The Crown team makes it a priority to “practice what we preach”, which means that we have an office full of brilliant budgeters, savers, and investors, all serving as faithful stewards, eager to hear the words, “well done, good and faithful servant”.

Because our staff is full of creative and practical ideas, we asked them to share some of their best savings and budgeting tips. Here are some of their answers.  

Megan Buerkle, Career & Work Department: When you go out to eat, search the menu for what you think you want, and then pick something that’s $3 less. My husband and I do this regularly and save at least $6 per meal! We also Google coupons and use a particular store’s app to check for discounts or coupons before checking out.

Chuck Bentley, CEO: Set up an automatic withdrawal from your paycheck to a savings account, and adjust your tax withholdings so you have more cash in your account each month. Drive used cars, rent a car for long road trips, and have enough saved so you can take advantage of high deductible insurance coverage.

Amy Hubbard, Poverty Initiatives: Immediately transfer money to savings from every paycheck. Also check coupon apps like RetailMeNot before you check out at a store, or if you’re trying to decide where to take a group for lunch. Restaurant with the best deal wins!

Melinda Hayes, Client Services: Always plan ahead! Don’t go shopping without a list, don’t make impulse purchases, and answer these 3 questions before making any big purchases: 1) How often will I/we use this? 2) Do we have a place to store it? 3) Is it worth it?

Hannah Simic, Donor Development: Set a percentage of your budget to be allocated to savings. Also make a list of all your expenses (groceries, bills, etc.), and then ask yourself before making any purchase (even if it’s just a dollar), “Does this purchase honor God and help me stick to my budget?” My answer is usually no and I rarely feel like I missed out on something.

Jerry Tregea, Accounting: Make an annual budget and rigidly adhere to the plan. I like numbers, so ours has about 40 line items and I’ll sometimes challenge my wife and I to spend less in each category than we did in the previous month. We also never go grocery shopping when we are hungry, and pay attention to which stores have the lowest prices on groceries (it’s usually Aldi).

Tracey Fries, Executive Assistant & Event Coordinator: Start Christmas shopping early! During the fall festivals, hunt for unique and inexpensive gifts. Once your list has been checked off, you don’t need to shop the crazed sales!

Kim Cooper, Money Processing: Contact your cable company at least once a year and ask about “loyalty” discounts. Most of the time I have to tell them the maximum that I’m willing to spend, but if you stick to your guns, they’ll usually give you a better deal. They don’t want to lose a loyal customer!  

Arielle Vogel, Digital Content: Find some budget-minded friends and help each other out! Text each other when you find good sales, and offer to pick up sale groceries when you’re already out. Sometimes buying in bulk at stores like Sam’s Club or Costco and then dividing it between households can save you a lot of money.

Heather Stanfield, Radio Ministry: Always research online for the best price. You would be surprised how much money you can save just by comparison shopping. And view the amount you have dedicated to monthly savings as just another bill. Pay yourself in a separate account that is set aside for emergencies or for a specific purchase.

What savings tip do you want to put into practice? Share your favorite tip with us by commenting below!