8 surprisingly easy ways to save more money

Looking for easy ways to save more money—or cut a few monthly expenses—without feeling like you have to give up everything fun? 

Let's start with a quick reality check.

If you've ever:

• Paid for a streaming service you forgot you had
• Ordered takeout because nobody could agree on dinner
• Looked at your account and thought, "Wait ... where did all my money go?"

... you're in good company.

The good news is that saving more money doesn't always require big sacrifices. Sometimes, it's the small, easy-to-miss habits that can make a big difference over time.

And the best part? You don't have to try all eight. Pick one or two that feel realistic and start there.

|1| Cancel 1 subscription you forgot you had

Streaming services. Apps. Subscription boxes. Memberships.

It's easy for recurring charges to blend into the background.

Not sure where to start? If your subscriptions are linked to your Dupaco accounts, personalized insights built into Shine Online and Mobile Banking can help you quickly identify recurring charges so you can see exactly what's hitting your account each month.

Take five minutes to scroll through your recent transactions and look for subscriptions you no longer use—or don't use enough to justify the cost.

Here's a simple question to ask yourself:

If I weren't already paying for this, would I sign up for it today?

If not, it might be time to hit cancel.

"The biggest one I come across with people is the large amount they pay for cable or internet," said Dupaco Credit Union's Erin Engler. "We complain about it. But we don't want to take the time to do anything about it."

Once, Engler reevaluated her family's satellite service and found a lower-cost alternative that saved her about $900 a year.

"I had to sacrifice a few channels I watched, but I didn't even miss them," she said.

|2| Put your savings on autopilot

Here's a surprisingly effective trick:  Don't wait to save what's left over at the end of the month.

Instead, move money into savings automatically when you get paid.

Even $10, $25 or $50 per paycheck adds up over time.

When saving happens automatically, you don't have to remember to do it—or rely on willpower.

|3| Try the 24-hour rule

Ever bought something online only to wonder later, "Why did I order that?"

Before making a nonessential purchase, wait 24 hours.

That's it.

You'll still be able to buy it tomorrow if you want it.

But you might discover the urge disappears once you've had time to think about it.

|4| Let your spare change do the work

Think spare change doesn't matter?

Think again.

Round-up savings programs automatically round your debit card purchases to the next dollar and transfer the difference into savings.

A $4.40 purchase becomes $5.00.

The extra $0.60 goes toward your savings goal.

You barely notice the difference, but your savings account does over time.

See how ChangeUp Savings could help you start saving a little with every purchase.

|5| See where your money went last month

No judgment. Just curiosity. 

Pull up your last month of transactions and see what jumps out at you.

Many people discover:

• More takeout than they realized
• Multiple streaming services
• Unused memberships
• Impulse purchases they barely remember making

You don't need to eliminate everything.

Just finding one habit you'd like to change can free up money for something more important to you.

Sometimes the biggest spending surprises aren't the big purchases—they're the small ones we make over and over again.

That's exactly what happened to Engler.

"I literally looked at my online account and started breaking down where my money was going," she said. "I had been clueless to how much I was spending on coffee because I wasn't thinking about it."

After seeing how much those coffee shop visits were adding up, she invested in an espresso machine and built a new routine at home.

"Now I like my own better than the coffee shop's," she said.

|6| Plan a few meals before shopping

Meal planning gets a bad reputation for being complicated.

It doesn't have to be.

In fact, planning just two or three meals can make a difference.

Making a grocery list before shopping can help you:

• Avoid impulse purchases
• Reduce food waste
• Cut down on last-minute takeout

And when life gets busy, having a plan is often less expensive than figuring out dinner at 5 p.m.

"Americans are always in a hurry, and we don't always plan and prepare," Engler said. "But it's better for our diet and our money management when we're not going out to eat all of the time."

|7| Stop paying unnecessary fees

Monthly service fees. ATM fees. Credit card fees. Late fees.

They're easy to overlook because they often happen automatically.

Take a closer look at your accounts and ask:

What am I paying for that I could avoid?

"There are some banks out there that charge people a monthly service fee on a checking account," Engler said. "People get used to it, and they pay it."

Late payments often come with extra fees. Accrue enough of them, and they can bring down your credit score—which might mean higher interest rates on loans down the road.

Many credit cards also come with hidden fees, so review your credit card terms and statements to make sure yours is not among them. With Dupaco’s Visa credit cards, there are no annual fees and no-cost fraud monitoring.

A few small fees each month might not seem like much.

But every dollar spent on fees is a dollar that isn't helping you reach your goals.

|8| Review your biggest monthly payments

Sometimes people spend a lot of energy finding ways to save $5 a month while overlooking opportunities to save much more.

Take another look at:

• Insurance policies
• Auto loans
• Credit cards
• Other monthly payments

When Engler reviewed her home and auto insurance coverage, she discovered an opportunity to significantly reduce her annual costs.

"The most difficult part was just deciding to make it a priority," she said.

Request a free insurance quote to see if you could lower your premiums >

The same can be true of loans. Interest rates, credit scores and financial situations can change over time, creating opportunities you may not realize are available.

Maybe your credit score has improved, which might help you qualify for a lower interest rate. If you have multiple loans, you might be able to consolidate them into one lower-interest monthly payment.

“I think a lot of times people are afraid to ask or assume they won’t qualify for a better rate,” Engler said.

The easiest way to save more? Start with 1 thing.

Not all eight things.

Just one.

Saving money doesn't have to mean giving up everything you enjoy.

In fact, the most effective changes are often the ones that barely feel like changes at all.

So pick one thing:

• Cancel a subscription.
• Set up automatic savings.
• Try the 24-hour rule.
• Review your spending.

Small wins build momentum.

And momentum is what turns good intentions into bigger savings over time.

"If you're not an expert in budgeting, take advantage of the services Dupaco offers and come in and get some help," Engler said. "We're not here to judge you. We're here to help."

Ready for a little extra help?

Whether you're looking for budgeting guidance, savings tools or a second opinion on your finances, Dupaco is here to help.

Schedule a free Money Makeover and you might discover simple ways to save more and stress less.