UNHINGED WAYS TO SAVE MONEY
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Welcome to the world of money-saving mayhem, Bestie.
This isn’t your average "skip the latte" blog. No shade to oat milk — but we’re not here to whisper quiet budgeting tips. We’re here to scream them in glitter from the rooftop of a Dollar Tree.
If your vibe is a little chaotic, a lot creative, and wildly resourceful, then you’re in the right place. Let’s dig into the most delightfully deranged ways to stack your coins like your life depends on it. Spoiler: it kind of does.
1. 🥬 DUMPSTER DIVE... BUT MAKE IT GOURMET
Okay, yes. It sounds unhinged. But food waste is a real villain, and you, my resourceful queen, are the hero. Grocery stores toss out bananas with a single bruise like they just committed a felony. And bakeries? Don’t even get me started — whole trays of perfectly good pastries hit the trash just because the clock struck 8 p.m.
Solution? Enter: Too Good To Go and Flashfood — apps that let you buy surprise bags of “unsellable” but still totally edible groceries for $3-$5.
I once snagged a $20 charcuterie board from a bougie deli for $4. It felt like robbing a Whole Foods with blessings. 👼
👉 Signup for Too Good To Go Here
🧠 Bonus Hack: Ask your local farmer’s market if they offer “end-of-day” boxes. Sometimes they’ll give it away just so they don’t have to carry it home.
2. 🧼 FRANKENSTEIN YOUR SOAP LIKE A MAD SCIENTIST
You know those itty-bitty soap slivers you toss once they can’t lather right? That’s wasted soap and wasted cents, baby. Gather your half-used bars, press them together, and voltron them into a new mega soap. Or stuff them into a mesh bag for a DIY exfoliator that scrubs and saves.
The same goes for lotion bottles, toothpaste tubes, shampoo containers — cut those babies open. There's always a secret stash hiding in the corners. One time, I got a full week’s worth of moisturizer out of a "used up" bottle. Who’s the broke girl now? Not me. Not with this ash-free skin.
🛁 Pro Tip: Store mini hotel soaps for guests — it’s not hoarding, it’s hospitality. 😉
3. ❄️ FREEZE A DOLLAR. EMOTIONALLY MANIPULATE YOURSELF.
Here’s the drama: put a crisp dollar bill in a plastic bag, fill it with water, and freeze it solid. Now, every time you reach into the freezer for ice cream or a lazy dinner, bam — the frosty judgment of George Washington stares back at you.
He says, “Are you really spending $40 on DoorDash when there’s rice and beans in the pantry?”
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4. 🧊 WASH EVERYTHING IN COLD WATER (YES, EVEN WHEN YOU'RE COLD TOO)
Hot water is for rich people and people who don’t check their electric bills. Cold water, though? That’s the frugal girl’s facial toner.
Wash your clothes, your dishes, your sins — in cold water. It uses way less energy, reduces utility costs, and keeps your clothes from fading into sadness.
💀 And don’t even get me started on dishwashers. They’re bougie heat monsters. Do it old-school: rubber gloves, podcast on, scrub like you're cleansing generational debt.
“I’m not cheap, I’m just chill… literally.” – Savings Bestie
5. 📦 CARDBOARD CHIC: FROM AMAZON BOX TO APARTMENT GOALS
Why buy furniture when capitalism keeps sending you free boxes?
Stack them. Cover them with cute contact paper. Add legs if you’re feeling fancy. And boom — you’ve got a new nightstand, bookshelf, or faux TV console. Plus, it’s lightweight and surprisingly sturdy (just don’t dance on it).
Add some fake eucalyptus and a thrifted lamp and suddenly you’re the CEO of Pinterest-core poverty glam.
6. 📱 APP HUSTLE: DOWNLOAD LIKE A DIGITAL BANDIT
You’re out here living your best life — might as well get paid for it.
Use your phone like it owes you money (because it does):
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Fetch – scan every receipt for points (yes, even gas stations or that sketchy taco place)
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Upside – cash back on gas (stack with gas station loyalty rewards)
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Rakuten – literally sends you a check for shopping
And no shame in using multiple apps at once. It’s called compounding. It’s giving “finance bro but make it frilly.”
👉💸 Get $30 Free on Rakuten For a Limited Time! Sign up here.
👉📸 Snap Receipts, Stack Cash – Try Fetch!
👉 🤑 Get an extra 15 cents/gal cash back on gas, and an extra 10% cash back on restaurants and grocery! Try Upside.
7. 🪙 TURN PENNIES INTO DIMES, LITERALLY
Pocket change is not trash. It is money in camouflage.
Start collecting pennies like you're preparing for the coin apocalypse:
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Empty your purse, couch cushions, glove box, pants pockets, store parking lots
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Ask your friends for their change (they’ll give it to you, trust)
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Coinstar machines let you turn coins into gift cards or cash
Or go full old-school: roll your coins, walk into the bank with a fistful of paper tubes, and drop them like you just closed a deal on Wall Street.
👛 Savings Bestie Pro Tip: Keep a pretty coin jar in plain sight. If it looks cute, you’ll want to fill it. #AestheticMotivation
8. 🧾 BORROW. BARTER. BINGE WITH CODES
Why pay for full-price subscriptions when you can hack your way in?
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Use free trials with a second email like the frugal hacker you are
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Split family plans with friends — Spotify, Netflix, even YouTube Premium
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Grab Honey or Capital One Shopping and let the bots do the saving for you
Oh, and if you’re not stacking coupons, promo codes, and rewards on every single purchase — are you even a Bestie?
9. 👗 FASHION GOBLIN MODE ACTIVATED
Your closet doesn’t need to be new. It needs to be reimagined. Thrifting is not only budget-friendly — it’s a creative sport.
Scour Goodwill, Plato’s Closet, Poshmark, even your grandma’s attic. Mix and match with reckless abandon. Crop that oversized tee. Bleach-dye that ugly hoodie. Add safety pins and a hot glue gun and make couture out of chaos.
💅 “If I can look this good on $6, imagine what I’ll do with $600.”
10. 🏡 NO SPEND WEEKEND = MAIN CHARACTER ENERGY
You don’t need to go out to have fun. In fact, you’re about to romanticize the heck out of a zero-dollar Saturday.
Ideas to slay the broke weekend:
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Pantry Cleanout Cookoff: Invent a meal with only what you have. Rate it. Name it. Michelin star vibes.
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Spa Night with Samples: Use all those product samples you've hoarded.
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Free Printables Party: Budget trackers, vision boards, no-spend bingo (👀 make a freebie!)
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Swap Party: Clothes, books, even digital products with friends
🧠 Email List: Sign up for our FREE Newsletter (The Bestie Bulletin) to receive the latest updates and every new freebie that drops from Savings Bestie! Click here to sign up!
💬 FINAL THOUGHTS: IT'S NOT CRAZY. IT'S CREATIVE.
Every penny you save is a power move. Every receipt scanned, every soap scrap used, every shared password is a tiny rebellion against being broke.
These unhinged money-saving habits? They’re not just for fun. They’re building a life where you’re not stressed about bills, drowning in debt, or tied to a job you hate.
So let’s be weird. Let’s be brilliant. Let’s turn our pennies into dimes — and dimes into financial domination.
Because here at Savings Bestie, being frugal is a little chaotic — and totally iconic. 💅💵
✨ Want Even More Money Magic?
🛍️ Shop the Savings Bestie Starter Kit:
Click here to visit our store!
Which of these unhinged tips are you going to try?
Let me know in the comments!
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