7 Ways To Save Money, According To Millennial Women
Everything continues to be…. a lot right now. So we asked you, our readers, to give us your best savings hacks, from buying in bulk to using only a few tablespoons of laundry powder instead of the full cup. Whether you bring an avocado in your purse so you don’t have to pay extra to add it to your salad, or split a Netflix membership between five of your friends, we don’t judge, we just want to save, too!
Ahead, 10 millennial women share their best cheap living hacks for saving on food, transportation, beauty, travel, and everything in between.
While some of these only work if you’re not working from home, they’re worth storing away until you foray back into the office.
Name: Alexis
Age: 23
Location: San Diego, CA
Salary: £28,000
“I keep apples, a box of porridge, and peanut butter in my desk so I’m not tempted to spend money on food at work. I also avoid buying alcohol with meals out. It can double your bill in no time!
“When I see a good deal on any kind of meat, I buy a bunch of it, so I’ll have plenty until it goes on sale again. I also plan my meals around what produce is on sale at the supermarket. If I have a £20 note, I will go out of my way not to break it, and when I’m tempted by small purchases I ask myself: ‘Is this worth breaking my £20?’ It almost never is.”
Name: MJ
Age: 31
Location: Pittsburgh, PA
Salary: £24,000
“I love to use makeup and skincare from high-end stores like Sephora. If it’s something that comes in a squeeze bottle, I cut it in half with kitchen scissors when it’s almost gone. You’d be amazed by how much is still left!”
Name: Tania
Age: 24
Location: Washington, D.C.
Salary: £35,500
“My office building has a great pay-by-the-gram salad bar, so I bring in a Tupperware of rice from home and just buy a quarter serving of a delicious side to mix in. I save money by bringing my own cheap (and heavy) staple, and buy a light serving of the delicious chicken that’s too complicated for me to bother making.”
Name: Sara
Age: 28
Location: Santa Rosa, CA
Income: £14/hour
“My husband and I have worked as resident managers for the last three years. This means our rent is free, since we work as on-site employees. Since I also have a full-time job, this allows me to save a significant portion of my income.”
Name: Ariel
Age: 27
Location: Austin, TX
Salary: £23,240
“1) Avoid bottled water at all costs! My city has great tap water, but the old piping in my apartment gives it a terrible taste. Instead of wasting money on bottled water, I take a couple of reusable 2L water bottles with me to work, and I fill them up at the filtered water fountain before leaving for the day. Voila! Free clean water and zero plastic waste.
2) Air dry your clothes whenever possible. Dryers eat up a lot of energy and are totally unnecessary, especially if you live in a sunny place. Throw the clothes on a cheap clothes rack outside, and they’ll be just as dry in a couple of hours. And laundry powder? Most people use way too much! You only need a couple of tablespoons at most, not an entire cup. Reduce your laundry detergent consumption and pocket the savings instead.
3) Think outside the box for cheap date ideas. Take a walk in a park, volunteer at a beach clean-up event, attend a free outdoor concert — there are so many things you can do. Getting coffee or drinks is nice and all, but some of my favourite dates I’ve been on were totally free. Plus, I think they’re a great way to gauge a person’s personality and potential compatibility. I’m an active, outdoorsy person. If I suggest something like taking a walk, and the other person balks at the idea, I know they’re probably not the one for me.”
Name: Nathalie
Age: 26
Location: Montreal, Canada
Salary: £38,700
“I always check for coupons when shopping online, and I pay with a cash-back credit card. I also check tagged Instagram photos of brands to find influencer discounts, which often works!”
Name: Bri
Age: 29
Location: Vancouver, Canada
Salary: £40,300
“Once a week, I challenge myself to cook with whatever I have on hand. It’s a great way to get creative while cooking and use up what’s in my cupboards.”
Originally published at https://www.refinery29.com.
