AARP Rewards Online Community Smart Saver Contest

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. 

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!

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. 

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!

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.

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. 

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, 

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. 

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

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