Every Thursday in 2025, I answer questions about money and budgeting. If you have any questions you like to answer in future posts, please send them here.
This week’s questions are:
“I want you to share money saving strategies that you think are worth your time and effort.” – Reader
I love saving money, but do you know what I like even more? Save money in ways that actually make a difference without taking up my day. The truth is: Time is also money!
One of the best ways to determine if a money-saving strategy is worth your effort is to think about it from a return on investment (ROI).
Ask yourself:
How much does this save me per hour?
Is that a good hourly wage for my efforts?
Would I rather spend time doing something else that would provide a better return?
And this is the best part – everything you need to save is tax-free! Unlike the income you earn, you don’t have to pay taxes on money you won’t spend.
So, what is the money saving strategy that is actually worth your time? Well, that will be different for everyone, but share five money saving strategies in the kitchen.
Five Money Saving Strategies That Are Valued for me (Kitchen Edition!)
1. Make Homemade Cheats – Save $0.80 per minute
My kids love obscure things, but are they expensive? Instead of paying nearly a dollar per sandwich, I make myself in batches and freeze them. It takes about 10 minutes to make a dozen and your savings will increase quickly.
worth it? absolutely! That saves nearly $50 per hour!
2. Check out grocery store sales flyers – save 1-2 dollars per minute
Before placing an order for Kroger delivery, I spend about 10 minutes scanning sales flyers for the best sales, digital coupons and Bogo deals. Depending on that, you can also spend $10-20 a week by planning your meals, focusing on what’s on sale.
worth it? yes! It’s an easy way to stretch your grocery budget without much effort.
3. Plan your menu for what you have on hand – save $1-2 per minute
Planning your meals doesn’t have to be complicated! Rather than just starting out with a good sound or coming up with an idea, check your pantry, fridge, and freezer to see what you can do with what you already have. This reduces waste, prevents unnecessary groceries from running, and saves money.
Tip: You need quick and easy meal ideas. Do many people use items that they already have on hand? Download my free cheat sheet: 60 meals made in place of takeout.
worth it? 100%! Bonus: It also prevents food from getting worse!
4. Bring lunch to work every day – save 1-2 dollars per minute
Buying lunch costs between $10-15 per meal. Packing my lunch takes 5-10 minutes in the morning, but I save over $50 a week. It costs over $2,500 a year!
worth it? Definitely! And I’m healthier too!
5. Weekend Meal Prep – Save $30-40 per hour
If you spend an hour or two of the preparation ingredients (make chopped vegetables, marinated protein, large batches of rice, soup or muffins), So It’s much easier to throw a meal together on weekdays. It not only prevents the temptation to “just grab a takeaway,” but also saves time and money.
worth it? yes! Save time alone makes it easier!
Not all money-saving hacks are worth it
I love good, humble victory, but not all the tricks make good use of my time. for example:
Driving through town to save $0.10 per gallon on gas – This is a few dollars savings for an extra 20 minute trip. no!
Save money on food I don’t use – I’m planning a shopping trip that saves a lot of money by spending 20-30 minutes looking at sales coupons and digital coupons, but we’re buying things that we don’t use either, so it’s not saving money.
Dialing everything – (like homemade laundry detergent), and when you consider the time and effort, there are actually some things that don’t save much.
What money saving strategies are valuable to you?
I’d like to hear from you! What is the simple strategy to save you enough money for the time invested? And what have you tried but found it not worth the effort? Please drop your thoughts in the comments! 
Free Download: 60 Meals to Avoid Takeout
Meal time has been very easy!
Source: Money Saving Mom® – moneysavingmom.com
