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January 4, 2010 by Kate Sorensen

comments: Closed

In 15 Minutes a Day, How Can You Save Money?

I was reading an article in the Florida Times-Union called “How to Save Money in 15 Minutes a Week,” which focused on spending 15 minutes a week to clip coupons to save on groceries. True, this is one great way to save money, but I wonder how much more I could save by devoting 15 minutes a day to money-saving activities. Here are a few ways to save (some of these I already do):

Make a bag lunch for my husband and daughter to take to work and to school.

Create a weekly meal plan. I know that on nights when I’m not sure what to make for dinner, that’s when the urge to call for take-out is so strong.

Write up a grocery list. Numerous studies have cited that those who create and stick to a shopping list save far more money on food each week than those who do not make lists.

Consolidate errands. Stop by CVS after I drop my middle daughter off at preschool. Or, pick up dry cleaning when I go to deposit a check at the bank next door. Grouping errands not only saves on gas, but gives you more time in your day.

Put on a sweater. I’ll be honest, I do not like to be cold. But I know that if I keep the thermostat where it should be (I often like to kick it up a notch or two), then put on an extra layer, I’ll keep more money in my pocket.

Don’t warm up the car. I have the tendency to turn on my car, then come back a few minutes later. Sure, it’s toasty warm, but from what I’ve read it’s not necessary, and I’ve only wasted gas.

Go online for a few minutes to find out which fruits and vegetables are in season. These are the only ones worth buying fresh. Everything else should be bought frozen or you’ll pay a premium.

How else can you spend 15 minutes a day to save money this year? I’d love to hear your tips and suggestions.

FIND MORE DEALS UNDER: Tips

18 Comments

Kati says:

01/04/2010 at 9:03 am

Thanks for these quick ideas! I really need to get back into making a weekly meal plan. It helped us so much.
Jen from Germany says:

01/04/2010 at 10:13 am

Love the tips! I know that making a menu has so helped me and also helps me plan around evening activities that are scheduled!
Mary says:

01/04/2010 at 10:29 am

Hang clothes on drier rack to dry. The extra moistor in the air makes you feel warmer too.
kelly gatzke says:

01/04/2010 at 10:53 am

Our 2 daughters moved out together recently and our water bill went down over $150/3 months!!! I know the new washer and dryer had something to do with that also. The new one only uses 15 gallons of water versus the old one that used 50 gallons per load. Also fill up the dishwasher FULL before running, taking shorter showers, do not run the water constantly when rinsing dishes in the sink, do not run the water constantly when brushing your teeth or washing your face.
Julie M says:

01/04/2010 at 11:51 am

I take all the payment/reply envelopes that come with bills (I pay most bills online) and junk mail and use them for grocery lists. I write my list on the blank back side and put all my coupons inside the envelope. This saves from having to buy notepads. And of course — toss in the recycle bin after grocery shopping!
- DiAndra says:
  
  01/10/2010 at 1:31 pm
  
  I LOVE this idea!!! This will be so much easier for me to keep track of which coupons go to which store, and I too have a lot of leftover envelopes that I would otherwise just recycle anyways.
A Betts says:

01/04/2010 at 12:26 pm

Read CouponCravings for 15 minutes every day!
Jan says:

01/04/2010 at 2:21 pm

Keep a fleece throw/blanket or two in the car to put over your lap on cold mornings (instead of warming up the car). We always had “car robes” when I was a kid, and I don’t know why they ever went out of fashion.

Use a plastic container or make a fabric sandwich wrap instead of using (and tossing) a bazillion plastic baggies.
Melissa @SavingCentswithSense.net says:

01/04/2010 at 8:07 pm

Love these tips! Here are a couple that can also help over time:
1. Turn off the lights and save some electricity. I know that I’m constantly going around the house turning lights off after my kids, so this is a big goal for me (and my house)
2. Turn off the water. Similar to the first, but we can save on the water bill and help the environment if we turn off the water while brushing teeth, take shorter showers, and are smarter with watering the garden. This is another one of my goals to help cut down on costs this year.
dawn says:

01/04/2010 at 8:10 pm

change all your light bulbs to the energy smart bulbs, unplug un-used items such as toasters,cell phone chargers ect.
Jason says:

01/05/2010 at 7:06 am

Up here in the northern climate, it really is necessary to warm up the car. Right now it’s -18°F (though it only feels like -15°F) where I live. You need to warm up the car for a good 5 min if only to keep the inside of the windshield from frosting over from the warm moisture in your breath.

I use a programmable thermostat. In the winter months have it set to 55 when I’m sleeping or at work, 70 when I get up in the morning, and 65 the rest of the day.
- DiAndra says:
  
  01/10/2010 at 1:35 pm
  
  I know from personal experience (ended up in a ditch because my entire windshield frosted imediatly) that it is important to warm your car up when it’s really cold out!
Cate says:

01/05/2010 at 11:32 am

These are great ideas! I definitely second the menu planning/making a grocery list ideas. They’ve saved us a ton of money!

Let’s see…ways to save money in 15 minutes per day: fill out online surveys (Pinecone Research is a great company, as is Surveyhead), turn down the water level on the washing machine, combine errands, and, if you have kids in diapers, cloth diaper. It saves a ton of money!
Kimberly says:

01/05/2010 at 2:47 pm

I have started using kitchen towels more often and paper towels less. I also always save any napkins that I receive at fast food restaurants and put them in the napkin holder on the table. With these two, I vary rarely buy paper towels and NEVER buy napkins.

We have lots of windows in our home. I open all the blinds and curtains in the morning and usually do not have to turn any lights on until nearly 5 pm.

I use washable containers for my husband’s lunches instead of disposable ones.

And I recently began cutting my husband’s hair. He is in the military and required two to three cuts a month to stay in regulation. Me cutting his hair saves us, $25-$40 each month! And it really isn’t too difficult once you get the hang of it.
1956okie says:

01/05/2010 at 4:37 pm

This isn’t a true 15-minute savings idea, but it saves me money.. Resist the urge to use every last coupon deal you find if it’s not in your budget or isn’t something you actually need. At times, I’ve found myself grabbing bargains like mad–just to not miss out on them or because a coupon was about to expire. The deals weren’t real deals after all, because my budget suffered for it.

So, I guess my 15 minute idea would be this: Make your shopping list(s), noting all your great sale/coupon deals. Then spend 15 minutes purging the list down to what you really NEED and not just what’s a great deal. Ask yourself, “Does this fit into my budget right now? Is it something my family actually needs? Will there be other chances to get this deal or a similar deal later?” The answers may surprise you–and can save you some serious cash!
Katherine says:

01/05/2010 at 7:03 pm

I would have to agree with Jason – I live in MN and the last week or so the temperatures have barely (if even) made it into above zero temperatures – warming up the car is not so that it is comfortable, but so that it runs without hurting the engine.
franticmommys says:

01/10/2010 at 1:44 pm

Good tips and a great blog! Popping by from Northern Cheapskate!