HOUSTON—How would you like an extra $4,000 a year? Well, KHOU 11 News looked into saving money and discovered small things really can make a big difference. From discounted gift cards to simple habit changes, some easy adjustments really will add up.
It starts first thing in the morning with coffee. Of course, brewing your own is cheaper than the always-popular Starbucks. How much cheaper?
A take out latte or cappuccino typically goes for $4.00. Say you buy five cups a week. That’s $20 a week, or $1,040 a year.
Lots of folks say your home brew doesn’t taste the same as the real Starbucks. So how can you fix that? These days grocery stores such as HEB on Bunker Hill have huge coffee sections. They roast, grind, flavor and top your java. They sell those fancy toppings and those fancy flavorings. There are 11 types of coffee syrups from chocolate and amaretto to peppermint and raspberry and, yes, there are several sugar-free varieties.
Remember that $4 for a cup of Starbucks? For $4.29 you can buy a canister of Folgers that will allow you to brew up to 90 cups of coffee.
Kristl Story is author of The Budget Diet. Her motto: “Be your own barista!”
The mother of three practices what she preaches.
“Our whole family gave up filtered water about three years ago,” said Story.
A case of bottled water can be $3 to $4. Story zips through the math.
“You’re talking about $200.00 a year. It’s the little things that add up,” she said.
Of course, there’s the issue of eating out for dinner.
“When in work one-on-one with people I ask them, ‘What do you spend on eating out?’ The answer is usually half of what it truly is,” Story said.
The fast food, the sodas and junk food can be an easy $6 to $7 a day.
Story has a challenge for readers for the next month. Use your phone or a notebook and “Every single time you eat out, write that down and see what it adds up and I think you’ll be shocked,” she said.
Also, there are discounted gift cards at websites such as Plastic Jungle, where you can order cards for up to 20 percent off. Stores range from Nieman-Marcus to Home Depot to AMC Theatres. For example, AMC has a 13 percent discount. So you could pay $41.80 instead of paying $48.05. Savings: $6.25 or about one free kid’s movie ticket.
“If you could cut your spending by $13 a day over the course of the year, you’re talking $4,000 dollars,” Story added.
To be more exact, it actually adds up to $4,745. That could be a nice vacation, some new furniture or a used car.
