Quiz: 99 Great Ways to Save Money in 2026

One of the most popular months for Americans to travel internationally is June. Move your trip to late August or the beginning of September, and you may save more than $300 on round-trip airfare to Europe or more than $500 to Asia.

About 90 percent of the energy your washing machine uses goes toward heating the water, but hot water is unnecessary when using most modern laundry detergents. Save even more water and electricity by running full loads rather than multiple small ones.

Make sure you’ve logged in to the retail site. Then fill your cart, close your browser and wait. Retailers often send a follow-up email to customers who’ve ditched their carts, and a third of those emails include a discount offer.

Don’t get lured in by marketing from trendy, overpriced pet foods. “Store brands can be fine, as long as they follow AAFCO [Association of American Feed Control Officials] guidelines, and assuming your pet doesn’t have any sort of underlying medical problems where they may need a food that’s more special, with certain ingredients,” says Dr. Brian Collins, veterinarian with the Cornell Riney Canine Health Center.

If your older car is paid off, it’s probably not worth paying collision insurance on it, even if it still runs great. You can lower your monthly premium by increasing the deductible, or the amount you agree to pay out of pocket before your insurance kicks in. If you no longer commute or take long road trips, consider switching to a policy that charges a low monthly base rate plus a per-mile fee.