“I’m not a spender.” “I already am so careful with my spending.” “There’s literally nothing we can cut out from our monthly spending.” These are common statements we hear people expressing. Sometimes they are true. Sometimes they are subjective. very family has its own standards, habits, and routines that they’ve grown accustomed to—and what becomes “normal” to one family can be vastly different from another. When a family decides that they’d like to make changes to their financial situation and they want to look at the direction of decreasing expenses, it often takes an objective perspective to be able to find some ideas of what they could do. Sometimes a few ideas.
We want to share with you some practical, real-world ideas—each one based on what families from RSK have already successfully implemented in their own lives. You may come across an idea that resonates with your situation and feels like a perfect fit. Or, you may not. But by looking through this list, we hope you can find inspiration that sparks a solution tailored to your own family’s needs.
After all, no two families are alike. But every family striving for financial stability can find their own path, with ideas that work for them and their unique circumstances. Let’s explore the possibilities together.
Food Related Ideas
- Shopped with a grocery list.
- Compared prices while shopping.
- Tried using budget-friendly grocery stores such as Aldi, Bingo, and Shoprite.
- Didn’t take the kids grocery shopping to avoid unnecessary purchases.
- Used a cash envelope system for weekly grocery expenses.
- Used up food that was already in the freezer before buying more.
- Planned a weekly menu to guide grocery shopping and meals.
- Asked in group chats for inexpensive meals other families enjoyed.
- Bought only food that would be eaten to prevent waste.
- Bought groceries online to help stay within budget.
- Checked weekly store specials before making the shopping list.
- Cut back on non-essential extras.
- Made meals at home instead of buying pre-made ones.
- Included coffee and snacks in meal planning to avoid impulse purchases.
- Brought lunch from home instead of buying it daily.
- Stopped buying challah and started baking it at home.
- Made homemade dips instead of purchasing them.
- Made pizza and fries at home instead of ordering out each week.
- Baked sourdough bread at home instead of buying it weekly.
- Prepped healthy lunches to avoid buying snacks or fast food at work.
- Shopped for groceries once a week and kept a list for anything needed in between.
- Planned well enough that there was no need for takeout.
- Limited grocery trips to two per week—one for weekdays, one for Shabbos.
- Repurposed leftovers by turning yesterday’s meal into lunch or a new dish for the next day.
- Stopped buying pre-cut vegetables and saved money by chopping them at home.
- Chose cheaper cuts of meat or bought meat on sale and froze it for later use.
- Bought family-size packs of chicken or ground meat, divided them into portions, and froze them—saving money per pound.
- Purchased regular chicken cutlets and cleaned or sliced them at home instead of paying extra for “extra clean” or “extra thin” options.
- Stocked up on paper goods around Pesach, when prices were significantly lower.
Insurance Ideas
- Shopped around for better deals on car, homeowners, and umbrella insurance every few years.
- Switched to a more affordable health insurance plan.
- Explored affordable medical insurance options to cut costs.
- Found a cheaper car insurance policy after comparing rates.
- Changed health coverage to United Refuah Healthcare.
- Dropped an unnecessary umbrella insurance policy.
- Reviewed car insurance and discovered coverage was still active on an old car that had been sold.
- Removed a sold vehicle from the car insurance policy.
- Transitioned from traditional health insurance to a HealthShare plan.
- Stopped paying into a fully paid-up Whole Life Insurance policy.
- Completed a 5-hour driving course to qualify for a reduced car insurance premium.
- Bundled home & car insurance together.
- Paid the premium in full instead of monthly/quarterly for discounts.
- Set up ebill & automatic pay for discounts
Taxes, Mortgage, Rent, and Bills Ideas
- Opened a corporation when getting paid on a 1099, saving thousands in payroll taxes.
- Spoke with an accountant to restructure taxes and saved $12,000 annually.
- Used tax-advantaged plans, like an HSA, to lower taxable income by covering existing medical expenses.
- Requested a property reassessment to remove private mortgage insurance (PMI) after putting less than 20% down.
- Contacted the phone company to lower the rate back to the original pricing.
- Switched to a different phone carrier for a better deal.
- Combined cell phone plans with friends or family to access a cheaper group plan.
- Chose a more affordable cell phone plan from the many lower-cost options now available.
- Installed solar panels to reduce long-term energy costs.
- Set up autopay for bills to prevent late fees and missed payments.
- Cancelled the home phone line completely to eliminate an unnecessary monthly bill.
- Set up auto-pay on certain bills to receive available discounts.
- Signed up for the Energy Affordability Program (available to those with SNAP benefits) to reduce monthly utility costs.
- Took advantage of Amazon’s discounted Prime membership—half off—for those on SNAP or enrolled as students.
- Used Rakuten.com for cash back on online purchases and Upside.com for cash back on fuel.
- Cancelled unnecessary monthly insurance on a phone after realizing the total premiums paid were more than the cost of replacing the phone.
- Cancelled monthly insurance plans on home appliances that weren’t worth the ongoing cost.
Credit Card Ideas
- Negotiated credit card fees to reduce or eliminate extra charges.
- Replaced high-interest credit card debt with a no-interest loan.
- Completed a balance transfer to save on interest.
- Converted credit card debt into a Gemach loan to avoid interest entirely.
- Canceled credit cards that charged annual fees to cut unnecessary costs.
- Applied for hardship assistance, which lowered the APR from 21% to 5% and significantly reduced monthly payments.
Transportation Ideas
- Traveled an extra 10 minutes to avoid paying tolls.
- Financed used cars or bought out leased vehicles instead of leasing new ones.
- Switched car registration to New Jersey when income decreased to reduce insurance costs.
- Traded in a car for a more affordable and cost-effective vehicle.
- Joined a carpool to work to cut down on gas and commuting costs.
- Used public transportation instead of taking taxis to save on travel expenses.
New Behaviors
- Borrowed costumes from a gemach instead of purchasing new ones.
- Used a spending tracker to monitor and manage expenses.
- Received used clothes to reduce clothing costs.
- Cleaned the house without hiring outside help.
- Stopped buying disposable paper goods to save money and reduce waste.
- Shopped on Shein, Temu, AliExpress, or local discount stores like Perroquet and Sirrandipity.
- Canceled unused subscriptions to cut unnecessary expenses.
- Took control of teenagers’ spending habits to stay within budget.
- Subscribed to a local frum library instead of buying weekly magazines.
- Reduced the number of times cleaning help was used each week.
- Learned how to wash and set a sheitel independently.
- Planned vacations within driving distance that cost no more than $100 per day for the whole family.
- Swapped homes with friends or family during vacations to save on lodging.
- Created a dedicated WhatsApp chat to discuss all discretionary purchases.
- Went to parents’ or in-laws’ home for one Shabbos each month to save on food and prep costs.
- Deleted the Amazon app to curb impulse buying.
- Instituted a waiting period before making purchases, reviewing their necessity later.
- Focused on long-term value and happiness rather than short-term consumer gratification.
- Made it a habit to first check at home or ask friends and family before buying something new.
- Bought flowers only for Shabbos Mevarchim to limit spending.
- Tried on all clothing before the new season to assess what still fit and made a list of actual needs.
- Shopped end-of-season sales to prepare affordably for the next season.
- Gave a daughter a specific budget for seminary clothing.
- Limited Amazon orders to once a week to avoid unnecessary purchases.
- Used the 7/11 app to find cheaper gas prices.
- Canceled an unused gym membership to save on monthly fees.
- Canceled other monthly subscriptions that weren’t being used.
- Had the kids cut the grass instead of hiring a landscaper.
- Limited kids’ access to credit cards and lowered their credit limits.
- Set a cash budget for clothing to avoid overspending.
- Shopped only in budget-friendly clothing stores.
- Set up automatic transfers from paychecks to savings or investment accounts to prevent spending.
- Spent vacation time with the kids in nature or doing simple, fun activities at home.
- Painted my children’s bedrooms myself instead of hiring a contractor.
- Wrote notes after Pesach to remind myself what worked best and also what wasn’t a hit to avoid repeating next year.
- Let my daughter be a part time mother’s helper in sleep away camp so we could afford to send her for 2 months.
- Turned getting Grants & Student aid into a Full time job applying everywhere to cover seminary & college expenses.
- Hosted Simchas at home
- Combined errands into one trip to save gas and time
- Refilled soap and cleaning products using concentrates or refill stations.
- Traded services (Barter) with friends (e.g., babysitting for haircuts or tutoring).
- Created a rotating carpool schedule to reduce gas and time costs.
One Big Change
- Worked with a lawyer to file for bankruptcy, which relieved financial stress caused by a failing business.
- Decided not to send their daughter to seminary in Israel due to financial constraints.
- Moved out of town to reduce living expenses.
- Moved to a more affordable apartment to cut costs.
