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With prices on the rise, who isn’t looking for ways to cut costs and save money? But in particular one group stands out to me: Teachers! Teachers by nature are bargain hunters. We are always looking for a deal as well as always saving things because we may be able to “use it later.” How many of you have a cupboard full of “Use it Later” saved objects? My hand is up ๐๐ปโโ๏ธ too, believe me! Well, this post isn’t going to be about what to save for later, but rather simple ways that I’ve found to put a little cash back in my pocket and now in yours. With that, I am going to share my simple money saving tips for teachers right here!
7 Simple Money Saving Tips
1. Ibotta– Ibotta is a cash back app that I use after grocery shopping. It can be used for cash back when shopping online at certain places, too! It’s not difficult to use. For online shopping, you use the app to get to the site you want to make a purchase from and, then, shop and checkout. The cash back will be applied to your account, usually a few days to a week later. For grocery shopping, you can select offers ahead of time or right after you shop. Then, be sure to save your receipt. Many of the places I shop, I just snap a picture of the receipt and confirm my purchases and, boom, cash back (sometimes, instantly!). Some shopping locations you can link up to and, then, you don’t even have to take a pic, however these offers must be selected in advance.
I make sure to only buy what I need and not just buy something for the offer. Otherwise, no money is saved. You end up spending more money than you’re saving! Good news with this is that there are bonuses you can earn and you can make a little extra by referring new customers! If interested, please use my referral code at sign-up and we’ll both get a bonus: BEEUTKU
2. Upside– Upside is another cash back app. This one is used with gas purchases. Something you’re going to buy anyway, so you might as well get a deal! This app can, also, be used at some restaurants and other locations. This is an app similar to Ibotta in that at some places you snap a pic and others are automatically linked.
Some of the restaurants you pay using the app and then show the location, similar to a gift card. Doing it that way was difficult all the way around, for me and the location, so I rarely do it. This is another one where referrals pay off! In fact, you will get a small amount of cash back for your friends’ purchases, too! Please check out this link for more info and to get started with Upside!
3. Sam’s Club or Costco membership– If you have kids, a membership to one of these is great! You can often find deals for new members to get the first year free and some school districts offer a discounted membership rate. You can save money on so many items at Sam’s Club or Costco, including gas. If you need gas and are nearby, I would use this over Upside. The savings are better!
4. ThredUp– ThredUp is an online consignment shop for womens and children’s clothing. The clothing is cheaper than new and usually in excellent condition! They offer deals all the time, including free shipping. And as long as the item is noted as returnable, returns are easy. You can, also, get a free clean out kit to fill up with gently used clothing and try to make a little spending money!
My clean out kit is in process now, I’ll update this post to let you know how it goes. If items sell, you can either cash out or use it as credit towards a purchase. If you’re interested, use my referral code to earn us both some shopping money: thredup.com/r/EEK5CD (You’ll get 45% off + Free shipping with this link.)
5. Once Upon a Child or Other Local Used Clothing Store– Once Upon a Child will purchase gently used clothing from you and more or you can use the sale of your items as a trade-in towards your purchase. When short on cash, wash up some clothes your children have outgrown and take them to your nearest store. Check their website for the location nearest you! https://onceuponachild.com
6. Buying Books Used– I rarely buy a new book these days. I either borrow it from the library or purchase used. This goes for me personally as well as in my classroom. Used books are cheaper and most are in great shape! I am affiliated with a few different used book stores to be able to look for the best bargains.
I, also, have other ways to get books discounted or FREE! Check out my post Top 10 Ways to Build Your Classroom Library on a Budget for more info.
7. Harris Teeter or Other Grocery Store Sales– Harris Teeter is the grocery store I typically shop at here in South Carolina, but all grocery stores have sales and most have savings programs. I definitely watch for them and use them to my advantage. An example is buy 1, get 1 free Thomas Bagels. When that sale happens, I stock up and freeze them to last until the next sale. Another good one is spend $150, get $10 off your total purchase. If you’re anything like me, you spend at least that when you grocery shop for a family with growing children!
Conclusion
These tips won’t rake in the big bucks, but they do provide some extra cash when you need it most. Sometimes I use my savings for a little self-care, like a massage. And sometimes it’s used for getting through a month where the budget is stretched a little thin, usually around major gift-giving times or during the summer when doing more costly activities with the family.
One last thing I do that can be a little more time consuming is doing online surveys through American Consumer Opinion. You get a survey incentive for taking certain surveys. The range in length varies, but when you hit 1000 points/$10 you can cash out.
I hope you find something new in these 7 Simple Money Saving Tips for Teachers that you haven’t tried before and that they help you stretch your paycheck just a little farther! Let me know in the comments which ones you try or any of your money saving tips that I can try.
