To celebrate FirstBank’s 60 years of “banking for good,” we’ve compiled a list of 60 ways to help you make money and save it.

Check out 60 Things You Didn’t Know About FirstBank at efirstbankblog.com to learn more!

Finances

1. Earn More with Your Money. Do you have money that seems to be just sitting in your account collecting dust? Try searching for interest-bearing savings account to earn some extra cash. Although rates may not be astronomical, it’s better than nothing. If you’re wanting to invest your savings into an investment account to get a large return, consult an investment or tax professional to see what best suits your financial needs. 

2. Take Advantage of Bank Bonuses. If you’re looking to open a new account to help separate your savings from your checking, do some research and find the best bank that fits your needs. As well, some banks offer a cash bonus to new customers who meet specific requirements including direct deposit set up, maintaining a minimum balance or completing spending activities.

3. Use Money Management Apps. Financial trackers like Mint or Personal Capital are there to help you better manage your money. Accurately tracking your income, expenses and savings goals can help reduce debt and create better spending and savings habits. For more money management apps, check out Apps to Master Your Money.

4. Create a Budgeting Roadmap. From emergency funds to vacation savings, budgeting impacts every part of your financial life. To get started, check out Your Roadmap to A Better Budget.

5. Adapt the 50/30/20 Rule. The 50/30/20 rule helps you focus on better managing your income and how you spend. 50% of your income is dedicated to essentials like rent or food, 30% for personal expenses like entertainment and 20% for savings like vacation, emergency or retirement.

6. Hop on the Cash Stuffing Bandwagon. Cash stuffing or the envelope system is a savings technique to help you prioritize expenses and help budget for experiences like international travel or the down payment on a new home.

7. Open Accounts That Do the Saving for You. Some banks offer checking and saving account packages that automatically transfer funds with each card swipe. It allows your normal spending habits to do the saving. By the end of the month, you may have $10-20 in your savings to help pay down credit card debt or go towards your next vacation.

8. Keep Your Checking and Savings Separate. By separating your everyday funds from your savings, this limits any temptations when it comes to spending. You can open the savings under the same umbrella as your checking account, to keep easy access in case of a financial emergency.

9. Adapt the 30-Day Spending Rule. When it comes to making large purchases, try waiting 30 days. If it still feels like an important expense, then you’ll feel more confident with your decision. This will also give you at least 30 days to save up for the purchase rather than dipping into your savings.

10. Try the 24-Hour Rule. For smaller purchases, try waiting 24-hours to decide. Again, if you still feel like this is an important purchase after 24 hours, then go for it!  

11. Designate No Spend Days. Though having no spend days may not be feasible for everyone, it is a great practice to employ when saving money. On those no spend days, try finding things to do at home to occupy your time, whether it’s deep cleaning, organizing or binge-watching a show, one thing you won’t be doing is spending.

12. Use Coupon Managers When Shopping Online. Coupon managers like Rakuten and Honey help scour the internet for discount codes to help you save money at checkout. So when it comes to shopping online, you’re still saving.  

13. Set Up Automatic Transfers. Start small and set a goal for yourself. By setting up an automatic transfer from your checking to savings either biweekly or monthly, depending on your level of expendable income, it will help you mindlessly save.

14. Avoid Buy Now, Pay Later Services. Buy Now, Pay Later programs offer instant gratification but make it easy to fall into a debt trap. Suddenly, all of those payments come due and you’re now living beyond your means. Instead, make note of what the item costs and add it to your budget.

15. Follow a Savings Challenge. There are plenty of savings challenge templates online to follow with a set dollar amount designated for your savings either daily, weekly or monthly. The goal is to give this activity a competitive edge, keeping you hooked and looking forward to saving throughout the year.

16. Save Your Cash Tips. If you work in a tip heavy industry, try saving your cash tips in an old-fashioned piggy bank, shoe box, mason jar, etc., and deposit it into your account on monthly basis. This limits the amount of impulse shopping with cash on hand and your daily tips add up quickly.

17. Use Credit Card Rewards*. By making purchases with your credit card to pay for monthly expenses (gas, groceries, etc.) and paying them off every month, points or cash back bonuses add up fast. Once you have a decent number of rewards, you can use them to pay for airplane tickets or hotel expenses.

18. Open Separate Accounts for Annual Expenses. Every year, there are large expenses that come up like taxes, car registration or even annual car insurance. By setting up a separate account and budgeting a monthly transfer, you won’t be surprised when the time comes and have to forego another bill or dip into your savings.

Side Gig Opportunities

19. Do More with Your Extra Space. Why let your extra space or empty home go to waste? Apps like Neighbor or Airbnb allow you to earn income by renting out rooms, garages or empty closets for storage.

20. Sign Up for Quick Gig Apps. If you have free time, sign up for side jobs like ride share services, meal delivery or personal shopping. Apps like Lyft, DoorDash or Instacart make it easy to set your own hours and get paid out immediately.

21. Submit Reviews in Your Spare Time. In a world full of online reviews, you can get paid for submitting product reviews and surveys. Apps like Slicethepie or Survey Junkie allow you to review music, fashion and more to receive cash or gift cards.

22. Launch a Full-Fledged Side Hustle. The way people generate income has drastically changed in recent years due to the rise of “gig-economy.” With extra time and resources, it’s more common to launch a side hustle and create your own schedule. Check out 8 Side Gigs to Land Extra Cash.

23. Scan Your Receipts for Extra Cash. We’ve all been shopping and end up with a handful of receipts that eventually end up in the trash. Instead, use apps like Ibotta or Shopkick to get cashback by scanning your receipt.

24. Sell the Clothes You’re Not Wearing. Our closets tend to get filled with clothes we either grow out of, go out of style or don’t have a need for. Companies like ThredUp or Poshmark allow you to sell your clothes and clear out your closet at the same time.

25. Turn Your Hobbies into Extra Cash. For creatives whether it’s woodworking, knitting, or creating digital art prints, setting up an Etsy shop gives you the opportunity to sell your handmade goods for a sizeable return.

26. Sign Up for Micro-Tasks. If you’re good with DIY projects or manual labor tasks, like mounting a tv or assembling furniture, apps like TaskRabbit or Fiverr are easy ways to supplement your income.

27. Walk Your Neighbor’s Dogs. As life gets in the way, simple tasks like walking your dog become time consuming. That’s why there are apps like Rover created to help and provide small income to those looking.

28. Start a Podcast. We’ve all got something to say and with apps like Anchor, launching your own podcast is easy for beginners. These apps help record, distribute and monetize each episode for you.  

29. Launch a YouTube Career. With such a large amount of niche audiences, your video style can range from product reviews and daily vlogs to tutorials. The platform has a variety of ways to earn money via advertisements and product deals.

30. Sell Things That Don’t Spark Joy. According to Marie Kondo’s best-selling book, The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up, she encourages the act of eliminating things around your home that don’t spark joy. And with buyback stores like 2^nd & Charles you can get cash for your old books, movies, CDs, video games or vinyl records.  

Groceries

31. Clip Digital Coupons. Most local grocery stores have apps with weekly digital coupons to help cut costs on everyday items. For instance, MyGroceryDeals.com offers free digital coupons and a store locator to find the most affordable deals.

32. Shop Consciously. When looking to save money on your grocery bill, steer clear of pre-shredded or pre-cut produce that tends to have a price hike. This allows your budget to cover more necessities. Learn more ways to help save money on groceries here.

33. Reduce Plastic to Save Money and the Planet. Instead of buying plastic water bottles, choose filtered pitchers and reusable water bottles to cut costs. And it’s a win-win for the planet by helping reduce plastic waste. Check out 8 ways FirstBank is helping the planet here.

34. Choose Reusable Bags. Now that most stores are removing plastic bags and charging for reusable bags, it’s time to also slowly replace disposable sandwich bags with reusable and biodegradable storage options. As a no cost option, you can upcycle old spaghetti sauce or peanut butter jars to save money and cut down on waste.

35. Dedicate a Clear Out Your Pantry Night. When you’re in the mood for takeout, turn to your pantry and those cans in the way back. Challenge yourself to craft something out of nothing and who knows you might even stumble upon a new family recipe.  

36. Swap Out Name Brands for Store Brands. Typically, generic or store brand foods serve as the perfect dupe to your beloved Kraft macaroni and cheese or Totino’s frozen pizza. The price differences of each item add up and will save you money on your grocery bill.

37. Know Which Foods aren’t Affected by Inflation. With rising costs on everyday produce from eggs to bacon and bread, removing those items temporarily from your grocery list will help stretch your dollar. At the same time, adding more shelf stable items to your menu like white rice or dried beans lends to a more affordable grocery bill.

38. Prepare Large Portions to Freeze for Later. An easy way to stretch your casserole dish is to make larger quantities then portion and freeze for future meals or work/school lunches.

39. Use Self-Check-Out. By scanning your own groceries, you have the ability to monitor how much you’re spending and just how every choice adds up.

40. Avoid Shopping on an Empty Stomach. Research has shown that hungry shoppers spend 64% more money than their non-hungry counterparts. So, if possible, limit your grocery store trip to after breakfast, lunch or dinner.

41. Use Order Pickup to Avoid Impulse Buys. Sticking to your grocery list online will help reduce the number of impulse buys or eye-catching snacks at the checkout line.

42. Sign-Up for A Wholesale Membership. If you tend to buy things in bulk or have a large family, signing up for a Sam’s Club or Costco membership will help you save money on items like toilet paper, cleaning products or individually wrapped snacks.

43. Sign-Up for Meal Prep Services. If you don’t like cooking or simply don’t have the time to create a grocery list, sign-up for meal prep services like HelloFresh or Home Chef to have easy and affordable meals delivered to your home. By having a set menu and ingredients at your door, this eliminates grocery trips where you might purchase items that spoil if not eaten quick enough or foods inflated by rising costs.

Personal Expenses

44. Consider Free Alternatives to a Gym Membership. While fitness is important, some gyms overcharge and limit your income. Try using these free alternatives to stay active and save money:

• YouTube for home workouts
• Walking in the park
• Swim laps at your community pool
• Join local amateur sports leagues
• Run at your local high school track and field

45. Cancel Automatic Subscriptions You Don’t Use. The number of streaming services these days is a bit overwhelming and costly if you end up subscribing to them all. By consolidating streaming services from 5-6 to 2-3, you will put money back into your wallet, while still allowing you to enjoy the newest shows or movies.

46. Become a Member at Your Library. For avid readers, a way to cut back on the costs of books is joining your local library to rent them for free. This also limits purchasing books you don’t end up liking.

47. Explore Low-Cost Events. To save money on your next night out, substitute an expensive dinner for free or affordable events like a picnic in the park, recreation center activities or free educational events at your local library.

48. Plan a Staycation. Instead of splurging on a luxurious trip, find local stays/experiences that still feel like a vacation while saving money.

49. Host a Potluck with Family or Friends. Rather than planning a night out, swap your expensive sit-down meal with a casual tapas-style get together at home. By encouraging friends or family to bring side dishes, you won’t break the bank trying to feed everyone.

50. Sign Up for Family Plans. If you have a household full of cellphone users, combine each bill into one monthly payment. Most cell phone providers offer family plans with significant discounts.

51. Wait for the Holidays to Purchase Big Sticker Items. When looking to purchase a new flat screen TV or laptop, wait until they go on sale around the holidays. Black Friday is the first big sale event that comes to mind but most retailers host Memorial and Labor Day sales.

52. Be Mindful When Fueling Your Vehicle. With insane gas prices, shopping around for the most affordable spots is easy with apps like Gas Buddy and Waze. The built-in locator narrows down gas prices by zip code and even pairs with GPS to guide you there.

53. Refinance Your Vehicle. If possible, shop around for the best auto loan interest rates and look into refinancing your vehicle. After making payments and building up your credit, you may be eligible for a lower monthly payment at another financial institution.

54. Cut Out Costly Hair Salon Visits. Stop by your local beauty school to get a free or discounted haircut from students. You’re not only helping them learn, but by cutting that expense you can allocate those funds to other areas of your budget.

55. Shop Second-Hand. Save money by purchasing clothes, home décor and furniture at your local thrift store. More often, you can find unique items that better suit your style without spending an absurd amount at big box stores.

56. Install Motion Detector Lights Around Your Home. Installing motion sensitive lights helps conserve your energy bill and limits you from accidentally leaving lights on around the house.

57. Take Advantage of Discount Cards. If you are 50 and over, sign up for an AARP card to take advantage of the built in deals from discounted car rentals and cruises to gas and concert tickets.

58. Discover Free or Low-Cost Vet Services. Your pet’s health is important, and sometimes the price of vet visits can be overwhelming. Usually there are free resources provided by local animal shelters or humane societies. Check www.bestiepaws.com to find some affordable options near you.

59. Stock Up on Greeting Cards. If you’ve ever rushed into a store for a last-minute greeting card, you may have noticed the price is almost the equivalent of a large latte. Buying them in bulk will reduce any unplanned costs and keep you in charge of your budget.

60. Upgrade to Energy Efficient Appliances. Using energy efficient appliances or LED lightbulbs can help cut costs on your energy bill. If you’ve been contemplating installing a solar powered roof, the IRS does provide a credit as part of the Residential Clean Energy Credit. The credit rate for property placed in service in 2022 through 2023 is 30%. To learn more visit IRS.gov.

*Subject to approval: FirstBank determines actual loan qualification only after receipt of a complete loan application and analysis of pertinent information, such as (but not limited to) credit history, income documentation, and property valuation.  Subject to approval.  Fees and restrictions may apply.  See any FirstBank location for complete details.

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