3 Ways to Save $100 in July

An extra $100 in your savings account may not seem so life-changing. But if you're low on savings to begin with, it could go a long way.

A recent SecureSave survey found that 67% of Americans don't have enough money in savings to cover a $400 unplanned expense. So if you're in a similar situation, an extra $100 is actually a pretty big deal. And here are a few ways you might manage to add $100 to your savings this July.

1. Seek out free entertainment

During the summer, many towns offer a host of free events, from concerts at local parks to fireworks displays. Before you make plans to spend a fair amount of money on summer nights out, check out what's going on in your town. You might have a great time packing a picnic dinner and checking out a live music performance, which is apt to be a lot cheaper than paying for concert tickets and a meal at a restaurant or food at a concert venue.

In fact, depending on your summertime plans, swapping even a single paid night out for a free one could leave you $100 richer. So while you deserve to treat yourself to entertainment on occasion, it also pays to see if it's possible to have a great time without having to reach for your wallet.

2. Do a subscription audit

Do you know what you're spending on subscriptions? If not, you're in good company.

A recent report by C+R Research found that consumers estimated their monthly spending on subscriptions at $86 on average. When they dug deeper, that number was $219 in reality. This means that consumers, on average, underestimated their monthly spending by $133.

As such, it pays to comb through your credit card statements and see what services you're signed up for. You may be able to dump a few you don't use and bank the difference without even feeling like you're missing out on anything.

3. Shop around for new insurance

Many people pay for auto and homeowners insurance once or twice a year. If you do the same, and one of these policies is up for renewal, take some time to do a little rate shopping. You may find that one insurance company is willing to offer you a more favorable rate, and that could allow you to save $100 on annual auto insurance, homeowners coverage, or both.

Another option you may want to look at, if you're not doing this already, is bundling your auto and homeowners insurance policies. Some companies will give you a break if you sign up for both types of insurance at the same time.

Saving $1,000 in a month may not be close to feasible these days, what with inflation driving the cost of everything up. But saving $100 this month is a very different story. And while you may not think an extra $100 in the bank will have a huge impact on your life, in an emergency, it could spell the difference between landing in debt or being able to cover an unplanned bill without having to whip out a credit card and carry a balance forward.