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... 

[kc450]

I save all my change and then turn it in to buy something on sale that I really want.

[RichardB442747]

Use the retail price at the grocery store to accurately compare prices. But also check the ingredients - sometimes something is cheaper because it has less of what you are trying to buy!

[spalevsky]

Sometimes it is the simplist of things that can add up.  Start small - take the change in coins that you get when shopping and drop them into the bottom of your bag or purse - and at the end of the day, put the coins into a piggy bank or jar that does not get touched until it is full. Then deposit the coins into your bank account.   When you have breakfast, pay yourself as if you had gone to a cafe - put $5 or so inot an envelope or jar and stash it away until you are ready to take it to the bank to deposit.

[PatriciaG934624]

I compare prices online, with the 2 grocery stores that I shop at. Then when we go shopping, I hit both stores and purchase the items with the best price at each store. I have wrapped my hot water heater in a heat saving blanket. I use Good RX for my prescriptions and check the prices at local pharmacies. I choose the store with the best price. My best savings is using Walmart+ for 10 cents a gallon. I also use Murphy's app that has a spin game where you can save up to $1 per gallon when you reach a certain amount of points.  Living on a meager income becomes difficult at times. 

[SereneSeagull]

Another drug discount to use besides GoodRx is Hippo

[cs53272751]

 I look for thinks to do that have senior savings or senior days. I buy things at a discount store and when they are on sale.

[MichaelM691177]

Plan your daily trips & look at the week ahead so that you combine errands near each other to save gas & time. If you have run out of bread, milk, etc. & you have a doctor's appointment, haircut, etc. in the next day or two, & the locations are not to far apart, make one trip.

[Silliman]

Set up CDs so that you have at least one maturing each month, then, as each one matures, open a new one with the base amount and put the interest into your checking or savings account for current spending.  That way you always have some income coming in, while earning much higher interest than a savings account would pay.

[SereneSeagull]

Laddering.

[RandiB670786]

I have stopped buying prepared foods at the grocery store and going to the coffee house. I make my own food and coffee at home now.

[Carol10028]

I dont drink coffee, stopped, cooking for one, make few things to freeze for week to control salt,sugar. Fresh taste better.

[mandm1200]

Local grocery store, Giant, has weekly deals on certain gift cards, it varies week to week. While the gift card is sold at face value, they offer 8x-20x in bonus points. For example: a Lowes gift card for 10x points. Buy a $100 (or whatever amount you think will be spent in a reasonable timeframe) and that is 1000 points which equals $1 off a gallon of gas. I fill the truck up and use a gas container, so I get the maximum of 25 gallons. That's a $25 saving for just buying a gift card that I plan to use. They sell the Zillions gift card on occasion which can then be converted to many popular retailers. It like getting free money!

[SueF971843]

Make tea from garden herbs like mint, tulsi basil and red raspberry leaves. Dry clothes on an outdoor cloths line. Drink coffee and wine at home.

[wllsmichelle]

I carefully review the grocery store ads for each week.  I plan my weekly menu based on what is on sale.  I add all online coupons to increase savings.  I often stock up on sale products.  All of this helps me save money on groceries and feeding my family.

[JoanneD339544]

Every year I buy myself a gift card at 20 % off at my favorite clothing store. So every time I shop I save an additional 20% plus the 10% off for Seniors on Thursdays. That's in addition to their discounted prices. I recently paid about $3 for an item with an MSRP of $82 in perfect condition with the original price tag.

Joanne Delahanty 

[patriciamgr]

Buy a vacuum sealer (often on special together with the material to make bags online) and start batch cooking meals.  This is an especially important tip for 1-2 person households.  

[RebeccaW339384]

 I started a savings with my cashapp account. I also use their "round-ups" which rounds up your purchases then puts the change into your savings account. I've recently used my savings, but it's helped me to send each daughter a $100 birthday gift as well as send them $ to help out during hard times ($100 and $225). Hoping to "pay myself back" that $ over the next couple of months- I enjoyed seeing that cushion available! 

[GraceM702873]

When I wash my clothes I throw them in dryer only a few  minutes and then I have lines in my basement I hang every thing.  they dry with the heat from the furnace. also I dont need to run the dryer all the time keeps the clothes   color brighter and last longer all around I save money in so many ways,   I have done this for years its the best. !!!!!

[MAT61]

Don't try to keep up with trends.  Buy quality products and keep them until they wear out.

[EvelynS905393]

Definitely cause trends repeat 

[JaneH178965]

Beginning in January throughout the year, each week deposit to a savings account the number of that week in he year; e.g. $1 for week one, $2 for week two, $52 for week 52. By the end of the year, you will have saved  $1,419 at year's end. A simple affordable habit to develop.

[MarshaW289147]

 Intentional spending has been a real game changer for me. I started downsizing a couple of years ago and realized how much I spent on 'mindless' purchases. I have a set amount of 'mad money' that I set aside each month and it forces me to really think about how I spend. I also enjoy the rewards points (AARP and others). Combined with using apps and reward points - I can boost my pool of mad money. For example, I saved over the course of a year enough rewards to purchase all the plants needed for my lavender garden this year. This allowed me to set a goal for a hobby and focus on one project, vs mindless spending on 'stuff for someday'. I have less clutter, more time, more money and projects that are fulfilling. 

[AileenM806864]

My husband and I bought a small freezer to put in the garage. When meats, veggies, deserts, etc. are on sale, we stock up. I label and date everything from seasonal fruits to marinated fish and vacuum seal for future use. ( By the way, celery will not freeze well!) Of course this is all purchased with a Discover card for an added "cash back discount" to be used for bringing down a heavy spending month's bill. I use the cash back card to pay for utilities, gas, just about everything and pay it entirely each month. No interest charges for us!

[LinaresP386424]

---

@AARPTeri wrote:

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... 

---

[SharonC795012]

 I just recently learned that some stores - such as WalMart - sell herb and vegetable seeds that are SNAP eligible. Even organic ones! If you can fill a container with soil, you can grow your own food. Just do a search that includes the SNAP-eligible feature. It beats needing to search for the foods you want.

[WebWiseWoman]

Weird, Sharon, that "organic" seeds are actually sold? Since AARP video and quiz reminds us only produce that is to be eaten/used unpealed needs to be organic for health benefits...

I now see many products available via Google search; AARP, now what?

[LinaresP386424]

Shopping at thrift stores, discounts, clearance racks, clothes swaps, book swaps, and yard sales are my frugal ways on my fixed income.  I get groceries at the food pantry, I'm on the Meals on Wheels program, I I have a vegetable garden and I do composting.  I also refashion pre-owned clothing and I create greeting cards from parts of used ones.  I use my AARP membership card to save at restaurants, hotels, etc. I haven't won any AARP sweepstakes or contests, but I'm still trying to.  Thanks to AARP for making numerous helpful information and resources available. 

[SylviaS778750]

Shopping is a lot of fun if you make a game of it. Grocery shopping: put all in your cart, everything you see that you want. And then when you are ready to check out and realize you can't possibly haul all of this up those stairs to your place, slowly things get taken out. You've saved yourself at lease half of what was in your basket and had the pleasure of thinking you could afford it all.  

[Gwendee3]

One of my suggestions is to let your savings be automatic for certain expenses:  holidays, vacations, emergency.  That way you already have the money put aside when the event rolls around.  My other tip is simply to save your change... It may not save more than $300 in a year but that does give you a mini cushion.  The last tip:  If you get a tax refund - save at least half, pay down a bill and then have some fun with the rest. 

[JayK886517]

To save money be flexible.  Before going shopping make a list with alternatives, then buy the product that has the lower or special price.  If you can buy extra.  Making sure you know  that you will be able to use the goods before a spoilage date.