Looking for 2021 tested and proven money-saving hacks that will fatten your wallet?
You’ve found the right post.
The strategies and money hacks in this post work very well. In fact, they have saved me up to $10,000s of dollars over the years. I 
strongly believe in goodwill and helping others. So, I’ve decided to compile the best money-saving hacks and share them with you so you can start saving a ton of money as well.
Not all of these hacks will apply to you, however. I recommend going through the list and choosing the hacks that work best for your situation right now. Bookmark or pin this post so you can have the rest of them handy for another day and time.
As a side note, I’ve excluded those that do save money but waste a lot of time in the process. I know it’s cliché, but time really is money for most of us.
With all that being said, it doesn’t matter if you’re flat broke, you can save a substantial amount of money by applying (and even combining) the money-saving hacks from this list that best apply to you.
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Table of Contents
Money-Saving Hacks & Apps
Get cash back for doing your routine shopping in the form of free gift cards
Yes, it’s true. Right now, you can start getting free gift cards just for doing your everyday shopping.
How?
A free app I used called Drop will give you free gift cards on autopilot while you do your everyday shopping. All you have to do is download the app here and link the card you primarily use for purchases. Drop will do the rest. The only time you’ll be opening the app again will be to redeem your free gift cards.
Receive automatic refunds when an item you’ve purchased goes up in value
Did you know that you could be getting money back if something you purchased goes down in value?
It’s true.
A free app called Paribus scans your e-mail inbox and gives you automatic refunds on price changes. It has saved me $100’s of dollars without me having to even lift a finger.
Get rid of your unwanted subscriptions and negotiate your bills down to a lower price
Many of the bills you pay could be negotiated to a lower price or outright canceled. You could negotiate yourself, but it’s a huge pain and a tedious waste of time. Trust me, I know.
There are much better things to do with your time then spend it haggling with phone representatives.
Fortunately, it’s not all doom and gloom. There is a better way to save money fast.
A free app named Trim will do the negotiating for you by using artificial intelligence. Trim will save you money and time without any work on your part. Trim also sends you convenient text messages to confirm each money-saving action.
You can download Trim for free here
Redeem sign up offers for popular brands and apps with Swagbucks
Swagbucks is one of the money-saving hacks I use on a regular basis.
If there’s an app or service you’ve been meaning to sign up for, chances are that using Swagbucks will save you money or make you money. Under their “discover” section they have sign up offers for a variety of brands, apps, and services. I recently made $17 by signing up for a free trial of Hulu which I later canceled. Another app I signed up for was Postmates which saved me $20 on my first order.
Sign up for Swagbucks here. You will even get $5 just for completing your profile.
Apply coupons, rebates, and other discounts to your purchases automatically
In today’s fast-paced world, who has the time to search for rebates and cut out coupons? I stopped doing all of that when I discovered Dosh.
With Dosh, you don’t have to worry about finding and applying coupons, rebates, and other discounts for your purchases. Once you download Dosh and hook up the card you use to make purchases, it applies these kinds of discounts for you.
Get Dosh for free with this link.
Quickly save money on your in-store shopping by using Ibotta
Shop at grocery stores, malls, and electronic stores often? Or even a little?
There’s this new, free app called Ibotta that gives you cash back on your everyday purchase made in-store.
You can save money on groceries, clothing, electronics, college supplies, and items from just about any other category you can think of for your lifestyle.
All you have to do is scan your receipt into the app using your phone’s camera. It takes seconds, and it’s really easy!
Save a ton of money on your online shopping by using Rakuten
If you shop online without using a free cashback website like Rakuten, you are throwing your money away.
I recommend Rakuten over other cashback websites because they are legit and save you the most money.
Plus, they are simple to use. All you do is sign up, browse stores through their online portal, and make purchases as you would normally do.
Rakuten gives you up to 15% in cash back from more than 400 popular stores and brands. You’re bound to find your favorite store(s) in their online portal.
Sign up for Rakuten here and get $10 off when you spend $25 or more at any of the 400+ stores.
Start improving your credit today
You are losing money by having a low credit score.
Take steps such as paying your credit card payment on time to improve your credit to 680 or better. With Credit Karma, you can check your credit score for free so that you know where you stand.
Sign up for Credit Karma and check your credit score without giving out your credit card.
Invest your spare change or 5% of your paychecks into an automated investment account
Start saving money by investing money that you’d otherwise waste. Take your spare change and put it away for your retirement savings. You likely won’t even notice that money, and your future self will love you for being able to retire early. If you’ve never invested before, I recommend Acorns. Their platform is known for seeing consistent ROI and being beginner-friendly.
And, you can get a $5 cash sign up bonus if you sign up for Acorns through this link.
Save money at the gas pump with a free phone app
If you’re going to drive, you might as well save money at the gas pump. Gas prices rise and fall, but this simple hack will ensure you’re paying the cheapest price. Get $0.15 cents back for every gallon of gas you put in your car with the GetUpside app.
All you have to do is scan your receipts into the app. It’s really easy. I know $0.15 cents isn’t much, but it definitely adds up over time.
Download the GetUpside app for free here and start saving on gas today.
Start saving on your electric bill in minutes with Arcadia Power
Being more sustainable by using clean and environmental-friendly energy is the wave of the future.
What if you could be a part of this wave and save cash in the process?
Keep reading.
When most of us sign up for our electric bill, we don’t get to choose how that electricity is delivered to us. Most likely, this means that your energy source is coming from fossil fuels.
Arcadia power is a service that lowers your monthly electric bill by switching you over to a clean energy source like wind or solar. And, this only takes a couple of minutes.
All you have to do is create a free account, link the account you use to pay your electricity to Arcadia Power, and they will do the rest.
Click here to create a free account on Arcadia Power.
Automatically find and apply coupon codes at online checkout
Have you ever finished buying something online and wished you had a coupon code to save money on your purchase? I know I have. The worst is when you come across a coupon code after you’ve already paid!
Don’t let this happen to you anymore.
Get the Honey browser extension for free here. Honey automatically finds, tests, and applies coupon codes so you don’t have to worry about it anymore.
*Additional money-saving hack
If you download Honey through my link, we will both get $5 that can be used towards a gift card of your choice from countless retailers like Walmart, Amazon, and Nike.
Click here to add Honey to your browser for free and get $5 toward a gift card of your choice.
Money-Saving Life Hacks
Only fill up your car at the cheapest gas stations
Going to expensive gas stations is costing you money. Heck, even if you spend time manually looking around for the cheapest gas station, you are wasting time and money. If you don’t know where the cheapest gas station is, use the free GasBuddy app. It will locate the cheapest gas station near you. There’s no reason not to use it.
Book pet sitting and pet walking with Rover instead of retail pet stores
Many retail pet stores overcharge you for their pet care services. Instead of using them, look into the Rover app.
Pet lovers like you and I list services such as pet sitting, pet walking, and general pet care on Rover’s online. Each person is vetted and reviewed so the likelihood of your pet having a wonderful experience is high.
Use cash back credit cards instead of regular credit cards
If you are using credit cards that don’t give you cash back, you are losing out on free money. Plain and simple. As long as you are paying them on time (like any other credit card) they will save you cash over time. I recommend using them for your regular purchases and bills.
Check this list from Nerdwallet for an up-to-date list of legit cash back credit cards.
Rent things you’re likely to use once or twice instead of buying them
Why buy something you’ll only use once? It’s going to collect dust and likely end up being a waste of money. I recommend using Fat Llama to rent what you need. They have a wide variety of items to choose from, and it’s safe to use.
Save money fast by getting things for free instead of paying for them
Free is always good. But many of us are conditioned to think there’s always a catch if something’s for free. Turns out that’s not always the case.
Start taking advantage of legit free money opportunities such as writing grants and sign up bonuses. They are some of the best money-saving hacks around.
Be sure to browse the free section of Craigslist for furniture, clothing, accessories, and more that are given away every day.
Our related article: How to Get Free Money Now: 22 Best Legit Methods.
Use cloth diapers and baby wipes instead of disposable ones
Cloth diapers are cheaper than disposable diapers. Not to mention, they are better for the environment, more absorbable, and potentially much more comfortable for your baby. You can save up to $2500 if you start with cloth diapers over disposable diapers by the time your baby is potty trained.
Buy clothing in the offseason
When the temperature changes, clothing stores need to unload their seasonal inventory. You will get big discounts if you buy winter clothes in the spring and summer clothes in the fall.
Terminate your cable or satellite service
Nowadays, most programs can be streamed online for free or with a cheaper service like Hulu or Netflix.
You will save $100s of dollars over time by doing this. And, your time can be freed up to do productive activities like learning a new skill.
Additionaly noney-saving hack: If you’re completely adamant about keeping your service, at least threaten to cancel your service. Your provider will usually offer to trim your bill in an effort to keep you.
Purchase discounted gift cards and use them instead of cash at your favorite stores, restaurants, brands, and websites
Do you regularly buy from certain places? You could be saving a ton of money by purchasing discounted gift cards and using them in place of cash. Here are four great websites that provide the best deals on gift cards:
GiftCardGranny – Earn $1 upon completion of signup. GiftCardGranny lets you withdraw your cash same-day. Sign up here.
Raise – Earn $5 when you sign up and buy your first gift card. They have a big selection of gift cards to choose from. Click here to sign up for Raise.
CardCash – Get $5 off your first gift card purchase when you sign up. Click here to sign up for CardCash.
Buy your regularly purchased, non-perishable items in bulk
Sam’s club has the best deals on these kinds of items. The membership will pay for itself by saving you money on the non-perishable items you regularly purchase.
Click here to sign up for Sam’s Club membership and get a free $20 gift card.
Fill up your tank and buy your perishable supplies the day before a road trip
Gas stations, rest stops, and stores in the middle of nowhere are notorious for price gouging. They know that people forget to buy things or may get hungry during their travels. So, they rip you off accordingly. You will save money by preparing the day before and not buying at these places.
Make unique gifts instead of buying them
The best gifts come are personal and come from the heart. You don’t have to buy the latest junk that your giftee will forget about in 2 weeks. Make them something they’ll remember for life. Your wallet will be fuller, and their heart won’t forget it.
Empty out your garage, closet, and storage areas
There are plenty of things that you’re not using and never will. Do the following two things to fatten up your wallet: Sell everything you will never use on Decluttr. Rent out the things you want to keep but never use on Fat Llama for easy passive income.
Book an Airbnb instead of a hotel room
Rented rooms on Airbnb are often cheaper than hotel rooms.
This is mainly because you’re dealing with regular people instead of businesses. You can also pay by the night instead of by the number of people in your group. If you have a big group, that alone will save you a ton of money.
Buy frozen fruits and vegetables instead of fresh
Buying frozen fruits instead of fresh fruits will cost you less per ounce for essentially the same thing.
Cook your meals a day in advance and bring them to work instead of eating out for lunch break
The costs of carryout food take a toll on our health and our wallets. By preparing your meals in advance for work, you’ll save money fast.
Host a potluck with friends and family instead of eating out to save money
Eating out is expensive. Especially, if you live in the city. Besides the food, think of the other costs like gas and parking. Save money by foregoing dining altogether. Instead, opt for a potluck in which you and others contribute homemade food.
Switch out your regular light bulbs for LED light bulbs
I know LED light bulbs cost a little more but hear me out. You will save money in the long run by switching to them. They are more sustainable, last longer, and can save you up to $50 on your electric bill per year.
Invest in a quality water filter instead of buying bottled water
If you have the money and drink a lot of water, get a water filter that is high quality. You will save $100’s and even $1000s every year depending on the size of your family. And, you will be drinking water that is just as nourishing if not more so than your average bottled water.
Eliminate bad habits that are wasting your money
We all have bad habits that could be curtailed or stopped altogether to save money. What are yours? Stop and think for a moment to identify them. Then, make a list. Some example costly bad habits include: buying lottery tickets, gambling, leaving the lights on, eating empty calorie snacks, etc.
Stop smoking cigarettes and cigars
This one goes without much saying. You are draining your bank account and harming your health. Understand that smoking is addictive because of nicotine, and an unhealthy bandage for underlying problems. Instead of smoking, try healthy solutions such as regular deep breathing and meditation.
Save big money by preventing big problems
Problems feel bad and they cost us money. You can save money and pain by preventing them from happening in the first place. As an example, improve your health, so you don’t have massive health care costs down the line.
Learn a skill(s) that you’d otherwise pay people for
This is one of the money-saving hacks that require some work but pays dividends.
Imagine if you didn’t have to pay $1000 to a web designer to create a website, or a graphic designer to make images for your social media.
Start learning the skills yourself.
Udemy offers free and inexpensive courses on a wide range of subjects. They are an amazing resource that a lot of people don’t take advantage of. I recommend checking them out. Click here to create an account on Udemy.
Stop buying fast food
Fast food is unhealthy and costly when you factor in price per meal. It’s not uncommon to spend $7-$9 (or more) on a single fast food meal. Instead, you can prepare your meal with fresh food options (and have bigger portions). For example, instead of paying $9 for a little teriyaki bowl, make it yourself. A chicken breast will cost you $1-$2 and the rice and teriyaki will cost you quarters when rationed for a big homemade teriyaki bowel.
Eat less meat
Instead of meat, eat more chicken and fish. Both are cheaper on a protein to ounce basis. Not to mention, both are more sustainable for the environment than meat.
Get your spending triggers under control
All of us have spending triggers. And, it’s up to us to keep them under control or find yourself low on money.
Here is a list of potential spending triggers and how to prevent them:
Notifications from apps telling you things are on sale. Turn those notifications off.
Auto-filled credit card information. Delete credit card information from your setting or cache.
Being around people who waste money or spend too much. Minimize your time around people who spend and waste.
There are, of course, other spending triggers. A good rule of thumb for preventing them from happening is to keep yourself distant from the trigger or to immediately turn your attention to something else that doesn’t involve spending.
Take a look into intermittent fasting
Intermittent fasting is not a fad diet or anything of the sort. Simply put, all you are doing is eating 1 or 2 meals a day at most within a 6-8 hour window. For the remaining 16-18 hours, you don’t eat.
Keep in mind the 6-8 hours of sleep you get can be counted towards that 16-18 hours. By only eating 1 or 2 meals a day, you will save money fast by foregoing snacks and too many meals.
If you have a choice between driving and walking to a destination, choose walking
You will become healthier overtime (lowering the potential cost of healthcare) and save money on gas. There’s an app called Sweatcoin, which will even pay you in Sweatcoins for every step outdoors you take. These Sweatcoins can be redeemed for PayPal cash and other prizes.
Get your holiday decorations and non-perishable supplies in January right after New Year’s Day for a massive discount
Most people buy their decorations during the holiday season at full price. Instead, you could save money by planning ahead. Get your holiday supplies from retailers right after New Year’s Day. In fact, the best time to go would be January 2nd or 3rd. The selection will be the largest. If you celebrate Christmas, you can save even more money by purchasing an artificial Christmas tree instead of buying a real one during the holiday season.
Buy your Halloween costume in November for next year
This money-saving strategy is just like the holiday decorations strategy. You will save a lot of money if you buy your Halloween costume way in advance. If you change your mind, you could always return it or re-sell it during the next Halloween season.
Choose generic-branded items over name-branded items
Most generic-branded items are exactly the same products as their name-branded counterparts. They’re even produced in the same facilities. Most of the time, the only difference is that name-brand items are marketed better and have expensive packaging. Both of those differences make name-brand items cost more money. Here are a few examples of generic-brand items that will save you money: foil, plastic wrap, zipper storage bags, trash bags, toilet paper, toothpaste, and more.
Set aside an extra money fund that is exclusively intended for purchasing great deals on bulk items
Every so often, retailers will have amazing deals on certain items IF you buy a lot of them. You need to be ready. So, set aside an extra fund of money that’s used for buying great deals on bulk items (and other investments). You will save money in the long run and feel abundant.
Easy Hacks to Save Money Fast
Avoid buying things with paper money unless you have no choice
When you use paper money, you get loose change that ends up lost or never used. Instead, use cash back cards and “double dip” by paying with Apple pay, Samsung Pay, and Google Pay to get even more cash rewards.
Drink plenty of water that is filled with minerals
It’s important that your water has minerals in it, or you may end up not quenching your thirst. Look for mineral water or spring water and drink that instead of distilled. Your thirst will be quenched. And, you will naturally begin to turn away unhealthy money-wasting drinks like soda and artificial juices.
Clear your cookies before booking travel tickets
This is a money-saving hack I wish I knew before booking travel tickets.
So get this.
When you visit travel websites repeatedly, they view this as a strong intent signal that you’re looking to purchase travel or airline tickets. In response, they will raise their prices because you’re more likely to commit and book.
Ever since I found this out, I clear my cookies before I book!
If you’re unsure about cookies or are hesitant to clear them, read this post before you do.
Apply the 30-day rule when it comes to impulse spending and big-ticket items
Get ready to learn about one of my favorite budget hacks.
This hack is called the 30-day rule.
And, it works like this.
Whenever you are faced with a big-ticket item like a flat-screen or an impulse purchase, write it down. Wait 30 days. If you still need it, then consider buying it. If you’ve forgotten about it, congratulations. You just saved money by not wasting it on something you didn’t need.
Never shop on an empty stomach
When your stomach is growling you are consciously (and subconsciously) thinking eat, eat, eat. So, what do you do? Buy more food. The problem is that you will end up buying more food than you need. And that extra food will end up in the garbage bin after it expires.
Do a quick YouTube, Google, or Quora search for tutorials to see if your problem is easily fixable before spending money on a professional
I’ve saved $1000s of dollars by doing this over the years. It’s amazing how seemingly complex problems have simple solutions and are easy to DIY (Do-It-Yourself).
Regularly empty your trunk and keep your car light
Keeping your car light will save you money. Your car will expend less gas with the extra weight off and get you to your destinations faster.
Join the e-mail lists of your favorite brands and influencers
Did you know that brands and influencers like bloggers regularly offer discounts to their e-mail subscribers?
Yes, it’s true!
When I found this out, I was kicking myself for not subscribing sooner. I’ve saved $100s if not $1000s over the years by being apart of e-mail lists.
I recommend you make a separate folder or e-mail for these e-mail lists. You don’t want to get too inundated with promotional e-mails.
Use someone else’s Netflix account
This is one of the simplest Netflix hacks out there, but so many people still overlook this.
Instead of paying for your own Netflix subscription, use a friend or family member’s account. You can have up to six people or devices connected to one account at a time.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a money-saving hack?
A money-saving hack is a powerful and effective strategy, tip, or app that increases your purchasing power.
Are the money-saving hacks free?
Yes. Some of the apps have paid services.
I am flat broke. How can I save money with these hacks?
As someone who was once flat broke and in debt, I know what you mean. Chances are you have access to some kind of money. So the strategies and hacks in this post will help you.
If you need money-making hacks, view my other post here.
I am feeling lazy. Are there any money-saving hacks that will work fast with little to no effort?
Yes, plenty. I recommend that you focus on the “Money-Saving Hacks & Apps” section of this post. Having said that, be sure to browse the other sections. There are other quick and easy money-saving hacks throughout the rest of the post.
Where can I find hacks to make money?
Our list of money hacks has exactly what you’re looking for. This list contains sign-up bonuses, referral bonuses, and general money hacks that work fast in 2021. Click here to view the post.
Very informative…nicely done. I look forward to reading more in the future.
Thanks! I’m glad this post helped you, Beth.