You’re probably here for one of two reasons. You either want to know how you can get out of debt, save more money and live your best life; or you are looking for a list of 250 ways to save money that will help you reach those goals. Either way, we’ve got the list! We’ve gathered together all our favourite tips from our blog posts on saving money and put them in one place so they’ll be easy to find when you need them most.

Income – Tips for earning more money:

Tip#1: Start a side hustle

There are lots of ways to make some extra cash without quitting your day job, from selling on eBay or craigslist to catering parties at home and giving rides with Lyft or Uber. Even if it’s just an hour a week, you can really start to make a difference.

Tip#2: Create an emergency fund

It’s the first thing you should save for, and it will put your mind at ease when emergencies come up or if you need money for something important like education or retirement savings. Think about saving 25% of each paycheck until it reaches $1000-$2500 (depending on whether this is your only emergency fund).

Tip#3: Ask for a raise

If your company doesn’t offer regular raises, you can always ask for one and explain why it’s deserved (i.e., “I’ve been with the company almost two years now”).

Negotiate for more money – this is something that’s worth doing even if you’re happy at your current job and don’t plan on leaving.

Tip#4: Avoid credit cards like the plague

They offer a lot of benefits, but they can be incredibly expensive in interest fees if you’re not careful about how much money is available to pay off each month. Always think ahead before charging something – and make sure it’s for something that will make you money in the long run, like investing or starting a business.

Tip#5: Refinance car payments

Get rid of your car payment by refinancing it and paying less each month. If you have decent credit (a score over 700), this is something that can save you hundreds of dollars every year on payments – plus, if interest rates go down between now and when you refinance, it could save even more.

Tip#6: Shop at discount stores

Shop at stores that offer discounts for cash or debit card payments like Costco and BJ’s instead of using a credit card. Stop spending money on things you don’t need just because they’re “on-sale”.

Tip#7: Read your bills carefully

Go through your cell phone bill with a fine-tooth comb – chances are, there are some things on there that you don’t need and can cancel. For example, if you’re not using your phone for streaming music or video (and the data isn’t unlimited), it’s a good idea to downgrade from an “unlimited plan” to something more affordable.

Tip#8: Get great at credit card rewards

Become a power user on your favourite rewards credit card – some of the best ones have introductory bonuses or points that are worth up to $100 for every year you’ve had it, and they often help you save money by giving cashback when you shop online (like we talked about in our post on finding the best credit card).

Tip#9: Pay with cash

If you’re trying to save money, there’s no better way than by putting your cold hard cash on the counter when you make a purchase instead of swiping your plastic or handing over a wad of bills. The same goes for using coupons – it doesn’t matter how much they save you if it’s just going to make your spouse mad because they have coupons, too.

Tip#10: Shop with a list

Make a list before grocery shopping so that you only buy what’s on the list and save money by not purchasing items that are about to expire or ones that will go bad soon – remember, sales don’t really exist unless there is no more of the product and the store is trying to make room for a new shipment.

Tip#11: Organise lunch

Bring lunch from home instead of buying it, or start packing snacks if you’re usually hungry in between meals at work (avoiding vending machine temptations).