5 DIY Tips to Save on Regular Expenses

The Internet is awash with talk of money-saving tips. Myriad savings guides, articles, and booklets on how to keep more of your own money adorn the World Wide Web. Truthfully, most of us gloss over these articles without paying them much heed. Fortunately, there are valuable DIY tips to save on regular expenses. Sometimes, you simply have to think outside of the box!

Cash Back App for Gas & Food

Two of the most common purchases we all make regularly are gas and food. Wouldn't it be great if you could unlock savings on these expense items?

Fortunately, there are cash back apps designed expressly for this purpose. Whether it's dining at a participating restaurant, filling up your vehicle at a gas station, or indulging in your favorite foods at a grocery store, some competitive cash-back opportunities are waiting for you.

Available in the Google Play Store for Android devices, the app allows you to earn 3X quicker than other apps, with effortless cash back on top of credit card rewards. With 50,000+ participating retailers, it's a large and growing network for customers.

Plus, you can earn real cash, not points or rewards. As an added thank you, the service offers a generous once-off bonus for friend referrals who make purchases.

Buy Generic, Not Brand Name

There are many items only available by their brand name, notably licensed medications, technologies, or systems.

However, generics are a cost-effective alternative and just as efficacious. According to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), 90% of all prescriptions dispensed across the US are generic drugs.

According to figures from leading stats portal Statista, the 2022 savings through generic drug usage in the United States is about $408 billion. This figure has steadily increased from 2008, when it was just $97 billion.

The generic drug market is a thriving hub of activity since pharmaceutical companies can mass-produce medications that no longer have exclusive licensing rights.

Use Fuel Additives to Save On Gasoline Expenses

Here's one Right out of left field – fuel additives and how they benefit your vehicle and pocket.

Did you know fuel additives are so effective that they can stop engine sluggishness? This prevents the freezing of gasoline in the line. High-performance engines can benefit from octane boosters, too. Other essential benefits of using fuel additives include the prevention of trace deposits being left behind in your engine.

Relatively inexpensive fuel additives can also clean your engine of existing buildup and sediment. These should be used regularly to prolong the lifespan of your engine, reduce service costs, and delay vehicle replacement.

There are many different types of fuel additives, including cold flow improvers, lubricity additives, biocide additives, moisture dispersants, and the like. By using the right quality fuel additive, tremendous cost savings are passed on to consumers in the form of less outlay down the line.

Home Energy Audits

Did you know that you can conduct a home energy audit and potentially save yourself lots of money on utility bills?

It's true! A DIY audit involves things like checking for leaks in your home (plumbing), insulation faults and failures (for air conditioning), and a rudimentary inspection of your heating/cooling system. While you're at it, you might as well go through the lighting in your home to make sure that you have low-cost, energy-efficient, eco-friendly lightbulbs in place.

Over time, home energy audits are money-saving. You can dramatically cut energy expenses, provided you don't live in a community-style neighborhood with fixed electricity and water costs.

If you're not the DIY type, there are utility companies that will come out for free and inspect your home for you. They may even offer some useful tips to save on your bills.

Upcycle Household Items

Western society routinely replaces functional furniture, vehicles, equipment, tools, accessories, and general items with new ones. However, before you dispose of any old items, think about how you can re-purpose or upcycle them. You can always reupholster or refurbish old furniture. Something old can be spruced up and look like new again.

A coat of paint, a new seat cover, or a few touchups can certainly make a world of difference. Let your creative juices flow.  A little DIY ingenuity can mean the difference between being out of pocket and being in the black. It's also great because you can save money, reduce waste, and be eco-friendly too.