Want to save money? You’re in the right spot.
You may notice I’m passionate about saving money (hence why this is Part 2 of this blog topic – if you haven’t read Part 1 you can do so here).
This is something that hits close to home for me, since saving money isn’t just a way to have a few dollars in your pocket. Extra money is a resource you can use to buy more preps – and therefore stay alive longer when SHTF. Saving money is also a skill that will benefit you for your entire lifetime.
The less money we waste on things we don’t need, things that break easily, and things that don’t benefit us long-term, the more we can spend on things that can actually help us survive.
And so, to do that, you’ll want to discover these tips on…
How To Save Money & Buy More Preps (Part 2)
Go Camping More Often
Truth is you don’t need a big fancy tent, an RV, or tons of gear to go camping. All you really need is shelter, some food, and some pure drinking water.
Think about it – the more often you go camping (especially while it’s warm) the less often you’ll be at home. That means you won’t be wasting money on electricity, heat, A/C, power, etc.
Plus, the more you’re in the great outdoors the more likely you are to appreciate the little things and to stop focusing on what you don’t have. You’ll also get away from the TV, the computer and (hopefully) your phone. This helps you appreciate life. It also helps put you in the right mindset for saving money (instead of purchasing things you don’t need).
Go Hunting & Fishing
The truth is you’re going to spend money on food no matter what. However, how much you spend – and how far that money goes – is completely up to you.
For instance, buying meat and fish at the grocery store will maybe provide a couple meals (plus leftovers). However, buying a permit from the Department of Natural Resources and hunting or fishing for your own game will extend that food supply for months.
For instance, just one deer can give you enough meat to last a few months – and if you freeze the meat it’ll last way longer. Plus, if you skin the game yourself you’ll save lots of money on processing fees.
If you fish, heck – that’s self-sufficiency right there. I have some friends that went fishing in Alaska and brought home more Alaskan salmon than can fit in their freezer.
If you don’t have immediate access to a place to hunt, my suggestion is to make friends with a farmer or someone who hunts regularly. These people are often more than willing to sell you their meat – and you typically pay less than what you’d buy at the store. (Plus, it’s often way better quality).
Cook Your Own Meals
Going out to eat every so often with friends can be fun. But too many restaurants and drive-thrus can put a big dent in your budget (especially if you have kids).
Save lots of money by cooking meals at home. This way you have control over how many ingredients to buy, how to prepare them, and how many meals you get out of it.
Plus, cooking your own meals can be a lot healthier than eating in restaurants since you can also control the amount of fat, carbs and sodium that goes into your food. Also, another thing – portions are HUGE at most restaurants and drive-thrus. Cooking at home ensures you dish out the correct portion sizes without going overboard.
Pro Tip: You’re a lot more likely to go out to eat when you get off work and have nothing in the fridge. Start on Sunday and prep all your dinners for the week at once. Cook all the food, and put it in tupperware until you’re ready to eat it. This guarantees you’ll have a delicious, ready-to-heat meal waiting for you when you get home. (Just make sure to choose a recipe that you like and that reheats well).
Get A Credit Card That Loves You Back
Credit card debt can be crippling. Therefore, one of the best motivations to start saving money is so that you can get out of debt. After all, interest rates and late fees are outrageous – and you’re practically throwing away tons of money you could otherwise be using on preps.
While you work on digging yourself out of debt, start researching better credit cards that will work FOR you. For instance, some cards offer grace periods on interest rates. Others give you airline miles when you pay for things. More will give you cash back, or points toward things like travel and products you love.
There’s no doubt about it. Credit card debt sucks. Dig yourself out of it and get a better card that will help you in the long-run while you make payments.
Start Couponing & Grouponing
Couponing may be something our mothers did – but it wasn’t for nothing. 30 cents here, a dollar there… these can really add up and save you a good chunk of change on your grocery bill.
Hate spending hours cutting out newspapers? I don’t blame you. Bring this money-saving pastime into the 21st century by looking for couponing apps on your phone. These can send coupons straight to your smartphone, which you can then scan and use at the grocery store. Helllooooo savings.
Groupon is another excellent website (and app) to save money on. True, it showcases many experiences (like restaurants, spas, etc) that seem frivolous. However, you can also find awesome discounts on things you’d generally pay for anyway (such as a haircut or auto maintenance).
Go Garage Saleing
You know why garage sales are so great? The stuff is CHEAP. It’s amazing how many things people have that they’re trying to get rid of – and what little money they’re willing to take to part with it.
Of course, you have to be careful with garage sales. If the item you want is electronic, ask to plug it in to make sure it works. If the item is something made with fabric, make sure it’s free of stains, holes, and bad smells. And as a general rule, never buy mattresses, couches, recliners or socks/underwear from garage sales. That’s just good sense.
Craigslist also has some great deals. They even have an entire section for FREE things. However, again, you’ll want to exercise caution – and remember that if it’s Free, there’s often a good reason why.
Sell Your Stuff
“Minimalism” may sound like a trendy word being thrown around these days. However, the concept is genius for saving money. The truth is most of us don’t need (or use) a lot of the stuff we own. We buy it, and then buy more and more. We then buy things to hold/store the stuff we already bought. Before too long our houses are cluttered, and we needed bigger houses and storage spaces to fit it all.
It’s madness when you think about it. Instead, take inventory of every single thing you have in your home and storage unit. Ask yourself, “Do I truly like this item? Have I used it in the past year? If I saw it at a store would I buy it?” If the answers are no, that’s a good indication to get rid of it. It’s often astounding to realize how much crap you’ve kept in your house all these years for no good reason!
Then sell off all this stuff and make a profit.
Remember – the more money you save, the more you can prepare for an upcoming disaster! Prepare Now, Survive Later!
