Are you looking for simple ways to save money? No matter how old you are, you can benefit from cutting costs and strengthening your personal finance goals. The idea of penny-pinching might not sound too appealing but stories abound of people who learned to be frugal and went on to enjoy financial success simply because they changed their habits.  You can learn to save money with some of these tips we’ve gathered.

15 Simple Ways to Save Money

1. Buy cheaper gas:  Use an app to look up the lowest gas prices in your area. You’ll also gain rewards from the app that can help save even more money.
2. Wait before you buy: Impulse shopping can lead to a lot of wasted money. Try waiting for a few days or weeks if it’s not something you need right away. By the time you circle back to that item, the desire to have it may be gone!
3. Pack a lunch:  Let’s say that an average meal costs $10. If you’re buying lunch out several times a week, you could be spending up to $50 a week, which adds up to $200 a month. Grocery stores and home-cooked meals are much less expensive.
4. Use coupons and discounts: If you can put off buying something, wait until you can get it with a coupon. Search for coupon codes online before you make a purchase — even if it’s only as simple as free shipping, it will save money.
5. Buy things that will last: Get the most out of your appliances, clothes, furniture, and technology. Sometimes it’s worth spending a bit more for a higher quality item that won’t have to be replaced. Do your research and buy the best you can get for your budget and not spend more in the long run replacing items.
6. Eat your leftovers: Roughly one-third of all food goes to waste. Don’t let yours go bad and throw away the money you spent buying the food.
7. Always shop with a list: It’s easy to buy extra items when you shop without a list. Whether for groceries, household items or holiday shopping, hold yourself accountable for carrying a shopping list. Stick only to the things you planned on buying.
8. Purchase used items when possible: Clothes, books, movies, and video games all come at low prices when you buy them used. Hot new stuff come at a high cost when they first release. If you can wait a and have patience, you can get your hands on those products at a substantial discount.
9. Make one trip: Some people waste a lot of gas by driving home and then going back out again. Maybe you need to buy groceries, pick up the kids from school, and drop by the library. Why not save it all for one trip rather than coming home and going back out?
10. Buy concert tickets at the door: Unless you think a show might sell out, you should purchase your concert tickets when you reach the venue. This tactic especially works for smaller concerts. You’ll avoid a $10 to $15 processing fee.
11. Give experiences, not gifts: Instead of giving something that will end up in the back of someone’s closet, why not spend time with them instead? If you must give something, then bake them a cake or banana bread.
12. Comparison shop: Compare prices from different stores and purchase whichever item is cheaper. Consider shopping at stores that offer price matching from competitors.
13. Use your library:  Why buy books, movies, and CDs to fill your shelves when you can use the library? You will find a vast selection of entertainment for free.
14. Avoid late fees: Make sure to note when you need to pay your fines or return your library books. You don’t want to be charged extra for anything.
15. Cancel memberships: The typical price of a gym membership is $41. However, only about 18% of gym members visit on a regular basis.  Regardless of the type of membership you have — use it or cancel it!

Saving money isn’t that difficult to do. Once you start examining your personal finance, you’ll notice all sorts of simple ways to save money. Utilize these helpful techniques to stop spending and start saving.

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This article was syndicated and originally appeared on the CESI Debt Solutions website.