Recent News & Blog / 8 Beginning of the Year Money-Saving Tips
January 27, 2026
At the beginning of the year, many of us are holding ourselves accountable to the goals we’ve set for the year, with one of the most common goals being to save more money. Especially on the heels of the holiday season, where consumers spent a record-breaking $1 trillion, many are second-guessing purchases or cutting out extra spending all together this month.
Whether you’re trying to cut back out of necessity or kickstarting your financial progress for the year, in this blog, we’re sharing eight of our favorite ways to help you save money and meet your personal goals.
1. Meal plan
Particularly if you have a family, food is likely one of your top expenses. With food prices rising exponentially over the last five years, eating out often or buying and forgetting about groceries comes at a significant cost. One of the most effective money-saving strategies when it comes to your food budget is to meal plan.
When done consistently and correctly, meal planning can also help you cut back on food waste, meet your nutrition goals, and limit how often you hurriedly order take-out or find yourself going through the drive-through line. Plus, tools like Plan to Eat can help take the stress out of meal planning and can provide additional resources to make mealtimes enjoyable for your whole family.
2. Shop secondhand
Shopping secondhand is an effective money-saving strategy, and has other benefits, like helping to cut down on environmental waste and supporting your community. The beginning of the year is also a great time to hit up your local thrift stores or browse online forums, like Facebook Marketplace, as people list new items for sale or make donations after decluttering and spring cleaning.
If shopping secondhand feels a bit intimidating, there are so many ways to start small and scale up. If you have an upcoming birthday party to attend, instead of thrifting the whole gift, you could thrift glasses and pair them with the recipient’s favorite whiskey—or you could thrift a cookbook for the chef in your life, gifting it alongside some high-quality baking ingredients. You can also make a list of the things you’d personally like to find secondhand, like baskets, vases, or art, and work towards sourcing those items over time.
3. Download a budgeting app
One of the best ways to accomplish any goal is through accountability, and saving money is no different. Budgeting apps can help you stay focused on your goals by allowing you to see where your money is going and what changes you need to make to your spending behavior. Apps like Monarch and RocketMoney integrate with your and your partner’s accounts so you can work together on your shared goals for the future.
4. Cancel unused subscriptions
We’ve all done it… There’s a new show you’re dying to watch, but it’s only available on the one streaming service you don’t already have, so you sign up for the trial, but life gets busy… and before you know it, you’ve just spent $100 on 10 months of a service you’ve only used once.
In recent years, many businesses have turned to subscription model, leaving many of us paying money for things that are no longer relevant to our current needs—or budgets. Whether you’re subscribed to software, streaming services, or even paying fees for a gym that you don’t go to anymore, now is a great time to review what you’re subscribed to and cancel anything that you no longer need. This is a great way to put hundreds, or even thousands, of dollars a year back into your pockets.
5. Use your local library
Reading is one of the most all-encompassing beneficial hobbies one can have but buying new books on a regular basis can add up quickly. Signing up for a library card can help you save countless dollars by allowing you to borrow books instead of buying them. Plus, using a local library has numerous other benefits aside from physical books, including free children’s programs, tutoring, access to online streaming, and audio and e-book resources to name a few. If you begin using library resources this year, this Library Value Calculator is an engaging way to physically track the money you’re saving by not buying everything brand new.
6. Enjoy your rent or mortgage
Have you ever calculated what it costs for you to live in your home per day? Stay at home and enjoy what you’re already paying for! For some of you, this is a tip that you already happily abide by, but if you’re someone who likes going out often, there are many ways to experience joy and community within your four walls.
If social experiences are what drives you, maybe you could try swapping going out to eat for hosting a dinner party with close friends or have a friend over to watch a movie at home instead of buying an overpriced movie ticket. If you tend to leave the home because you enjoy the change of scenery, maybe you could designate a space in your home or property for you to enjoy a hobby or interest that is fully separated from your day-to-day life.
7. Remember – Nature is free!
The next time you’re bored, remember that it costs nothing to enjoy nature. Instead of buying stuff online that you don’t need for a dopamine hit, go outside and enjoy a walk or watch the sunset. If you have kids, getting them outside and into nature is very beneficial for their health and development, too. Rather than spending your Saturday at an indoor playground (that will inevitably give your whole family the plague), try a nature walk or visit a new park.
Of course, this tip can be weather-dependent, but even in less-than-ideal weather circumstances, there are many fun and free ways for your whole family to enjoy being outside.
8. Find ways to make more money
As you take steps to save more, making more can help you reach your goals even faster. This doesn’t necessarily mean that you must ask for a raise or get a second job either, though if you want to do those things, they’ll certainly help.
Many of us have things in our homes that we no longer use, from old appliances to clothing, that could easily be sold for extra cash in a yard sale or online. You can also be creative with your current circumstances to find opportunities to make more money. Maybe you’re proficient in a subject and can become a tutor or maybe you have space in your home or on your property that you could rent out for additional income. Whether big or small, it’s worthwhile to see how you can earn more to accomplish your financial vision even quicker.
Final thoughts
Remember that saving money doesn’t mean that you have to stop enjoying good meals, being social, or even buying things for yourself. It’s more about integrating creative ways to still do what you enjoy for less. If saving money is a goal of yours this year, we hope that you found inspiration from this article to try something new that will help you along the way.