AARP Rewards Online Community Smart Saver Contest

[AARPTeri]

Share your best savings strategies—and what you’re saving for!

Join the AARP Rewards Community Smart Saver Contest here in the AARP Rewards Connect forum and inspire others with your favorite money-smart tips. Whether it’s a clever budgeting trick, a savvy shopping habit, or a small daily habit that adds up over time, we want to hear about it.

If you’re using the AARP Rewards program to help you save and achieve your savings goals, please share that in your post too!

By sharing your savings strategy in this thread, you’ll be entered for a chance to win one of six $100 gift cards.

How to Enter

Reply to this post and share one or more of your best money-saving tips, stories, or strategies during the Contest Entry Period of March 23, 2026, through April 19, 2026, by 11:59 PM ET on April 19, 2026. See link to Official Rules below.

Let’s help each other save smarter. Post your tip and join the conversation!

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Open to legal residents of the fifty (50) United States and the District of Columbia who are 18 or older. Odds of winning depend on number of eligible entries received. Void where prohibited. Official Rules: https://community.aarp.org/t5/AARP-Rewards-Connect/AARP-Rewards-Online-Community-Smart-Saver-Contest... 

[JohnLEisenberg]

When I shop for ANYTHING these days, I Google the item and sort it by price, I find it the easiest way to find the item I'm looking for. Also, I've opted for Walmart+ and Amazon Prime Memberships and obtained their respective credit cards which give me 5% Cashback when I pay the balance every month, those Memberships pay for themselves in No Time and I don't have to go to the store thus lowering my Carbon Footprint.

[bearhappygoat]

I  I almost always remember to turn my heat down when I leave the house.  If you're gone for a few hours or just an hour, it makes a difference.  I also close the doors to the rooms that are not used. When I go in to grab something, the temperature difference is very noticeable.  With oil prices above $5 per gallon, every little bit helps.

[JohnLEisenberg]

Check to see if your Power Company offers Programmable Thermostats at a Discount or even for FREE. I live in Providence, RI and Rhode Island Energy offers this as well as FREE Energy Audits, worth looking into. Also, my apartment is South Facing and the Passive Solar Gain during the Winters is FREE! and keeps me nice and toasty.

[LisaY927909]

I often go to Estate Sales 1/2 off days & only purchase things I normally use.  I also stock up on grocery & household items when they go on sale.

[cleda]

I enter the daily giveaways each day and choose 3 gift cards each month. I use them to go out to eat or save a little on purchases. Anything to help save a little money. 

[MargaretB490747]

I put 25.00 on a cash app card every single payday and more when i have extra money

[jb41624978]

I save all my loose change and deposit it into my vacation savings account along with the rebates I earn from Rakuten.  I originally used the change that accumulated over the years toward our daughters’ wedding dresses.  One more dress to go this year, but we took a nice vacation last fall to three national parks!

I also make sure to never run the tap while brushing my teeth or lathering my face morning and night.  And, I’m able to stock up on personal care products by have my my daughters order them with their store rewards.  They place the orders, and I pick up!  Between my own order and theirs, I’m good to go for many months!

[CathyP234832]

I buy dry tea bags and brew my own iced tea at home vs buying those jugs of presweetened stuff at the store.  The entire box of tea bags is a fraction of the price of ONE jug of premade PLUS I can customize my drink to my liking!  Add as much sweetener as you wish; add lemon and/or orange wedges or some berries (blueberries, strawberries, raspberries are all delish!)

[JohnLEisenberg]

I use Powdered Date Sugar which I find is a much better sweetener than regular sugar.

[mike44nh]

We have our bank automatically divert a certain amount of money every month to our savings account. We budget accordingly so the savings account balance increases monthly without us even realizing it.

[lestercavey]

Before leaving home, I remind myself to turn off all electronics devices.

[tw77734199]

1st ensure you are debt free.  Don't pay interest on debt.

For years, before I bought my 1st house, I saved all my tax refunds & any work bonuses to save up enough to buy my 1st house.

Shop competitively.  For example, I shopped around for new property insurance, and realized yesterday I can save $700 on my new policy.

Keep track of all my utilities and other survival expenditures - groceries, gas, etc.  Look for ways to reduce these, or for sanity, look at the average cost per year (PNW heating needs are high in the winter).

I love to read, fiction or non-fiction & I love my local online library for ebooks.  I've also found quite a few sources that email me free ebook lists daily.

[patriciamgr]

1.  Buy a vacuum sealer & a roll of bag material when it's on sale.  Freeze extra portions of almost anything you cook.  Instead of going out or ordering in food, this enables you to just grab a bag (with a date & description), and either make a salad or steam up some frozen vegetables and there's a meal ready really quickly.  Much healthier and more cost-effective!  2.  After ensuring your investments are low-cost & tax efficient, another financial improvement is reviewing (and perhaps canceling) subscriptions of all sorts if you can get the materials for free at the library or no longer need the products.   

[runrgrl]

The very best saving tip I can share is a result of reading about four Fidelity Zero funds in the AARP magazine or Bulletin several years ago - all with zero fees.  I have a Roth 401K through my employer and a high-yield online savings account but I wanted to take any extra savings that I could and invest in a Roth IRA.  After I looked at some online reviews, I chose the Fidelity Zero Total Market Index (FZROX) fund to invest in.  It mirrors other funds in the balance of investments.  This was the best decision!  It has grown so much and I always try to add the limit based on my age to the fund each year.  I mentioned these funds to my investment agent during a call.  He asked me for the ticker symbol while telling me that ALL funds charge fees.  He then apologized to me as when he looked it up, he found out that I was right.  Thank you AARP!!!  I also have enjoyed local AARP events such as free movies at AMC theatre and lectures given by writers.  I also earn Rewards through AARP quizzes/videos and have my Apple watch and Apple Health synced to my AARP account to earn the 150 points for 5000 steps and 10000 steps.

I have added an AARP link below, which describes 2 of the 4 zero-fee Fidelity funds.

https://www.aarp.org/money/retirement/zero-fee-fidelity-funds/

I also enjoy these money saving apps:

Ibotta

Fetch

Checkout 51

Amazon Shopper Panel

Merryfield

Receipt Hog

Mypoints

Upromise

KCL

Rakuten

If you ever buy flowers....Trader Joe's is the best!  Their blooms last very long and they are beautiful, long-lasting and I have several of their plants that are gorgeous.

Happy Saving!!!!!  ❤️

[dl81397044]

 I strongly recommend checking out the local public library for possible discounts on community events and organizations.  For example, my city library offers substantial discounts (and in some cases, free admission!) on more than 20 popular cultural activities, including multiple museums, nature sanctuaries, historic and cultural centers, and even the aquarium and zoo!  These discounts can reduce the admission price by 50% or more,,, a great way to stretch dollars!

[d594309k]

yes, and our local library also has puzzle swap program. take a puzzle, leave a puzzle. free entertainment. Also, they have a free seed program to encourage people to grow their own flowers and vegetables. so many ways to be entertained and save money too.

[AnnM806368]

 I save every $5 I get back in change. I told my husband I was doing this. (I started this in January, 2018.) By March, my daughter needed a new tire. He found one for $200. I told him I could give him $150 of it. He was so surprised. I told him I had been saving the $5 bills. We got that tire, and ever since then, he hands over all his $5 bills! It has certainly helped for summer vacation, Christmas, or any other unexpected expenditure. 

 I also use the Fetch app. I scan all my receipts, and later redeem points for gift cards. So easy!

[KTFC]

I signed up with Rakuten. It is a quick and easy way to get discount and earn cash back on purchases you are already making. They offer percentages back on retail, home improvement, and many more stores. You decide if you want your earnings in the form of a check or a digital gift card. When I signed up for AARP through Rakuten I received $6.00 back. Download the app and it does most of the work for you!

[LynnN855434]

Cook your meals, home style no frills, hearty meats, soups, stews.  Skip the soft drinks and chips, especially sweets, donuts,cakes, cookies, and candy.  Make these yourself and budget your eating. One or two cookies, one small piece of cake, freeze extras.  Eat fruit, again in moderation....whole foods, get rid of fillers.  Surprising how much the savings can be

[CraigM521919]

Since the beginning of the yeear have been saving all change in a cuo. so far 108.93. SPARE CHANGE IS WORTH SAVING.

[SophiaD219556]

I still do freelance work, and I put ten percent of every check I receive into general savings, and ten percent into an account for taxes--no matter how small the check is. (Although I will round up.)

I'm also all about the library. After having to throw away hundreds of old book after my father died in 2009 (yes, we tried to donate and nobody wanted them), I vowed to avoid that and I have bought almost no books, even though I read a lot. I usually read on my Kindle and can download library books that way. This means I often have to wait for popular books, but it's always a nice surprise when I get the text that they are ready for me. 

[abbazaba]

Learn to cook! Even as I am in my 60's I am learning to cook different cuisines and how to use food and cooking techniques  to make meals that taste  much better, and are nutritionally better for us, at home. Adding to that don't buy cooking gadgets- most of them can be replaced by a decent knife! I sold kitchen supplies for a few years and was amazed at how much money people essentially throw away on gadgets that will be in a thrift store or a garage sale in a year or two, 

[SherryB603868]

We save money on travel by using a Southwest credit  card for the points. So we travel for free. Also, watch Dollar General ads; they always have coupons to save money on products. Amazon also has coupons that save money on items. I watch for Kroger ads as well to save money. I have a rewards card for Shell gas stations and save 10 cents on a gallon. 

[AnnZ614712]

Shop at discount grocery stores (ALDI, BBs in Lancaster, PA) & stick to your list! I don't buy coffee out, I drink it at home or at work.  We don't go out to eat much, maybe once a month and we try to use gift cards that we have.

[pk7535]

AUTOMATE YOUR SAVINGS. I HAVE A CERTAIN AMOUNT TRANSFERRED AUTOMATICALLY EVERY PAY PERIOD THAT IS OFF LIMITS. I ALSO SAVE ALL CASH REWARDS FROM VARIOUS CREDIT CARDS AND WHEN I HAVE A SET AMOUNT SAVED I INVEST IN A CD.  WORKS, GIVE IT A TRY!

[AaronM446472]

I use the Fetch app 

[DeborahR527911]

It takes approx. 5 gallons of water to get hot water to my kitchen/dishwasher..i put a bucket to collect it and pour either on plants or out in Clothes washer so it isnt wasted. It all adds up -sewer is charged by how much water you use too. 

[AllisonS399758]

My credit union has a "round up" option on debit card purchases, including bills paid online with your debit card. Whenever I make a purchase/pay a bill, the total is rounded up to the next whole dollar and the difference is deposited into a special savings account with 7.5% interest. I've been able to save over $700 since 2019 just by rounding up a few cents here and there. An added bonus: it makes it much easier to track purchases in my check register, since they are in whole dollar amounts. I recommend taking advantage of this if your banking institution offers it. If you usually pay cash, you can do something similar by not giving exact change-let them give you coins back and drop them in a "piggy bank". You'll see how fast the coins add up when you cash them in a few years later!

[FrancesP653462]

My husband and I are retired. Our Smart Saving strategies are several, but begin with a detailed budget where every expenditure is categorized and recorded to the penny. Then, the calculations — weekly, monthly, yearly — reveal exactly where our funds are going. We don't overspend because our knowledge is tethered to real dollars and cents. Each year, we forecast income/expenditures based on the previous year's actuals. Doing this gives us power over our living and peace of mind. Weaved into the way we spend our funds is comparison shopping on every level — from toothpaste to cars. Once one has the habit and tools to accomplish it, the excercise is easy and satisfying. We have zero debt and own our home. 

[ja9115]

My savings tip is easy. I purchased a small binder especially made to hold dollar bills. Every payday I put a $100 dollar bill in one of the slots. Last year I was able to put 2 $100 bills in each month and had $1600 for my vacation saved. At first it was hard but after the first few months it became easier. This year has been more difficult so I only put $100 in each month. We had a catastrophe this year so the extra money saved us in a time of need. I make sure to never touch the money except in times of great need or when you reach your savings goal. Some goals take longer than a year, some goals take only 8 months. This method can also be used as a backup plan for emergencies where the goal is to have enough money for a disaster. It worked for us that way. Some will counter with....put it in a savings account and earn interest. I prefer a money backup because everything is so volatile lately.  Having a cash backup plan is a good idea. I also have savings being built up using a checking account that rewards me with a small amount of cash given back for each debit card transaction. It builds up quickly. I also use a credit card that gives me cash back. You know it doesn't have to be $100 bills. It could be dollar bills or anything that can help build a cash backup plan. Oh and I also save all my coins from any change back from buying something with cash. This year I will have probably $200 or more built up. I call it my mad money which is used for something just for me. Each year I get a special treat as a reward for  all my savings including coupons and digital coupons, buying things on sale and freezing food or saving sale things for my granddaughters birthdays and Christmas in addition to the savings noted above.