Welcome to your ULTIMATE “super-simple” savings guide! Today, we’re going to dive right in with a list of 21 easy things you can do – NOW – to help you:

• • Save money
  • Reduce stress
  • Have fun
  • Experience WILD financial success!

Now, don’t panic…

I know 21 things seems like a LOT to tackle, but if you commit to just THREE of these 21 tips to cut back your monthly spending, you will see astounding savings!

Do you ever wonder where in the world all your money goes every month? If you sat down right now and looked at your bank statement, I bet you’d be shocked to find out exactly where you spend those hard-earned pennies. If you itemized every single thing on that statement, I bet you find a lot of places to cut your spending.

We call that “finding the fat.” The “fat” in your spending represents any place your money goes, where it doesn’t need to go.

These are super simple ways to put more cash in your hands to spend on the things you REALLY want to spend it on.

[RELATED: Tired of living paycheck-to-paycheck? Take control of your finances and annihilate your debt with one simple formula.]

1. Drink Water: Water has endless health benefits (boosted energy, headache relief and clear skin, anyone?). Plus, drinking water – instead of soft drinks or that third latte – makes a significant difference in your wallet. AND… you’ll avoid that inevitable sugar or caffeine crash. Invest in a refillable water bottle, and avoid paying to throw away those plastic bottles.

2. Make Your OWN “Fancy” Coffee: That pumpkin spice latte costs you close to $5 a pop, at the drive-through. It’s surprisingly easy to make copycats of your Starbucks favorites, at home, for MUCH less. (We’ve even got a great recipe “cheat sheet” right here!) And, you’ll probably save some calories, too!

3. Swap Halloween Costumes:
Why shell-out upward of $50 for a brand new Halloween costume for your child every year? Instead, organize a “Costume Swap” with friends and their kids. And you don’t have to stop there! Ask family members to clean out their closets and add any old clothes to the swap. You’ll have a great time with your friends… and the whole family gets a refreshed wardrobe. All without spending a dime! You can also swap things like books, movies, toys, dishes and seasonal decor.

4. Carpool: Creating a parent carpool will save you valuable time AND gas money – especially if you have children attending multiple schools or in extracurricular activities. Then, compound your savings – if you live near any of your coworkers, you have another option! You can take turns driving to work.

5. Don’t Touch That Thermostat! As temperatures dip (or rise) seasonally, resist the urge to crank up the heat or A/C. Set the thermostat at 68, then wear sweaters and snuggle under blankets for warmth. The same holds true for summer – open windows for cross-breezes and wear lightweight fabrics and cooler clothes. Now, take it a step further by weatherproofing your home. Filling cracks and gaps with caulk, and keeping your windows properly covered, will save you tons of money all year long.

6. Cancel Unused Club Memberships: You signed up for that gym membership in January, with the best intentions. But if you haven’t used it much since then, it’s time to cancel. There are great FREE resources like smartphone apps or fitness classes on YouTube, to keep you on track for your personal health goals – thus, ditching those expensive monthly membership fees!

7. Get A Library Card: Library cards are usually very inexpensive – often free! You avoid shelling out $10-$20 for a book you’ll only read once, and many libraries also check out movies, language programs and research materials. And, more public libraries have gone digital, allowing you free downloads for your tablets! Some also host free community education classes. It’s also a great place to find out about your community events. (Just don’t forget to return items on time, to avoid late fees!)

8. Learn How To Cut Your Kids’ Hair: Whether you have one child or six,  haircuts add up fast! Keeping them all neat and trim means frequent haircuts. Save money by learning how to cut your kids’ hair, yourself. Use these resources to get started!

• http://www.parents.com/kids/hygiene/how-to-cut-your-kids-hair/
• https://www.thespruce.com/cut-your-kids-hair-like-pro-3129257
• http://www.wikihow.com/Cut-Kids%27-Hair

9. Examine Your Bills: Go through your cell phone, internet and cable bills. Do you pay for services your family doesn’t use? Ask your service provider if your monthly data usage comes anywhere close to the “unlimited” data you pay for. You might find you’re paying for more than you need. Then, cancel any cable channels you don’t watch.

10. Volunteer: Find a charitable organization or project to get involved with. This is a great way to give back, connect with people who share similar interests and lift your spirit. It’s can also be turned into a fun and inexpensive family activity.

11. Make Your Own Cleaning Supplies: Save money on expensive brand-name cleaning products, by creating your own… at a fraction of the cost. You can make cleaning solutions for just about any household chore, using ingredients you probably have in your home already! Even better, you avoid the harmful chemicals found in most commercial cleaners. Check out some homemade solutions right here.

12. End “Bad Day” Splurges: Also known as “stress spending,” these bad day pick-me-ups can add-up over time. You know what I’m talking about. You have a tough day at work… or get in an argument with your spouse… or the weather is dreary, so you stop by your favorite boutique on the way home, or indulge in a sweet treat or manicure, or grab a new lipstick or gadget because you “deserve” it. Look for inexpensive, mood-boosting alternatives:

• Create a new music playlist
• Find a great, uplifting podcast (Look for mine, coming soon!)
• Go for a walk or run outdoors
• Try a new recipe

Not only will you save MONEY, but these new habits are investments into your long-term success and happiness.

13. Remove Temptations: Unsubscribe from those promo emails (from your “favorite” brands) flooding your Inbox, cancel your catalog or magazine subscriptions and delete any apps tempting you to spend money. Even try replacing those apps with one focused on money management, instead. This one, called Mint, helps you set a budget, manage your bills and gives you a VISUAL breakdown of exactly where your money goes. And, based on your own spending habits, it even makes personalized suggestions on where to save more!

14. Make More Meals At Home: Eating out – even two or three times a week – quickly adds up every month. Preparing more meals at home, from whole ingredients, is less expensive and healthier for you and your family! When grocery shopping, avoid processed and packaged “convenience foods.” Instead, opt for fresh, seasonal produce. This website shows you which foods are in season near you. Fall vegetables make great soups for the cooler weather! Crockpot recipes are quick and easy, and you can make a few extra servings to store for lunches or freeze for later. Try a few from this list.

15. Pack Your Meals: This is one of the BIGGEST money saving tips I can give you. If you do nothing else, except commit to this one thing, you’ll see significant monthly savings. Pack your lunch and snacks when you’re on-the-go. You avoid throwing away leftovers, and have more control over the ingredients in your food and what you put in your body. And, as an added bonus, it makes a NOTICEABLE difference on your bottom line. If you usually grab breakfast out, pack that, too! And if you travel for work, to a training seminar or even for vacation, bringing a cooler with grab-and-go snacks and meals will save you HUNDREDS of dollars.

16. Plan Inexpensive Family Fun Nights: Saving money doesn’t have to mean sacrificing fun with your family. Instead of taking the family out for dinner or a movie, plan family game nights. You don’t even need expensive board games – just play cards, dominoes or a simple dice game. Revive charades… there are even apps for THAT! You can build an indoor fort with couch cushions and blankets, or enjoy a backyard camp-out. Have the kids make up their own silly stories. Check out even more ideas, here. Think outside-the-box (or even inside the box, because sometimes all kids need for fun is a cardboard box) and encourage fun, communication and creativity within your family!

17. DON’T Skip “Date Night”: Never underestimate the importance of setting aside quality time with your spouse. Investing in your marriage and your spouse should be a priority. But it doesn’t have to involve fancy dinners or expensive entertainment. You can:

• Pack a $10 picnic
• Visit a local landmark
• Find free concerts, festivals or community events
• Research inexpensive art galleries or free showings
• Take community education classes together
• Go star-gazing
• Cook a meal together

Incorporate finding new ways to spend time together – without spending money – INTO your fun. Instead of paying a babysitter, trade-off with a friend. You take their kids for a night, and the next night they take your kids while YOU have a date night.

18. Try A DIY Project: Instead of buying a new piece of furniture, try giving an old one new life with paint or fresh stain. Search thrift stores and yard sales for unique pieces, then add paint or change out drawer pulls. If you’re new to DIY, start small and be sure to do your research!

19. Let The Kids Help: Kids of any age are capable of starting a business! They can:

• rake leaves
• mow lawns
• tutor younger children
• babysit
• take care of pets
• even create and sell a product

Not only will your kids make money, but they’ll also learn how to promote and run a business, maintain a client base, work with excellence and responsibly manage their money.

20. Have A Garage Sale: You can easily make a few hundred dollars in a weekend, just by clearing out things you no longer use around the house.

• Go through your closets
• Have the kids sort through old toys and clothes
• Get rid of old furniture
• Empty other storage areas – and maybe save some $$$ on monthly storage fees, too!

If you only have a few items, you can list them on Craigslist, eBay or even on social media and phone apps.

21. Create a Second Income Stream: You’re doing everything you can to stretch your budget, but still worry about making ends meet. How about adding another income stream. What do you love to do? What are you good at? How can you capitalize on those things – and have them make you MONEY?!

You can offer tutoring, freelance as a copy editor, writer or graphic designer, search for jobs as a virtual assistant, launch an Etsy shop, write an eBook of recipes, do cooking or sewing for others, run errands, or build a home-based interpersonal marketing business. DaniJohnson.com will provide you with all the tools and training you need to run and grow that business!

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Committing to just two or three of these tips will make a BIG impact on your bottom line. Share how many you tried and the crazy savings you experienced, on our Facebook page!

(P.S. Are you ready to start applying those savings to your long-term financial success? Check out this 10-Step “War On Debt Battle Plan” – a program to teach you even MORE simple tricks to save, PLUS give you a formula to pay-down your debt FAST and create true wealth. Take control of your finances today!)