How To Save $100 a Week: 5 Tips That Actually Work

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Think you don’t have $100 to spare? Think again.

Even if your budget is tight right now, with a few smart changes, you could cut $100 from your budget each week without major sacrifices.

Here’s how to save $100 a week with five realistic and proven ways.

1. Check Your Bills for Costly Errors

Before paying any bill from a doctor’s office, medical clinic or hospital, double-check that the amount is accurate.

A 2023 Commonwealth Fund survey found that 45% of insured working-age adults received a bill or copayment for a service they believed should have been covered. However, fewer than half reported the billing error. These discrepancies can prove devastating for patients’ budgets.

It’s a good idea to check other, non-medical bills for mistakes, as well. Recurring fees, such as service charges or account maintenance fees, can often show up in error. Identifying and disputing these charges can add up to significant savings in your weekly budget.

2. Avoid Hidden Bank and Service Fees

Setting up automatic payments can help you pay bills on time and prevent late fees. However, if you’re not checking your monthly statements, you might be missing other fees that are getting tacked onto your accounts.

Common fees to watch out for include:

• Equipment and rental fees: Some internet providers charge monthly fees to rent modems or routers. For example, Comcast charges $15 per month. Buying your own equipment could pay for itself in about a year — and save you $15 per month after that.
• Bank maintenance fees: Most banks charge monthly fees if account minimums aren’t met. For instance, a Bank of America checking account may charge $12 if your balance falls below $1,500.

Pro Tip

Regularly review your bills and financial statements to spot recurring fees. Meeting minimum balance requirements and owning your own equipment can help you avoid unnecessary charges and keep more money in your pocket.

3. Cancel Unused Subscriptions and Magazines

Rather than spend on newsstand magazines or digital subscriptions, you can save money every week by getting the content for free online.

One way to get full access to magazines is to use library apps such as Hoopla and Libby. Both let patrons of member libraries sign out digital editions for seven days at a time.

These platforms can easily save you $150 per year.

4. Use What You Already Have at Home

One simple way to save money is to plan meals around what you already have in your freezer or pantry. Scheduling a “freezer week” — where you skip grocery shopping and cook from your stockpile — can lead to real savings.

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, it costs about $100 per week for a single adult and $350 per week for a family of four to prepare meals at home. Avoiding the grocery store even a few times per year can easily save hundreds of dollars.

5. Sell Unused Gift Cards for Instant Cash

Unused gift cards can be worth more than you think. According to Capital One Shopping, Americans have an average of $244 in unused gift cards they could sell for cash rather than let them sit around collecting dust.

Websites like CardCash, Raise and Gameflip make it easy to sell gift cards online. While you likely won’t receive the full face value, you can often get between 70% and 90% of the original amount.

On average, selling $244 worth of gift cards could get you $207 back in your pocket.

Is Saving $100 a Week Realistic?

Saving $100 per week — $5,200 per year — is realistic for many. But even if your budget doesn’t have that much room for improvement, there’s a good chance you can still find ways to consistently save money.

Here are some bonus tips that can save you $102 per week:

Small Changes Lead to Big Savings

Cutting $100 from your budget each week doesn’t have to feel impossible. With just a few smart habits and small adjustments, you can stretch your dollars further and build savings faster. Try one of these weekly budgeting tips and watch the results add up.

Cameron Huddleston contributed to the reporting for this article.

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