The economy is down. Unemployment rates are up. But this doesn’t mean you can’t still figure out ways to save and make extra money amidst the coronavirus outbreak.

I’ve lived in seasons where I had plenty and seasons where I’ve had very little. But in every season, I’ve figured out ways to save more or make extra money, even during the difficult seasons.

I’m no financial expert, but I have been a career working woman in a 9-5 job, created multiple businesses (some successful, some not), I’ve had up to 11 different streams of income through my online author business, and I’ve made pivots when it made sense to do so.

Some of these tips may seem out of reach for you. But I encourage you to think outside-the-box because when you do, you may realize you have more options at your disposal than you originally thought.

So here we go:

1. Cut the Cable

We haven’t owned cable for years and have saved thousands of dollars per month. We’ve cut back a ton on our entertainment budget, especially when push comes to shove. We only have Amazon-Prime video at this time and it’s served us well without breaking the bank. If you have too many subscription services (Netflix, Hulu, etc.) but aren’t using them frequently or are in a pinch financially, you need to cut ties with this money pit and get ready to put more savings in the bank.

2. Keep the change

We have been with Bank of America for YEARS and one thing I love about them is they have an optional “keep the change” savings program where you can start saving hundreds of dollars per year without even thinking about it. How it works is say you made a purchase of $54.55. Bank of America will roll up that amount to $55 and put the extra .45 cents into your savings account. It may not seem like much but all those purchases add up to hundreds of dollars per year in savings. It’s worth a peek if you’re interested.

3. Reusable products

I recently shifted my household (and mindset) to reusable products in home which is saving me hundreds of dollars per year. At this time, I’ve switched all my cleaning products and many of my personal care items to H2O at Home reusable and long-lasting products. It has simplified the number of products I use (most products are multi-purpose), plus it keeps me from using so many paper towels by using reusable microfiber cloths instead. Not only are they saving me money, but they are safer to use due to their organic and non-toxic properties (added bonus!)

4. Sell your wardrobe

Okay, don’t actually sell EVERYTHING in your closet, but start by taking an honest assessment of what you wear and what you don’t wear. Do you have items in your closet that have been there for 3-5 years and you’ve only worn once or not at all? Most of us have WAY TOO MANY clothes and never wear most of them. Consider creating a mini-store front online to sell your gently used clothes to earn some extra money and declutter your closet at the same time!

5. Create a side-hustle, but not just any side-hustle

Everyone is talking about creating a side-hustle these days to support your income and keep things steady. However, what people aren’t telling you is that not all side-hustles are created equal. During this economic downturn, you need to create a side-business that is easy to start with very little financial (and time) investment. It must also have reusable products or services to create long-term clients. It should provide a direct need to others, especially at this time of the coronavirus crisis. For example, since people aren’t traveling much, I would not consider becoming a travel agent. Want to know what I would suggest right now? Read more about this company which is a perfect fit. (I recently joined and earned double the amount I invested in the first 3 weeks with minimal time and effort!)

6. Move

This may not seem like an option to you. I get it. We lived in Southern California and my husband had a great job with an income to sustain the high prices of California. But, every year things continued to get more and more expensive, squeezing our budget or increasing my husband’s stress to provide. So? We finally decided enough was enough! We moved to southern Idaho where prices are 1/3 of what it costs to live in California. Although my husband doesn’t make nearly as much as he did in California, we also aren’t spending nearly as much to live here either. We are definitely saving more by moving to a place that is more affordable to live. Perhaps you live in a high-priced area and haven’t considered this option…but what if this was the option that changes everything, for the better?

7. Eat out less

This one may sound obvious to you (and maybe you rarely eat out already) but you can save hundreds per month just by staying in and cooking a home-cooked meal. It’s usually more nutritious and doesn’t take as much time as you think. Trust me, I don’t love cooking but I have found multiple easy, healthy recipes that take 30 minutes or less just by searching on Google, and they taste great too! If you want to learn how to coupon shop, that can give you extra savings in your bank account. Follow MoneySavingMom.com if you need help with that. She’s the pro.

What tip are you going to try out first?