Are you having trouble saving money? You’re not the only one who finds it difficult to save money. While saving money is an important financial habit, it may not be easy to do. Saving money can help you to avoid financial emergencies. You can use it to pay large purchases, avoid debt, and reduce your financial stress. Here are some ways you can save money if you want to.

Learn how to do-it-yourself

You can do it yourself, no matter how large or small the project. This isn’t just for things around the house. Learn how to fix everything from changing your bike tire to changing the oil in your car.

You can find sites like YouTube, that will help you tackle your next project. Do not be afraid to do things yourself, before you spend your money on hiring an expert.

Stop drinking soda

How many times have your ordered sodas with your lunch at a restaurant? Soda is bad for your health and your wallet. You’re likely to be eating out for food most of the time, so it’s not important what you drink. You’ll soon forget all about soda when you order water.

Borrow books or e-books from our library

You know how costly reading can be if you are an avid reader. Borrowing books from the library can help to reduce some of those costs. It’s not worth it to keep a large library collection. They take up space and cost a lot.

E-books can be borrowed from most libraries if you are an e-reader. Although the selection is limited, you can still sign up for other libraries in your state. If you’re planning to go on vacation, make sure to visit your local library and get a card. Although you won’t have the ability to borrow physical books from the library because you live in another city, you can access their online e-library to view e-books.

Fly with your own food, alcohol, and beverages

The cost of food and beverages on planes has increased. Not only is it more expensive, but also the food on airplanes tends to be poor quality and unhealthy. You might consider bringing your own food on the plane. You can grab a sandwich or a complete meal from the grocery store, and bring it with you. You’ll be fine getting it through security as long as it doesn’t contain liquids like yogurts or large quantities of sauce.

You can also bring minis of alcohol on your next flight if you want to go even further. You can enjoy an alcoholic beverage for a fraction of the cost onboard. TSA will allow alcohol provided it is in small containers, such as mini bottles.

Freeze staple foods

It takes some foresight to save money. This is certainly true when it comes time to buy and store food. Wait for poultry and meat to go on sale. Then, buy the product and then freeze it until you are ready to eat. Frozen meats are great because they don’t lose their quality or taste.

It doesn’t matter how well you pack it, the meat will still taste as fresh as it did when you bought it. There are no limits to the amount of food you can freeze. Consider freezing leftover milk, bread, and veggies–not just meat.

Save money online by putting it in an account

You’re losing money if you have cash in checking accounts earning 0.1% interest. To increase your returns, you might transfer the cash to an online savings account.

Avoid the theater food and drink

People enjoy seeing the movies every once in a while. So instead of cutting out food and drink, why not cut them out completely? These items will likely cost as much as the tickets. You can eat dinner before going to the movie or bring your own snacks and drinks.

Make sure to update your appliances

Although it might seem counterintuitive to spend money on appliances, your energy costs could be consuming your finances without you even realizing it. In the last 25 years, appliances have advanced greatly.

While it is nice to keep using products until they stop functioning, buying a new refrigerator or washer with high efficiency could save you money. Consider which appliances use the most energy to determine which appliances should be replaced. It’s important to remember that your refrigerator is always on.

Make your pet’s toys

You can use old rags or t-shirts. Most dogs love them and don’t care! Pet toys can be very expensive. This tip will help you save money and reuse items that would otherwise go to waste.

Unplug your electronic devices

It saves you money by unplugging appliances that aren’t in use.

Try to eat meatless at least once per week

To offset the meat you eat, you can add beans and legumes to your diet. The price of meat has increased.

Use dried beans

Dry the beans and let them soak overnight. It’s easy and cheaper than buying cans.

Get reusable dryer balls

Use wool or plastic dryer balls. This is a one-time investment of five to ten dollars. You can even find them at the dollar tree. These will dry your clothes faster and require less electricity.

Use foaming hand soap dispensers

You can refill them with bulk soap from different stores. Foaming hand soap is only five percent more efficient than regular soap. Foamed soap is 2x more effective than regular soap, even though it may seem small.

Store bags can be used as trash can liners

I don’t know of anyone who would be too stoic to use grocery bags for trash can liners–it’s just smart and a great way to re-purpose them.

Get paperless in the kitchen

You can use kitchen towels or rags to replace paper towels. It is possible to wash and reuse them over and over again. A roll of paper towels is all I keep around for dog accidents.

Freeze that bread

To extend the shelf life of bread and other essentials, you can freeze them if you buy bulk or catch bread on sale.

Paper towels prolong the life of produce

You can make your produce last longer by using one of those bad, cheap paper towels. Put it in the container and turn it upside down. Or, you can place it on top of your greens or lettuce. They will last longer if you do this.

Cut dryer sheets in half

If you do, you are being ripped off. And if each box is twice as long, you will save money in the end.

Create a grocery price list

Make a list on your phone or mental of the grocery staples you need, and stock up on those items when they are on sale. I purchase as much pasta as possible when our pasta is on sale for less than a dollar. It’s delicious and it saves you money.

Aldi is a great place to find low grocery prices in my local area. Find the best deals and save money at Aldi.

Plan your meals around seasonal sales and discounts

Before I shop, I look at my grocery app and plan my meals around it. This will help you save money and your food will be fresher and more delicious.

Get a water filter pitcher and reusable water bottles

It is so much easier than reaching for a cold, full water bottle from your fridge. Fill 6-8 water bottles each evening, and we reach them throughout our day. Get that water in!

Add more water to your diet

Get the powder or squirtable add-ins at Walmart, Dollar Tree, and other stores if you want to spice up your drink. You can get a different taste and keep you from getting bored of water. They are still cheaper than soda and even contain caffeine!

Separate your wants and needs

Are you really going to need a 45-inch flat screen TV? If money is tight, it shouldn’t be spent unless absolutely needed.

Paying your bills with credit–stop this

Although it might seem easier, credit will only make your monthly payments more expensive in the long term.

Reduce the consumption of beer and wine during dinner

Even if you don’t go out for dinner often, ordering alcoholic beverages can add up to a large portion of your bill. Many people love wine and beer, so don’t be afraid to bring your own. This means you can bring your own drinks to the restaurant.

BYOB restaurants don’t usually have liquor licenses. They can’t sell liquor but they are allowed to serve it, as long as the customer provides it. It’s possible to save money by ordering your drinks ahead of time. You can search Squarespace or Yelp for BYOB restaurants and find them in your area.

Reduce your monthly take-out orders

Even though the cost of the meal isn’t high, it can add up if you order it often. A $10 pizza every other week can cost you more than $500 per year.

Consider changing smartphone plans

You know how costly a smartphone can get if you have Verizon, AT&T, or Sprint cell service. It doesn’t have to be this way. Many smaller companies are emerging on the scene, offering flexible data types and pay-as you-go plans.

Your smartphone will cost you full retail, but your monthly savings should make up the difference after a few months. You can see the full list of plans and phones offered by Walmart and Straight Talk Wireless to find which one suits your needs.

Reduce your home phone line bill (or scrap it altogether)

A majority of people have a mobile phone, so there is no need to get a home line. These products are being aggressively promoted by phone and cable companies, but you don’t have to include them in your bundle.

A Voice Over IP (aka VOIP) home phone, which operates via the internet, is a great option if you don’t want one. It functions just like a regular phone but costs a fraction of the cost.