Save $100 This Week (and Beyond)

Like I promised last week, I’m tackling your most pressing money goals here on Couple Money. Since saving for emergencies is a priority for many readers, I want go ahead and give you some practical ways you can get $100 this week. Even if you don’t have a ton of time, most of these suggestions can be done fairly quickly.

Please pick and choose which ones you think will give you the biggest bang for your buck and let me know by next Monday how much you saved.

Ways to Save $100 Today (and Beyond)

If you’re stuck on ways you can save $100, I found some quick and easy ways you can use starting today to get some money pumped into your saving account.

Monthly Family Expenses

Review your cellphone service. Many families are not getting the best deal when it comes to their smartphone plans. The good news is that there are more and more options beyond the big four. One of my favorite providers is Republic Wireless. They have unlimited cellphone plans ranging from $5-$40/month and the Moto G they offer is an affordable $149.
Buy comparable store brands. One of the biggest expenses for couples and families are groceries. Without trimming down your list, you can save money by getting comparable store brands. Consumer Reports had found private labels to be just as good or even better than the national brand. This doesn’t apply to all store brands, but it is something to consider next time you’re at the super market.
Clip coupons for one week. I’m not asking you to become an extreme couponer or clip every single one – what I’m suggesting is to only clip coupons for the items you already buy. It might not save you huge amounts, but it will cut your total.
Call your home/car insurance for better rates. If it’s been awhile since you’ve shopped around, go ahead and go online and get some quotes from competitors. To make sure you’re getting a comparable quote, have a copy of your current policy. You can then call your insurance company and see if they can match or beat those quotes.
Switch your credit cards. Looking to either cut back on your interest rate or getting a cash back bonus? Getting a credit card that is better suited for how you spend your money can be a boost. You may be able to transfer your current balance or maybe you can receive cash for signing up.
Consolidate your student loans. Depending on your situation, you may be able to save some significant money by consolidating your student loans.

Entertainment and Fun

Review your cable bill. Even if you keep your same service, you may be surprised to be offered a promo rate. That happened to us with our internet service – we saved $20/month just by comparing plans.
Get fit for free. Skip the gym membership and fancy equipment by using the power of the web. There are some great resources online like Nerd Fitness and Fitness Blender that can whip you into shape.
Stay in for movie night. For just this month, go ahead and use your Netflix, Hulu , or Redbox account and watch movies at home. You can still have your favorite movie treats, without spending a ton.

Found Money

Use a coin jar. You may be able to save $20 this month or more just by keeping your loose change in a jar. Place it by your front door, so you can empty your pockets quickly and easily.
Adjust your w-4. If you tend to have a big tax refund year to year, you may want to talk to Human Resources about updating your w-4. It can help bump up your take home pay which you can then regularly transfer into your savings account and earn some interest.
Have a yard sale. Most of us have some clutter that we’d like to get out of the house. Take care of that and make a little bit of cash by hosting a yard sale or selling your stuff on Craigslist.
Tutor a student. If you have subject that you’re good at, you may want to offer your skills as a tutor. Besides getting some cash, you’ll be helping a someone.

Automate Your Savings

I hope this list inspired you on where you can save $100.. Don’t forget, once you save that cash go ahead and transferred that money into a high interest savings account. I want you and your family to build your financial cushion as fast as you can.

I’d love to hear from any readers who have built their emergency fund. Do you have any other ideas on how you can trim $100 from your budget?

Photo Credit: Ash