14 Creative Ways to Save Money in 2017

If you struggled to save this year, take heart: Your opportunities to save in 2017 are practically limitless.
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If you struggled to save this year, take heart: Your opportunities to save in 2017 are practically limitless. "Almost every daily decision—like buying coffee in the morning—is a chance to save big," says Elle Kaplan, finance expert and founder of LexION Capital.

That's why we've rounded up 16 practical and innovative ideas that will save you big bucks over the next year. Get started, and watch your money pile up.

1. Pare down your paid subscriptions. We're all guilty of having Netflix—and Hulu, Amazon Video, plus cable TV. But we're not getting the most bang for our bucks if we're not actually tuning into all those channels. "These costs might seem tiny," says Kaplan, "but multiple payments every single month adds up fast." So take an inventory of what you really watch, and pare down to just the services you really use. Or better yet, cut them out entirely if you rarely watch TV.

2. Never miss a flyer. No, we don't expect you to pick through the circulars in your local newspaper. But using an app such as Flipp puts all those circulars at your fingertips—more specifically, on your phone. "Put your zip code into the app and you’ll be able to browse dozens of local weekly ads—you can also search them for deals on specific items and find the best prices in seconds," says savings and consumer expert Lisa Lee Freeman. "It might even turn up a deal at stores you’d never think to look, including dollar stores and discounters like Big Lots."

3. Pay your insurance premiums annually. Insurance: You gotta have it for everything from your car to your home and even your life. But if you can pay each rate in one lump sum, you'll likely receive a discount on the total, says Mary Beth Storjohann, financial expert and founder of Workable Wealth. You can prepare for each of these expenses by dividing the total by 12, then, "stash away that amount each month for 12 months so that by the time your premium is due, you’ll have the cash on hand to pay in full and will have paid a lesser amount," she says.

4. Don't spend when you're emotional. You know how you're never supposed to go to the grocery store when you're hungry? That's because you'll likely overspend to satiate your current hunger. The same applies to spending in general when you're emotional: A pair of pumps won't heal your wounds, but they're certainly easier to purchase after a bad breakup. "Consider leaving your credit card at home if you have the burning need to spend passionately," suggests Kaplan. "There are plenty of cheaper and more constructive ways to vent those feelings, like visiting the gym."

5. Get a price adjustment. You snagged a new sweater at 20 percent off and felt like you'd hit the jackpot—only to watch in horror when that same smock hit the clearance been one week later. But don't despair. "If you buy something and the price of that item drops within a week or two of your purchase, you can often get a refund for the difference by taking the receipt back to the store," says Freeman. Just be sure the read the fine print on the retailers’ websites—these deals often come with lots of restrictions."

6. Consider the 30-day rule. The instant you saw your friend's new smart watch, you knew you needed it. But before you buy that $300 glorified phone, promise yourself you won't purchase it for one month. "You’ll be amazed at how many spur-of-the-moment purchases seem ridiculous after mulling them over," Kaplan says. Not only will you save in the moment, but you'll set yourself up to form a very good financial habit. "The ability to delay gratification is one of the biggest tenants of financial success," explains Kaplan.

7. Brush up on your negotiation skills. A lot of the costs you encounter are fixed. But if you can get comfortable with bartering, you might be surprised at how many prices are negotiable, family finance expert Catherine Alford says, and places like farmer's markets or even online markets such as Etsy. "The worst someone can say is no," she points out. But if you can't bring yourself to barter, then at least ask for a discount before you pay. "One of the simple questions I ask is, 'Do you happen to have a coupon customers are using this week?'" Alford says. "I ask this question when getting my oil changed or even shopping at a department store. Most stores offer coupons, and even if you can't get your hands on one, sometimes they have them at the check out counter to scan."

8. Get a better credit card. "If you’re someone who uses your credit card for purchases and then—hopefully—pays off the balance in full each month, you want to make sure your rewards program is working for you in terms of cash back, gift cards, or travel," advises Storjohann. If your credit card isn't working for you, then use a site such as NerdWallet to find one that's a better fit for you. "Stocking up on rewards points is a great way to then fund travel and vacation or cash them in for Christmas and birthday gifts," she says.

9. Rent out your car. If you've got a flexible work schedule or live close enough to your office that you can walk to work, you may have a car that's collecting dust in your garage. But Alford says you can put it to paying use by using sites such as Turo that allow you to rent it out when you're not using it. "It's a viable strategy because you're making money from something you aren't using and you get to decide when, how, and for how much you'll be charging," she says.

10. Use ATMs sparingly. You gotta have cash—we get it. But if you're stopping at ATMs on the regular, you could be racking up regular ATM fees from other banks and your own bank, if it doesn't offer a fee-waiving service. "Instead, go once a week to your bank’s ATM and take out your weekly budget in cash," says Kaplan. This way, you'll avoid unnecessary fees, as well as unnecessary withdrawals.

11. Use half. Like, literally. "Odds are you’re dispensing more toothpaste, shampoo, and laundry detergent per use than you need," says Freeman. If you can halve what you use—and still get what you need—you halve your costs as well. "Figure out how much you actually need by experimenting and reading the container and don’t use a drop more," says Freeman. "For toothpaste, for example, all you need is a pea-sized squirt—you don’t have to cover your entire toothbrush. And with sponges, cut them in half and they’ll last twice as long."

12. Bring your own cup to Starbucks. We won't tell you to cut out your daily latte fix. But you can make that latte less expensive at certain coffee retailers, including Starbucks, by bringing your own cup for the baristas to fill. "It'll only save you 10 cents on every order, but if you are a Starbucks junkie, this can definitely add up to some savings over the year," says Alford.

13. Count up a purchase's time value. That designer bag has a fixed cost—let's say a $100 price tag. But it also has a hidden fee: The number of hours you'll have to work in order to afford it. "Start thinking about the time value of money to truly get a sense of where your dollars are and could be going," encourages Kaplan. "When looking at the future value of money, you’ll realize that your handbag, which instantly loses value, could turn into a growing fortune in the stock market instead."

14. Embrace Meatless Mondays. You already dig Taco Tuesdays. So add another alliteration to your weekly meal rotation with Meatless Mondays by preparing a vegetarian meal to kick off your week. "Meat is incredibly expensive, so if you can plan to just have one or two meals a week meat free, it can add up to significant savings over the course of the month," says Alford. Of course, the kind of meat you do buy counts, too. Lean meats such as chicken and turkey will save you money over many cuts of red meat.