The Internet is full of ways to save money on your food budget.  If you are trying to be more budget friendly, food is one of the larger categories where savings might be possible.

I should say I know there are families out there who are really struggling, and no further food savings are possible.  I get it!  However, for those of us fortunate enough to have more than the minimum we probably have an obligation to be as efficient as possible.

In no particular order, here are some ideas I came up with.  I’m pretty sure some combination of these would net that $50 a month savings.

Stop Buying Fancy Coffee Creamer

I love coffee and I really love flavored creamers in that coffee.  But they aren’t cheap.  So, if I really wanted to save a little I could substitute plain milk or Half and Half and save several dollars a week.

Less Fast Food

Fast food is so easy.  But it is not cheap.  I can never stick to the dollar menu and once you venture off that menu it really adds up fast.  Probably one less fast-food meal a week would get you that $50 a month.

Less Bought Lunches / Breakfast

Stopping for breakfast sandwiches on the way to work is just another fast-food issue.  Buying lunch at work can get expensive really fast.  Bring something from home and you’ll save money and probably eat healthier.  If you are going to buy lunch once in a while at least go with some friends and coworkers.  It is good for relationships and team building.

Reduce Jenny Craig or Nutrisystem

I’m not knocking Jenny Craig or Nutrisystem.  If it is working for you by all means keep it up.  But if you are no longer following the plan those costs can really add up.

Cheaper Coffee and Less Keurig Cups

Again, I really like my coffee.  But there are probably some less expensive brands I could try.  And those Keurig cups are really convenient but costly (and not great for the environment.)

At Least One Crockpot Double / Triple Meal a Week

Crock Pots are great!  Dig yours out or buy one, they are cheap.  There are lots of recipes available for great stuff.  Throw the ingredients together in the AM and you are ready to go by dinner.  Save money and time by making enough for two or three dinners at once.

One or Two Meatless Days a Week

You generally will save money and most health experts say it is good for you.

Simply Eat Less and Save Money and Weight

OK, this one is very basic but true.  Many of us could stand to eat a little less.  This would save money and be healthier.

Less Frozen Food

Frozen vegetables are cheap and good for you.  But most other frozen items are really expensive compared to making them from scratch.

Less Beef or Steak – More Chicken

Beef roasts and steaks taste great.  But they are expensive.  Maybe keep them to once a week at most and substitute more chicken and turkey.  It is healthier and saves some dollars.  I should mention that it seldom pays to eat unhealthily to save money.  For example, most experts say certain fish are really good for you.  Good fish is not cheap but probably well worth the cost.

There are many more possibilities for savings.  Check online or come up with ideas that make sense for you.  You’ll probably never miss the changes, and the savings will add up!

Sometimes you need to find $50.  Maybe you really need that $50 quickly.  For others it is simply good practice to occasionally look for ways to make a little extra or save a little extra.  In either case here are some possibilities.

Check Piggy / Change Bank

Many of us keep jars or cans of loose change.  Gather them up and start counting.  You might be surprised and find that $50 right there.

Old Bank Accounts

Sometime in the past we may have, with good intentions, opened a savings account for some purpose.  It may have been a few years ago and we almost forgot about it.  If so, close the account and collect the funds toward that $50.

Old Brokerage Accounts

Similar to old bank accounts you may have opened a brokerage account in the past.  Many of them would advertise small opening amounts (like $50) and we took the bait with good intentions.  Or we actually used a certain brokerage account for a while but when we stopped there was still a little left over sitting in the settlement account.  Close them and pocket the dollars.  Another reason to close these old savings and brokerage accounts is that some start charging a fee at some point and slowly drain away your money.  Better in your pocket than in some big corporation.

Sell Something on Craigslist

This is probably the most common and for good reason.  There is almost always something laying around that can be sold on Craigslist.  It doesn’t take much to add up to $50!  Follow safe practices like meeting in a public place but most people have used Craigslist many times with no issues at all.

Find a Regular Bill to Eliminate

When it comes to eliminating bills I’ve always thought it pays to think in terms of annual savings.  A $5 a month bill comes out to $60 in a year.  So, look where you can save a little each month and it will add up.  You probably won’t even miss what you are eliminating.

Find a Subscription to Cancel

Easiest examples here are magazine subscriptions or streaming TV channels.  Magazine subscriptions are fine if you actually read them but watch out for those that lure you in with a cheap price and then a big increase when they come up for renewal.  I’m a sucker for adding a TV Streaming subscription at the free or low rate because there is a particular show I want to watch.  I often forget to cancel after the trial period is up even if I don’t often watch the channel.

Do some tasks on Amazon Mechanical Turk or Similar Sites

I don’t know too much about this one but others have said you can make a few bucks quickly.  Not sure how effective it is to make $50 but you may want to check it out.

Offer a Task on FIVERR

Find something that you can do fairly quickly.  Be careful how muh time you need to spend per gig so you don’t end up paying yourself 50 cents an hour!  Others have started freelance careers using FIVERR.

Find a Temp Job on Craigslist

Craigslist is good for more than just selling stuff.  There are short term gigs advertised there too.  See if you can find something that fits your skills so you can make a few quick bucks.

Take Something to a Pawn Shop

This is probably the oldest one around and probably only makes sense if you do not have a better alternative.  It might make sense if you absolutely must have $50 today.  I get it!

With a little thought there are probably many more ideas.  People are always looking for new ideas to make or save a little so why not share your new ideas!