Career Step Up originally published this helpful post on wise tips for saving money this fall. We received permission to republish it here.
Fall is when most of us are thinking about things like getting the kids back in school and planning Halloween costumes.
However, it’s also the precursor to the holiday season, when expenses start to pop up, and the cost of presents quickly adds up.
Fall Money Saving Tips
To help you prep for the holiday season and keep your budget on track, here are six excellent tips to save money this upcoming fall.
1. Cook Hearty Meals Instead of Eating Out
Fall is the perfect season to stock up on fresh produce such as apples and squash. There are tons of fruits and veggies that are in season. After all, fall is the harvest season!
Instead of reserving a table at your go-to restaurant, why not cook your own hearty meals?
You can save hundreds of dollars a month by cooking meals at home. Plus, you can make some pretty healthy, tasty fall recipes.
All those extra dollars saved add up quickly, helping you put change in your pocket that you can use on a rainy day.
2. Take Advantage of Sales
Fall is also the perfect time to take advantage of various sales. For example, you can often find Black Friday sales and back-to-school promotional deals.
During the fall season, tons of products go on sale. Better yet, in most cases, the sale amount is not just around 5% to 10%—if you’re lucky, you’ll score 50% off deals.
You’ll often find back-to-school sales on stationery, backpacks, and clothes in September. In October, you can score sweet deals on Halloween-themed products. Then, when November rolls around, you’ve got Black Friday deals to snag!
Keeping your eyes peeled for these types of discounts and sales can be a great way to help you save money on items you were planning to purchase anyway.
3. Swap Outings for At-Home Fun
Fall is the start of football season, and buying tickets to the game can be a big money pit if you’re an avid fan. On top of that, many people can wind up going overboard on football merch!
The good news is there are a couple of ways to avoid spending your money while still enjoying football season.
For one thing, instead of buying merch during the actual season, purchase them during the offseason. Items are often cheaper, and chances are they’re more readily available.
Another great way to avoid spending money is to host football nights at home with your friends. You’ll still get to watch the game with your friends, but you can reduce transportation costs and the high price of tickets.
4. Look for Local Events
Many localities host fun, fall-themed events during the autumn season. Local farmer’s markets, music festivals, and Halloween events often crop up during these times.
To save a bit of money, try swapping fancy dinners out or spendy activities for free festivals in your neighborhood.
Aside from free festivals, you can also go apple or pumpkin picking in your neighborhood. These are usually free, so you won’t need to spend any cash there either!
5. Declutter and Sell Your Unused Things
Fall is a great time to declutter and get rid of items you no longer use. Yard sales are a popular way to get rid of old things and make a bit of cash simultaneously!
Go through your old clothes and find items that you no longer use. Or sort through knick-knacks and other things that are just taking up space around the home.
Not only can you make a bit of cash at the yard sale, but you can have fun doing it, too!
Pro tip: Rather than pocketing your earnings, place them in a savings account. Then, bust them out when you need them for a rainy day.
6. Start Your Holiday Budget
The main reason why you should save during fall is to prepare for the holidays. The holiday season means buying gifts for your loved ones and hosting events for Christmas.
After all, if you don’t save during fall, how will you be able to spoil your family during the season of giving?
To start, list out your plans for the holidays. Then, budget them out to make sure you won’t be overspending.
You can also look into your monthly expenses. If you think it’s too much, try cutting back on your money on restaurants or other entertainment. Cutting back and saving will give you more spare change to use once the holiday season is in full swing.
Fall Is the Season for Saving
The fall season is the perfect time to get your budget in check and start saving for the upcoming holidays.
With these six tips, you should have no problem putting aside a spare change so that you can have a bit more in your pocket later down the line.
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This article was originally published by Career Step Up and syndicated by Wealthy Living.
Featured Image Credit: Shutterstock
