Here is a list of money saving tips that you can apply today.

This list isn’t about saving a quarter here or a dollar there. If you actually follow through with some of these suggestions you can save a significant amount of money.

1. Reduce your banking fees. Call your bank and have them assess your accounts. Tell them you need to reduce the amount you are spending on banking fees. If you are a student make sure you let them know, most banks have some sort of student account available at zero cost.If you’ve been with your bank for a long time and have been a good client (i.e. maintained a balance, not gone into overdraft on many occasions etc.) then use this to your advantage. You might say, “Hi there, I’m reviewing my account and I see that I am spending $XX amount on banking fees each month. Can you please explain why I am paying these fees and tell me what can be done to reduce them.” If they offer you a better deal, great. If not, say this “I have been a good client with this bank for XX years I feel there must be something you can do to help me. Do you have any cheaper accounts?

2. Call your utility companies.  Have them do a similar assessment. But, before you call do a bit of research on what other utility companies are offering. For instance, if a competitor is offering lower rates as a promotion, use this to your advantage. Ask your provider to match the promotion or tell them you will consider switching to the other company.

3. Call your cell phone, cable and internet providers. Ask how you can decrease your rates. Do they have a package that will better fit your needs? Are they running any promotions?  I have made these calls on several occasions and have always been successful.It’s kind of a game with the cell phone and cable companies. If you are patient enough to wait on the phone for hours while they go back and forth and check things out then you will generally get some sort of a deal or promotion by the end of the call. You just have to decide if it is worth the time and effort.

4. Cancel any subscriptions that you aren’t using. What are you subscribed to? Netflix, satellite radio, Spotify, box subscriptions etc. If your goal is to save money really assess if you need cable, Netflix, Hulu, streaming etc. If you feel like you can’t live without any of these things maybe you should also reassess your t.v. consumption!!

5. Assess your food bill. How much do you spend eating out? How much are you spending on meat? Meat is crazy expensive. Consider meatless Mondays or even two vegetarian options per week to help save some money, reduce your chances of heart disease and help the world by reducing CO2 emissions…save some money and the world!!

6. Assess your booze bill. How much are you spending on alcohol? Going out for drinks can be very expensive, especially if you are going to nice restaurants. Even if your going to shitty pubs the drinks are still more expensive then if you stay home invite some friends over and drink there. Go a step further, really challenge yourself and go a month without booze to see how much you can really save.

7. Winterize your house. As Canadians, we endure some cold ass winters. Cold weather equals large heating bill. One way you can try and lower your heating bill is by taking steps to winterize your house. Make sure your windows are not letting in tons of cold air and make sure your doors seal properly. Keep the heat at a reasonable temperature and dress for the season. Forgo the tank tops and shorts and put on a sweater and pair of slippers to stay extra toasty.

8. Always shop with a list. You should never enter the grocery store without a list in hand. If you just go in there all haphazard you will come out with a ton of crap you don’t need. Stick to your list and stick to the outside of the store (i.e. don’t get lost in all of the interior aisles…that’s where they get ya). The outside perimeter has most of the things you really need: fruit, veggies, milk, eggs, bread….the healthy essentials.

9. DIY. Not all of us are super creative, DIY types… but most of us are capable of sanding and painting. You can save tons of money on things like furniture if you are willing to put in a little elbow grease instead of buying new. If you have old furniture that looks dated but is in decent shape, consider sanding it and repainting it a nice white, or colour of your choice, to give it a modern facelift. It’s a lot of work but it will save you hundreds, if not thousands. If you get really good at reviving old furniture you could even turn this into a side hustle and start selling your creations on kijiji for some extra cash.

10. Get a library card. I love to read and I know how easy it is to spend hundreds of dollars at Indigo. However, why not save some money and read for free. Many libraries offer free wifi, computer rentals, free printing, music rentals, online book options etc. Additionally, if you have limited storage space in your home a library card prevents you from having to find storage space for all of those books!

11. Groom yourself. Rather than spending money to have someone paint your nails, wax your eyebrows or blow out your hair,  just do it yourself. Or, maybe you can trade services with a friend, you wax my back, I’ll wax yours (haha, gross). However, when it comes to a hair cut I would suggest you pay a few bucks to have that done by a professional.

12. Use those gift cards and points. According to finder.com, since 2005  $45.7 billion in gift cards has gone unused. That’s crazy. If you aren’t interested in using the gift cards you have received sell them or swap them on a site like cardswap.ca. Also, don’t forget to use points like Shoppers Optimum or even grocery store points like PC plus (Superstore).

If you have other great ideas for how to save money today, I would love to hear them.

Happy Savings!