1. Garage Sales
Who doesn’t love a good garage sale? More importantly, who doesn’t love the extra $100 you make from pawning your old stuff onto complete strangers? Now’s the time to hop on that spring-cleaning train, dig through the attic, and start planning for a garage sale. Well, you know, whenever you can stand less than 6 feet away from someone again.
If you just can’t wait to sell off your stuff, host a virtual garage sale. Post the photos and prices of the items online, let people Venmo you the payment, and all you have to do is drop the (sanitized) item off on their doorstep. Try apps like VarageSale, Letgo and Facebook Marketplace if you go the virtual route. All that money you rake in could go toward your next Baby Step, like building an emergency fund or paying off debt.
2. Pack Lunch
Making your own meals is usually healthier and way cheaper than dining out, especially in the summer when fresh fruits and vegetables are everywhere (you could even grow you own!). Instead of going out to eat every day with your buddies, try making your own lunch two or three times a week. You could save $20–30 each week, which adds up to $200–300 over the course of the summer.
3. Keep your blinds and curtains closed during the day.
Yeah, you might feel like a vampire blocking out any shred of light creeping in, but the payoff could be worth it. The U.S. Department of Energy says that 76% of sunlight that hits standard double-pane windows enters to become heat.3 And that means your A/C unit will be cranking to try to produce the cool air in your house—which is bad news for your electric bill. If you still want to let natural light in (and we don’t blame you), open the curtains or blinds that don’t let direct sunlight in.
4. Shut the doors!
It might sound weird, but keeping the doors closed to rooms you aren’t using could save you a bundle! Your A/C won’t have to keep pumping air to those closed rooms, which means it’ll have less square footage to cool off and it’ll work more efficiently doing it. Simple fixes like this can impact your energy bill in a big way.
5. Work with an Independent Insurance Agent
You didn’t see that one coming, did you? This is one of Dave’s most popular money-saving tips because it’s so easy to do. Maybe you’ve outgrown your current coverage or you qualify for new discounts. An independent insurance agent can research all the options to find the best deal that’s right for you.
Most people save an average of $700 when they shop around for insurance with one of the agents Dave recommends. That’s nuts! Kick-start your summer savings by making sure you’re getting the best deal on insurance! Get a free quote from an insurance Endorsed Local Provider (ELP) today!