7 Ways to Cut Your Expenses When You Already Make Your Own Coffee

Every budgeting article seems to rehash the same old points. And sure, eating at home and making your own coffee are great tips for saving money.

But what if you're already doing these things? If you're in need of some more out-of-the-box ideas, consider these tips for saving money when you've already cut the splurges from your budget.

1. Improve Your Home's Insulation

According to EnergyStar, you could save an average of 15% off your heating and cooling costs by properly sealing and insulating your home. 

Most of the big things you can do—like replacing old windows with energy-efficient ones—eventually pay for themselves in energy costs, but require a big upfront investment.

However, there are some affordable things you could do to lower your bottom line:

• Use weather stripping around doors and windows. 

• Add a door sweep or draft guard to exterior doors.

• Caulk gaps in siding, windows, and doors (even gaps behind moldings).

2. Heat or Cool Your Room, Not Your House

A huge portion of your energy bill likely comes from heating and cooling your home. Besides the weather itself, the biggest factor in that cost is how you heat and cool.

For example, if you have central air conditioning, chances are good you're paying a fortune to cool rooms you're not using. A big central air system in a large house can cost up to $0.70 per hour, or $168 a month (at 8 hours a day).

Instead, install a window unit in the room where you spend most of your time. A small window air conditioning unit that only cools one room could be as cheap as $0.08 per hour, or $19 per month (at 8 hours a day).

3. Unplug Seldom-Used Electronics

Phantom energy, ghost energy, vampire energy—whichever name you give it, it's probably costing you money right now. We're talking about "idle load electricity," or the energy consumed by pretty much everything you plug in, even when you're not using it.

One study suggests that phantom energy accounts for an average of 23% of household power consumption, which would be $33 of the average $144 electric bill.

You can combat phantom energy loss by unplugging seldom-used electronics and appliances. This can be especially helpful before heading out for vacation or a trip away.

4. Rotate Streaming Subscriptions

Why pay for five streaming services when you can only watch one at a time? Instead, focus on one service each month. 

Watch everything of interest it has to offer, then cancel it and move on to a different service the next month. With this strategy, you always have something new to enjoy. Plus, many services will offer you a deal or discount to stay, so you could save even more money if you want another month.

If you're blessed with a well-funded library (an increasing rarity, sadly), then you could skip the services altogether. Your local library may also have access to digital entertainment subscriptions like Hoopla or Libby that you can use for free.

5. Join a Gym

Spending money to save money sounds counter-intuitive, but a gym membership can sometimes be more an investment than an expense. Here are a few of the ways you could save money via a gym membership:

• High-demand hours are often an expensive time to heat or cool your house—and a great time to hit the gym. An hour a day at the gym instead of running the AC at home could save you more than $11 a month.

• Showers at the gym can save on your water and electric bills. A daily 10-minute shower at the gym could save you $13 a month.

• Being fitter means fewer health bills, especially as you age. That gym membership now could help you save $800 or more a year on healthcare costs after retirement.

Studies have also shown that regular exercise improves your cognitive function and productivity. This can make you perform better at work, which could lead to career advancement and pay increases.

Perhaps most important, however, is that regular exercise can improve your mood and decrease stress—which can make a huge difference in how you cope when facing financial stress.

6. Ditch Home Internet and Use Your Phone Data

Are you paying for an unlimited data cellphone plane and high-speed home internet? If the answer is yes, you could be saving money.

A typical unlimited cellphone data plan runs between $35 and $75 a month, depending on your carrier. An average home internet plan is around $65, but can easily top $200 for high-speed, uncapped data at home.

If most of your internet use is for streaming and scrolling, then you could likely use your phone's data plan for all of your home internet needs, too. This could cut that internet bill out and save you $65 or more a month.

7. Use Grocery Pickup Instead of Shopping In-Person

Most grocery stores now let you do all your shopping online or in the app, then place your order for pickup. You just park, and they bring your order out and load it into your car for you.

This perk has a few benefits:

• Grocery shop at your convenience, from anywhere.

• Easily double-check each item for sales and coupons.

• Quickly comparison shop using apps for other local stores.

• Avoid impulse buys from browsing and checkout lines.

Sometimes all you need to do to save money is tackle something from a different angle. Use these tips as a jumping-off point to think about other ways you can cut costs that may not be in your typical internet listicle.