You can take these 18 budgeting tips straight to the bank

The easiest way to save money is to make it part of your regular routine. Follow our social media fans’ tips and watch the savings pile up.

If you’ve noticed that you’re perpetually short on funds, it could be time to make some lifestyle changes. We asked our social media followers to share the little ways that help them save money, and these are a few of their suggestions:

Grocery shopping

• Instead of frequent runs to the store, I buy in bulk once a month.
• I use coupons, grocery store club cards, and rebate apps. All those pennies add up!
• I budget for my grocery trip and pay with cash. Any leftover change gets deposited right into my savings account. My bank has a branch in the grocery store, so it’s super easy.

Online shopping

• I join every mailing list and promotional club to get coupon codes and offers. I have a separate email address for shopping, which keeps my regular email from getting flooded with newsletters.
• I add items to my online shopping cart, then walk away. If I forget to come back, then I didn’t need it.
• My girlfriends and I help each other save: exchanging coupons, promo codes, following sales. Sometimes we’ll go in on a purchase to qualify for free shipping.

Clothing

• My friends and I have a clothing swap every year. We clean out our closets and get new clothes at no cost.
• I buy children’s clothing at garage sales, online classifieds and second-hand stores. Kids grow too fast to wear them out.
• We shop for family clothing in the off-season.

Lifestyle improvements

• I quit smoking and started putting the amount I spent on cigarettes into a savings account.
• I’ve learned to cook healthy meals at home. I’m eating more vegetables, going out less and saving money.
• I watch how-to videos on home improvement jobs that would cost a fortune, and I do it myself.

Spending tricks

• I pay for everything with $10 bills. All the loose change in my pockets goes into a jar at the end of the day.
• I never carry more than $20 in my wallet and only use credit cards for emergencies. If I need to buy something that costs more than $20, I plan ahead and take out the cash — no impulse shopping.
• When I make an impulse buy, I transfer the same amount into my savings account.

Saving rituals

• Pay yourself first! A portion of my paycheck goes into savings before I see it.
• Whenever I get a raise, I adjust my savings percentage upward.
• After I pay off a loan, I keep making the monthly payment — into my savings account instead.
   

For more money-saving tips, follow U.S. Bank on Twitter and Facebook, and continue reading to learn more about our savings account options.