You’ve probably experienced buyers remorse at least once in your life where you bought something or paid for something and quickly came to regret it. If only you could go back in time and tell your former self to save that money for a difference purchase or bill instead.

Reddit user SillyBonsai asked, “What simple piece of advice, if followed, could potentially save most people a lot of money?”

A lot of this advice is from average people not financial experts, but it is still very helpful learning from the experience of others. Read on for tips about how to save your money for a rainy day instead of throwing it away.

1. Would You Take the Cash?

   Reddit user Bianchai shared:

   When you’re thinking about buying something you don’t necessarily need, imagine somebody offering you the thing in one hand and what it costs in cash in the other. If you would take the cash over the thing from the from this imaginary stranger, you probably shouldn’t buy the thing.

2. Wait a Week

   Shared by Reddit user ChickenFarmer:

   Don’t buy it right now, buy it next week.You’ll probably forget about half the stuff you’d have thrown your money at in the spur of the moment.

3. Buy in Bulk

   Advice from Reddit user KingBee13:

   If you use it often and it’s not perishable; buy in bulk. Especially if it’s on special! I’ve seen guys waste money coming in week after week for a few razor blades (a 3 pack instead of a 12 pack), purely because the small pack is cheaper. No bro, work it out per blade and the 12 pack is cheaper. This works with almost 90% of goods

4. Beware of Credit Cards

   Written by d33p_blu3:

   If you can’t afford it now you probably wont be able to afford it when the credit card statement comes.

5. Always Save

   halfwayxthere shared a good habit to start:

   Pay yourself first.When you get paid, systematically put some into savings. Decide your percentage beforehand (10% for example) and do it every time.

6. Set a Budget

   BlackCaaaaat has some great advice:

   Don’t start budgeting ‘in a few years,’ start now. Heck, even if you’re in high-school and flipping burgers on the weekend. The ability to create, and stick to, a budget will make a massive difference to your life. Once you begin to budget your money, you’ll quickly realise where you are blowing your money on stupid shit. Set a limit for the fun stuff, but also have savings – a contingency plan, and you can save up for something you really want.

7. Beware of Store Cards

   Rachellybean has advice about credit cards and interest rates:

   Don’t get in credit card debt, especially store cards, I’m looking at you Wal-Mart. Some of these cards have interest rates of 18%!!

8. Grocery Shopping

   Advice shared by brodeh:

   Don’t go grocery shopping on an empty stomach. Put all of your loose change in a jar.

9. Buy Used

   Written by quantum_pencil:

   Don’t by new ALL the time. Make a list of things you want to buy, and go check out refurbished (with warranty), check out thirft and consignment shops. Check out craigslist (but don’t succumb to the cragslist killer).

10. Cars and Houses

    Reddit user philasurfer suggests make big cutbacks not just small ones:

    Buy cars in cash and live in smaller houses.Sure, you can save a dollar or two here or there on coffee or packing lunches, but the big money is in transportation and housing. You can save many hundreds of dollars per month buying used cars in cash (vs leasing or financing) and lowering your rent/mortgage and household utilities by buying smaller housing.

11. Grad School

    SpacePiratesInSpace has an interesting suggestion:

    Don’t go to grad school unless someone else pays for it.

12. College Isn’t for Everyone

    Shared by PrettyPeaceful:

    For the youngins: Really think about if you want to go to college. It’s not for everyone. There’s a lot of opportunities in the skilled trades now if you’re into one of them. College can put you into major debt, so make sure you want to make the investment beforehand.

13. Beware of a Good Sale

    Another Reddit user shared:

    Just because something is on sale doesn’t mean you should buy it. If it’s not something you was going to buy anyways just because it’s discounted does not make a good deal of saving ‘X’ amount, in reality you spent ‘Y’ amount on something you wouldn’t have normally. It’s a loss not a saving.

14. Two Great Pieces of Advice

    Written by gaoshan:

    two pieces of advice…When you owe money and are paying interest on periodic payments, always pay extra (like a mortgage or car loan, for example). I did this and paid off a 30 year mortgage in 10 years, saving possibly $100,000 on 20 years of interest I won’t have to pay. Don’t buy things on credit that you can’t afford to pay of in full that same month. i.e. never (ever… not even a small amount) carry a balance on a credit card.

15. Car Insurance Rates

    Shared by Reddit user laterdude:

    Drive the speed limit and buckle your safety belt. It costs me $120 a month in car insurance for a 12 year-old Prius because I had a lead foot in my younger days.Now I have a bad catalytic converter and my car is physically unable to exceed the speed limit. I haven’t received a ticket in two years & my insurance rates have flat-lined.