As costs rise around the world, many people are looking for easy ways to save money in 2025. Fortunately, there are tons of relatively easy cost-saving actions you can take to make a difference right away in your monthly budget.
If inflation has you tightening your belt, try these 8 simple ideas for saving money this year.
8 Creative Ways to Save Money This Year
While not all of these ideas will work for everyone, you should be able to find something in this list to help you reduce costs, from taking steps to avoid impulse buys to finding ways to save on your auto loan.
This content is provided for informational purposes only, and should not be construed as financial advice.
1. Make plans and stick to them
One of the best things you can do to spend less is to keep a closer eye on your spending. Taking a look at what you’re spending money on can help you decide what’s worth it to you and what’s not. Once you know where you want to spend and where you want to save, planning ahead is key to avoid spending more than you want to.
For example, planning your meals for the week and making a grocery list of just what you need can help you reduce food waste and spend less on impulse buys. You can also set a budget for any shopping adventure or outing. Clothes in particular are one of the most common impulse buys, and many garments end up in landfills each year. Giving yourself a budget and putting back any item you’re on the fence about can help you spend less and avoid contributing to the excess of clothes.
All this doesn’t mean no more fun little treats, it just means getting more creative with how you spend your splurge budget. In fact, it’s good to set some money aside for fun things, it makes it easier to stick to your plans. One simple way to do this is to take out the amount you set aside for splurging in cash – that way you can track your spending. Plus, sometimes finding ways to milk every penny for something delightful can help you find less expensive things that still make you happy, like a favorite candy or drink.
2. Become a coupon whiz
Discounts are out there to be had – if you want to get the most out of your money, one effective way to do that is to become more savvy about sales and discounts. While some coupon clipping can be onerous, there are many ways to save money on autopilot.
Two top ways to do this are by adding a plug-in to your browser, like the Capital One shopping plug-in or Honey. These browser add-ons automatically check for coupon codes when you check out online. You can and should also join free loyalty programs anywhere you shop regularly that offers them. Many grocery store chains and pharmacies have programs you can join for free that qualify you for tons of store discounts – well worth the small price of carrying a scannable tag or entering your phone number.
You can also find ways to save manually by keeping track of sales and coupons. While tons of emails and mailers can get annoying, they can help you save money by catching things you want or need when they’re on sale and helping you gather discount codes and coupons.
3. Go where the deals are
Want to save money? Don’t be afraid to price compare and actively seek out good deals!
While people used to paying full price might feel awkward at first using services like Groupon and Good to Go, you can get great deals using them to purchase entertainment, services, and food – and discover new businesses you might love! For businesses, putting something up on Groupon is a marketing technique to help them reach wider audiences, and Good to Go helps restaurants and food retailers waste less food, so there’s nothing wrong with using them.
You can also focus on visiting your favorite places when they have deals, whether that means getting cheaper movie tickets by going on certain weeknights (Regal, for example, offers reduced ticket prices on Tuesdays in some locations and for Regal members), getting a better deal on drinks at your favorite bar by going at happy hour, or visiting a local restaurant that has a special on.
Going where the deal is can also mean joining a bulk retailer like Costco – stores like these often have better prices, even on the same products, than you’d find at a nearby grocery store.
Take your auto loan where the deal is and save money.
Another way to save money may be to change loan providers. Find out if you can lower your monthly car payment or get a better rate with Auto Approve.
4. Switch providers
Speaking of changing providers! Cable, internet, and phone companies tend to inch prices up slowly over time until, eventually, you end up paying not just more than the promotional price you might have started with, but more than market rate. Switching providers can often help you get a better deal. Today, many of the more affordable phone providers are just as good as the big brand name options – do your research before making any major changes, but companies like Consumer Cellular and Mint Mobile may be a good choice to help you save.
As more companies have moved to a service-based model where they take a monthly subscription fee that tends to creep upward, this applies to more bills – you may be able to save at the gym, on software, and elsewhere by switching to a competitor. Plus, sometimes initiating cancellation with your current provider may prompt them to offer you a better promotional price to keep you on as a customer, meaning you can even save money without making a change.
You can also save on these same services by changing plans, like reducing your cable package or switching to an ad-based version of some of your less-used streaming platforms.
5. Lower your transportation costs
For many of us, transportation eats up a big part of our monthly budget, and can feel unavoidable. In many parts of the world, a car is necessary for day-to-day activities like going to work and grocery shopping. While you might not be able to get rid of your vehicle, you can still find ways to save. The most common suggestions you’ll hear are to carpool and make use of public transit when available, but what if that’s not practical?
Well, first you should audit your vehicle costs and figure out where the money is going. Ask yourself – could you avoid paying tolls by taking the scenic route occasionally or by grouping errands together? Could you share rides with friends by making errands social? Everyone needs to go to the grocery store, what if sometimes you did it with a friend, family member, or neighbor, and traded off the driving?
You also may be able to increase your fuel efficiency. Take a peek at this guide to lowering your fuel costs for more on that.
And, of course, you may be paying too much on your auto loan. If you want to lower your monthly payment or get a better rate, consider refinancing your vehicle. You can get a free, no-commitment quote right now.
6. Get rid of unnecessary subscriptions
Another way to save money? Use your bank or credit card’s online portal – or tools like Rocket Money, OneMain Trim, or Intuit’s line of products – to find forgotten subscriptions and identify recurring charges. As more and more companies have moved to subscription-based models, it gets harder to keep track of who’s raising prices or automatically renewing.
Get rid of anything you’re not using or don’t remember signing up for, then decide if there are any other subscriptions you no longer need or simply can live without.
$19.99 here and $27.99 there might not sound like a lot, but together these little charges can add up to hundreds of dollars a month to services you may not even be using.
7. Use the 30-day rule
Thinking about making a purchase that’s a want, not a need? Use the 30-day rule.
The rule is simple, and just what it sounds like: if you’re thinking of making a large or impulse purchase, wait 30 days. Then, see if you still want it. This can help you avoid splurges and impulse buys that might not get used or spark joy long term.
Easy, right?
8. Get creative with gifts, meals, and activities
Last but certainly not least, remember that sometimes time is better than money. If you can’t afford a big gift or want to save on a date night, putting time into planning something or making something thoughtful within your budget can be just as delightful as a shiny thing or pre-fixe dinner.
Nights out, gifts, and events can all be big expenditures– especially as event ticket prices keep going up, restaurants deal with rising costs across the supply chain, and spending is reduced in other areas. Swap grand purchases for careful listening and grand gestures and you can give your loved ones an experience that’s just as memorable, without a hefty price tag.
And Those Are The Easiest Ways to Save Money in 2025
If you’re looking for ways to spend less without feeling like you have less, these tips could be a great fit for you. From setting limits on splurges to seeking deals to getting creative with the things you love, there’s tons to do to help you avoid breaking the bank this year.
And if one of your major costs is your car payment, why not find out how much you could save with a free quote from Auto Approve today?