31 ways to instantly save money | members only access

Illustration by UnDraw Groceries are the average American’s third-largest expenditure, behind only housing and transportation, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. But calories

don’t have to be costly. If you’re a savvy shopper, you can fill your plate without emptying your wallet. SHIFT FROM DISPOSABLE TO REUSABLE Take inventory of your most used items and

consider what makes sense to swap out for ones you can use over and over again. “Invest in reusable products such as a [water filteration system], a reusable coffee filter, or wool dryer

balls,” says Kumiko Love, personal finance expert behind TheBudgetMom.com. There are also options for single-cup coffee makers like Keurig and Nespresso machines. It’s a win-win of reducing

waste and monthly costs. LIMIT TEMPTATION TO IMPULSE BUY By switching over to free pick-up services, you can eliminate the chance you’ll fill your cart with impulse buys, Howard says. “Add

items to your cart online and reserve a time to pick up your order.” CREATE A MASTER MENU You can also streamline the shopping process by developing a limited, but loved, meal menu that

allows you to buy in bulk, says Winnie Sun, managing partner of Sun Group Wealth Partners. “This will save you time and money, because you’ll eat the food and less will go to waste.” FIND

THE FREE MEALS Check with your health care provider to see whether they offer free meal programs for seniors, says Tiffany Aliche, financial educator, founder and CEO of The Budgetnista.com.

Examples include Humana’s Well Dine program, Mom’s Meals and certain Aetna Medicare Advantage Plan members. Or you could turn to non-health care provider options, like Meals on Wheels.

FRESH ISN’T ALWAYS BEST Whole, minimally processed canned or frozen options preserve nutritional content. And canned or dried soups are often the lowest-cost, nutritionally wholesome food

options, notes Shang. To make sure you’re finding the minimally processed products, check labels to verify there’s no added sodium and sugar. STORE BRAND IS JUST AS GOOD Many store-brand

products are often made by big-name companies and differ only in a few ingredients and labels. “Try a store brand just once the next time you’re at the supermarket,” says Howard. “If you

like what you buy, you save money that time and every time going forward when you buy it again.” Illustration by UnDraw By improving ways we spend on daily needs and extras, we can rack up

significant savings and pave the way to have extra cash for fun non-necessities. SCAN FOR UNUSED SUBSCRIPTIONS There are multiple apps that help users find subscription services and

determine how much they’re paying for them each year, including Truebill.com, BillShark.com, BillTrim.com and Hiatus. Find out how much you’re paying for auto-draft services such as digital

storage, suggests Catherine Alford, financial educator at CatherineAlford.com. “You might have purchased extra Google or iCloud storage without realizing it because you were prompted to do

so when updating your phone or trying to take a picture when storage was full.” BE WILLING TO WALK AWAY Call your internet provider or TV service to see what it will do to keep you loyal.

Renegotiate by threatening to cancel, suggests Wang. Perez advises you play hardball by researching what another provider has to offer, especially introductory offers, and sharing those

details to see if you can essentially comparison shop. ENROLL IN AUTO-PAY “Many companies, including car insurance companies, banks, Internet and cable providers, offer discounts for

enrolling in auto-pay,” says Alford. Verizon, for instance, offers a $5- or $10-a-month discount per line when you sign up for paper-free billing and Auto Pay. PLAY THE SENIOR CARD Discover

all the benefits that AARP offers by perusing the Member Benefits page. Beyond that, there are other savings online for those 65-plus. Start with SeniorLiving.org, DealNews.com and

TheSeniorList.com. For more specific information, search “senior discounts.” You can also contact your service providers directly and request a decrease, says Aliche. Military service

members should also ask about a veterans discount. GO À LA CARTE “Choose à la carte options based on your specific needs,” says Marsha Barnes, founder of TheFinanceBar.com. For example,

remove channels you only need for seasonal shows. Or do monthly add-ons, like Showtime on Hulu.. MEDICATION Use GoodRx.com to reduce prescription costs by comparing prices and finding

discounts, says Love. You can also go to the Medical Assistance Tool. Patients who qualify can save hundreds of dollars. Through AARP Prescription Discounts provided by OptumRx, AARP members

and their dependents receive average savings of 61 percent on FDA-approved prescriptions not covered by their current insurance. CHANGE YOUR DEDUCTIBLE Howard recommends opting for a $1,000

deductible to get the best savings on your auto insurance policy. Be sure to keep that $1,000 in savings, too, in case of an accident. An increase from $500 to $1,000 can save you up to 25

percent on a homeowner’s premium. Illustration by UnDraw Your house is where you likely spend the most time — and the most money. Here are great ways to save on your daily bills, utilities

and maintenance. REDUCE ENERGY USE Turn down the temperature on your water heater to conserve energy, and switch to wool dryer balls to reduce drying time, both of which lower your electric

bill, says Love. She also advises changing light bulbs to halogen incandescent or LEDs, which last longer and use less energy. Shang recommends unplugging all electronics not in use to avoid

standby power use and lower your bill. CONSIDER BECOMING A RENTER Owning isn’t always the best option, says Barnes of the Finance Bar. “As we age, our need for space reduces. Consider the

appropriate living quarters for yourself based on needs, opposed to media influences.” LOCK IN A RATE WITH A LANDLORD Renters should ask landlords if they’re willing to offer a discount for

locking in a longer lease contract, advises Wang. Landlords tend to be even more amenable to this with easy tenants during turbulent financial times, such as a recession. REFINANCE RATES

Call your lender — or shop around—to see whether you can refinance your mortgage, advises Aliche. You can also see whether your state, like Aliche’s home state of New Jersey, offers a senior

freeze program for property taxes.