20 easy ways to save at least $5 a day

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Need $100 this month? Who doesn't! You can add an extra Benji to your bank account by taking advantage of these simple ways to save $5 a day:

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1. Delay your dry cleaning.

Dry cleaning bills add up quickly. Suits, wool sweaters, and other dry-clean garments can handle multiple uses if they're not soiled or smelly — and that can save you a pretty penny.

2. Say no to soft drinks.

Depending on where you're buying your soft drinks — some vending machines cost up to $3 a pop — and how much soda you're drinking, you can easily stash five bucks away if you cut out sugary drinks for a day.

3. Skip the after-work happy hour.

Skip the after-work watering hole this week to avoid drinking your paycheck away. Doing so can easily save $10 to $20 by staying away from beers, shots, and mixed drinks.

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4. Put your gym membership on hold (if you're not going often).

You should be making the most of your gym membership on a regular basis — not only to get your money's worth, but also to stay healthy and active but if you're been slacking lately or just don't have the time right now, put your membership on hold.

5. Cancel an unwanted subscription.

We all sign up for a subscription service at some point or another; perhaps it's time to cut the cord on unwanted magazines, music, or product boxes that arrive every month and say so long to this budget-zapping burden once and for all.

6. Brown-bag your lunch instead of buying it.

If you're prone to buying lunch every day, pack one instead. A brown bag lunch can save money and help you avoid the totally unhealthy food you're springing for otherwise.

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7. Make a purchase with one of your gift cards.

When you feel the urge to spend — a chronic problem that affects about 10% of the Western population — go through your wallet to see what gift cards you have.

8. Shop for groceries when what you need is on sale.

Instead of heading to the grocery when over your run out of something, keep an eye on the circulars for your regular supermarkets and flag the deals to take advantage of so you can stock up on sale.

9. Print out all those coupons in your email.

I get a million marketing emails, and just like the gift cards, I like to use those deals — like a BOGO lunch or something similar — when I want to treat myself while minding my money.

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