Want fast cash?

It’s happened to all of us. Something out of the ordinary pops up- a concert, a mini-holiday or a need (well, really a want) to update your wardrobe.

If you’re on a budget, these kind of expenses are ones that are hard to justify. Still, splurging now and then, just for you would be nice- wouldn’t it?

Don’t be a money martyr. You can keep that plastic in your wallet and give yourself a treat. Here’s how.

Do you read all of your magazines?

Are you a serial magazine subscriber? Cancel those magazine subscriptions, and you could find yourself with a cash injection every month. Depending on how many you subscribe to, you could be looking at about an extra $20/month. It’s a great start towards accumulating cash for other purchases.

Still crave the recipes, health and relationship news? Subscribe to your favourite mag’s emails. They usually send out an enewsletter with teaser stories, which will later be posted on their site under free content, most likely.

Once again, patience is the frugal gal’s best budget bud.

Brown bag it

Do you bring your lunch every day? Does your local barista know you by name? Brewing your own coffee and bringing your lunch to work (at least most days) will seriously pad your bottom line.

It’s well worth taking a few extra minutes in the morning.

Energy savings

You know you should cut down on your energy usage, but do you ever do it? It’s one of the easiest ways to really impact saving on your monthly spending.

Use your A/C sparingly in the summer. Buying a fan is far less expensive than sinking your house into a deep freeze for the sake of comfort.

Respect peak energy usage hours too. Set a timer to run the dishwasher overnight, and do laundry late at night or early in the am before you leave for work.

Cook smart

Taking the energy savings a little further, use this warm summer weather as a motivation to cut costs while you are cooking.

Have cold suppers (think salad mains, and good old staples like pasta and potato salads). Use your slow cooker, which is cheaper to run, and won’t heat your house further on a hot day.  Don’t forget the good old BBQ too — while it’ll cost you in gas, propane or charcoal, is typically a little cheaper to run as well.