Everyday Cheapskate
  • Link to Pinterest
  • Link to Facebook
  • Link to X
  • Link to Instagram
  • Link to LinkedIn
  • Link to Rss this site
  • Link to Youtube
  • Start Here!
  • Home
  • About
  • Ask Mary
  • Articles
    • Automobiles
    • Best Inexpensive
    • Cleaning
    • Clothing and Accessories
    • Dear Mary …
    • DIY
    • Gifts
    • Emergency Preparedness
    • Food & Recipes
    • Health and Beauty
    • Holidays and Special Occasions
    • Home & Family
    • Kids and Babies
    • Laundry
    • Money and Finances
    • Outdoors and Garden
    • Pets
    • Repairs and Maintenance
    • Shopping
    • Travel and Entertainment
    • Miscellaneous
    • Trending
    • Gift Guides
    • Mary’s Perspective
  • Archive
  • Click to open the search input field Click to open the search input field Search
  • Menu Menu
Home / Money and Finances / Like Finding Money You Didn’t Know You Had
USD currency in jeans pocket

Like Finding Money You Didn’t Know You Had

September 4, 2023/Updated October 6, 2023/1 Comment/in Mary's Perspective, Money and Finances /by Mary Hunt

You know the feeling when you reach into the pocket of a coat or pants you haven’t worn for a while and pull out a $20 bill? What would it feel like if you pulled out hundreds of dollars? And what if you found money like that month after month? It’s not magic—you can make that happen!

USD currency in jeans pocket

Pinholes in your financial life can turn into massive money-gushers. Patching these tiny cracks is the key to improving your income.

The problem is that it’s easy to ignore the tiny cracks. We’re busy—there’s the mortgage or rent, car payment, credit cards, insurance, college savings, carpools, vacation plans, retirement accounts, work benefits; kids, dog, guinea pig. So the little stuff happens without our noticing.

We think:

What’s the harm in picking up dinner from the drive-thru again? Our lives are so busy and we have to eat. 

Why go to the trouble of scoping out the sales before I hit the supermarket? My time is valuable. I’ll dash in, buy what looks good and the kids will eat.

Why pay more than the minimum payment this month? It won’t make that much difference in the long run and besides, I need to start Christmas shopping.

Those kinds of seemingly innocuous everyday financial decisions that pop up regularly—can end up costing thousands of dollars a year.

Consider the following:

It costs at least $40 to feed a family of five at any fast food drive-thru. If you do that only once a week you’re letting $2,080 leak out of your life every year. Do the math! You could prepare a much tastier and more nutritious meal at home for $10.

If you diligently buy your supermarket food items only when they are on sale (don’t worry, everything goes on sale in a typical supermarket in a 12-week rotation), you’ll cut your grocery tab by at least 30% percent! The difference between full price and sale price is stunning when everything in your cart is on sale.

It’ll take you ten years and cost you an additional $10,000 in interest alone on a $10,000 credit card balance if you pay only the minimum amount required.

See how easy it is for slow leaks to turn into big-money blowouts? Just imagine those little leaks draining money from your bank day after day, month after month.

When it comes to your finances, those seemingly undetectable cracks in your checking account, credit card debt, food tab, and other household expenses can seriously sideline your dreams.

I’m honored that you’ve chosen to let me help you patch them up.

 


 

 

Print Friendly, PDF & Email

More from Everyday Cheapskate

high yield savings account man dropping quarter into mason jar

The Boring Money Move That Earns You $400 to $2,000 a Year (High-Yield Savings Explained)

https://www.everydaycheapskate.com/wp-content/uploads/20260715-high-yield-savings-account-man-dropping-quarter-into-mason-jar.png 800 1200 Mary Hunt https://www.everydaycheapskate.com/wp-content/uploads/EC-Logo-by-Mary-Hunt-Tagline-Trimmed.png Mary Hunt2026-07-15 18:01:312026-07-15 18:01:31The Boring Money Move That Earns You $400 to $2,000 a Year (High-Yield Savings Explained)
estate sale what to buy used and what to avoid

7 Things to Always Buy Used (And 5 You Never Should)

https://www.everydaycheapskate.com/wp-content/uploads/20260711-estate-sale-what-to-buy-used-and-what-to-avoid.png 800 1200 Mary Hunt https://www.everydaycheapskate.com/wp-content/uploads/EC-Logo-by-Mary-Hunt-Tagline-Trimmed.png Mary Hunt2026-07-11 22:54:052026-07-11 22:54:057 Things to Always Buy Used (And 5 You Never Should)
luxury car driving down mountain highway how to lower car insurance premium

How to Knock $200+ Off Your Car Insurance Bill (Without Switching Companies)

https://www.everydaycheapskate.com/wp-content/uploads/20260710-luxury-car-driving-down-mountain-highway-how-to-lower-car-insurance-premium-.png 800 1200 Mary Hunt https://www.everydaycheapskate.com/wp-content/uploads/EC-Logo-by-Mary-Hunt-Tagline-Trimmed.png Mary Hunt2026-07-10 17:46:132026-07-10 17:46:13How to Knock $200+ Off Your Car Insurance Bill (Without Switching Companies)
negotiate medical bills female nurse with calculator and ipad negotiating a bill

How to Negotiate Medical Bills and Cut Costs 30-50%

https://www.everydaycheapskate.com/wp-content/uploads/20260706-negotiate-medical-bills-female-nurse-with-calculator-and-ipad-negotiating-a-bill.png 800 1200 Mary Hunt https://www.everydaycheapskate.com/wp-content/uploads/EC-Logo-by-Mary-Hunt-Tagline-Trimmed.png Mary Hunt2026-07-06 21:19:252026-07-06 21:19:25How to Negotiate Medical Bills and Cut Costs 30-50%
financial independence sparkler and american flag in night sky

What My Debt Taught Me About Real Freedom

https://www.everydaycheapskate.com/wp-content/uploads/20260704-financial-independence-sparkler-and-american-flag-in-night-sky.png 800 1200 Mary Hunt https://www.everydaycheapskate.com/wp-content/uploads/EC-Logo-by-Mary-Hunt-Tagline-Trimmed.png Mary Hunt2026-07-04 11:57:492026-07-04 11:57:49What My Debt Taught Me About Real Freedom
how to build a $1,000 emergency fund jar with coins and plant

How to Build a $1,000 Emergency Fund When Money Is Already Tight

https://www.everydaycheapskate.com/wp-content/uploads/20260617-how-to-build-a-1000-emergency-fund-jar-with-coins-and-plant.png 800 1200 Mary Hunt https://www.everydaycheapskate.com/wp-content/uploads/EC-Logo-by-Mary-Hunt-Tagline-Trimmed.png Mary Hunt2026-06-17 18:34:002026-06-17 18:34:00How to Build a $1,000 Emergency Fund When Money Is Already Tight
how to splurge on a budget woman drinking fancy coffee luxury treat smiling

How to Splurge on a Budget Without the Guilt

https://www.everydaycheapskate.com/wp-content/uploads/20260614-how-to-splurge-on-a-budget-woman-drinking-fancy-coffee-luxury-treat-smiling.png 800 1200 Mary Hunt https://www.everydaycheapskate.com/wp-content/uploads/EC-Logo-by-Mary-Hunt-Tagline-Trimmed.png Mary Hunt2026-06-14 20:10:232026-06-14 20:12:40How to Splurge on a Budget Without the Guilt
woman grocery shopping pushing cart with apples and cauliflower

How to Read a Grocery Store Sale Cycle (And Stop Overpaying)

https://www.everydaycheapskate.com/wp-content/uploads/20260607-woman-grocery-shopping-pushing-cart-with-apples-and-cauliflower.png 800 1200 Mary Hunt https://www.everydaycheapskate.com/wp-content/uploads/EC-Logo-by-Mary-Hunt-Tagline-Trimmed.png Mary Hunt2026-06-09 23:20:292026-06-09 23:20:29How to Read a Grocery Store Sale Cycle (And Stop Overpaying)
bill glasses and pen how to negotiate your cable and internet bill

The Word-For-Word Script That Cuts Your Bills by $600 a Year

https://www.everydaycheapskate.com/wp-content/uploads/20260605-bill-glasses-and-pen-how-to-negotiate-your-cable-and-internet-bill.png 800 1200 Mary Hunt https://www.everydaycheapskate.com/wp-content/uploads/EC-Logo-by-Mary-Hunt-Tagline-Trimmed.png Mary Hunt2026-06-05 10:07:222026-06-05 10:07:22The Word-For-Word Script That Cuts Your Bills by $600 a Year


Please keep your comments positive, encouraging, helpful, brief,
and on-topic in keeping with EC Commenting Guidelines



Caught yourself reading all the way 'til the end? Why not share with a friend.

Share this entry
  • Facebook Facebook Share on Facebook
  • X-twitter X-twitter Share on X
  • Square-x-twitter Square-x-twitter Share on X
  • Pinterest Pinterest Share on Pinterest
  • Linkedin Linkedin Share on LinkedIn
  • Mail Mail Share by Mail
https://www.everydaycheapskate.com/wp-content/uploads/Depositphotos_125821800_XL-scaled.jpg 1707 2560 Mary Hunt https://www.everydaycheapskate.com/wp-content/uploads/EC-Logo-by-Mary-Hunt-Tagline-Trimmed.png Mary Hunt2023-09-04 20:52:362023-10-06 10:23:44Like Finding Money You Didn’t Know You Had
1 reply
  1. Nanci D. says:
    April 6, 2024 at 8:07 pm

    I was hoping for a longer article with more examples/suggestions. Was this article really so short or did I not get it all?

    Reply

Leave a Reply

Want to join the discussion?
Feel free to contribute!

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

How was it?




Welcome to Everyday Cheapskate!

A woman in a blue shirt

Hi, There … I’m Mary!
I’m passionate about helping people live below their means. The secret is to get clever and creative with how to save time and money every day! Join my email list where I share everything I’ve learned—and continue to learn! logo

Join My Email List!

SIGN UP HERE … (Free eBook!)

Most Popular Posts

21 Smart Uses for Pickle Juice You’ll Wish You Knew

The Best Carrot Cake Recipe: So Good It’s Genius

Perfect Baked Potatoes: Crispy, Fluffy, and Delicious Every Time

The Best Slow Cooker Pot Roast with Gravy – Easy, Flavorful, and Tender!

12 Things You Should Never Plug Into a Power Strip and Why

Unbelievably Easy Cinnamon Rolls: 3 Ingredients, 40 Minutes, Pure Perfection!

How to Remove Years of Kitchen Cabinet Grit and Grime

Hands Down the Best Way to Kill Weeds (And It's Not Roundup)

You may have seen me …

Collage of logos showing all of the shows and publications that mary Hunt has appeared in

A bowl of food on a table

© Copyright 1992- - Everyday Cheapskate
  • Start Here
  • About
  • Books by Mary Hunt
  • Privacy Policy
  • Contact
  • Get Free E-Mail Updates
Link to: Give But Give Wisely Link to: Give But Give Wisely Give But Give Wiselyman writing check to charity Link to: 10 Things You Can Do to Make a Vehicle Last Twice as Long Link to: 10 Things You Can Do to Make a Vehicle Last Twice as Long 2002 Chevy Silverado10 Things You Can Do to Make a Vehicle Last Twice as Long
Scroll to top Scroll to top Scroll to top
This site uses cookies to serve you a better experience. AcceptSettingsNo CookiesLearn More
Privacy & Cookies Policy

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Non-necessary
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
SAVE & ACCEPT
  • 3Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Pinterest
  • LinkedIn
  • Email