This Simple Change Will Save Me $100 in 2022

Changing how I buy pet food saved me money and made my life more convenient.

A new year presents the perfect opportunity to make financial changes. Even small changes add up over time. There's one simple change that I recently made that will make my life easier and save me a bit of cash. I changed how I purchase pet food. If you're a pet owner, you may be able to change how you buy your pet food to save money. Find out how I'll save $100 this year:

Owning pets can be expensive, especially if you have pets with health concerns. Over the years, we've had our fair share of surprise vet bills. But one thing I didn't realize was how expensive prescription pet food is. One of our cats has to follow a strict diet and must eat prescription food -- and he eats a lot of it!

Until the beginning of this year, we'd go to the store every 2 to 3 weeks to buy more pet food. Since it's prescription food, we had to go to specific stores in our area and show a prescription card. Well, that's no longer the case.

A few weeks ago, I set everything up to order our pet food online and get it shipped directly to our home. Not only that, but I also set up auto-shipments. Many popular pet retailers offer auto-ship services -- including Chewy, Petco, and PetSmart. You can have your pet food, treats, and supplies shipped to your home regularly, so you never run out.

Ordering pet food online will save me $100

In addition to making your life more convenient, you can also save money by using an auto-ship service. Many retailers offer an additional discount on auto-ship orders. With this discount, I'm saving 5% on the cost of my pet food. This will result in a savings of $100 in 2022. While it's not a ton of money, it's something.

It's also nice because I won't have to worry about running to the store every few weeks. Plus, I no longer need to carry heavy trays of canned food in and out of my vehicle. This change only took me a few moments to set up, and it will save me money and make my life easier.

If you buy a lot of pet food or your pet requires expensive prescription food, you may want to change how you buy it. Ordering online and setting up auto-shipments could save you money.

Other ways to save money this year

Are you looking for other small changes you can make to save money this year?

• Switch to grocery pickup. If you feel overwhelmed with grocery shopping, switching to grocery pickup may help. You can save time by placing your order online and picking up your already bagged groceries. This is a great way to save money because it can be easier to stick to your budget when ordering online. It can be tempting to overbuy when you do your shopping at the store.
• Cancel subscriptions you no longer use. Subscription services and other services like streaming apps can be convenient. But it's easy to forget to cancel services that you're no longer using. One easy way to save money is to take inventory of every subscription you have and cancel those you don't use. Even eliminating $10 to $15 in unnecessary spending each month can make a difference.
• Track your spending. Many people are on autopilot when they make purchases. If you pull out your credit card without much thought, you may be overspending on unnecessary purchases. Take the time to track your spending for a few weeks. You may be surprised at how much money you waste. Once you're more aware of where your money goes, it can be easier to make changes and save more money.
• Use apps to your advantage. Some apps can help you manage your finances better. Here are two examples: Budgeting apps can monitor your spending and help you stick to your budget. Cash back apps can help you earn cash back when shopping in-person and online.

If you want to improve your finances this year, outline your goals and take small steps to make them happen. If you're going through a difficult time financially, it may feel like it's forever -- but it doesn't have to be. For additional tips and guidance, check out our personal finance resources.