14 Obvious Money Saving Hacks You Have NOT Been Using All Your Life

The cost of living is going through the roof. It is getting so ridiculous that people are getting screwed in their heads and are calling themselves urban poor, even though they have enough and more to get by.

The problem is convenience. You can save a lot of money if you put a little bit of extra time and effort and brain space to  do things that will save a lot of money. We are going to give you comprehensive money saving tactics – with the approximate money you will actually save by these tricks –

DISCLAIMER – These are very conservative and approximate estimates. Your savings can be even more than this, or lesser even.

1. Put your “found money” in a box you have locked and thrown the key away

It is, without a doubt, you have loose change and a few notes lying here and there in your pants and in your drawers. Every time you find money put it away in the special box. Lock the box and throw away the key so that you cannot open it until you can’t fill it with any more money.

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Savings made –

Loose change in pockets per day – 5 rupees

Found money per week -20 rupees

Annual savings – 2760 rupees.

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2. Keep your newspapers and magazine bundle organized for the annual raddi sale

We give away raddi as soon as it accumulates. But scrap newspapers and magazines and old notebooks should be accumulated and given away in a huge bulk at the end of the year. It is a good way to get back some sweet money.

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Savings made –

About 20 newspapers amount to 1 kg of paper. That is 18 kilos a year. 10 rupees to a kilo.

They give an average of 8 rupees to a magazine. 48 magazines a year.

Annual savings – 570 rupees.

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3. Never ever buy fruits or vegetables from a single store, always compare from different shops

Some dealers overcharge for fruits – which have become an expensive commodity now. Look for good dealers and sellers.

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Savings made –

Price difference between two sellers on bulk purchase – 40 rupees. Fruits bought at a rate of twice a week.

Annual savings – 3840 rupees.

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4. Never ever buy an annual or half yearly gym membership

It sounds like you save a lot by buying a bulk membership and that you can go in any time now. But, if any unforeseen things happen – like you get a transfer or you just get lazy and stop working out, you lose a lot of money. Buy monthly memberships.

5. Start a spice garden in your apartment

Grow garlic, chillis and tomatoes and other simple vegetables and spices in pots inside your home. They are easy to maintain and grow fast.

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Savings made –

Approximate weekly expenditure on garlic, tomatoes, chilies, coriander – 100

Annual savings – 4800 rupees.

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6. Buy full vegetables and not the packaged and cut vegetable pouches for pansies

The current trend is to buy the cut vegetables the vendors have started selling. This includes garlic that is peeled too. Buy uncut veggies – they have nutrition retained and are cheaper.

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Savings made –

Price difference between cut and uncut vegetables – 10 rupees.

Annual savings – 960 rupees.

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7. Always check out the flea book sales first before going and buying a brand new book

Brand new books in retail stores are expensive. Online are a bit cheaper. But if you go to warehouse clearance sales and the flea book sales, you will end up saving a lot of money.

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Savings made –

Price difference between a new and a second-hand book – 50 rupees

Annual savings – 600 rupees.

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8. Know your rights as a renting tenant. Most of the repairs in the house are supposed to be done by the owner and not you.

Most tenants agree to repair the damaged things in the house if you request nicely or have talked o them before making an agreement.

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Savings made –

Incidental expenses towards damages in a year – anywhere between 100 rupees to a 1000.

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9. Rent your room or your roommates room out when one of you in out of town

If you and your roommate do not mind, you can come to an agreement that when one of you isn’t there, they can give the room away for that duration as Bed and Breakfast.

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Savings made –

Annual cumulative holidays taken – One week away from the apartment. Rate at 700 a day.

Annual savings – 8400 rupees per roommate.

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10. Get LED bulbs ASAP

LED bulbs save an awful lot for you.

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Savings made –

If you use a 9W LED bulb, and use it for 9 hours a day at a rate of 7 rupees to a unit.

Annual savings – 130 rupees.

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11. Check for air pressure in your tires of your vehicle

Low air pressure means low mileage. Proper air pressure is necessary to give maximum efficiency. In fact, fuel efficiency is reduced by 1% for every 3.0 PSI that its tires are below recommended levels.  So if your bike gives a mileage of 40 kilometers per liter. It will give only 36 the next time.

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Savings made –

If you drive 20 kilometers a day for a whole year.

Annual savings – 140 rupees.

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12. Paint your roof white

It will reflect a lot of sunlight. Significantly more than colored roofs. Your home will remain cooler during the summers when the AC is running at full blast.

15. Clear your cache and browser history before looking for flights

You don’t know, but booking companies and airplane companies keep a track of the last time you checked the prices, and the next time they make you see an increased price the next time you log in.

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Savings made –

Always clear your cache and browsing history before checking.

Annual savings – 1000 rupees.

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13. Reduce the brightness of your monitors and TVs

LCD TVs use a huge amount of electricity. Plasma TVs literally burn it with 400 watts. If you reduce the brightness by even half you save up to 40% on your electricity bills.

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Savings made –

Annual savings – 1260 rupees.

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14. Buy your clothes in January and July.

Even if you get an average discount of 10% and spend around 3000 rupees twice a year, you save up to 600 rupees annually.

This brings the total annual savings of up to a minimum of 25,610 rupees.

What are you waiting for?

Start saving! Use the money to go for a mini-vacation!

CREDIT:Storypick