especially the more expensive items that are probably outside of your budget. In fact, your browsing activity can help companies send you very targeted adds to try to pique your interest.
But research shows that 39% of people have spent money they didn’t have in order to keep up with their friends, and 36% of people don’t think that they can keep up with their friends for one more year without going into debt.
So while there are a lot of reasons that people overspend, there are also several reasons why you should focus on saving money.
Hopefully, you will find these reasons to be compelling, and realize that the things that cause people to overspend are not worth it in the long run.
Why You Should Focus on Saving Money
It makes you feel more in control of your life.
When you are secure in the knowledge that you have some money saved, you can feel that you have a better grip on things.
You don’t have to feel like you always have to depend on other people to help you get out of a bind because you have the money put aside for emergencies when you need it.
You also know your spending limits. If you stick to them, you will be able to control exactly where your money goes, and live in line with your priorities and values by spending more money in certain areas and less money in others.
It improves your health.
Knowing that you have some funds set aside helps you feel less stressed about making ends meet. And the truth is, a lot of people cite finances as being their biggest source of stress. This peace of mind helps reduce your risk of hypertension and other diseases.
As a result of financial stress, people often lose sleep, have anxiety, obsess over past financial decisions, and even fight with their spouses.
What’s more, money stress can feel like it will last forever when you’re in the thick of it, which may make it feel even worse.
It helps your weight loss goals.
There is a positive correlation between saving money and losing weight. Most people spend their income by eating out, and eating fast-food fare is the main reason for the rise of obesity in the United States.
Eliminating this unhealthy eating habit not only helps you save money, but also allows you to have healthier meal options and the opportunity to slim down.
In fact, some of the healthiest foods in the world are actually the least expensive. Buying produce that is in season, along with whole grains and beans, will provide your body with all of the nutrition that it needs to stay healthy.
If you stop spending money on restaurant food, you will save more money than you could imagine, and you will start to drop weight quickly.
When you are secure in the knowledge that you have some money saved, you can feel that you have a better grip on things.
It is good for the environment.
If you are conscious about your use of electricity and water, then you reduce the amount on your monthly utility bills. By deciding to live more thriftily, you can maximize the 3 R’s: reducing, reusing, and recycling.
Even if you are spending a little bit more money up front for an eco-friendly car, you will be saving money in the long run on gas, while also helping to save the environment. The same goes with upgrades to your home, such as insulated windows or efficient appliances.
While these things cost a bit more in the beginning, they will greatly reduce your monthly bills and therefore pay for themselves in no time. Also, they help save electricity and keep the environment clean.
It helps you become more independent financially.
Being financially independent means having the freedom to make choices that are not dependent on your monthly paycheck. Everyone defines “wealth” differently, but one thing that most people agree on is that wealth equates to financial independence and a savings account to depend on.
This means that you have the freedom to make decisions in your life independently from earning your paycheck.
This may mean that you can help out family members financially, take vacations every year, or choose personal satisfaction over salary when considering what type of job you want.
Financial independence doesn’t necessarily mean that you’re rich—it simply means that you don’t have to depend on your paycheck or other people if something comes up.
You have something to use in case of emergencies.
Unforeseen circumstances could include being injured and unable to work, needing a major auto or home repair, losing a job, or having to fly out to another state for a close relative’s funeral.
These examples all require you to spend money, and having set aside some in savings can help prevent you from going into debt.
When these unexpected things occur, you will be relieved to be able to turn to your savings account rather than having to take out a loan or incur debt. It is best to have about six months’ worth of savings set aside to pay all of your living expenses in case you lose your job.
In this eight-minute video, Matt D’Avella talks about money and the overspending issues we face, gives reasons why we might not manage money properly, and provides tips on how to manage personal finance through a minimalist approach.
11 Tips on How to Stop Spending Money
1. Understand what psychological triggers compel you to spend.
In many cases, figuring out how to stop spending money relates to identifying the emotional and psychological triggers that lead to your spending.
By removing your habit triggers, you will no longer have the opportunity or the temptation to spend money that you don’t have.
It could be that you’re unhappy (emotional), with shopaholics (peer pressure), in a Christmas crafts fair or your favorite dollar store (environment), or trying to keep up with a luxurious way of life (lifestyle).
When you know these triggers are going to be present, make sure to just carry a little bit of cash with you instead of hanging on to your credit card. This will help limit your spending.
The important thing is that you surround yourself with people and environments that will not tempt you to go overboard with your spending.
When you pay for things with cash, you see how much money you have and how much you’re giving away. Paying in cash forces you to only spend what you have.
Cut up any credit cards that are specific to one store, and try to only keep one main credit card open, if any. Make sure you pay off the entire balance each month so you don’t incur interest.
3. Spend only the money actually available to you.
The cash envelope system is a good way to stick to your budget and use only the money that is actually available to you.
Based on your budget, put the amount of cash that you can spend in every category (such as food, clothing, and entertainment) into an envelope every month. Once the cash is gone, it’s gone for the month. This will force you to budget properly and not overspend.
By paying with cash, you will not rely on credit, and you won’t spend money that you don’t have. The cash envelope trick will encourage you to get creative and resourceful with your spending.
If you overspend one month and don’t have any money left to go to the movies with your friends, you will have to come up with new ways to save money, or think of less expensive ways to hang out with your friends.
4. If you think you need to buy an item, ask yourself a couple of questions:
a. What value will it add to my life? If the item brings happiness or serves a purpose, then the purchase is worth it. But look at your motives.
Do you want to buy the item because it will truly add to your life, or are you trying to impress someone else? Before you purchase something, give it some serious consideration.
b. Do I need this item to get through the day? If you answered no, then the purchase can wait, and perhaps you’ll realize that you don’t need the item at all.
c. How often will I use this item? If this is something that you will probably use once and then leave in a closet to gather dust, pass on it. Also, is this item something that you could borrow from a friend if you only intend to use it a few times?
The infographic below shows examples of items you should not be spending your money on if you want to live a happier life.
5. “Shop” in your closet for clothes.
The average American throws away about 80 pounds of clothes every year. If you feel the urge to buy new clothes, try looking into your closet first for something that you may have only worn once.
You might be able to put together an outfit that you had never thought of, or put together some of your existing clothes to meet a current trend that you hadn’t thought of before.
First, you need to get your closet organized and fix any clothes that have holes or are missing buttons. Then take out some jewelry cleaner and get all of the tarnish off of your old jewelry to make it look new again.
If you can get your basics looking great, you will have enough clothes to last you through the whole season.
6. Develop good money habits.
Becoming financially savvy is a way of increasing your savings and adding value to your life. Good money habits are all about small changes and critical adjustments in your mindset.
For example, you can create rules for yourself, such as waiting one month before buying something that you see to give yourself time to really consider it (or forget about it). Or, you can tell yourself that you have to get rid of two items that you own for every one item that you purchase.
It is also important to examine your frugal habits to make sure that they are indeed worth it. For example, if you are driving 10 minutes out of your way to save a few dollars on gas, it probably isn’t worth your time or the extra mileage on your car.
The best thing you can do is to keep things simple and create a budget that you can stick to. Don’t let your finances get too complicated by using multiple apps and creating several spreadsheets. This will increase your chances of giving up your good spending habits. Just keep it simple.
For more on these habits, take a few minutes to check out the video below:
7. Avoid eating out.
In addition to spending less money by cooking your own meals, not eating out also means you’re in control of how healthy your meals are. Yes, eating out is easy and it saves time. But if you’re spending $8 on a fast-food lunch every day, that’s $240 per month.
The key is to create a plan to avoid eating out. Start by meal planning and prepping food on Sundays to last you through the week.
A lot of people don’t feel like cooking when they get home from work, so avoid that by doing it all ahead of time. And you don’t even have to make everything from scratch. Using frozen vegetables is both cheap and healthy.
8. Embrace minimalism.
Minimalism is intentionally living with just the things you really need. It allows you to see and appreciate the value of what you have in life. It also discourages you from buying more stuff.
Minimalism is becoming increasingly popular for several reasons. Not only does it save money because it forces you to differentiate between essential items and non-essential items, but it also is environmentally friendly because it reduces waste.
Minimalism also offers a life with a reduced amount of stress, fewer distractions, and an increased amount of freedom
Finally, while consumerism is alive and well, there is a growing number of people who are starting to see through the fiction of the claim that every new product will actually make your life more fulfilling. While people often try to find happiness in new possessions, they are typically left unfulfilled.
In this 15-minute TEDx video, Ryan Nicodemus and Joshua Fields Millburn, known to their readers as The Minimalists, share their thoughts on what makes people truly rich, the definition of minimalism, and finding happiness and value in their lives.
9. Be aware of financial pitfalls as you become successful.
When you begin to earn a significant amount of money, it is tempting to buy stuff that reflects your current lifestyle. Learn to avoid lifestyle creep to keep your spending at bay.
If you start making more money or your bills decrease, boost your savings rather than making your lifestyle more lavish.
Don’t make former luxuries into your new everyday rituals—those things will no longer be special, and you will be back in the financial situation that you were in before your net income increased.
10. Get stuff for free.
If you need some items, why not try getting them secondhand through an online community whose members give stuff away for free in their areas, such as Freecycle?
You can also ask around to friends and family if you need something specific. Whether you want to borrow it or keep it, most people are holding onto all kinds of things that they have no use for anymore.
11. Use your free time for hobbies.
When you are busy doing things you love, not only will you keep life interesting, but you’ll also have less time for shopping.
Spending your time doing hobbies is fulfilling and can be as inexpensive as you want it to be. Find your passion and put your time and energy into cultivating your talents or knowledge in that area.
Find a friend who shares your hobby and team up to do it together. Adding the element of a human connection to any activity you are doing makes it all the more fulfilling.
Final Thoughts on How to Stop Spending Money
Today we’ve learned that most Americans have difficulty managing their finances, despite the fact that they’re earning more in recent years.
We’ve also discussed the solutions to financial issues, with the primary action being making a change in your spending habits.
We hope that the suggestions listed here on how to stop spending money on unnecessary stuff will lead you to a life full of true and lasting happiness and financial freedom.
If you are interested to learn more about positive financial habits, head over the following posts for helpful tips on how to achieve financial stability and success.
There might be affiliate links on this page, which means we get a small commission of anything you buy. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Please do your own research before making any online purchase.
Do you have bad money habits?
Are you constantly broke? Needing to borrow money to make ends meet? Spending far more than you should. Impulse buying? Have no idea what a balanced budget looks like? (much less how to make one.)
If any of the above bad money habits sound familiar, you need to take better control of your finances. Or at least learn some lessons to not fall into the major money bad habit traps.
Micromanaging every aspect of our lives is an impossible task.
We just can’t do everything that needs to be done, or we would have no time to do everything.
I am not a CPA and I do not expect you want to become one either. You do not need to become a financial expert by any means. This post will not teach you that level of financial mastery.
What this post will teach you is how to avoid a few very common mistakes people make with regards to their money. Simple things we all face that waste our money along with realistic (meaning: achievable) plan of action to address these issues
Let’s get to it…
5 Bad Money Habits You May Be Guilty of
There is no judgment in these bad financial habits. They are on this list because they are bad money habits that many people do.
These are not the actions of outliers, like spending money on cocaine and loose women. They are ways that 90% of the people, all of us, basically, could use to tighten up our finances.
By no means am I perfect? I fall in these money traps from time-to-time myself. Even though I realize they are not good habits. The important part is to realize these bad habits and try to avoid them most of the time.
Your wallet will love it if you are able to keep away from these bad money habits 90% of the time
1. Running Out of Household Supplies and Kitchen Staples
Do you wait until you’ve run out of a household, personal care or kitchen items before you replace them? If so, you’re losing money.
When you wait until you deplete a consumer product, you have to pay whatever your local store happens to charge for it. If you plan ahead, however, and buy products when you can get a discount via sales and coupons, you can save 20% or more on things like batteries, toilet paper, pet food, and cleaning supplies.
You may have heard about “extreme couponing,” a practice of collecting as many coupons as possible and then tracking stores for sales.
When the “couponer” can get a good deal by combining one or more coupons with a discounted price, he or she heads to the store and buys that product, often in large amounts.
Some extreme couponers have rooms in their homes dedicated to their “inventory” of products that they’ve acquired for pennies on the dollar through couponing.
While you don’t have to go to such extremes to save money, there is some wisdom in buying household goods when the price is right, rather than when you need the product.
Keep an eye out for coupons and sales online, in stores, and in newspaper circulars. When you find a good price on an item, head to the store, preferably with coupons in hand for additional savings.
2. Using Credit and Debit Cards for Everyday Purchases
Debit and credit cards have their advantages: You don’t have to worry about your cash being lost or stolen, and sometimes, you can get great perks (like airline miles or cash back) on your purchases.
The trouble is that using plastic instead of cash can make it harder for you to track how much money you’re spending.
If you’re not sure whether using plastic negatively impacts your spending, consider taking a month off from using debit and credit cards. Pay larger bills with online bill payment through your bank and carry small amounts of cash for other purchases.
Once you’ve given cash a try, you’re better able to determine whether always using plastic is hurting your ability to budget effectively. If using cash isn’t an option, consider using a personal finance app that categorizes and tracks your card-based spending, giving you an idea of where your money is going.
Some chatbots even exist nowadays that offer you as thorough and insistent tracking (read: guilt-inducing) of your expenses as you want.
3. Frequently Eating Out
There’s nothing wrong with the occasional coffee at Starbucks or lunch with colleagues.
But if you have a habit of always buying your morning coffee from a shop, buying your lunch from a food truck, or ordering takeout for dinner, you’re likely spending a lot of money that could be saved or used for better purposes.
As with many bad habits, eating out frequently often stems from a failure to plan ahead. For example, many people buy their morning coffee or lunch at a place near work because they didn’t take the time to pack a lunch or pour a travel mug full of coffee or tea before leaving for work.
If packing a lunch is more than you can handle, consider spending a few hours each week preparing and freezing lunch items (such as wraps, frittatas, casseroles, and soups) that you can take with you to work each day.
Another option is to buy a sealed container, put your name on it, and then pack it with sandwich fixings (bread, lunch meat, cheeses, condiment packets) at the beginning of each week. Put it in your office refrigerator and make yourself sandwiches for lunch.
To avoid excessive coffee spending, consider buying an automatic drip machine. These machines make coffee quickly. Many also have a timer feature that lets you add coffee and water before you go to bed, providing freshly brewed coffee as you wake up. Have a cup at home, pour the rest into your travel mug, and away you go.
Avoid excessive spending by finding money-draining habits and replacing them with good ones.
If you go to restaurants often or have food delivered multiple times a week, chances are that you don’t have much food in the house or, even if you do have food at home, you don’t have any idea of what you’re going to do with it. You can address these tendencies with weekly meal planning.
Before going grocery shopping, sit down and plan your meals for the rest of the week. If you don’t have the time to cook every evening, prepare meals ahead of time.
There are tons of recipe sites online that feature affordable “freeze-ahead” or “make-ahead” meals. Invest in some decent food storage containers and get cooking. You’ll not only save money but since you control both ingredients and portion sizes, you may end up losing a few pounds if that’s what you want to do.
4. Impulse Purchases
Every day you are surrounded by opportunities to buy things online and in physical stores. It’s so easy to hit that 1-Click button on Amazon or pick up a cheap pair of sunglasses when you run into the drugstore to fill a prescription.
But as you probably already know, these little purchases add up to some serious numbers. You can end up spending hundreds, possibly thousands, of dollars each year on stuff that you don’t need because you have a habit of buying things that just happened to catch your eye.
Again, advance planning is your best defense against impulse shopping. Get out of the habit of buying things that you may not need by turning off the 1-Click button and writing up a shopping list before you go into a store.
If you end up having to make an emergency purchase for something you truly need, buy that item and that item only. The product that caught your eye will very likely still be there tomorrow.
5. Spending Everything You Make
If you are a person who lives paycheck to paycheck, even though you earn enough to cover your needs and put some money into a savings account, you’ve developed a habit that likely stems from when you were making less money.
If you spent a couple of years earning a very low, entry-level wage, it may have been difficult to save money. Unfortunately, this means that you may have become comfortable with having no money at the end of a pay period.
For many people, when they start to make more money they experience lifestyle creep and still spend all their money. Watch the video below to learn how to avoid it.
Now is the time to get uncomfortable with the situation and start a savings and investment plan.
If you have never had to stick to a budget before, speak with a financial counselor who can offer a plan for paying down debt and setting up investment accounts. They can also assist in developing a budget that takes your wants and needs into account.
Final Thoughts on Bad Money Habits
The trouble with bad money habits is that they can sometimes be difficult to identify. This is because you’ve become so used to them, it’s hard to understand the negative impact they have on your life.
Once you do identify them, however, you’ve taken the first step toward eliminating these bad habits and creating new, positive behaviors.
And if you’re ready to improve your financial situation, start with by reading these articles:
Eileen Fowler climbed her way out of the hole of debt she once lived in, and is now devoted to helping other people avoid making the same mistakes as her by being preemptively smart about their financial habits.
There might be affiliate links on this page, which means we get a small commission of anything you buy. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Please do your own research before making any online purchase.
Books on budgeting all seem the same. For the most part, these books cover the budgeting basics and beyond…
These books discuss the basics of finance:
Creating a financial plan.
How to make a budget.
Becoming debt-free.
Savings and investment.
All of this is really important stuff. no doubt about that.
But people who struggle to just get by every single week may find it difficult to make the money they have coming in meet their budget requirements.
That is where these books on saving money and budgeting come into play.
The point of the books on this list is to give PRACTICAL ADVICE on saving money.
Every one of these books will not give you the same old advice on how to make the budget. These money saving and budgeting books will show you how to make your limited cash flow stretch to reach your budget needs.
These are as much books on frugal living as they are personal budgeting and debt relief books. They discuss specifics on “how to save money” not just give you platitudes on spending less money but to give actionable advice on how to get by on a shoestring budget and still pay down any debt.
That is what makes this collection of books on saving money a bit unique, and very practical.
Even if you have already read some of the best introductory finance books available, these books still have a lot to teach you. If not about the science of budgeting and saving at least about the art of making your income meet your budgetary needs.
If you want to learn how to budget, debt proof living, investing and the 7 money rules for life read the complete money makeover by Dave Ramsey. But if you want to make your dollar stretch further, then read any of these books on frugal living, budgeting, saving money and climbing out of debt.
This account of how Hamm was successful in doing this and the positive changes it brought to his life helps readers use his ideas to achieve his same success.
This book helps to unclutter people’s financial situations and results in a more rewarding life. Going from debt to wealth himself, Hamm is able to prepare the reader for both the expected and the unexpected complexities of personal budgeting in today’s economic world.
This book is full of practical tips and tools that the reader can apply to their own life. Its ability to be motivating and empowering helps the reader to proactively create healthier relationships with both money and people.
Using personal anecdotes, Hamm is able to engage the reader throughout the book and keep them focused. He also gets right to the point without adding in a lot of fluff material, so you never feel like you are wasting your time reading through things that are not important.
While a lot of the points in this book are already made on his blog, this is still a great place to put his message together to help readers achieve the financial success that he has.
365 Ways to Live Cheap: Your Everyday Guide to Saving Money is certainly a frugal living book. But it also discusses ways to save long-term money. For example, using cold water while washing your clothes can save almost $65 a year, while investing in a deep freezer and buying food in bulk can save on groceries.
Hamm encourages his readers to take a look at their own lives and to realize that there are many ways to live on less. Offering a multitude of ways to cut costs, this book on saving money still makes sure that you are living a lifestyle that is satisfying for you.
While some of the tips in this book have been around for a long time, this is a great place to brush up on some money-saving tricks and see what new things you can learn that might help you save.
This book does a great job in pointing out some of the needless everyday spending that people tend to do. It helps readers identify the extra expenses in their own lives that can be cut for the long-term good.
3. Couponing for the Rest of Us by Kasey Knight Trenum
Trenum is well aware of the fact that people do not want to spend time clipping coupons, but also knows how much money coupons can save families in this tight economy.
This book helps people find coupons for what their family eats, ways to cut down on Internet bills, how to determine sale cycles, and how to make shopping less stressful.
The author shows the reader how easy it is to save money on everyday things so that they can have a bit more financial freedom.
One of the best things about this book is that it is not about extreme couponing—it is about manageable things that people can do while they are shopping to help save money.
These habits have been used for generations and can help make cash last longer and accumulate wealth.
This book is fun to read in the sense that the author provides catchy phrases to live by, such as “use it up, wear it out, make do, or do without” and “repurpose, recycle, and reuse.” The smart money-saving ideas illustrated are practical even for those who do not live a life as sensible as the Amish.
This book on saving is both touching and humorous while providing an eye-opening account of how the Amish make ends meet. The stories talk about trading for goods and services, bargaining, living with less, staying out of debt, and even stopping the habit of trying to impress others.
This book isn’t so much about making money as it is about discipline, family, and redefining what it means to be wealthy. It encourages the reader to see more clearly what is really valuable in life, and helps to inspire people to change their views on life.
This is an easy read that will help anyone minimize their consumerism. While there is not a lot of new advice in here for people who already live frugally, it provides a great look into the lives of a different culture that has been able to be financially successful while others have not.
5. The Budgeting Habit by SJ Scott and Rebecca Livermore
Budgeting is the key to success in personal finance. If you do not have a good grasp of your finances through a budget it is hard to manage your money.
Let’s face it. Budgets are boring. This is not a flashy topic, like making money, investing or starting a side hustle. It is drab and boring. Like brushing your teeth.
But what brushing your teeth is to personal hygiene, budgeting is to finance. It may be boring but doing it right is the lynchpin on top of which all financial success rests.
In this book, we tried to make budgeting as interesting as it possibly could be. But more importantly, we strive to give a practical guide to create a simple, but effective budget. More importantly, this book teaches you how to make a habit out of following your budget, making a budget that much more effective.
6. Cut Your Grocery Bill in Half With America’s Cheapest Family by Steve Economides and Annette Economides
The authors offer tips that can cut down on your shopping trips to once-a-week or less while eating healthier and saving money. Written by a husband and wife who practice what they preach, this is a relatable book with a lot of realistic tips.
Known as “America’s Cheapest Family,” the authors present strategies and tricks to save money annually by cutting down on grocery bills. One of the best things about this book is that the tips provided are useful whether you live by yourself or have a family of seven.
This frugal living book is an easy and light read that inspires people to make small changes that can result in large pay-offs. While it may be hard to believe that a family can cut their grocery bill in half, the authors provide step-by-step instructions to do so.
This page-turner has something to learn in each chapter. The reader does not have to finish the entire book before beginning to save money. The money-saving ideas start right away, and the book is easy to jump around in if you want to skip chapters or go back to reread something.
Some of the tips in this book are likely repeats for a lot of people, but they are solid pieces of advice that are worth revisiting. Unlike some other books, this one includes recipes and meal suggestions that are great for people living on a budget.
One of the best frugal living books out there. This book has so many ways to save, and provides a ton of actionable advice to help families meet their budget needs.
7. You Are a Badass at Making Money by Jen Sincero
Jen Sincero had a blockbuster hit with her debut book, You are a Badass. This book helped people to come to terms with the things that were holding them back in life and keeping them from reaching their potential.
She helps people to understand the things that are holding them back financially. She helps people reach their money making potential, and shows us the proper mindset to achieve financial success. And she does all this with a unique style and sass that made people love the first book.
I love simple things. Far too often books on finance are overly complex. It is more efficient to have short, quick but practical advice. That is what I feel this collection of three budgeting books gives.
Each “book” is fairly short, but they are all quick and easy reads thoroughly covering different aspects of proper budgeting.
However, although I liked them because they are easy to follow and logical, I would also have liked more practical examples.
This step-by-step book may be helpful for you if you feel like your budget has gone off track and you can’t make it to the end of the month without counting your pennies. The author provides advice on how to do a month of no spending to reset your spending habits and get you back on your feet.
There are innovative tips on how to gain confidence in planning meals, organizing the home, and becoming more creative without spending money.
With the instant changes that the author provides, readers are motivated to live a month of zero spending while still finding joy in it. There are new ideas on what to do with old food, and even some budget-friendly ways to repurpose things you already have.
With anecdotes from people who have successfully completed this challenge, this book offers encouragement and inspiration to its readers. It includes easy tricks for selling things you own and cutting down on your grocery bill.
It helps change the reader’s attitude about the things that matter the most in life, and that will bring a new level of joy and togetherness to the household.
This book may not be for you if you live alone and are looking for ways to cut costs, but it is great for families with houses and children who want to save money but don’t think they can.
Through her account, the author tells personal stories and provides practical action plans to inspire the reader to make lasting changes to personal finances and goals.
This may be a great savings book for you if you are looking for encouragement during an overwhelming or stressful time trying to meet tight budget requirements. It is aimed towards mothers who are trying to juggle life’s demands with society’s pressure to keep up with everyone else.
It is a practical and relatable guide for women who want to get their lives organized but don’t know where to start. It provides an inspiring and practical lesson on how to spend money wisely without compromising a great life.
While this book does have a largely autobiographic feel to it, some may find this helpful because the author’s personal stories relate to her overall message.
11. The Year Without a Purchase by Scott Dannemiller
It was written by a former missionary who served in Guatemala, and whose family found itself deep in a life of consumption with a never-ending cycle of wanting more but never being satisfied. The family made the drastic change of deciding to not purchase any nonessential items for a whole year.
Readers may begin this book doubting that they could go an entire year without buying clothes or books, but through the humorous wit and poignant conclusions from the author, this book helps readers see their spending in a new light.
Full of interesting research, the book looks at modern America’s spending habits, along with the authors’ own experience of highs and lows while dropping out of the consumer culture.
The book does a great job of revealing what is truly important in life—which has nothing to do with gift-giving or keeping up with the neighbors. The family discovers and shares truths about human nature and what the secret is to finding joy.
This may be a valuable book for anyone who has ever wanted to reduce the stress in their life by focusing less on material items and living more.
12. The One Week Budget by “The Budgetnista” Tiffany Aliche
This book helps to debunk some common misconceptions about things, such as consolidating credit cards and paying off debt. It presents a clear and simple system for cutting expenses and maximizing savings to meet financial goals.
The methods used in this budgeting book are for people of any age, but the book is geared more towards young adults who are climbing out of debt trying to get on their feet.
13. How to Stop Living Paycheck to Paycheck (2nd Edition) by Avery Breyer
This timeless bestseller offers the motivation and knowledge that is needed in order to build up a security net of emergency cash, get out of debt, and avoid the 11 most common but worst budget traps.
Breyer offers her readers some of the most important things that need to be done to take control of finances and pay off debt. Unlike some of the other books on saving money that you find in this post.
Avery’s saving moneyThis book teaches a complete budget system that is even appropriate for young adults who are just getting started—and the methods only take 15 minutes each week to maintain.
This straightforward budget-planning tool helps transform finances to eliminate financial stress. To improve upon the first bestselling book, this edition adds a chapter on money and happiness, which is one of the most important factors when it comes to needless spending.
It talks the reader through a no-nonsense look at the realities of today’s economy and provides an easy path to follow toward financial stability.
Also, unlike other financial authors, Wecks hasn’t struck it rich. He is able to offer a first-hand account of living on the money you have during rough times. Instead of teaching people how to create wealth, this book urges readers to do the best they can with the income they already have, no matter its size.
With jargon-free writing, this book saving and budgeting is easy for anyone to pick up, no matter what the financial background. It is opinionated, which may not resonate with all readers, but it also has its moments of humor.
This is a quick read that is relevant to readers, as it is full of current, everyday references. This is an ideal book for the average reader who is just trying to make ends meet.
15. Living a Beautiful Life on Less by Danielle Wagasky
It includes realistic tips and real-life examples to help the reader relate to what the author has been through, and learn from her experiences.
This book on budgeting is easy to read, as it is written in a casual and conversational tone. It is a funny book while also being encouraging for anyone who needs help navigating their finances and maintaining their budget.
This book is clearly geared more towards women and mothers who are managing the budgets for their households. It can provide hope to a lot of people who are just starting out on their financial journey.
16. The Everything Budgeting Book by Tere Stouffer
However, the book was written over 5 years ago and the age has begun to show a little bit. There is still a ton of good info here, just some that is dated. If you know little about budgeting this could be a great book for you.
This book gives step-by-step instructions on how to handle the most important aspects of personal finance. Such as: How to spend less money. Ways to decrease your common expenses.
How to keep you finances in order. The importance of planning for the unexpected. Setting financial goals. And of course creating a budget.
17. The Latte Factor by David Bach and John David Mann
They do this by telling a parable of a young barista struggling to make ends meet as she is drowning in a sea of debt. As the story evolves she discovers the secrets of wealth and learns the few changes she can make to secure her financial future and live a better life.
I love books like this that blend entertainment and practical knowledge into an enjoyable book. Based on Bach’s other books I am sure that this will be an entertaining and educational book. Find out more in the link(s) below.
Final Thoughts on Books on Budgeting
I hope you enjoyed this list of the 17 best books on budgeting, saving money, frugal living. Hopefully, these books will help you stop living paycheck to paycheck and help you climb out of debt.
I see these books as a practical means to help you heed the advice from many of the best financial books for beginners. You may even find one of these books to be complete enough that it is the only budgeting book you’ll ever need.
If you are interested in general investing, you may be interested in the best investing books of all time. This is a collection 16 books “must-read” books, investment books that should, frankly, be required reading for any aspiring investor before they make any moves with investing their own money.
If you are struggling to meet your day to day living expenses. Real estate investment may seem like a dream from your far, far future. But it may not be as far as you think.
Some of the 16 books below tell you how to start creating an income from real estate investment with little upfront money of your own. Books on budgeting, savings and getting debt free should be first, but real estate investment books may be next on you list.
And if you’re looking for more resources on books to read, be sure to check out these blog posts:
Budgeting, in theory, has never been easier in the digital age with countless apps and templates to help users manage their savings. However, a new method entirely void of technology is garnering traction after a Texas woman documented a budgeting practice called “cash stuffing” to pay off thousands of dollars in debt.
Jasmine Taylor, 31, was drowning in nearly $80,000 in debt in January 2021, per USA TODAY. She tried countless budgeting techniques and nothing seemed to work.
Then Taylor stumbled upon “cash stuffing” on YouTube, which involves taking cash out for designated spending purposes and putting it in envelopes, and the analog practice has helped her get out of debt in two years.
By 2022, Taylor had paid off all of her debt while amassing a TikTok following along the way. Now, Taylor has turned the practice that transformed her own budgeting into a full-time business called Baddies & Budgets which functions as a blog as well as selling different merchandise to assist in cash stuffing such as binders, wallets, and savings challenges.
“I could hand you a $100 bill now and a debit card with $100. I guarantee you it would be a lot easier to swipe that card than it would be to break the $100. We just have some type of connection with physical cash,” Taylor told the outlet.
If people put away $21 every week starting in January, they’ll have over $1,000 by Christmas, she added.
What is cash stuffing?
Cash stuffing is a budgeting practice wherein you withdraw cash at the beginning of the month (or whenever you receive a paycheck) and then place varying amounts in envelopes designated to specific categories. The idea is that it will prevent you from spending more than what you’ve allocated for that specific category.
How to get started ‘cash stuffing’
Before adopting a cash-stuffing approach to budgeting, review your spending habits as well as goals for savings. An easy way to gauge where money is spent (and wasted) is to print out the last two or three months of bank statements and highlight any spending habits that seem repetitive or careless.
After you’ve assessed your spending in relation to your financial goals, you can begin the envelope process. While you can customize your envelopes based on your specific budgeting needs, Taylor suggests breaking your cash stuffing into two categories:
Variable expenses for everyday needs and wants like groceries, leisure, gas, etc.
“Sinking funds” for insurance, holiday shopping, emergencies, etc.
The practice of putting away money for sinking funds every week allows for less stress when emergency strikes. Other envelopes can be used for savings or go towards paying off debt. Putting away $10 a week, for example, may not sound like a lot, but over time the money accrued will come in handy if you’re hit with a medical emergency or another financial burden.
Former NFL star Chad “Ochocinco” Johnson considers himself a frugal businessman. He was so frugal, in fact, that he spent the first two years of his career living for free in the Cincinnati Bengals’ stadium.
“Why are you telling me to rent a house or buy a house when everything I need is right at the facility?” Johnson said recently on the Club Shay Shay podcast, hosted by Shannon Sharpe. “Showers, cafeteria, TV, couch, gaming system. What’s the point? I was so locked in. It wasn’t about having my own space.”
Johnson would have stayed longer if the Bengals’ head coach at the time, Marvin Lewis, didn’t kick him out.
“He said it’s time to be responsible, spread your wings, and get your own place,” the former wide receiver said.
Johnson moved into a one-bedroom just down the road.
Johnson, 45, played in the NFL from 2001 to 2011, making the Pro Bowl six times. But despite his extraordinary success both as a player and financially, he said he saved 83% of his salary by living on a budget.
While other players were buying expensive jewelry and clothes, Johnson admitted he wore fake jewelry.
“Why am I buying a $50,000 watch?” he said. “Time is free.”
Johnson said it was doing the little things that saved him money. Instead of flying first class or chartering a private jet, he flew on budget airlines like Spirit. He also educated himself about money, interning at Morgan Stanley.
Sharpe asked Johnson what advice he would give to other players in the league, especially rookies.
“Don’t try to live a lifestyle that you can’t afford,” he said. “The more you make, the more you spend if you have no discipline or structure. But people ain’t going to listen because we’re caught up in looking a certain way and living a certain way, trying to appease others who don’t really care about you, just to say, ‘I got it.’ I’ve got it, too, but I’ve had it for almost 30 years.”
Keeping your car maintained and working well is crucial to saving money in the long run. After all, if you don’t take your car into the shop from time to time, it’ll eventually break down and require much more costly fixes — or a replacement.
One of the most important regular maintenance tasks is changing your car’s oil. But if you’ve never done this before, you might wonder how much an oil change costs. Read on for the answer to this question and more.
Why do you need to change your vehicle’s oil?
Simply put, the oil for your vehicle’s engine is a lubricant that prevents all metallic and mechanical parts from grinding against one another, causing corrosion, damage and malfunctions. Without engine oil, your vehicle wouldn’t run very smoothly, if at all.
However, your engine oil gradually accumulates debris, grit, dirt and other bits of matter. Furthermore, your engine oil loses some of its lubricity or its state of slipperiness. This can accelerate wear and tear on the internal components of your engines.
When you replace your vehicle’s oil, the fresh oil minimizes friction and allows all the mechanical parts inside the engine to spin around without issues. In addition, new oil helps fuel economy by allowing your vehicle to run more efficiently (thus expending less gasoline per mile driven).
So, in summary, you must change your vehicle’s oil regularly to avoid engine wear and tear and ensure your vehicle runs as smoothly as possible. It’s about car care, engine protection and a healthy automotive maintenance schedule.
What does an oil change service include?
An oil change service may include a variety of specific actions or services depending on who you hire and what’s involved.
At a bare minimum, an oil change involves:
Removing the drain plug from the bottom of your vehicle’s oil pan.
Allowing gravity to drain oil completely into another pan called a catch pan. This old oil is then discarded in a legal, environmentally safe way.
Replacing the drain plug.
Changing the oil filter.
Replacing the old oil with new oil. The majority of car engines take about 5 quarts of oil.
As you can see, a conventional oil change service is relatively straightforward. That said, it’s not a good idea to do this crucial maintenance task if you are unprepared for it or if you don’t have any experience.
There’s no universal price for an oil change service. Your oil change will typically cost anywhere between $30 to $100 if you take it into a lubricant shop or a car dealership. Alternatively, it will typically cost anywhere between $30 and $50 if you change your oil yourself.
Generally, the higher cost of an oil change will come from a higher cost of labor (which is dependent on where you live), differences in filter quality and any additional services being performed (tire rotation, etc.). For the most part, oil costs won’t differ between locations for the same vehicle.
Factors that affect oil change cost
The price of an oil change can vary depending on several important factors:
Oil type
First, the type of oil used will affect how much it costs to change your oil, whether you take it to an expert or do it yourself.
There are two basic types of oil used for most oil changes:
Conventional oil is standard and more affordable but is more common for older vehicles. It’s the traditional type of oil used to lubricate engines and mechanical components.
Synthetic oil is required by most modern vehicles and is more expensive. A synthetic blend oil is typically seen as better than conventional motor oil because it is specially formulated to improve lubricity and engine quality over time. You can get a full synthetic oil change at most service centers, and it’s also included in many car warranties.
If your car does not explicitly require synthetic oil, you can pick between them when you take your vehicle into the shop or change your oil personally.
Synthetic oil is almost always better for your car, however. It wears down your engine less harshly and lasts longer. Therefore, depending on how often you need your oil changed in the first place, paying a little extra for synthetic oil could save you more money in aggregate.
The most significant price difference between conventional and synthetic high-mileage oil is about $32, so it doesn’t break the bank. What should you do? Go synthetic whenever possible, and read your vehicle’s owner’s manual to know which type of oil your car needs.
Car type
Vehicle type can also impact the cost of an oil change. Some vehicle models require a specific type of oil to be used, such as a particular brand of synthetic oil. This is more frequent with luxury vehicles.
In addition, your car type can impact how much oil you need for a full oil change. For instance, a large truck that drives hundreds of miles daily will need much more oil per change than a small sedan that only goes a few miles daily.
Location
Lastly, the location where you get your oil changed can impact its cost. If you live in a more expensive area, an oil change will also be more significant since the car dealership or lube shop service has to pay more for its rent and related costs.
Note that if you change your oil yourself, location is unlikely to affect the overall price you’ll pay.
Quick lube shops vs. dealerships
When you need professional help to change your oil (recommended if you don’t have any experience doing this), you have two options: Take your car to a lube shop or a dealership.
A dealership may know more about your vehicle’s make or model, mainly if you take it to a dealership for your vehicle’s brand. Therefore, it could be wise to take your car to the dealership to get its oil changed.
As a side benefit, the dealership can look at other aspects of your car and tell you whether you need to change your tires or other replacement parts. It may be wise to go to the dealership for a biannual checkup on the health of your vehicle in general.
In contrast, a quick lube shop might be a more cost-effective, fast solution. You can find quick lube shops in most major metropolitan areas; some are even mobile.
These don’t specialize in any specific type of vehicle, but they can change your car’s oil in a matter of minutes if you come at the right time.
A quick lube shop might be the best solution if you need your oil changed more frequently due to long commutes or other factors. Many quick lube shops also sell the right oil you need for your vehicle, but you should call ahead to check just to be sure.
How often should you change your oil?
That depends on the make and model of your vehicle, as well as the type of oil you have. Generally, better oil varieties allow you to change your oil less frequently. But it’s still a good idea to change your oil after about 5,000 to 7,000 miles, depending on your vehicle’s manufacturer recommendations.
You should get your oil changed twice yearly, assuming you drive your car daily. If you drive your vehicle many miles daily, you’ll need the oil changed more frequently.
When in doubt, speak to the local dealership or oil change expert you hired to do this service. Based on the oil they provide and the make and model of your vehicle, they should know how often you need to change your oil to prevent significant issues.
How to lower the cost of an oil change
Although an oil change shouldn’t be too much of a burden on your wallet, you can lower the cost of that oil change with a few smart tips and strategies.
Firstly, look up coupons or discounts in your local area, particularly if you just need an oil change and don’t need all the bells and whistles from a related car maintenance service. If a quick lube shop has a discount, you can visit that shop and get your oil changed on the cheap.
Secondly, look into learning how to change your oil yourself. Knowing how to change your oil is an important life skill and will help you get back on the road if your car breaks down in the middle of nowhere.
Furthermore, it’s not very difficult; once you learn how to do it, you can save yourself $50 or more by changing your own oil instead of taking your car to a shop or dealership.
Thirdly, take care of your vehicle in general. If you run your vehicle all the time or don’t take care of it, the oil will need to be changed more frequently.
But if you take care of your vehicle, get it inspected by a maintenance technician regularly, and practice good driving habits, your oil will only need to be changed once in a while, saving you money.
Summary
Ultimately, an oil change will cost you anywhere from $20-$100 or more, depending on the quality you expect, the type of oil you need, and a handful of other factors.
Even if it is an inconvenient expense, get your car’s oil changed when needed; otherwise, you’ll set your car up for a more expensive fix later down the road.
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
None of us is immune to what’s currently happening in the economy, forcing many business owners and executives to consider ways to cut costs. I recently asked my leadership team to take a good, hard look at their expenses to determine what can and should be cut and gauge the effects those specific savings would have on the business.
Finding ways to save money in your business is not always as obvious as you think and can come from a few places that are not typically looked at. Here I outline ten money-saving ideas all business owners should consider.
Take a look at how technology can play a role in improving efficiencies. How can you utilize technology to minimize time, effort and money spent where it doesn’t need to be? Whether it’s analytical data that helps you be quicker to market or process improvements that make your supply chain run more efficiently — plus having good processes around where you spend money.
For larger projects, obtain three quotes from separate vendors before placing an order. Make sure you negotiate the best possible cost on a meaningful purchase. Be assured that what you are buying is right for your business.
I think that the mentality of being scrappy is essential. What I mean by scrappy is being pugnacious and determined not to be wasteful. Think local and establish relationships with local businesses. In our industry, for example, we buy, manufacture and print labels for our customers and brands. Fortunately, our label vendor is literally down the street, so we’re saving money on transit costs. Utilizing your local network ensures you’re getting the best price, not just in direct costs but also in time and effort.
3. Make sure you have the right employees for the right roles
This boils down to “right people, right seats.” When you look at the world today and how the labor pool has, for various reasons, contracted, having the right person in a role who’s passionately engaged is vital. They get it, they want it and they can do it. Over the long haul, that spells increased efficiency and savings. Running a business where you don’t have the right people in the right seats makes everything cumbersome and challenging.
In most businesses, marketing tends to be something companies can overspend on. That’s why it’s essential to have the right marketing person in the right seat. This person has relationships and expertise and knows when a consultant can do something and when something should be handled in-house.
Employee retention helps, too. Teams have chemistry, they understand how people operate and they play off each other’s strengths and weaknesses. When you’re constantly replacing people on the team, that’s all learning that must be done over again instead of doing the job.
4. Expand on social media and community engagement
I’ve seen brands effectively connect the organization to the consumer through social media. One thing to understand is that your content should be organic and user-generated, not scripted or overly polished. Recording content on your own versus paying an influencer or agency thousands of dollars has a cost-benefit. But there’s an even bigger reason why you want to choose this path.
Today’s consumers see right through content that’s heavily produced and edited. Instead, they follow, work with, purchase from and remain loyal to easily relatable brands that don’t take themselves too seriously and have no problem being transparent about every aspect of their business.
Sit with your marketing and finance teams to determine what percentage of the annual budget needs to be allocated toward purchasing equipment and boosting posts. Use data and analytics to determine what posts help you meet your goals (e.g., engagements, views, conversions, etc.) and place your bets accordingly.
5. Refine, then automate
When you’re talking about logistics and shipping and the operational piece of the business, the more automated you get your orders in and out the door, the more efficient you’ll be. This hopefully means you’ll have more bandwidth to spend time doing other things, right?
I also believe in minimizing clicks and pain points within your sales process. Have information readily available, so employees don’t have to click five different screens to get to what they need to get through. You want to free up the time to sell and reduce the time spent on administrative tasks. For example, you could automate invoicing or utilize a service that consolidates your accounts payable, so you don’t have to pay somebody for that.
If you can operate all aspects of your business under one roof, that’s ideal. For example, if you complete the shipping or manufacturing of your products in-house, you don’t want to be in three different buildings — you want to be in one building so you can organize things, get the best use of your staff, maximum use of the space and highest possible output.
You don’t want to sit on tons of office space because that is bleeding money. Whatever you can do to get out of those situations as soon as possible, the better off you’ll be. Looking into co-working spaces might be worthwhile in certain cases, too.
7. Look at insurance and cash flow
You need to have somebody who has the experience, knows the right questions to ask, understands your business needs, and is bound to save you money regarding insurance. For employee health benefits, make sure people have a choice and have an option that makes sense for both the business and the employee. Over and above making sure you’re not under-insured or over-insured, it’s more important that you’re insured correctly.
Avoid short-term loans, cash advances and borrowing on high interest. If you’re buying things on credit, pay it off. And don’t get smashed with interest. Make sure you’re only buying what you need. All of those things factor into good cash flow.
One of the things my CEO mentor always used to say is that there always needs to be a certain number in the bank. So, if we even got close to that number, he would send out fire alarms. It was all hands on deck evaluating things, cutting things we didn’t need and making sure that the company’s cash position was one we felt comfortable with. This way, we could sleep at night and know we were in good shape. That’s just one of those old-school mentalities that have always stuck with me.
8. Staff up or hire out?
If you don’t have the expertise, you need to be ultra-selective in ensuring you’re not just being penny-wise and pound-foolish. I always say you don’t want to step over the dollar bills to pick up pennies. If you can save money on wages and other things, that’s great, but you must set KPIs.
You have to understand (and communicate) what your expectations are from these independent contractors; otherwise, you’re just going to be spending good money without seeing any benefit from it. And that’s throwing money out the window. So, there’s a little bit of a catch-22 there. You’ll save money on the fringe but must have measurables to ensure they’re performing.
If you don’t have to travel, don’t. But when you do need to travel, travel effectively. Make sure that there’s a good travel policy about meals, hotels, flights, etc. These expenses can go through the roof if you don’t have some control. Use Zoom, Teams and other messaging applications when possible, but also be cost-effective in managing travel.
So, you’re a sales and marketing operation, and you’re struggling. Then you, all of a sudden, decide you’re going to start doing packaging, but you have no clue how to do it. This is probably a recipe for failure because you’re not focusing on the areas you’re good at, and you’re taking time and effort away to try and learn something you don’t need to. But the nice thing about the way the world is that somebody out there can do it; you need to find the right partner.
Being careful with money doesn’t mean being cheap — quite the opposite. It means honoring the value of the money entrusted to your company by customers for goods and services they care about.
JustBOGOS provides those who don’t have the time to clip coupons or search the weekly ads, with a way to save effortlessly on groceries.
Press Release –
updated: Feb 7, 2017
Fort Lauderdale, FL, February 7, 2017 (Newswire.com)
– JustBOGOS, the first-of-its-kind grocery savings app, is now available on both Android and iPhone, with the recent launch of the Android app. The free app saves Users money effortlessly on their groceries by distributing BOGO (Buy One, Get One) alerts to ensure that Users never miss their favorite grocery BOGO deals again. The app currently sends alerts to Florida residents who shop at Publix, Winn-Dixie and Sedano’s supermarkets, and last month began expansion into North Carolina with Publix alerts.
JustBOGOS is a simple yet revolutionary concept. After a User signs up and confirms their location and preferred grocery stores, they gain access to a consolidated “at-a-glance” summary of all local Buy One, Get One sales currently available across multiple supermarkets: All in one place. Then, each week when new BOGO’s become available, Users receive an alert which contains the quick-reading list all of the new BOGO’s.
The app has been featured twice on the front page of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel’s Money section, lots of new Users join daily, and last month expanded outside of Florida, beginning with Charlotte, North Carolina. The startup is also seeking business partnership opportunities.
Jason Taub, Founder, JustBOGOS
Items are sorted by store and department, and can be added to a custom Shopping List for quick in-store access. Users can also add their favorite brands or products to their list of Favorites within the app, for custom alerts when any of those items become BOGO in their local supermarkets. Between these features and the built-in Notepad feature, users have on-the-go access to their grocery shopping list and complete control over the type of alerts they receive and how they’d like to receive them – Via app notifications, email, or both.
Knowledge is power. With JustBOGOS, knowledge equals savings and Users are always in-the-know of what’s currently BOGO at any given moment, allowing them to stock up on their favorites. JustBOGOS provides those who don’t have the time to clip coupons or search the weekly ads, with a way to save effortlessly by receiving instant notifications of which BOGO sales are currently available and where to get them.
The initial concept launched in 2014 in the form of email-based alerts from JustBOGOS.com. Due to the popularity of the free service, work on the iOS app began quickly, and the app for iPhone and iPad launched in November 2015. Most recently, in late 2016, the Android version of the app was launched. The app is available in the Apple App Store or Google Play Store, completely free. Those who prefer email-based alerts only can sign up at www.JustBOGOS.com.
When JustBOGOS Founder Jason Taub was asked where the idea came from, he explains how he grew tired of driving to the grocery store, picking up the weekly ad, manually searching for his favorite BOGO sales, only to find out that none of them were available. He wished there was a way he could receive an alert every time his favorite groceries became BOGO. The problem was, there was nothing out there like it. So that’s when Taub set out to build it.
JustBOGOS is continuously expanding. The app has been featured twice on the front page of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel’s Money section, lots of new Users join daily, and last month expanded outside of Florida, beginning with Charlotte, North Carolina. The startup is also seeking business partnership opportunities.
The app is available to both iOS and Android Users by searching for “JustBOGOS in the app stores, or by going to www.JustBOGOS.com.
The majority of American schools are employing the use of iPads and other tablets in their classrooms. Breakage is a big concern, and Sunrise Hitek’s Slim Tough Case drastically reduces breakage in these devices (https://www.sunrisehitek.com/product/ipad-slim-tough-case-g5).
Press Release –
Sep 14, 2016
Chicago, IL, September 14, 2016 (Newswire.com)
– Schools across the country are investing funds into tech devices like iPads and laptops as learning tools for their students. Breakages are a big concern, especially considering the hefty price tag of these devices. According to an article on USAToday.com, an average of 1 out of 5 iPads in schools will suffer breakages. Click here for full article.
A broken screen often leads to a broken iPad. The Slim Tough Case G5 features an armor plate folio cover that completely eliminates broken screens. The dual-layer rugged design with extra padding around the corners brings added drop-resistance. The simple act of adding a case to the device can add years to the life of the device and save school districts (and parents) hundreds of dollars.
The iPad covers are fantastic! They do, indeed, fit perfectly in the Bretford charging machines, and we love the fun colors! We needed to take some precautions before handing just handing them to students (*crash*) and it’s clear that they will be well protected in your lovely sleek, yet sturdy, covers.
~ Janna R, Newark, DE
Sunrise Hitek’s rugged iPad case adds ultimate durability and shock resistance to iPad. Its highlights include a dual-layer rugged design including a protective silicone skin over an inner hard case and a naked frame for the very best touch experience, which is 100% stylus compatible. The Built-in stylus glides smoothly on the glass screen and keeps it clean. Handy magnetic closure keeps the folio cover shut when closed and the strong kickstand with stainless steel pins provides superb stability.
This case is available in (8) bright colors and mixed-color orders still receive bulk quantity discount. Optional full-color customization with logo artwork and tracking barcode is a great option for schools and sales representatives.
About Sunrise Hitek
Sunrise Hitek’s “Hitek” is a leading maker of protective gear for Apple’s iPad. The brand changed to üuber when the company starting developing cases for other devices, such as the MacBook, Chromebook, and Samsung devices. Sunrise Hitek Group, LLC, owner of the üuber brand, also operates Sunrise Digital, a leading digital printing company based in Chicago. As a G7 Qualified Master Printer, Sunrise is uniquely qualified among protective gear makers to offer a wide array of customization options, ensuring the most consistent and accurate color reproduction. Sunrise is an Inc. 5000 company established in 1988 and employs the most advanced equipment and technology, such as G7-certified HP Indigo and UV flatbed presses, and digital die-cutting, to create best-in-class products. A privately-owned enterprise, the company is based in Chicago and sells products worldwide.
