Do you know what the $5 Savings Plan is?

The $5 Savings Plan is a savings plan that focuses on the $5 bill. Every time you get a $5 bill,  you put it aside in your savings.  Some people don’t do every $5 bill. Instead, they save a $5 from their wallet everyday.

The problem with this plan is it doesn’t work for everyone. Some of the reasons this plan may not work is people do not use cash on a daily basis, people can’t afford to give up the $5 bill in their wallet, or they do not have $5 to begin with.

With the help of my readers, I have compiled a list of ideas to allow “EVERYONE” to participate in a $5 Savings Plan. Our $5 Savings Plan focuses on ways to “save” $5 a day without having to use cash you may not have.

By Saving $5 a day you will be $1,825 richer at the end of the year.

Take a look at all our great ideas and start your $5 Savings Plan.

$5 Savings Plan Ideas

5 Savings Plan

 

$ 5 Savings Plan: Save on Beverages

Stop buying Soda, Juice, Tea, and Energy Drinks and drink water.

If you must have soda, buy it on sale in 12 packs or 2 liters and stop buying it from vending machines, convenience stores or drive-thru restaurants.

Stop buying bottled water and Switch to tap water.

If you can’t use water directly from your tap buy a water pitcher with a filter.

Use reusable water bottles. (Earth Friendly $5 Savings Plan Tip)

Brew your coffee at home and take it with you in a reusable coffee cup.

If you like flavored coffee, buy flavored creamer or syrups and use them at home.

Use your K-cups twice to get 2 cups of coffee for the price of 1.

$ 5 Savings Plan: Save when eating out

Skip appetizers and dessert

If you are going out with others, meet at one house for appetizers and stop off at another house for dessert.

Eat dessert when you get home. It will cost way less and you will have more options.

Share an entree with your spouse, child, or friend

 If you don’t have anyone to share with, automatically wrap up half to take with you for lunch the next day. This saves money and calories.

Order water with your meal and skip the soda, teas, and drinks. (Most Simple way to save on the $5 Savings Plan)

Water is FREE and has no calories.

A Family of 4 can save at least $8 buy opting for water instead of tea, soda, milk or juice.

$ 5 Savings Plan: Save on meals

Ditch breakfast from the drive-thru, your local doughnut shop, or other dining establishment.

Get up a few minutes earlier and prepare your breakfast at home or pack it the night before to take with you.

Make a big batch of pancakes on the weekend and freeze them. You will have a quick go to breakfast on hand for busy mornings.

Oatmeal Lovers can portion out your oatmeal with brown sugar in Rubbermaid bowl.  In the morning all you have to do is add boiling water and you are ready to go. You can even take it with you since it has a lid.

Pack your lunch and snacks for work. Use an insulated lunch bag to keep it cold.

Prepare extra at dinner so you automatically have lunch for the next day. Pack in a reusable container.

Get creative with leftovers and create a new lunch with them. Bento boxes keep your food separate.

Stop paying for subs or sandwiches from your local deli, sub shop, and fast food establishments.

Buy lunch meat and cheese at the grocery store and make your own at home.

Keep condiments in a separate container to avoid mushy sandwiches.

Stop paying for individual sized snacks.

Buy a large bag and store personal portions in reusable containers or reusable baggies to make your own individual sized snacks to go.

Plan a Dinner Menu for the week or month.

Make a shopping list based on the menu plan you have created. This avoids random shopping trips during the week that raise your grocery bill.

Grow your own garden and enjoy fresh vegetables.

Grow your own herbs to create flavor all year long for a fraction of the cost of store bought.

Reduce the amount of meat in a recipe and substitute vegetables.

Use cheaper cuts of meat in stews, casseroles, and soups.

Take your own snacks and beverages with you whenever you can.

Plan ahead when out running errands, going on car rides, day trips, etc.

If you have kids, keep a snack bag stocked since you don’t know when they will get hungry.

If you know you are going to need to eat while you are away from home, bring food with you.

Make side dishes from scratch and skip the boxes.

1. Homemade mashed potatoes always taste better than instant mashed potatoes. (Leave the skins on and make home style mashed potatoes like the restaurants do.)

Use seasonings and spices to create your own pasta and rice dishes.

Buy a large tub of flavored yogurt and freeze your own yogurt drops instead of buying Name Brand yogurt melts.

 

Keep Reading for more $5 Savings Plan Tips 

 $ 5 Savings Plan: Save on Monthly Expenses

Cancel your cable or satellite service.

Use Netflix, Hulu Plus, and internet streaming to save $60 or more a month.

Unplug your appliances, media equipment, and lights when they are not in use.

When you see the savings you will not mind the extra effort to use a light.

You may also find you really don’t need to use it after all.

Skip using paper towels or napkins for everything.

Use rags or old wash clothes and just throw in with your laundry. They don’t take up much space so you won’t see an increase in your laundry.

Do your own bang trims or boy’s hair cuts at home.

Shop and Compare on your Utilities. Compare prices between providers in your order .

Shop around and compare prices on your Auto Insurance. ($5 Savings Plan Tip that could save hundreds)

Just because it was the cheapest option when you signed up doesn’t mean it still is.

Lower your thermostat in the winter and raise it in in the summer. (Easiest Tip in our $5 Savings Plan)

Lower your thermostat when you are not home or at night when you are sleeping. (In the summer raise it)

A programmable thermostat makes this easy to do. Just set it and forget about it.

If you pay for trash pick-up, you can compost and recycle to lower your trash amount and reduce the need for weekly pick-ups.

$5 Savings Plan: Save while Shopping

Use coupons and stack with sale items.

Buy your Sunday Papers at your local Dollar Store instead of the gas station or convenience store.

Check online for coupons that you can print and take with you.

Sign up for emails from your favorite stores. They frequently send out coupons.

Make sure you check for online coupon codes when shopping online.

Use reusable grocery bags. Many stores offer a few cents off your purchase for each bag or you even earn points towards your rewards program with that store. If shopping stores like Aldi’s and Save A Lot it saves you from having to buy them.

Never go grocery shopping without a list and make sure to stick to it.

Download our Free Printable Grocery List.

Figure out before you go buy something on sale if you are spending more to go get it than you are going to save.

Don’t buy things you don’t need or won’t use just because they are on sale.

Shop the clearance and mark-down sections at stores for items on your list.

Shop your local thrift stores, resale stores, and garage sales for quality clothes at a huge discount.

Buy in Bulk. Make sure to figure out the price her pound, serving, etc. Sometimes the big box stores are not always cheaper.

$5 Savings Plan: Save on Gas

Save gas by leaving early for work so you don’t get stuck in rush hour traffic.

Carpool whenever possible to work, kid’s to school, shopping, etc.

Alternate driving to stores to pick up a few essentials with friends.

Walk to places instead of driving. This will also help you get your exercise in for the day.

Plan your shopping trips and Map your route out so that you are not back tracking or missing stops. This not only reduces the mileage on your car but it saves gas and time.

Shop around for the best gas prices in your area.

It may be cheaper to fill up by work instead of by your house.

Fill up your tank before or after the weekend or holiday.

Check and see if you can save at your local gas stations with their reward card.

Kroger’s offers savings for Kroger Reward Card Users

Costco and Sam’s Club offer members savings on gas.

$5 Savings Plan: Save on Entertainment

Shop Amazon for Free Music.

Take advantage of Free Kindle Books.

Check with your local library to see if they offer free Museum passes.

Borrow books and movies from the library for free.(This $5 Savings Plan Tip is great for everyone)

Watch your local newspaper for Free Community Events.

$5 Savings Plan: Save on Birthdays and  Holidays

Skip Store Bought Cakes for Birthday Parties.

Make your own cake and decorate it yourself. See how easy it is HERE!

Schedule Birthday Parties in between meal times so you only have to serve cake and ice cream.

Make home-made cards with a heart felt message instead of buying a generic store greeting card.

Make Holiday gatherings a potluck so everyone is pitching in on the cost of the food.

Save your Holiday Window Clings for the next year buy storing them on a place mat. This keeps them sticky and is easier than trying to get them back on the paper they came on.

Re-use Gift Bags and boxes.

$5 Savings Plan: Miscellaneous Ways to Save

Save soda bottles/returnables from work and home and return them when you grocery shop. If your work does not have a receptacle, ask if you can put one up. Collect a few extra dollars a week that is being thrown away.

Pay attention to the bottom of your receipts for surveys that pay out with a free product, extra savings off your next trip,or even deals to other establishments.

Be resourceful! If you have friends or family that won’t use a product offer to take it off their hands.

Save all rebate checks you receive instead of spending them.

Save you change when you pay with cash.

Save boxes and packing material to re-use the next time you have to send something.

Use grocery bags in place of small trash bags, doggie waste bags, or “dirty” diaper bags.

 

 

Do you have a way to save that is not listed?

Leave it in the comments below and it could end up in our $5 Savings Plan List!

  Join the $5 Savings Plan and together we will all be $1,825 richer by the end of the year.

The important thing to remember is to “SAVE” the $5 you saved every day as part of the $5 Savings Plan.

If you are struggling to save money then check out these ways to make money!

Check out Dave Ramsey’s Guide to Budgeting for FREE!!

Topic: $5 Savings Plan